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UNE NM P L O Y NW ENT IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK BY WILLIAM MORRIS LEISERSON, A. B. Sometime Honorary Fellow in Political Economy, Columbia University SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REOUIRENMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY NEVV YORK | 9 || | TABLE OF CONTENTS. I. Introductory Statement. II. Extent of Unemployment. I. The Number of the Unemployed. (a) Unemployed at Relief Agencies. (b) Applicants at Employment Offices. (c) Testimony of Employers and Workmen. (d) Censuses and Special Investigations. (e) Unemployed Members of Trade Unions. 2. Fluctuations in Amount of Employment. (a) Fluctuations within the Year. (b) Fluctuations from Year to Year. 3. Summary. III. Causes of Unemployment. I. Seasonal Trades. 2. Cyclical Movements. 3. Irregular Changes in Demand. (a) Machinery and New Processes. (b) Decaying Trades. (c) Business Failures. (d) Reorganization and Business Economy. (e) Changes in Location of Industries. (f) Contract Work. 4. Casual Labor. (a) Dock Labor. (b) Other Casual Work. (c) Casual Work in Seasonal Trades. 5. Maladjustment. IV. Loss of Earnings and Effects. V. Existing Agencies for the Relief of the Unemployed. I. Municipal Lodging Houses. 2. Private Employment Offices. 3. Philanthropic Employment Offices. 4. Public Employment Offices. 5. Summary. VI. Foreign Methods of Combatting Unemployment. I. Great Britain. 2. Germany. VII. Remedies. VIII. Conclusion. [26) *;:t :c#- **sº**eº, - & s APPENDIX No. 1 — REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UNEMPLOYMENT 27 I. INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. We find in the industrial centers of this State at all times of the year, wage-earners able and willing to work, who can not get employment. We find others willing indeed to work, but, who, because of lack of ability or training, are unable to hold their positions. And we find still others who are neither able nor willing to work — except at an odd job here and there — and who exist by begging or by making the rounds of the charitable organizations and the religious societies which attempt to reclaim them. While this body of unemployed is always in existence, complaints come from employers throughout the State, that during the busy season they can not get enough skilled workmen competently trained in their trades. At certain times of the year, too, the agricultural districts and the smaller towns complain that even unskilled labor can not be had in sufficient quantity to meet the demand. This is the condition which has been found to exist, not only in New York, but in every . industrially developed state in the country. While wage-earners and their families are suffering distress or reduction in their standard of living from want of employment, certain . industries and the agriculture of the State are hampered in their development because of / insufficient labor. Employers as well as workmen are discontented. Labor is wasted by remaining idle. Capital is not used to its fullest capacity. It must be noted, however, that the unsatisfied demand for labor exists only for short periods during the year, while - the unemployed are ever present, and therefore even if this demand were filled there would still be a residue of unemployed. - Our inquiry then is a double one. First, to find out the extent to which the wage- earners of New York are unemployed; and secondly, to discover why all the demand for labor is not met. The first is by far the more important inquiry. We proceed to that and leave the second for later consideration. What the actual number of unemployed wage-earners in the State of New York is at any one time we are unable to say with any degree of accuracy.” Statements have been made to us that there were 200,ooo unemployed in the city of New York, and 500,ooo in the State. Upon inquiry, we find no basis whatever for these statements. They are on a par with the assertion often made that anyone willing to work can always find employment. There are no statistics available from which to compute the actual number of those without work. From the evidence before us, we can say with certainty only this: That there are at all times able-bodied wage-earners out of work in every city of the State; that the number varies from month to month and from year to year; that it grows larger during the winter and during the years of industrial depression, and reaches tremendous proportions every fifteen or twenty years. A conservative estimate would be that in ordinary years of business activity, the least number out of work is about 3 per cent. of the wage-earners regularly employed in the industries of the State, while during the winter months, the number would rise to 8 or Io per cent. In a year of business depression like 1908 the number out of work ranges from 15 to 30 per cent. - These estimates do not include all of the unemployed. Over and above the percentages here given are the beggars, tramps, and vagrants who have entirely dropped out of Our industries. It may be that these deserve none but criminal treatment. But they con- stitute a loss as well as a danger to the State. They might be wealth producers and, just as vagrancy leads directly to crime, so unemployment leads directly to vagrancy. The most stringent measures need to be taken to prevent men from remaining for long in the ranks of the unemployed, lest they drop into vagrancy and crime. Before proceeding to the evidence on which our statement and estimates are based, it may be well to add that the condition we find in New York State is by no means a new one, nor is our experience unique. Unemployment is a permanent feature of industrial life everywhere. The experience of every industrially developed European country in which studies have been made shows that industry and unemployment go hand in hand. The monumental reports of the Poor Law Commission of Great Britain which have been made the basis of the Liberal Party's legislative policy on these questions show this to be true for that country. The minority of the Commission found:f “That distress from want of employment, though periodically aggravated by depres- sion of trade, is a constant feature of industry and commerce as at present administered; * The British Royal Commission on the Poor Laws found the same difficulty. , Says the Minority Report, p. 1131 : “We have found ourselves unable to answer two elementary questions. There are no statistics available which enable us to compute, even in hundreds of thousands, how many persons are at any one time simultaneously in distress from unemployment, or whether this number is or is not greater, relatively or absolutely, than the corresponding numbers for other countries at the present time, or for Ayur own country at previous times.” f Report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws, and Relief of Distress, p. 1177. !---, .' ** **** • Tº sº." As gº * § ºf ; 28 * - COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY and that the mass of men, women, and children suffering privation due to this Unemploy- ment in the United Kingdom amounts, at the best of times, to hundreds of thousands, while in years of trade depression they must exceed a million in number.” -* And the majority report agrees in these words: “At every Relief Committee — and later, at every Distress Committee – there appeared large numbers who did not seem to fit in with the theory that, in times of good trade, there was approximately full employment for all classes. Before every Committee, appeared numbers in the prime of life as regards years to whom the idea of ‘tiding over' was evidently quite inapplicable.” In Germany, in France, in Belgium, in Switzerland, in Denmark, in The Netherlands and in Norway, the governments as a result of careful statistical studies have recognized the fact of unemployment and attempted to deal with it by the various forms of legislation which are described later in this report. In all of these countries some form of insurance against unemployment is either in existence or under consideration. The spread of unem- ployment insurance across all the industrial countries of Europe is conclusive evidence that unemployment is recognized as a permanent condition. It is not an exceptional phe- nomenon. It is a risk to which wage-earners are always liable, and the governments of Europe have recognized that some provision must be made against it. 'II. ExTENT OF UNEMPLOYMENT. I. THE NUMBER OF THE UNEMPLOYED. º If unemployment is characteristic of modern industry everywhere, New York State is no exception to the rule. And while we have no statistics as to the actual number of the unemployed, the records of trade unions, charitable societies and employment offices, and the special studies of the earnings of workingmen's families, furnish a mass of evidence that unemployment is a serious menace to the standard of living of the wage-earners and therefore to the welfare of the State. Unemployed at Relief Agencies.— The work of the few existing agencies for the relief of the unemployed furnishes ample proof of the existence of unemployment at all times, during prosperous as well as during dull years. During the year 1909 from 30,000 to 34,000 people sought lodging at the Free Municipal Lodging House in New York city. The usual number of different people accommodated is from 25,000 to 30,000 a year and the daily average of lodgings given is over 200, ranging from about roo in the summer months to over 4oo in the cold winter months. These people are all homeless and penniless, but in the opinion of those in charge all are by no means unemployable. Inquiries are sent to former employers of these lodgers and the answers show that the majority of them are good workmen, many of the employers stating that if they had work they would take the men back. The records of the charitable organizations show that in a large proportion of the cases which come under their care destitution is due primarily to lack of work. Thus in 439 or 29 per cent. of 1,500 families helped by the Charity Organization Society of New York city during the year from October 1908 to October 1909, just after the panic, destitution was due to inability to get work.f. Of the families helped during the year 1904-5, it was found that 22.5 per cent. needed work primarily and not relief. Out of 935 cases under the care of the society during the year 1898–9 one-fourth of the families were suffering from unemployment due to no fault of their own and only sixty-six of the heads of families were fully employed. § In 796 or 42 per cent. of the cases under its care during 1897–8 the Society reported that the chief need was work rather than relief.” The Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor reports in 1908 that out of a list of 3oo applicants picked at random, Io9 or 35% per cent. had applied for aid because of lack of work, and 18 per cent. because of insufficient work or wages.*** Applicants at Employment Offices.— The experience of the various philanthropic employment offices furnishes more evidence. The employment bureau of the Bowery Mission during its existence of two and a half years has found work for only 9,000 out of about 40,000 applicants. The Salvation Army placed less than 500 out of over 5,000 * Ibid. p. 334. f See Appendix VII. e f Annual Report Charity Organization Society, p. 78. The treatment given was “work only" in 11.04 per cent, of the cases, and “work with relief" to 11.43 per cent. of the families. §Ibid., 1898–9, Report of Committee on Statistics, p. 61. ** Ibid, 1897–8. & - *** In all, 90 per cent of the applicants had come to ask for relief through no fault of their own. Sick- ness, old age, accidents, etc., made up for the rest. Sixty-fifth Annual Report of the New York Associa- . tion for Improving the Condition of the Poor, 1909, p. Io. ... - ~ * APPENDIX No. I – REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UNEMPLOYMENT 29 applicants in 1910. The Alliance Employment Bureau for Women placed during 1909 Only 1,000 out of 2,500 applicants, and every month of the year there were more applicants than work could be found for. Out of 24,600 applicants for work the National Employ- ment Exchange could find work for only about 4,600. The Young Men's Christian Associa- tion (Bowery Branch) found jobs for only 416 men out of 2,410 in 1908, and for 774 out of 2,491 men in 1909. The Division of Information of the United States Bureau of Immigra- tion placed in employment only 3,812 out of over 24,ooo who applied. The Bureau of the State Department of Agriculture has not very accurate records of the number of applications but we are assured that there is always an excess of applications for work over the number of positions secured.* - - Private employment offices have the same experience. The report of the Immigration Commission of this State in 1909, stated: - “In spite of this reduction in the number of aliens and the very large decrease in the number of immigrants, (due to the panic of 1908) there was still left in New York city an enormous Over-supply of 1abor, because of the great falling off in the demand for workers. An investigation of IoS agencies disclosed that there were from two to thirty times as many applicants as there were positions filled weekly. An element to be considered in this Statement is the possibility of duplications of those seeking employment among different agents. Taking without any particular selection, seventy-four of the agencies visited, the number of applicants weekly totaled 4,562, while the average number of positions filled weekly was 1,020, or an average of 4.5 applicants for every position filled.”f Testimony of Employers and Workmen.—The statements of employers and wage- earners made in answer to inquiries sent out by the Commission serve to confirm the above evidence, and prove beyond a doubt the existence of a vast amount of unemployment. To the question “Are you always able to get all the help you want?” Out of 723 employers 458, or 63 per cent, replied “yes.” At the same time, 663 or 87.2 per cent, reported that they get their help wholly or mainly from people who make personal application at the plant. Obviously, there must be a great number who go from plant to plant in vain, if these employers can always get all the help they want. Further, 322, or about 44 per cent. of employers replying, report that there is an actual Over-supply of Some kinds of labor. The Commission also sent out a list of questions to trade unions. Of 179 replies to the question “whether there are at all times of the year some members out of work,” 95, or 35 per cent., replied “Yes.” These facts only bear out the experience of all careful observers. A round of the news- paper offices any morning shows rows and rows of men and boys scanning the want adver- tisements and writing letters for jobs. And the experience of legislators of the State as told by the Hon. Lindon Bates, Jr., at one of our hearings further illustrates the point: “I believe anybody who has been in politics in New York, and had an average of about ten men a day at times, come up looking for work, and simply going to their assemblyman or alderman because he is the outward and visible sign of officialdom, where you See appar- ently about half of those men are clean, decent, hard-working people that simply cannot 'get work, you could get a pretty good idea of the fact that very Certainly unemployment does exist, and when you have seen these men in the course of a year or two years go down into the lower ken, you cannot help feeling a certain amount of sympathy and a desire that some of the brains and some of the intelligence of the body politic be put onto this problem.” Censuses and Special Investigations.— Every census and every special investigation among the working Classes has revealed the existence of a large class of unemployed. The United States Census began asking questions about unemployment in the year 1880, but the information secured was not tabulated. In 1890, the returns showed that about I 5 per cent. of the persons engaged in gainful occupations in the State of New York were idle some time during the year. The census questioned the accuracy of these figures and stated they represented tendencies only. In 190o the returns on unemployment were better than in 1890, but not entirely satisfactory. Again they were valuable only in showing a tendency. Twenty-five per cent. of those engaged in manufacturing and mechanical pursuits were unemployed some time during the year in New York State. Of these, Over half lost from one to three months, while 37% per cent, lost from three to six months. These figures include all those engaged in gainful occupations, employers, and hired officials, as well as wage-earners. If wage-earners alone were considered the number who had suffered unemployment would be considerably greater than 25 per cent. The census, unfortunately, does not distinguish the wage-earners from the other Occupied persons, but * Only the Labor Information Office for Italians shows a greater demand for help than for work in every month of the year. . . * - f Report of the Commission of Immigration of the State of New York, p. I I I. 30 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY if we select some occupations which are made up mainly of wage-earners, it appears evident that the number of workingmen who have intermittent employment is much greater than 25 per cent. Thirty-seven per cent. of the tailors, 30 per cent. of the tobacco workers, 43 per cent. of the laborers and almost 50 per cent. of the building workers, were unemployed for a month or more. PER CENT. OF WAGE-EARNERS IN NEw YoFK StATE UNEMPLOYED ONE MONTH OR MORE — CENSUs 1900.* Per cent. Occupation. unemployed. Laborers (domestic and personal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43. 7 Carpenters and joiners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.9 Masons (brick and stone). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54. I Painters, glaziers and varnishers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4O. I Saw and planing mill employees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32. 7 Tailors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36.9 Tobacco and cigar factory operatives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3O. 9 In 1902 the United States Bureau of Labor made a very intensive study of the cost of living of 25,ooo families in all parts of the country. Of these, 4,270 families were situated in the State of New York. While this number is not very large, the families were selected because they seemed representative of the entire working population of the State, and the trained character of the investigators make the information about these families among the most reliable that we have. It was found that of 4,270 heads of families in the State of New York, 1,871 or 43.8 per cent. had steady work during the year, (1902); and 2,399 or 56.2 per cent. had suffered some unemployment. The conditions in New York were slightly worse than in the United States as a whole. Taking all the 25,400 families the number who had suffered unemploy- ment and the number who had lost no time during the year were about equally divided. Í The 2,399 heads of families in the state who had suffered some unemployment lost an average of ten weeks each. In the amount of time lost, New York was again a little worse off than the whole of the United States. For 12,154 heads of families living in thirty-three states who had been idle some time during the year, the average number of weeks of idleness was a little less than nine and a half. If we consider all the heads of families, both those who lost time and those who worked steadily, the average number of weeks of idleness was over five and a half in New York, and about four and three-quarters in the United States. The following table gives the exact figures: PER CENT. OF HEADS OF FAMILIES IDLE AND AVERAGE WEEKs IDLE. (U. S. Bureau of Labor–Annual Report, 1903.) Average weeks idle based on Average weeks idle based on Per cent. idle. heads of families idle. total heads of families. New York. . . United States tº e s g º is $ sº dº ſº tº e s & ſº tº a dº e º a º ºs e º ºs e e g g º e g º a º a º * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 56. I 8 49.8 I IO. O.8 9. 43 5. 63 4. 70 Unemployed Members of Trade Unions.—More evidence of the presence of unemploy- ment as a constant factor in our industrial life is furnished by the studies of trade unions made by the New York Department of Labor. Chart I shows the percentage of unemploy- ment in these returns for every month from January 1902, to June, 1902–1909. Each bar represents a month. The shaded portion is the percentage of unemployment due to trade conditions, in which is included lack of work, lack of stock, and the weather. The unshaded portions represent unemployment due to sickness, old age, or other disability, and to labor * Compiled from table 41, Special Report on Occupations. f The evidence here that about 50 per cent of the wage-earners were out of work some time during the year shows again, how the census percentages of unemployment appear low, because employers and officials are grouped with wage-earners in the returns. | º | PER CENT of UNEMPLoyed TRADE UNIonists—New York 1902-1909 (Shaded Bars Represent Unemployment Due to Trade Conditions) MEAN ANNUAL PERCENTAGE PER CENT PER CENT APPENDIX NO. I — REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UNEMPLOYMENT 3I disputes. It will be seen at a glance that trade conditions cause the largest amount of unemployment, over 75 per cent. during the ordinary years, and over 90 per cent. during years of depression. The Department of Labor receives returns from about too,ooo members of trade unions in the State. Of these, in ordinary years of business activity, about 15 per cent. are usually idle during the winter months. In the spring the percentage of unemployment begins to fall, rises slightly in the summer and then reaches its lowest limit during the fall months when the number of unemployed union men is about 5 per cent. of all those report ing. During years of depression both limits are greatly increased, the number idle ranging from 15 to 35 per cent. These figures cover only unemployment due to trade conditions. Those who are out of work because of sickness, old age, or other disability, or because of labor disputes, are not included. It is impossible to say how representative these figures are of the general amount of unemployment. It is argued that trade unionists represent the more skilled trades and in these there is less unemployment than among unskilled laborers. On the other hand, it is contended that union men will not work for less than the scale set by the union and are therefore more likely to be unemployed. The returns from the trade unions are also invalidated as an index of the amount of unemployment because they do not show the number of their members who are employed at another trade, while out of work in their regular Occupation. Furthermore the reports are made not by the men themselves, but by the Secretary or business agent of the union who during busy years is inclined to under- estimate the number unemployed, lest the information be used by employers. On the other hand, during periods of depression the official is inclined to overestimate the number. But we are not here concerned with the exact accuracy of these figures. We present them only to show that even among the skilled and organized workers some are out of work every month during years of prosperity as well as during years of depression. 2. FLUCTUATIONS IN AMOUNT OF EMPLOYMENT. -ºº-ºº: We have shown thus far the existence of unemployment in our State, during prosperous as well as during dull years, so far as it was possible to do this by actual counts of unemployed people. The difficulty of securing such statistics and the inadequacy of them when com- || piled must be evident from our recital. But even if the actual number of the unemployed | | could be calculated it would not help us very much. The evil of unemployment is not necessarily greatest when the total number of unemployed is the largest. We want to know not so much how many are without work, as how many need to be without work. How - many are compelled to suffer a reduction in their earnings through idleness every year? A The problem must be approached from the standpoint of the industry. We must study and measure the demand of employers for labor. How many workmen can the industries of our State use? How many can they employ steadily 2 How many can have work for the whole year? How many are needed for only a season, a month, a day, or for a few hours? For purposes of temporary relief it is of value to know who and how many are at any one time in distress from want of employment. But for a policy of prevention, for a T state seeking to reinstate its idle in their places in industry, the inquiry must be into the forces which throw men out of work. The basic fact in the problem of unemployment is the demand of employers for work- people. If this is not steady but fluctuating, then the best measure of necessary unemploy- ment is the amount of these fluctuations. Personal failings, such as lack of training, reliability, efficiency, etc., may determine which individual shall be discharged first, but as one of the employers stated during the recent shirt waist strike, employers cannot “keep at work employees for whom there is no work to do, as they are not running eleemosynary institutions, nor are they able to regulate the law of supply and demand which governs the waist making industry as it does all others.” When we approach the problem from this side, when instead of trying to count all those who happen to be idle, we look into the nature of the demand for labor, and get some measure of the unsteadiness of this demand, then we have a much more comprehensive and a much more accurate idea of the extent and seriousness of the problem of unemployment. Fluctuations Within the Year.— The needs of employers for workers are crudely represented in the number of wage-earners they employ from month to month. Seven hundred and fifty-nine employers in this State have reported to us the number of their employees for the fifteenth day of each month during the year 1909. Here are the total figures: 32 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY NUMBER of EMPLOYEES ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF EACH MONTH - Igo9. Mercan- tº sº sº tº Light, * * Building isoel- All in- Manu- tile estab- tº heat and Miscel MONTH. dustries. factures. lish- i. . n- Railroads. power laneous ments. SUTUICUIC)Il. companies. January. . . . . . . . . . . . . 321,861 Ioô,789 3, 442 I, 614 I60,478 3,436 46, IO2 February. . . . . . . . . . . . 323,772 IO8,999 3,375 I, 480 | I 59,574 3, 545 46,799 March. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329, 22 I IIo,918 3,503 I, 679 I6I, 425 3,60I 48,095 April. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332,952 IIO, 709 3,614 I, 826 I64, 44I 3,64I 48,72 I May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335, O3O III, 274 3, 665 I, 644 I65,554 3,889 49, OO4 June. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337,888 I I I, 67 I 3,618 2,225 I66,935 3,992 49,447 July. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337,824 IO9,994 3, 430 2, 4 II I68, 522 4, O7I 49,396 August. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340,389 III, 29 I 3, IQI 2, 4 II I69,785 4, O4. I 49, 670 September. . . . . . . . . . . 346,360 II5,264 3,756 2, 7 I 3 170,289 4,080 50, 2I4 October. . . . . . . . . . . . . 348, IO4 II4, 184 3,983 2, 418 I7I, 59 I 4, I48 51,780 November. . . . . . . . . . . ° 365,223 I22,458 4, 238 2, 7 IS I7 I, 392 4, O73 53,398 December. . . . . . . . . . . . 363,406 I22, 400 4,981 2,705 I73, 947 4, OI 5 55, 358 It will be noted that there is on the whole an increase in the number of employees from , month to month over the entire year. This is exceptional and shows how business was recovering from the depression of 1908. But despite the general tendency to take on more employees as business recovered, there was a reduction in the number of employees in manufacturing pursuits during July and October. The mercantile establishments threw off many workers in February and still more in August. In December a great amount of extra help was taken on to meet the rush of the holidays, and these were laid off in January. In building and construction the reduction of the number of wage-earners employed came with the approach of the winter. In the other industries the normal variation in the number of workers employed from month to month is hidden by the return- ing prosperity which marked the year 1909. Fortunately we have statistics covering practically all the manufacturing establish- ments in the State, which show the number of wage-earners employed from month to month during normal years. In the following table the average number employed each month in the years 1900 and 1905 is given with the percentage of increase or decrease from the preceeding month. WAGE-EARNERs EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES IN STATE OF NEW YORK. (U. S. Census of Manufactures.) PER CENT. INCREASE +. AVERAGE NUMBER. PER CENT. DECREASE — MONTH. I900. I905. I900. I905. January. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 799, 573 817,392 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 818, Oo3 838,719 +2.3 +2.5 March. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 853, O56 857,436 +4. O + I 8 April. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 884, 23 I 861,782 +3.6 +o. 7 May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 887,576 848, 514 +o. 4 —I . 6 June. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 849,387 836,239 –4. O —I.4 July. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 813,745 828,817 —4. I —o. 9 August. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 818, 525 853, O93 +O. 6 +2.8 September. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 873, OO5 892, I-4I +7.4 +4.4 October. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888, 405 905, 428 + I. 8 + 1 .. 5 November. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 870,398 887,637 —2 ... O –2 ... O December. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 832,768 856, 256 –4. 4 —3.6 It will be seen that in both years there is an increase in the number of workers employed every month up till May. and July. more people are employed than in any other month of the year. Then there is a decrease. decrease sets in and continues during December and January. This fluctuation in the number working from month to month fairly represents the normal demand for labor in manufacturing industries. Employees are laid off during June In August, September and October, they are taken on again, and in October Then in November a It is true that the months showing decreases include cases of disability, personal deficiency and vacations as well as discharges for want of work, but disability and inefficiency are constant factors and APPENDIX NO. I — REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UNEMPLOYMENT 33 appear not only during the months showing a decreased number of workers, but also in every other month of the year. The phenomenon of two busy and two slack seasons exhibited by these fluctuations is perfectly familiar to those engaged in manufacturing trades. Undoubtedly the predominant factor is the condition of trade; over 95 per cent. of the employers who replied to the Commission's inquiry stated that fluctuations in the number of their employees was due to trade conditions, lack of orders, seasonal work, etc.” Normally, then, about Io per cent. of the wage-earners who are working in October are not working in January. In October, 1900, there were almost 890, ooo wage-earners employed. In the same month of 1905 there were over 905,ooo. During January of these years about 799,000 and 817,ooo, respectively, were employed. In each case this means that about 88,000 people were not working in January who were employed in October. Ten per cent. of the wage-earners engaged in manufactures, therefore, are kept as a reserve to meet the fluctuating monthly demands. When we look into the individual industries, we find a much greater fluctuation. Thus food and kindred products show a reserve of 33 per cent.; textiles, 13 per cent.; lumber and its products, 26 per cent.; glass and stone products, 43 per cent.; but the Io per cent. varia- tion between the busiest and the slackest months is a fair indication of the necessary unemployment. We must not assume that all who can work at the trades here represented and who want to work are employed during the months which are the busiest. The fact that most employers can always get all the help they want, though they complain of the quality, shows that some are unemployed even during the busiest times. Still better is this shown by the fact that within each month there are variations from day to day. Thus during 1900 and 1905, while the average number employed in the busiest months was 888,000 and 905,ooo respectively, the greatest number at work at any one time during those years is given as 1,091,026 and 1,075,570 respectively. If we take these as the bases, the average number unemployed each month was much greater. Thus: AVERAGE NUMBER AND PER CENT. UNEMPLOYED EACH MONTH, BASED ON THE GREA NUMBER EMPLOYED AT ANY ONE TIME DURING THE YEAR. I900. I905. MONTH. Average º : Average º Cent. number, *...* | number, °." . (5 unemployed. employed. unemployed. employed. #. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * g e < * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 29I, 453 26.7 258, 178 24. O ebruary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273, O23 25.o's 236,851 22. O March. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237,97O 2 I .8 218, I24 2O .. 2 April. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2O6,795 I8.9 213,788 19.8 May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2O3, 450 I8.6 227,056 2 I . I June. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24I, 639 22. I 239, 33 I 22.2 July. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277,281 25.4 246,753 22.9 August. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272, 47 I 24.9 242,477 22.5 September. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I 8, O2 I I9. O I83,429 I7. O October. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2O2, 62 I I8.5 I7O, I42 I5.8 November. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22O, 628 2O. 2 I87,933 I7.4 December. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258,258 23.6 2 I 9, 3I4. 2O. 3 It appears then that even during October, the busiest month of each of these years, the average number working was over 170,000 less than the greatest number which had been employed at some time of the year, while the average number employed in January was less than the greatest number employed at any one time by Over 250,000. That is to say, if the greatest number employed at any one time represents the maximum demand for labor in these industries, then the average number employed during the busiest month was short of the maximum demand by 18 per cent. in 1900 and by 16 per cent. in 1905; while the average number employed in the slackest month, January, was 26 per cent. less than the maximum demand in 1900 and 24 per cent. less in 1905. Nor do the last figures show the greatest amounts of unemployment. The census gives the least number employed during these years as 7 Io, 144 and 696,246 respectively. The minimum demand for labor within the year is therefore about one-third of the maximum. It is evident at once that these percentages are not conclusive. The figures do not represent so many individuals. There are many duplications, the same people may appear * See Appendix IX. Vol. III.-5 34 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY in several industries and those who are out of work at one trade may be employed at another But as showing how unsteady is the demand for labor these statistics are most valuable. Altogether in the industries represented here, there were over a million positions. In no month were there on the average more than 905,ooo of them occupied, while during most months the positions occupied were fewer. If there were a million workmen to meet the greatest demand of these industries, it would mean that about 38o,ooo of them would not be needed at some time of the year. Fluctuations in the demand for labor within the year are also clearly indicated by the census records of idle establishments in New York State. Thus, in 1905, out of 37,194 establishments II 7 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 days or less. 416 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 to 60 days. 628 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 to 90 days. 613 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 to 120 days. 826 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 to 150 days. 735 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 to 180 days. 1,334 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 to 2 Io days. 934 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 II to 240 days. 1,448 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 to 270 days. 14,305 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 to 3oo days. 14,766 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3or to 330 days. 719 were in operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 to 336 days. 333 establishments did not report.” Only 40 per cent. of these establishments worked the full year, while 1.9 per cent. lost a month or more and 8 per cent. were idle for half the year. The results of the Commission's inquiry among employers are similar. Out of 699 employers covering every form of indus- try, 220 or about 32 per cent. reported that their plants were closed down during part of the year, and 1909; f 7.6 per cent. lost more than a month. Many establishments do not shut down when business is dull, but conduct their opera- tions on part time. For instance, the Commission found that 166 out of 665 employers, or just about one-fourth, worked their plants on part time in 1909. One hundred and thirty-five of these or about one-fifth of the total, operated on part time for more than a month ; about five per cent. of the establishments ran part time for more than half the year; over Io per cent. lost three months or more. Tabulating the replies we find that 499 or 73.5 per cent, did not work part time. 31 or 4.6 per cent. worked part time one month or less. 63 or 9.4 per cent. worked part time from I to 3 months. 43 or 6.4 per cent. worked part time from 3 to 6 months. I7 or 2.5 per cent. worked part time from 6 to 9 months. I2 or I.8 per cent. worked part time from 9 to 12 months. To the question as to how many of the employers worked their plants full time 720 replies were received. Of these Io or I.3 per cent. worked full time for I month or less. I4 or 1.9 per cent. worked full time from 1 to 3 months. 32 or 4.4 per cent, worked full time from 3 to 6 months. 60 or 8.3 per cent. worked full time from 6 to 9 months. 68 or 9.4 per cent. worked full time from 9 to II; months. 536 or 74.4 per cent. worked full time for 12 months. Here again we see that over 25 per cent.— 184 out of 721 plants — lost time during the year. About 20 per cent. worked full time less than eleven months, 16 per cent. worked full time for nine months or less, and almost 8 per cent, worked full time for less than half the year.f * Special Reports of Census Office, 1905, Manufacturers, Part I, pp. 542-3, Besides these there were III establishments idle the entire year. f This is remarkable when we remember that mercantile establishments, railways and light, heat and %. d.º. anies, which are necessarily always in operation, are included in these statistics. See ppendiX I.A. & # See Appendix IX, for detailed tables. . APPENDIX No. 1 — REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UNEMPLOYMENT 35 The foregoing figures justify us in concluding that ever year from one-fourth to one- third of our wage-earners are thrown out of work for various periods. This is more than corroborated by the statistics of idleness among trade union members published by the New York Department of Labor.” PERCENTAGE OF ORGANIZED WAGE-EARNERs (MALE) WITHIN CERTAIN LIMITS OF EMPLOYMENT — MEAN 1901–1909. First Third Period. quarter. quarter. I month (I-29 days). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. 7 2 - O 2 months (30–59 days). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2O. 3 I4 - 4 3 months (60-79 days). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59.3 67.8 Over three months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 5. 7 I5.8 During the first quarter of the year, taking the mean of the period from 1901 to 1909, out of 79 days, about 5 per cent. of the union workers were employed only from I to 29 days, and about 20 per cent. worked from 30 to 59 days; making a quarter of those working who lost a month or more out of the first three every year. During the third quarter of the year the percentage is less. Only 2 per cent. lost two months out of three, and I 5 per cent. worked two months out of three. Averaging the experience during these years, it appears that fully one-fifth of the union members (21.9 per cent.) lose one-third or more of the possible working time, while 3.5 per cent. lost two-thirds of the working time. Further, the reports of the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that in the organized trades of the State in the most prosperous years more than Io per cent. Of the possible working days are lost. Usually the time lost is nearer to 15 per cent., while in times of depression it goes above 30 per cent. Taking the experience of the last thirteen years as a basis, the bad years as well as the good years, it appears that the amount of time lost per member in any year was a little over 19 per cent. That is to say, if the unemployment had been distributed equally among all the members of the unions and over all the years, it would have meant that each member was out of work about ten weeks each year. Actually, however, only from one-third to one-half of the members suffered unem- ployment. The rest worked steadily. The amount of time lost by those out of work was, therefore, much more than ten weeks each year. The unemployment figures of the United States Census and of the special investiga- tion of the United States Bureau of Labor show substantially the same results.f. In the former it appeared that about 25 per cent. of those gainfully employed in manufactures were out of work one month or more in 1900. These, however, included employers and officials as well as wage-earners. The wage-earners alone show a greater percentage. Of the 4,270 heads of families investigated by the United States Bureau of Labor in 1902 fully 35 per cent. were idle four weeks or more, and over 17 per cent. lost three months or more. The exact time lost was as follows: UNEMPLOYMENT – 4,270 FAMILIES OF NEW YORK, Igo2. Per cent. Duration: Number. of total. I-4 weeks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 825 I9.3 5- 8 weeks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453 Io. 6 9-12 weeks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366 8.5 13-16 Weeks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I2 7.3 17-20 weeks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I9 I 4 - 3 2I-39 weeks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I94 4 - 3 3 I-40 weeks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 42 I - O 41-50 weeks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I6 O. 3 - Fluctuations from Year to Year.—The demand for labor varies not only from month to month, but also from year to year. Although the population and the number of possible workers in the State increases every year, the demand for their work is by no means Con- stantly on the increase. It goes up or down with the conditions of trade. The factory inspectors in making their rounds note the number of employees in the . factories they inspect. The figures for the last nine years follow. For purposes of com- parison the figures for the city of New York are given separately. * See Quarterly Bulletins of Bureau of Labor Statistics. f Supra, p. 30. 36 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY NUMBER OF EMPLOYEEs AT TIME OF INSPECTION. PER CENT. INCREASE +. PER CENT. DECREASE – YEAR. New York New York State. city. e State. City. I99] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 646,827 362,385 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 774, 790 39 I, 940 +-I6.6 + 7.6 I903. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 872,390 466,452 + II .2 +18.2 I904. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 874,349 507, OO3 + O.3 + 8. O I905. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 899, 437 489, O65 + 2.8 — 3.6 1906. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, O64, 6 IO 584,564 + 15.6 + 16.4 1907. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, I39,788 618, 245 + 8.8 + 5.5 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, OIO, 9 I4 546, O93 —II .4 —I 1.7 I909. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, O51,684 580,41 I + 3.9 + 6. O Normally we should expect the number of employees to increase every year as the population does. But here we have two years within a period of ten, in which there was an actual decrease in the number of those employed in the factories of the State. In 1905 the number of those at work in New York city shows a decrease of 18, ooo from the pre- ceding year. The same slackening up in business appears in the New York State figures when from 1903 to 1904 there is an increase of less than I per cent. in the number of em- ployees in all the factories. In 1908 both City and State show a great decrease in the num- ber of those at work. And it will be noted that in 1909, neither in the State nor in the city had the number of those employed reached the figures for 1907. Thus according to these reports, 128,874 employees in the factories of the State and 72,152 in the factories of New York city were thrown out of work in 1908. In 1909 the number employed was still 88, IoA short in the State and 37,834 short in the City, of the number employed in 1907. Since 1903 the factory inspectors have recorded the greatest number employed during the year, as well as the number of employees at the time of inspection. NUMBER OF FACTORY EMPLOYEES — NEW YORK STATE. At time of e YEAR. Greatest. inspection. Difference. I903 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 999,722 872,390 I27,332 I904 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, OI2,681 874,349 I38,332 1905. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, O23,943 899,437 I24,506 1906. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, I 74,461 I, O64, 6IO IO9, 851 I907 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 254, 3I3 I, I 39,788 II.4, 525 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I , 245, 745 I, OIO, 9 I4 234,831 1909. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, I89, 590 I, O51,684 137,806 The difference between the greatest number of employees at work at any one time during the year and the number employed at the time of inspection gives us some idea of the reserve of labor that is needed to meet the fluctuations in the demand for working people. This difference, the table shows, is in most years about Io per cent. of the greatest number employed; but in two of these years, 1904 and 1908, it was far above Io per cent. Here again we have the evidence of fluctuations in the demand for labor from year to year, and here again we see that many who had been working in 1907 were still out of work in 1909. * About 200 employers in the State of New York have reported to us the greatest and the least number of wage-earners they employed at any one time during each of the ten years from 1900 to 1909. These reports, summed up in the next table, confirm the fact brought out by the factory inspectors' reports, that there is a fluctuation in the demand for labor from year to year. The number of workers increased from 1900 to 1903 and then fell. More were employed again during each of the three years following when there was another decrease; and though there was an increase in 1909 over 1908, the total number employed in 1909 was still below what it had been in 1907. * A just criticism of the use of the factory inspectors' reports might be made on the ground that the times of inspection are not the same every year. In spite of this, however, the results show that the fluc- tuations in the amount of employment from year to year is truly given in these statistics. The fluctuations here correspond closely to the variations in the amount of employment among the trade unionists of the State, and to the returns we have received from the employers. APPENDIX No. 1 — REPORT OF COMMITTEE ÖN UNEMPLOYMENT 3? WAGE-EARNERs EMPLOYED BY ABOUT 200 EMPLOYERS IN THE STATE OF NEw York, I900–1909.” YEAR. . sºT. Difference. Per cent. I900. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I30,643 IO9, 67 I 20,972 I6. O I90I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I48,217 I2O,537 27,68o I8.6 I902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I64,007 I34,322 29,685 I8. I I903 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I76,927 152,067 24,860 I4. O I904 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I7I, 523 I47,988 23,535 I3.7 I905. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I88,208 I57,685 30,528 I6.2 1906. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I97,645 I64,717 32,928 I6.6 I907 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208, I88 I77,961 30, 227 I4.5 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189,869 I59, 582 30, 287 I5.9 I909 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I95,878 I62,365 33, 5 I 3 I7. I These figures include employees in mercantile establishments, building and construc- tion work, railroads, light, heat and power companies as well as manufacturing establish- ments, indicating that the yearly fluctuation is characteristic of the entire industrial world. Finally, the trade union percentages of unemployment exhibit the same tendency. In the following table the seasonal fluctuations have been eliminated, and we can see that the amount of employment varies from year to year just as it does from month to month. Busy years are succeeded by a slack period with a great amount of idleness, which in turn is succeeded by another busy period, then slack again, and so on. Thus in 1897, the percentage of unemployment was still high as a result of the panic of 1893. Then came four years of improved conditions with the percentage reduced about half. Then came two extremely prosperous years, followed by a slight depression in 1904. Then great prosperity again; then the depression of 1907–1908; and now business activity is again resumed and unemployment has decreased. PERCENTAGE OF UNEMPLOYED WAGE-EARNERS IN REPRESENTATIVE TRADE UNIONS OF NEW YORK, 1897-1909. PER CENT. IDLE. Per cent. YEAR. of I54 End of End of Mean for days lost. March. September. the year. 1897. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.6 I3.8 | . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.2 1898. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2I . O I3. I | . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.9 1899. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.3 4.7 | . . . . . . . . . . . . I8.6 I900. . . . . . . . . . . . .... • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2O, O I3 - 3 | . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.7 1901 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I8.5 6.9 | . . . . . . . . . . . . 17.7 1902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I3.6 5.7 I4.8 I3.7 1903. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I2 . I 9. O I7.5 I4. I 1904. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27.2 9.7 I6.9 20. I 1905. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I5. I 4.9 II .. 2 I4.3 1906. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.9 5.7 9.3 II .4 1907. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I9. I IO. 5 I6.2 16.7 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.7 22.5 29.7 32.4 1909. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I . I IO.3 I8.5 I9. O 3. SUMMARY. Although the demand for labor fluctuates from year to year, from month to month and from day to day, there is never a time when all who want work can find employment. Studies among a hundred thousand trade unionists in the State show that seldom are there less than 5 per cent. of the members unemployed, while usually about Io per cent. are idle, and during the year the number who suffer some unemployment is from one-third to one-half the total. The statistics of manufactures show that about Io per cent. Of the wage-earners employed are kept as a reserve to meet the fluctuating monthly demands, and that fully one-third of the workers who are employed at the busiest times have to change places and lose time between jobs, Investigations of Over four thousand wage-earners' × One of these employers was a railroad company which reported all its employees in and outside the tate, ; : - - - 38 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY families in the State show that less than half of the bread-winners have steady work during the year. Census figures for New York State show that some manufacturing establish- ments are closed down for the entire twelve months, and only 68 per cent. are in operation the whole year through. The Commission's special inquiry brings the conclusion that one-fifth of the manufacturing establishments in the State close down, and another one- fifth operate on part time, for a month or more every year. Employment agencies, private and philanthropic, report that at all times there are more applicants for work than there are positions open and that they can place only about one out of four of those who register. Lodging houses show a constant number in distress from lack of work, and of those who appeal to charitable Societies every year, at least 25 per cent. have been brought to that condition through unemployment due to no fault of their own. * On these facts we base our statement that at all times of the year in every industrial center of the State able-bodied men are forced to remain idle though willing to work. On any given day during the year, at least 3 per cent. of our wage earners are involuntarily idle. Usually there are to per cent. These idle men must always be on hand to meet the fluctuating demands of the industries of the State. Summarizing the data at our command, we should say that in ordinary years of busi- ness prosperity, taking all industries into consideration, out of every Ioo persons, 60 will be steadily employed; 4o will be working irregularly. Of those who have irregular employ- ment 3 will always be out of work. The percentages vary with the different industries, but the experience is characteristic of every industry. | III. CAUSES OF UNEMPLOYMENT. Distress among the working classes is almost always due to some form of unemploy- ment. The idleness may be due first, to disability, as in the case of sickness, old age, industrial accident or disease. Secondly, it may be due to personal failing of the unem- ployed for which the individual might be held responsible, such as intemperance, vagrancy or general disinclination to work; or it may be due to personal deficiency for which the individual ought not to be held responsible, such as lack of education and training, which parents were unable or unwilling to afford, and which the community did not compel.” Thirdly, the unemployment may be due to the conditions of industry, to its organization or lack of organization, to its methods of hiring and discharging men, to the rise and fall of competing employers, seasonable fluctuations, industrial depressions, the invention of machinery, etc. To a state which desires to conserve and to develop its human as well as its natural resources, all these forms of unemployment must be matters of grave concern. It is generally recognized that large numbers of people are constantly thrown out of work by sickness, old age, industrial accidents, and through some form of personal deficiency. Distress from these causes has been made the subject of study, and measures for preven- tion and relief are being discussed and framed into laws. But that there are large numbers of able-bodied people willing to work and unable to secure positions, is not generally appre- ciated. That there are forces constantly at work, even in the most prosperous years, penetrating the entire industrial Organization, displacing workers from their positions, taking away their trades or their skill, and leaving them with insufficient earnings or none at all — that is not generally known. We propose, therefore, to inquire into these indus- trial forces. If modern industry does not require as many workers in January as it does in October, or in 1909 and 1908 as it did in 1907, obviously, the inquiry into causes must be directed to the reasons for the variations in the demand. We do not underestimate the personal element in the problem. Improved efficiency would secure more work for many who now suffer unemployment; but these would displace others who are now employed. If all were equally efficient, still our industries would need more workers at some times than others. If we want to know the basic causes of unemployment, we must know what prevents employers from affording steady work to their employees. The industrial and Social causes of unemployment group themselves into three classes: (1) seasonal, (2) cyclical, (3) irregular. In the first is included the regular recurrence of busy and slack Season due to weather, to fashions and to social customs. Under the second head come the economic crises which mark the culmination of years of business • * * In this class must be included the cases of unemployment due to the inability of the workman to hold his position because his working strength, has been exhausted prematurely as a child worker, or because º,º have kept him underfed and living and working amid conditions that were undermining his Vitality. . CHART II SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONs–Aver AGE NUMBER of EMPLoyees ENGAGED IN MANUFActures, By Months, 1900 AND 1905 (U. S. Census of Manufactures) THOUSANDS JAN. FEB. MAR. APR MAY JUN. JUL. AUG, SEP 00T. NOV. DEC. THOUSANDS 910 - 9|O 300 - / \ 900 / \ 890 850 |- \ | A \ 380 870 / \ // |\\ 870 860 / \ | | \ 360 850 / N | | \ 850 640 // N /|| \ 840 - // */ | \ 830 \ 830 / 32O 820 LeoE / / 8|O 800 ::... 810 *: 300 Clºº, ----- - CHART III º SEAsonAl Fluctuations—Percent Age of Unemployed TRADE UNIonists Compared with Percent Age of Employees IN MANUFActures UNEMployed EACH Month PER CENT JAN. FEB, MA.R. APR. MAY UUN. JUL. AUG, SEP OCT NOV, DEC. PER CENT 26 26 24 Manufacturing industrates unemployed-isos 24- TRADE JN-1 on UNEMPLEYED – 905 | *- \ \ 22 22 TRADE Union UNEMPL'oºr ED-lgboz To 907 N L^ \ - 1 0 -- ----- CHART IV. SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONs–PERCENTAGE of UNEMPLoved MEMBERs of TRADE UNIons, By TRADEs, MEAN OF '903 TO 1909 PER CENT JAN. FEB. MAR. APR MAY JUN. JUL. AUG, SEP, OCT NOV. DEC. PER CENT 4-0 40 B9|Lºc & 39.5 ºff-- || 35 – 35 TRANSPORTATION - N NJ’s | 30 \ | 30 / 25 N / 25 A/ 2O WOODYYORK1NG AND | FURNITURE \ Z 20 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - º _-T - - - - V CLOTHING AND TEXT LES ->>k >k :k “We confidently rely on all public bodies to give willing help, each within the limits of their authority, towards overcoming the difficulties arising in our social life, and on their co-operation to the best of their powers and abilities towards this end.” The public work thus afforded, of course, reaches only part of the unemployed, mainly the unskilled. But they take care of most of those who are likely to be left without means of support. The skilled workers generally belong to trade unions in Germany and most of these pay unemployment benefits. Insurance.*— Two important experiments have been made in Germany with public insurance against unemployment. Neither of them can be said to have proved success- ful; but they have pointed out what might be done for certain classes of the unemployed. The City of Cologne established an insurance fund in 1896, designed primarily for seasonal workers. It provides against idleness in the winter only, benefits being paid between December first and March first, and at no other time. About 1,400 working people are insured in this fund, and most of them draw benefits every year. The premiums they pay amount to only about 42% per cent. of the amount they draw out in benefits. The rest is made up by the city and by voluntary contributions. In Strassburg the City has adopted the famous Ghent's system of subsidizing the out- of-work benefits paid by the trade unions. This was begun in 1907 and the membership of the unions having such funds is now about 4,000; not all of them, however, are entitled to the municipal subsidy. Several other cities, including Berlin, are planning systems of unemployment insurance, and the Kingdom of Bavaria has already worked out a plan which will soon be put into operation. VII. REMEDIES. From our analysis of the causes it must be apparent that no remedies that could be ap- plied would entirely abolish unemployment. We might do away with all that which is due to mere maladjustment, we might train the unskilled to fill the demand for skilled workers, we might reduce the time between jobs, and we might dove-tail the seasonal work for some so that they could go quickly from trades that have become slack to trades that are busy. But when all this had been done there would still remain a large number unemployed. We have seen that a reserve of unemployed labor is necessary for the Ordinary development of industry. This inevitable unemployment is not in itself an evil. For many wage-earners more leisure would be distinctly beneficial. It is an evil only because the idleness is accompanied by worry about a new means of support and by a loss of earnings that the Worker can not afford. What is needed is a method of making the wage-earner's income steady and contin- uous. In few employments is the amount of work done distributed uniformly over the entire year. Every official and salaried person has times when there is very little work for * See Appendix II, p. 104. Vol. III.-9 66 comMission ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY him to do alternating with busy periods; but his income goes on regularly regardless of the fluctuations in the amount of work. For wage-earners generally, however, this is not the case. When work becomes slack, they are discharged and their incomes cease. The reserves, who wait in the police stations and in the fire houses until their services will be needed, receive their salaries as if they were in active service. But longshoremen who wait every day for the ship to arrive, street railway employees waiting for their cars, and the great mass of workers who are needed only in the busy seasons of their trades have their income cut off the moment their active service ends. They are just as necessary to the proper conduct of in- dustry as are the reserves for the proper conduct of the police or the fire department. But the whole cost of maintaining the reserves in industry is thrown upon the workers. A reserve of unemployed workers being necessary and inevitable in the Ordinary course of industrial progress, the most that a comprehensive remedy for unemployment can accomplish is to provide against loss and worry to the wage-earner in cases of enforced idleness, by affording him a steady income regardless of the fluctuations in the amount of his work. Aside from this, remedial measures must be shaped toward prevention, toward eliminating all that unemployment which is due to mere maladjustment and is not inevitable and neces- sary to the proper conduct and development of our industries. The two agencies for dealing with the unemployed which it is practicable to adopt in this State at once are the labor exchanges and the shifting of public work to dull times, SO that many who are laid off by private employers may thus be employed. There is no reason why these two methods of combatting unemployment should not be successful here as they have been in Europe. No legal or constitutional objection to the adoption of these measures can be made. It might be argued that labor exchanges are nothing but free employment offices, and we had one in this State which it was deemed advisable to discontinue. But as has already been pointed out, $5,000 which was the amount appropriated annually for the support of the office was entirely inadequate to carry on the work successfully in a city like New York. The bankers and business men who incorporated the National Employment Ex- change felt that it would need an endowment of $1 oo, ooo to make it successful even though it was to charge fees for its services. During the first year and a half of its existence this exchange spent almost $25,000 in operating expenses alone. The Committee which recom- mended the discontinuance of the free employment office stated that “functions it now per- forms can be as well performed by private agencies.” With the small capital that it had this was no doubt true, because many of the private agencies have a much larger capital and are able to hire a larger and more efficient office force than the public bureau could afford. It is to be noted that the State of Massachusetts has established a free employment office which compares favorably with many of the German and British labor exchanges. It has enough of an appropriation to enable an adequate office force to be hired, and politics are kept out by having all employees put under the civil service. There is no reason why such offices should succeed in Massachusetts and not in New York, if we do not handicap Our Own effort at the start by insufficient funds and a small force incapable of carrying on the work properly. Very little can be done in the way of providing against the distress of those who are necessarily and inevitably unemployed, until we have adjusted the available demand and Supply of labor SO that all those shall be employed who are out of work because of mere ignorance of placcs where work is to be had, or because of inability to get to those places. Insurance against unemployment cannot be considered in the State of New York until we have much more accurate information than we now possess as to the amount and the duration of idleness in various trades. Then, we should have to have a means of testing a person's Statements as to inability to get work. With the exception of the cigarmakers, none of our national trade unions have any out-of-work benefits, and aside from labor organi- zations we have no other agency in this State which might act as an effective means of apply- ing a work test. Until we establish an exchange for labor and compile carefully statistics of the Supply and demand, we can have no adequate basis upon which to predicate a success- ful System of insurance against unemployment. We do not feel able to recommend any definite measures for industrial training, not having made a special study of the subject. But we do recommend that the trade and com- pulsory continuation Schools which have been in operation in Germany for about fifteen years and which have done so much to reduce idleness and promote the prosperity and industrial Supremacy of that country be made the subject of special inquiry, with the idea of establishing similar schools in this State. APPENDIX NO. I — REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UNEMPLOYMENT 67 RECOMMENDATIONs. Public Employment Offices.— To organize the labor market so that unnecessary idle- ness may be eliminated as far as possible, we recommend the establishment of public em- ployment offices in all the important cities of the State with branches within the cities and in the neighboring country, as may be found necessary. Such offices should be operated as one system and thus create a well known exchange through which the buyers and sellers of labor can make their wants felt. Following our analysis of causes, we see what a great amount of idleness could be eliminated by such a system of labor offices. They could arrange for the transfer of the surplus of unskilled labor found in the cities to the small towns in which employers complain of a lack of common labor. The establishments in the large cities, too, which complain of a scarcity of common labor would have no difficulty in finding it at the public employment office. Also the idleness of trained workers would not need to exist if we had an exchange for skilled labor. Further, the public employment offices could do much to supply the lack of farm laborers by making it easier for such workers to get employment in the neighboring towns during the winter when the farmers do not need them. Laborers from the city will not go to the farms, among other reasons, because of the short working season. Much might also be done by the public employment offices to reduce the idleness of seasonal workers by finding some of them work in such trades as are busy when their main occupa- tion is suspended. Finally, perhaps the most important function that these offices could perform would be to reduce the time lost between jobs by the vast number of casual and contract laborers. When a big contract job is completed these employment offices would arrange for the dis- tribution of the workers in a systematic manner to those places and parts of the country where they would be needed. And those laborers who live mainly by odd jobs and have to spend most of their time in hunting for the places where helpers and extra hands are needed, could have supplied to them enough such jobs to give them fairly steady employment through the week. Directing Children into Promising Employments.- In conjunction with the system of public employment bureaus, and as part of it, we recommend a plan that might ac- complish a great deal toward diminishing the over supply of common laborers and meet- ing the demand for skilled men. We propose that a separate department for juve- niles be established in each employment office which shall co-operate with the Schools, with employers and with labor unions in order to enlist the services of all who may be useful in accomplishing the end desired. Applications for employment by those about to leave school should be filled out in the presence of the teacher who knows the aptitudes of the boy or girl. The employers and the workingmen should report to the juvenile department the opportunities for young people to learn trades, and they should see that proper training is given. The head of the juvenile department should be an expert capable of judging the fitness of children for the vacancies that he is called upon to fill, and he should aim to direct them as far as possible into callings for which they show a natural bent. Before a system of industrial training can be established much might be done by this juvenile department to keep boys out of what are known as ‘blind alley '' employ- ments, places where they earn comparatively high wages as boys but which do not pay enough to support a man and family. Such a juvenile department would have to Sup- plement any system of industrial training which might be devised. It would act as a vocational bureau, such as our educators are advocating to be operated in connection with the public schools. Public Work For the Unemployed.— Our third recommendation is that public Work which our State departments and our municipalities do for themselves or let out on Con- tracts, shall be postponed, as far as possible, to those times of the year and to those years when private industry is least active. In that way the public work could be made to act as a regulator of the labor market and to lessen the amount of idleness. It would be an advantage to the State, not only in lessing unemployment, but also in reducing costs, for during times of depression materials are cheaper. Great works like the building of the barge canal, improving the highways of the State, or building the acqueducts for New York city should be so planned that the least number of contracts will be let during prosperous years when employment is good and cost of materials high. The work should be carried on mainly during the years of industrial depression, thus giving employment to many laborers. There is much public work, too, especially municipal work, which might every year be held for the winter months and thus afford 68 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY employment for many who are laid off by private employers. To create work especially for the unemployed has proved disastrous wherever it has been tried. But to shift necessary public work to times when labor is abundant and materials cheap would mean a saving to the State as well as provision against a large amount of unemployment. Said Mr. Lindon Bates, Jr., former member of the Legislature and an engineer who has been engaged on great construction works in many countries, at a hearing before the Com- mission: - “To create work for the particular object of making work is usually be- lieved to be contrary to the rules of sound political economy, and various histori- cal attempts at doing it have seemed to lead into rather dangerous situations. It seems to me, however, that along that line, this might be done; that is, that the great public works which do give employment directly and indirectly to a very large number, might be done in a systematic and intelligent way. For in- stance, upon the barge canal where I was engaged, a very large number of contracts were let out at a period when we were at the floodtide of good times. I remember going personally to Buffalo trying to get Some sailor men to run a dredge, and finding the greatest difficulty in getting labor. I remember going to Syracuse, and trying to get some carpenters, and they were building a new White City, and wages were up to $8 and $10 a day. At that time all those con- tracts were let by the State. Then when the hard times came, the State shut up like a clam and did not let any contracts, and the work that was in progress was all that was carried on; all the other State activities were shut down. “If a certain amount of that work that is necessary and is contemplated by the State, is reserved, as it were, for hard times, when it is most certainly to the interest of the State to do it, because in periods of hard times, the price of labor and material is depressed; and furthermore, the private contract work is usually let down or decreased, so that a large number of contractors are very desirous of work and will consequently take a far lower price than they would in a period of prosperity that, it seems to me, is as far as one can really recommend going in the creation of work, that is, that it be systematized in such way that the State work is done at a time of those descending waves of hard times.” © Labor Market Bulletin.— To carry out this plan it is necessary that prompt, accurate and comprehensive information be available as to the state of employment, the number of wage- earners seeking work and employers needing help. To this end we recommend that the Bureau of Labor Statistics issue a monthly bulletin in which shall be published promptly after the close of each month, reports of the business of the various employment offices, public, private, and philanthropic, together with other information that may be obtained relating to the number of men employed and needed in industry. This bulletin is to do for the labor market what the Federal government reports on the cotton crop do for cotton market and what Dun and Bradstreet's reports do for business in general. Such bulletins are published in Great Britain, Germany, France, Belgium, Canada and many other coun- tries. The bulletins of the New York Bureau of Labor and the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics do publish statistics of unemployment among members of trade unions. But these are issued only four times a year, abd are out of date by the time they reach the public. The “Labor Market Letter ’’ of the Boston Free Employment Office “is the nearest ap- proach, in this country, to what we have in mind. Its sources of information are very limited, however. Such a bulletin should receive reports from all the employment agencies in the State, as well as from employers and from trade unions. We wish to add that the recommendations we make have all been tried and are in suc- cessful operation in various parts of Europe. Labor exchanges have been adopted in all countries. In Munich and in Glasgow the co-operation of the exchanges with the schools in an effort to direct the young people into the skilled trades has been successfully organized for several years, and a plan to do the same for all of England is now being worked out by the Board of Trade. The planning of public work so that it will be done during dull seasons and in times of depression is the settled policy of the German states and municipalities. VIII. CONCLUSIONS. Summarizing the results of our investigation, we find: I. In the industrial centers of this State there is a constant oversupply of labor. At all times of the year, in prosperous years as well as in years of industrial depression, wage- earners able and willing to work can not secure employment. *See Appendix VI. APPENDIX NO. I — REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UNEMPLOYMENT 69 2. Existing side by side with this unemployment there is a considerable unsatisfied demand for labor. Employers throughout the State complain that they can not obtain adequately trained workers in sufficient number to meet their needs. Particularly in the country districts is the lack of labor severely felt. 3. This maladjustment between the supply of labor and the demand is due to the absence of any organization to bring together wage-earners seeking employment and em- ployers seeking help. While there are definite organized markets for almost all articles of trade, the buyers and sellers of labor have no common, well-known meeting places where information is available regarding the supply of labor and the demand in various parts of the State and country. 4. Aside from this maladjustment, however, which might be to a large extent elimi- nated, there are causes inseparable from our modern industrial organization which make unemployment necessary and inevitable. A reserve of labor must be ever present to allow for the extension of industrial enterprises and for new undertakings, to meet the demand of the busiest months in the seasonal industries, and to supply the demand for casual workers, who are needed not steadily, but off and on, for a day, a week, or a month or two. Seasonal industries, the introduction of machinery and new processes, decaying trades, casual labor, commercial failures, and the regularly recurring periods of trade depression keep constantly in involuntary idleness great numbers of our working population. 5. While there is little accurate information available as to the exact number unem- ployed at any one time, there is enough to show that about 40 per cent. of our wage-earners suffersome unemployment every year, that on the average they lose ten weeks each, and that the loss in wages amounts to 20 per cent. Of what the earnings would be were employ- ment steady throughout the year. 6. The effect of this unemployment and loss of earnings is to increase the number of unemployable, those who will not or can not work, the vagrants and tramps. Those who resume work after a period of unemployment often do so at a reduced wage. Children are compelled to contribute to the support of the family. They have no opportunity to learn a trade. They enter the already over-stocked market of unskilled laborers; and when grown to manhood they repeat the experience of their fathers, working intermittently, with earnings insufficient to support a family. 7. The State of New York assumes no responsibility toward workmen out of employ- ment against their will. A number of charitable and philanthropic associations have at- tempted to deal with the problem, but usually on a small scale and with little success. Pri- vate employment agencies are subject to great abuses and tend to intensify rather than diminish the maladjustment between the supply of labor and the demand. There is no ade- quate machinery in existence for dealing with the problem of unemployment. 8. The unnecessary idleness, we believe, can be very largely eliminated by a system of free public employment offices covering all the State, which will gather the demand from all sections and receive applications from all who seek employment. 9. The general oversupply of unskilled laborers could be considerably reduced by an efficiently organized department for juveniles in the public employment offices, which in co-operation with the school authorities would endeavor to direct children into promising employments. This would have to be followed up by a comprehensive system of industrial education. Io. Finally, the State and the municipal governments can greatly reduce the distress from unemployment by saving their work such as canal and road building, extension of streets, improving parks, etc., for the years of depression when private employers are laying off their help. Public work can be made in this way to regulate the labor market and so make it more steady. In prosperous times when private industry is expanding and em- ployment is plentiful the State and municipal governments should reduce their operations to a minimum, to be pushed forward again as soon as a depression comes. We feel that much more information than we now possess is necessary before we can take other and more radical measures to deal with this problem. This information we shall have when the public employment officers are well Organized and statistics of their opera- tions become available. 70 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY APPENDIX II. REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. Voss, CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON UNEMPLOY- MENT, OF THE INVESTIGATION PERSONALLY CONDUCTED BY HIM, ACCOM- PANIED BY MR. W. M. LEISERSON, INTO EUROPEAN METHODS OF DEA LING WITH UNEMPLOYMENT. In view of the short time at my command I had to limit the study in two ways. First, I decided to devote most of the time to the labor exchanges. The experience of these might be of immediate use in the United States. Other agencies for dealing with the un- employed which had remote possibilities for our purpose, we studied only incidentally. Secondly, I had to confine our visit to two or three cities in each country, and to take them as being representative of the country as a whole. I gathered information, however, about the methods applied throughout each of the countries visited, and our informants were usually officials who dealt with matters on a national scale. I feel able to report therefore on the methods of dealing with unemployment, not alone in the cities which we visited, but also in the countries as a whole. The success of the investigation was contributed to greatly by the splendid assistance and willingness to aid us in every way possible of the following named gentlemen whom it was our pleasure to meet and become acquainted with, and at whose hands we received most Courteous treatment: In England and Scotland: Hon. James Galloway Weir, M.P. W. H. Beveridge, Director of the National Labor Exchanges in Great Britain. Walter S. Cohen, Divisional Officer for London and South Eastern Division of the Labor Exchange Bureaus. Mr. Cameron, Manager of the London City Exchange. G. W. Taylor, Assistant Clerk of the Central Unemployed Body of London. Mr. Bolton Smart, Superintendent of the Hollesley Bay Farm Colony. Staff Captain Tunmer, of the Salvation Army, London. Ben Tillett, General Secretary, Dock, Wharf, Riverside, and General Workers' Union. Mr. Kay, Treasurer, Dock, Wharf, Riverside, and General Workers' Union. Harry Orbell, Organizer, Dock, Wharf, Riverside, and General Workers' Union. J. S. Middleton, Assistant Secretary of the Labour Party of Great Britain. H. Gosling, Member of London County Council and Member of Port of London Authority. Thomas Spence, Clerk and Treasurer to Distress Committce, Glasgow. Mr. Peterson, Manager of Labour Exchange, Glasgow. In Germany: Dr. R. Freund, President of the Federation of German Labor Exchanges, Berlin. Dr. O. Becker, Editor of the Arbeitsmarkt, and Secretary of the Federation of German Labor Exchanges, Berlin. Dr. R. Kuzynski, Statistisches Amt, Schoneberg, Berlin. H. Zoellner, Manager, Labor Exchange, Schoneberg, Berlin. Max Steffen, Inspector of Central Association for Labor Exchanges, Berlin. Wilhelm Burow, Director of the Berlin Labor Colony. Heinrich Moller, Director of the Labor Exchange of the Department of Agriculture at Brandenburg, Berlin. Dr. Kose, Manager of the Labor Exchanges of the Federation of Berlin Industrial Metal Workers. Johann Sassenbach, Secretary of the General Commission of German Trade Unions. Carl Hartmann, Chief Inspector of the Bavarian Labor Exchanges, Munich. Michael Weber, Inspector of Labor Exchanges, Munich. Dr. G. Kerschensteiner, Superintendent Education, Munich. APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. WOSS 71 In Switzerland: Emanuel Bohny, Director of the Labor Exchanges in Switzerland, Zurich. Hans Griessen, Chairman of Labor Exchanges, Bern. Dr. F. Mangold, Chief Statistical Office, Basel. In Belgium: Dr. Varlez, President, Labor Exchanges and Insurance Funds at Ghent. Charles De Queker, Director of Public Charities, and Secretary of Labor Exchanges and Insurance Funds at Brussels. ** In France: Charles Marck, Treasurer, General Federation of Labor in France, Paris. GREAT BRITAIN. I arrived in London on the first of August and immediately got into communication with Mr. William H. Beveridge, the general director of the British Labor Exchange. Mr. Beveridge informed us that we could study in London the business methods of the exchanges, but to see them working at their best I should have to visit Glasgow or Manchester. Those cities have large new offices, while in London the exchanges are in the old buildings in which they were started by the Distress Committees. Further, the London offices are Small, there being twenty-two branches in the city. I remained in London for two weeks, and then spent a day in Glasgow making comparisons. Two laws have in recent years been enacted by the British Parliament in the attempt to deal with unemployment as a problem by itself, distinct from the relief of the destitute under the Poor Law. Both of these laws are now in force. They are the “Unemployed Workmen Act of 1905 " and the “Labor Exchanges Act of 1909.” THE UNEMPLOYED WORKMEN ACT. The Unemployed Workmen Act of 1905 established for the first time in Great Britain public authorities whose duty is to provide employment or assistance for unemployed workmen. In every municipal borough and urban district with a population of not less than 50,000* there is set up a Distress Committee composed partly of members of the borough council, partly of the Poor Law Guardians, and partly of persons experienced in the relief of distress. The committee is required “to make themselves acquainted with the conditions of labour within their area, and also to receive, inquire into, and discriminate between any applications made to them from persons unemployed.” When the committee have satisfied themselves that an applicant has been a resident of the district for at least twelve months, that he is honestly desirous of obtaining work, that he is temporarily unable to do so from exceptional causes over which he has no control, and that his case is capable of more suitable treatment under the Act than under the Poor Law, then they are empowered (I) to endeavor to obtain work for him, (2) to assist him by aiding the emigra- tion or removal to another area of himself and any of his dependents, and (3) by providing, or contributing to the provision of, temporary work for him. The aid given by the Distress Committees is distinguished from charitable relief by the provision that temporary work or other assistance given to a person under the Act “shall not disentitle him to be registered or to vote as a parliamentary, county, or parochial elector, or as a burgess.” Municipal Relief Works,— The Unemployed Workmen Act embodied into law the policy of providing temporary relief works in times of unemployment which had been carried on by a number of municipalities and by a voluntary association in London. This policy had been inaugurated by Mr. Joseph Chamberlain in 1886 when as President of the Local Government Board he issued a circular to local authorities in England and Wales calling attention to the extraordinary amount of distress from unemployment, and urging the authorities to arrange for the execution of works on which unskilled labor might be immediately employed. His idea was to afford work which anyone could perform what- ever his trade might be, and thus prevent many worthy men from becoming recipients of charitable relief. The work too was to be of such a character as not to compete with that of other laborers who were employed. * In Scotland 20,000 and in Ireland Io, ooo, 72 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY Two conditions were laid down by Mr. Chamberlain on which the municipal work should be granted; first, that the men employed should be such as it would be undesirable to treat as subjects for pauper relief; and secondly, that the wages paid be something less than what is ordinarily paid for similar work, in order to leave an inducement for those who take the work to return as soon as possible to their previous occupations. At first the municipal authorities were not inclined to undertake the provision of this relief work, but with the increasing hard times and the repeated issue of the circular by successive presidents of the Local Government Board, many cities adopted the plan, and from 1886 to 1905 about Ioo municipalities had provided relief work for the unemployed during the year of exceptional distress. In London this work has been carried on by voluntary charitable organizations in co-operations with local authorities. The Mansion House Fund which was raised for this work during 1903-4 was devoted to sending men on a farm colony to be trained as well as to give them temporary work. The following year the London Unemployed Fund carried on this plan, an Organized a local committee in each borough to register and investigate the applicants, and a central committee was formed to administer the funds and to manage the relief works and the colony. It was this machinery of the London Unemployed Fund of 1904-5 that the Unemployed Workmen Act established under the name of Distress Committees in all towns of Great Britain. The authorities created by the Unemployed Workmen Act, as we have seen, have power not alone to provide work for the relief of the unemployed, but also to aid them in other ways. The forms in which this aid is given will appear if we describe the operation of the law in London and in Glasgow. . . LONDON. Distress Committees and Central (Unemployed) Body.— In each of the twenty-nine Metropolitan Boroughs of London there is a Distress Committee composed of borough councillors, poor law guardians, and persons experienced in the relief of distress. The membership varies from twenty to twenty-five. Each of these Distress Committees sends two delegates (City of London and City of Westminster from each) who, with other per- sons selected by the London County Council, and the Local Government Board make up “The Central (Unemployed) Body for London.” The total membership in this body is about eighty. They serve without pay but employ paid officers and clerks. The Distress Committees make themselves acquainted with the conditions of labor within their area, receive, inquire into and classify applications but they do not provide work. They may try to find employment for an applicant, but for relief they must refer him to the Central Body. This body superintends and co-ordinates the action of the Distress Committees, and it has power (1) to establish, take over or assist labor exchanges, (2) aid emigration or removal to another area, and (3) to provide or contribute toward the provision of temporary relief work. The expenses incurred by the Central Body or by Distress Committees under its orders, are defrayed out of a fund under the management of the Central Body. This fund is supplied partly by levying a local tax, partly by a grant from the national exchequer, and partly by voluntary contributions. The money raised by taxation is available only for certain purposes specified in the law; namely, for establishment charges, labor exchanges, emigration, and acquisition of land by the Central Body. All other expenses, including the provision of relief works, must be met by other funds. It was thought at first that the voluntary contributions would be the main source of supply, but contributions have practi- cally ceased since parliament has appropriated money for relief works. The grant from the exchequer is controlled by Rt. Hon. John Burns, M.P., the President of the Local Government Board and he has not made available as much of it as the Central Body would have liked. The Local Government Board prescribes the manner in which applications should be made, to the Distress Committees. . It has devised a form of “Record Paper " which must be filled out for each applicant. This form contains about fifty distinct questions and covers every phase of the applicant's life, his home, family, work, earnings, character and fitness, ability to support himself, etc. The orders of the Local Government Board further require that each case be thoroughly investigated and all statements verified by visits to the home, employers and other references. If investigation shows that an applicant is of good character, has previously been regularly employed, has a wife, child or other dependant, and is capable of doing the work which may be obtained for him, he is treated as a “Preference Case.” Two other classi- fications are made – “Eligible Cases '' and “Not Deserving.” APPENDIX NO. 2 – REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. WOSS 73 Number and Character of Applicants.-The registers of the Distress Committees have been open for applications for relief work usually during the winter months, between October and March. The applications received during each of the seasons 1905–6, 1906-7, 1907–8 and 1908-9 appear in the following table: APPLICATIONS AT LONDON DISTREss CoMMITTEES. Year. Men. Women. Total. 1905-06. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35,923 525 36,448 1906-07. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26, I55 I , 4 I5 27, 57 O 1907-08. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,685 I,796 3I,481 1908-09. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 73 I I , 754 49,485 The number who applied in the second year was 24.4 per cent. below that of the first year. The third year there were about 4,000 more applications than in the second year and the applications in 1908–09 showed an increase of 57.1 per cent. Over the preceding year. The per cent. that women made up of the total was: I. 75 in 1905–06 5.5 in 1906–07 5. 7 in 1907–08 3.5 in 1908–09 A considerable number of those who apply and are assisted each year have been assisted in one or more previous years. Five per cent. Of the applicants in 1908–09 had applied in all three of the preceding years, and four per cent. of those who were assisted in the last year had received assistance in each of the three preceding years. Of the total applica- tions in 1908–09 over six per cent. had applied in two preceding years and 22.3 per cent. had made applications once before. Of those assisted in 1908–09 over seven per cent. had been assisted once before and ten per cent. had received assistance in two of the preceding years. TABLE SHOWING RE-APPLICATIONS TO DISTRESS COMMITTEES, ALso NUMBERs RE-ASSISTED. Total applicants, 1908-9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49,485 Of which there had previously applied in 1905-6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 289 Being 4.6 per cent. Of the total applicants in 1908-9 there had previously applied in 1906–7. . . . . . 2, 168 Being 4.3 per cent. Of the total applicants in 1908-9 there had previously applied in 1907-8. . . . . . 6,654 Being 13.4 per cent. Of the total applicants in 1908-9 there had previously applied in 1905-6 and I906-7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I , 4C3 Being 2.8 per cent. Of the total applicants in 1908-9 there had previously applied in 1906–7 and I907-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 658 Being 3.3 per cent. Of the total applicants in 1908–9 there had previously applied in 1905-6, 1906–7 and 1907-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,653 Being 5.3 per cent. Of the 49,485 applicants in 1908-9, 724 had been assisted in 1905-6, being 1.4 per cent. Of the 49,485 applicants in 1908-9, 601 had been assisted in 1906-7, being I.2 per cent. Of the 49,485 applicants in 1908-9, 2,286 had been assisted in 1907-8, being 4.6 per Cent. Of the 49,485 applicants in 1908-9, 272 had been assisted in 1905-6 and 1906-7, being .5 per Cent. Of the 49,485 applicants in 1908-9, 266 had been assisted in 1906-7 and Igo7-8, being .5 per cent. Of the 49,485 applicants in 1908-9, 230 had been assisted in 1905-6, 1906-7 and 1907-8, being .4 per cent. Vol. III.-Io 74 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY The trades of the applicants and the proportion who professed to have trades are shown in the following: CoMPARATIVE TABLE SHowING PERCENTAGE REGISTERED IN EACH TRADE. Per Cent of Total Registrations. TRADES. | I905–6. 1906–7. 1907–8. 1908–9. º 4O. 5 32.5 3I.6 34. I Metal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. O 6.75 7.2 7.3 Printing and paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | . 75 I ... O , 8 .9 TeSS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I. 75 I. 5 I . 2 I. 3 Woodworkers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.5 3. O 3. O 2.9 Sundry manufactures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I. 5 I. 75 I. 6 I. 7 Food and drink. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 ... O 2. O 2.3 2.6 Dealers and clerks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I. 75 I. 5 I. 5 I . 4. Locomotion and transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39. O 47. O 48. O 44. 4. Civil and municipal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 .25 .36 .7 Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I. 5 I. 5 I 2 I. 3 Unclassified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I. 5 I. 5 .78 ... 6 Described as laborers or unskilled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 48.3 46.8 67.5 Of those who applied each year about half were unskilled laborers except during 1908-9, when 67.5 per cent. belonged to this group. This increase of 20.7 per cent, over the pre- ceding year was probably due to the great industrial depression. Aside from this change the proportion in each trade remained about the same every year. Building and transpor- tation furnished the bulk of the applicants. The following table gives the age and distribution of unemployed applicants registered throughout London, as compared with the occupied male population of London as estimated in 1908. It will be noticed that the great number of occupied males (29.2 per cent.) are in the age group from 15 to 24 years. Of the unemployed a very small proportion (from 6 to Io per cent.) are in this group. It is evident that the age distribution of the unemployed shows a larger proportion in the older age-group than appears in the normal distribution. The distribution of the unemployed during 1908–9 is more like the normal because of the industrial depression. Unemployment was more diffuse and the distribution approximated more the characteristics of the normally occupied. AGE DISTRIBUTION OF UNEMPLOYED. —-º PERCENTAGE OF UNEMPLOYED IN EACH Percentage of total AGE-GROUP. AGES. occupied males in age-group. 1906–7. 1907–8. I908-9. 15-24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29.2 8.8 6. O IO. I 25-34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26.8 2O. 4 18.7 28.2 35-44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2O. 2 24.2 25.4 29, 7 45-54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I3.7 22.4 24.5 2 I 7 55-64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.6 I 5.5 I7. O 8, 9 65-74. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5 8.7 8.4 I , 4. IOO ... O I OO ... O IOO ... O IOO ... O Provisions of Work-Of the total who applied at the Distress Committees each year, one-fourth were given work in 1905–6 and 1907–8; one-fifth in 1906–7; and about thirty per cent. in 1908-9. The actual numbers for three years follow: PERSONS PROVIDED witH WORK. Year. Men. Women. Total. 1996-7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,432 308 5, 74O 1997-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,430 359 8,789 1998-9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I4,687 334 IS, O2 I APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. VOSS 75 The number who were eligible for work each year were of course much greater than these. Even all the “preference ’’ cases could not be taken care of. A considerable number of applicants refused to take the work that was offered to them. The work which is provided by the Central (Unemployed) Body is of two general kinds: first, temporary work in and about the city, for which wages are paid directly to the men; and secondly, “Colony Works,” which may be either a permanent farm where successive relays of men are sent, or temporary colonies where men are housed until work is furnished. In either case the wages of the men are paid to their families. Besides these, there are three workrooms for women. Each of these classes of work is under the man- agement of a special committee of the Central Body. Non-colony Works.-The “Works Committee” at the commencement of every season invites the local authorities and the National Office of Works to co-operate with it in order to provide schemes for the employment of men who register at the various Distress Com- mittees in London during the winter. This co-operation is usually secured. In 1908–9 there were 87 distinct schemes carried on. The aim is to do only such work as would not otherwise be done, in order not to take away employment from others. But in this the Committee can not always succeed. The work done usually consists of “laying out recreation grounds, tennis-courts and bowling greens, tree planting, making and widening paths and roadways, diverting streams, and constructing concrete culverts, drainage work, filling in ditches, laying sewers, building manholes and gullies, erecting fences, levelling and general ground work of every descrip- tion.” During 1908–9 there were 7,292 men employed on these non-colony works. The period of employment was usually from seven to ten weeks per man. The hours of employ- ment are eight and one-half per day and the wage paid is the regular rate for such work, 6d. per hour. The original plan was that the wages paid should be below the normal rate in order that the workman should have an inducement for resuming his usual occupation. There was much protest against this and the Local Government Board issued an order that the prevailing rate of wages be paid, but the hours were less than the normal working day. In this way a man's total earnings would still be less than he might secure in private employment. Colony Works.—The various colony schemes of the Central (Unemployed) Body are in charge of a “Working Colony Committee.” The work of this committee consists of the organization and management of works situated so far from London, that the men employed do not return to their homes daily, but have to be accommodated on or near the works. One permanent colony is maintained at Hollesley Bay, about two hours by rail from London, which in times of exceptional distress can accommodate 350 men. Tem- porary employment at unskilled work is given to successive relays of men, and out of these the most promising are selected for a more prolonged period of training. Besides Hollesley Bay about half a dozen temporary colonies have been maintained by the Working Colonies Committee from time to time. A detailed description of Hollesley Bay is given below. The number of men who were employed at temporary work on the Colony from July 1, 1907, to June 30, 1909, was 2, Io2. The average period of employment was II.6 weeks per man. The temporary colonies do not give employment to so many men. From 1906 to 1909 about 600 men were given temporary work, the periods of employment ranging from three to sixteen weeks. On all the colonies except in the case of families actually residents of Hollesley Bay for agricultural training, the conditions of employment are the same. The men receive board and lodging and an allowance of 6d. per week, while allowances based on the size of the family, but in no case more than 17s. 6d. per week, are paid to their families in London.* * “The Central (Unemployed) Body for London. Temporary Colony. Conditions as to Payment and Dismissal. The men will receive board and lodging and, in addition, the sum of 6d. per week for incidental expenses. Allowances will be paid weekly to the families of the men at the following rates: Ios. for the wife. 2s. for the first child under 14. Is. 6d for the second child under 14. Is, each for other children (only children under 14 years of age being reckoned). Deductions will be made for other earnings at the following rates: Earnings of wife, one-third such earnings; of children one-fourth such earnings. In no case will more than 17s. 6d. be paid. I agree to accept the above conditions as to payment and to my being instantly dismissed from the Colony for slacking, breaches of discipline, or any other reasons.” 76 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY Women's Workrooms.-The “Women's Work Committee " maintains three work- rooms in London which accommodate 4o women each. The work consists of tailoring, men's underclothing and women and children's clothing. The following table analyzes the cases dealt with during two years: Year Year ending ending June, June, - I908. I909. Applications received. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68o 657 Rejected, unsuitable for work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 3O Accepted for work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 I 627 Actually put to work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359 334 Not provided with work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I48 2I4. Offered but refused work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II.4. 79 It thus appears that from one-fourth to one-third of the women who were eligible for assistance could not be provided with work. The wages of those employed in the workrooms are: “Ios. a week with an additional allowance for children under 14 years of age of 2s. per week for the first child, IS. 6d. for the second child, and Is, for any other, in no case more than 17s. 6d. a week being paid. Deductions are made on account of the earnings of the children, at the rate of one-fourth such earnings. A dinner to the value of 6d. is provided each day, and fares to the work- room are allowed where they exceed 2d. per day, in every such case a maximum contribu- tion of 2d. per day being made by the woman herself.” The Women's Committee has found great difficulty in disposing of the products of the workrooms. At first the goods were disposed of to the families whom the Central Body aided to emigrate from England. The number of emigrants have decreased so much that this outlet has been much reduced. For a time certain charitable institutions took the products, but this was stopped by the Local Government Board. Free grants of clothing to the Children's Care Committees have been made during the last year. The Women's Work Committee recommended the establishment of a farm colony for women, a site for which could be purchased for £3,000. It was proposed to train women in fruit growing, jam making and fruit preserving, hand laundry, poultry rearing, egg production and bee keeping. This scheme was not approved by the Local Government Board. A plan for establishing a training center for women in London was also turned down by the Board. Emigration.—An Emigration Committee of the Central (Unemployed) Body takes charge of all those applicants who express a desire to emigrate from England or to move out of London to other parts of Great Britain. The work of this Committee in aiding emigrants is summarized in the following table: REGISTERED At CENTRAL OFFICE.-EMIGRATED. Approximate - SEASON. Cases. number of Cases. Persons. Approximate cost. persons. f S d 1905-6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I,847 5, 54 I 68O 2,216 I6,851 # 7 9 1906-7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,813 8,842 I,800 5, 4 I5 38,613 I7 II H907-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7I I 2, I 33 I23 360 4, 187 I 8 9 I908-9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 634 I, 272 I70 286 3,264 I 4 Totals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,005 17,788 2,773 8,277 62,917 5 9 The emigrants were sent abroad partly in co-operation with charitable emigrant aid Societies, and in part directly by the Central Body. During the first two seasons most of the families were emigrated to Canada. The depression of 1907–8 affected the labor market of that country, and the Canadian government placed restrictions upon immi- grants who were assisted by public or charitable funds. This caused the great falling off in 1908 and 1909, and the main outlet for emigrants has now been cut off. Labor Exchanges.—While the employment registers of the Distress Committees in the Provinces recorded practically none but applicants for relief, in London the Central (Unemployed) Body organized 25 local labor exchanges with a central office to serve as a Sort of clearing house. This work was kept distinct as far as possible from the relief work APPENDIX NO. 2 — JREPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. WOSS 77 of the Distress Committees, and proved to be the most successful part of the Unemployed Workmen Act. The object was not relief, but to bring together employers and workmen Ineeding each other. While the work of the exchanges grew steadily from year to year, it was handicapped nevertheless by its connection with the relief work. Employers feared that the applicants were incompetent, while workers did not want to be regarded as asking for charity. These exchanges have now been taken over by the Board of Trade and are managed as apart of the Local Department. They will be described under the “Labor Exchanges Act, 1909.” Finances.—An idea of what it costs annually to carry on the work in London may be had from the following statement of receipts and expenditures for the fiscal year 1908–9.* Receipts. Expenditures. From taxes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #23, 186 Cost of work provided: Parliamentary grant. . . . . . . . . . . . . Io5, or 2 On farm and labor colonies. . . . . . . £27,213 Repayments for work done. . . . . . . I2,793. Otherwise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, offo Voluntary contributions. . . . . . . . . . 7o Administrative expensesi. . . . . . . . . 28, I39 Other receipts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,637 Emigration and migration. . . . . . . . 5, Io'7 Other expenditures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,985 #3147,698 £153,504 About $750,000 was spent in London during the year ending June 30, 1909. About 40 per cent. Of the administrative expenses went for labor exchanges, but since these were taken over by the Board of Trade this expense is no longer incurred. The cost of relief works for the unemployed increased from about $350,000 (£70,594) in 1905–6, to $575,000 (£II5,273) in 1908-9. The last year was exceptional on account of the great industrial depression. Hollesley Bay Farm Colony.—The agricultural training colony at Hollesley Bay was originally established by the Central Committee of the London Unemployed Fund in February, 1905. It is situated in Suffolk about 60 miles from London. The area of the estate is 1,300 acres and consisted at the beginning of 600 acres of arable land, 250 acres of heath, and the rest pasture, woodland and grounds. It was occupied formerly by an agricultural college and on it were buildings with living and sleeping accommodations for about 35o persons. The estate was bought by Mr. Joseph Fels, an American, and leased to the London Unemployed Fund at a nominal rent. In December, 1905, the Central (Unemployed) Body of London bought the estate of Mr. Fels at the original cost price. The programme which was laid down for development in this colony was stated to be: “I. The provision of special work for periods of exceptional distress. 2. The provision of more continuous work for men who are not only in exceptional need of work, but who either have already worked upon land, or show a marked aptitude for country life. 3. The establishment of suitable men and families in agricultural or other rural industry — in various forms, e. g., ordinary farm situations, market garden- ing, small holdings or emigration.” A superintendent directs the work of the colony and he is assisted by a staff who have had practical experience in farming, market gardening, building construction and estate repairs. There is also a salesman who attends to all negotiations with regard to the sale of the produce. All the work on the farm is done by the unemployed sent out from London under the direction of these experienced men. There is fruit growing, dairy- ing, Ordinary farming, reclaiming land, fencing, gardening, keeping the grounds, etc. For this work the men receive board and lodging and twelve cents a week spending money, while allowances from $2.50 to $4.50 per week depending on the size of the family are paid to their wives in London. Only family men and “preference ’’ cases are sent to Hollesley Bay. Each colonist is required to sign a statement agreeing to conditions of payment and to the rules of the colony. Breach of the rules renders the offender liable to instant dismissal. The rules are simple and few. No man is permitted to bring liquor on the premises, and no drunkenness is permitted; but he is free to go to the saloon in the neighborhood village if he wants to. He is advised not to hang out there, and if he comes * The receipts and expenditures in the Provinces are about half of that of London. f The administrative expenses in which is included the cost of labor exchanges increased from about $70,000 (£14,595) in 1905-6 to $140,000 (£28,139) in 1908-9. 78 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY back under the influence of liquor he is immediately dismissed. The men go to the saloon quite freely, but very few cases of drunkenness have occurred. The capacity of the colony is 350. During the winter it is occupied to the full capacity, but in the summer months the number falls to about Ioo. In a year about Too men pass through the colony. They are permitted to stay for sixteen weeks, but the average length of residence for all the colonists during the year is a little over nine weeks. At the end of every month they are free to visit their families and to look for work for two days. The railway fares are paid by the Central Body. The men are housed in the dormitory formerly used by the agricultural college. There is a large dining-room which is turned into a concert hall every Saturday night, game rooms, shower baths, etc. These are on the first floor. Here they are free to lounge and Smoke after working hours. The men are also free to go and come from the buildings, in and around the grounds to suit themselves. The colonists elect their own governing committees, entertainment committees, etc. These arrange the concerts and make rules for the use of the game rooms. In winter the superintendent lectures on general subjects, history, science, literature. The farm manager gives talks on agriculture, and other experts talk on various subjects. Attend- ance is entirely voluntary but most of the men come, ask questions, and intelligently discuss the problems put up to them. It is remarkable what can be accomplished with these casual laborers, a class of population generally regarded as hopeless. It is to be noted that this colony is entirely voluntary. The men do not have to come, and they cannot be kept against their will. They may go when they please. The aim of the superintendent is to make the work interesting enough to keep the men there. Con- sidering the character of the men, he seems to have succeeded well in this, and discipline, too, has been remarkably good. “The average colonist arrives at the colony in anything but a normal condition. He is a married man who has lived in London his whole life. For weeks and often month after month he has suffered constant pain in witnessing the gradual disposal of his home, and the sufferings of his wife and children, and whilst this fact must not be ignored (the man needs help as much as he needs work), in the majority of cases I find that the London man is quick and keen to acquire knowledge and skill to do all kinds of garden work, and eventually becomes successful at his job.” Very few of those who come to the colony want to go back to London. Yet there is no easy life to induce them to stay. On the contrary, the work is hard and the regular hours is still harder on this class of people. The routine begins at 5:30 a. m. when all must get up. At 6they go to work. They may have a cup of tea or coffee provided they get it by five minutes to 6. At 8 there is half an hour for breakfast. From 12 to 2 is dinner. Then there is work till 4 or 5 varying in winter and summer. After supper the men's time is their own to do as they please, but all must turn in at 9 p. m. Besides the hard work the man is separated from his family and he is far away from the attractions of the city. But most of those who come beg to be allowed to stay when their time is up. A few have not been able to stand the quiet, regular life and have left shortly after coming. A few others had to be sent back; but on the whole those who come want to remain. In the following table the reasons for the men quitting the colony are given. conduct and dissatisfaction accounts for but a small proportion. because their time is up, or because thay have found work. Mis- The majority leave REASONS FOR LEAVING OF MEN AT Holles LEY BAY. —-º gº JULY I, 1907 TO JUNE 30, JULY 1, 1908 To JUNE 30, 1908. I909. REASONS. Number. Per cent. Number. Per cent. Time expired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372 38. 6 5 I4 48.9 Found work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 72 17.8 2I 6 2O. 5 IDid not return from furlough. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I I II. 5 66 6. 3 Trouble at home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 2.4 28 2.6 Misconduct. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 3.5 27 2 . () Sickness and medical attendance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8O 8.3 60 5.8 Unfit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 I. 8 I 5 I .4 Emigration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 .9 9 .9 Own accord. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 3. 7 4O 3. 8 Dissatisfied. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 3 I 4 5 .5 Migration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 2.6 8 .7 Drink. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 H .8 17 I. 6 Discharged (various reasons). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 4. 9 46 4.4 Deceased. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reduction of numbers or completion of work. . . . I6 I 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Totals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 964 IOO ... O I, O5 I I OO ... O APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. VOSS 79 In order to make the colony an actual training ground for small farm owners, cottages have been erected, each with half an acre of ground about them. There are twenty-five of these cottages occupied by London men and their families, who have been selected as most suitable for the work. The houses are designed purposely for the work in hand and are built by the colonists. It is planned to have fifty cottages in all. The occupants are called “settlers ” to distinguish them from the others who come to the colony for shorter periods. A “Settler’’ works as do the other colonists, and his pay is $3.75 (1 5s.) per week together with the free use of the cottage and plot. The gardens about the cot- tages are worked by the women and children of the settlers and by the men after the regular working hours. The produce is all their own. A co-operative buying and selling associa- tion has been organized among the settlers, and thus they learn the principles of dealing with each other and with the world on this basis. . It is proposed that after they had received sufficient training at the colony, they be settled on Small holdings of their own, and thus make room for more families to be trained. The difficulty here is: How are the trained families to acquire the small holdings? The plan of the Central (Unemployed) Body is to purchase land and lease it in small parcels to the trained families, but the Local Government Board refused to sanction this. As matters now stand the colony can not be said to be accomplishing very much. The agricultural training is of little use because there is no outlet to the land. Further, the three purposes for which the Colony was established do not go well together. Train- ing for agriculture is interfered with because the Colony has to be used to give work to the needy and deserving families whether they are suited to country life or not. During the short , periods at the Colony, the good food, good air and steady work make the men stronger and healthier and a little better trained, and their families are improved by the steady income. But when the men return to the city and are unable to obtain steady work the family drifts back to its former condition, the home deteriorates, and little has been gained. The experience with the settlers, however, has proved what a great deal might be accomplished if only there were an outlet to the land. The cottages and the gardens occupied by those who failed to support themselves in London show how capable these families are of improvement when they are given the opportunity. Although the settlers are taken from the most miserable poor of London's population, the unskilled, casual laborers, after being trained at the Colony and settled on the half acre lot, they become efficient gardeners and self-respecting families. The five-room cottages are neatly and cleanly kept, and the gardens would do credit to any American farmer. The families take pride in keeping their gardens well. The Central (Unemployed) Body points out that although training at the Colony fails to accomplish its purposes, the cost of dealing with the men and their families at Hollesley Bay is very much cheaper than would be the case were they dealt with under the Poor Law. In the latter case the families would be entirely broken up and they would have to enter the workhouse. The colony, too, offers an efficient test of the man's willing- ness to work. Hollesley Bay is, of course, not a paying proposition. Criticism is often heard on the ground that the work of the men does not pay enough for its support. To this the superintendent replies: “If unemployed labor could be profitably employed it would not have to remain idle. Private enterprise would take it up at once.” The ques- tion is whether it pays the state to spend more money administering the Poor Law which breaks up the families than to spend less and to make self-respecting families. Mr. Bolton Smart, the superintendent at Hollesley Bay outlined to us the require- ments of the farm colony system of dealing with the unemployed, in order that it might be wholly successful. There should be three kinds of colonies, with the hope of promotion from one to the other held up to the men. Promotion and selection within one colony is bad. It leads to jealousy and bad feeling of all kinds. At the top of the system there should be a voluntary farm colony such as Hollesley Bay was proposed to be. Here the best men from the lower colonies and the best of the unemployed men should be trained in agriculture. For the successful ones the promotion should be a small farm. This he can work by getting credit from the government which ought to establish agricultural credit banks for the purpose. To let the individual own the land would be bad, according to Mr. Smart. Ownership should be retained by the government and let out to the families at reasonable rates and credit enough to work the land. This system the Liberal Party has practically promised to establish (i. e. the Small Holdings and the Credit Banks). Below the highest class colony there should be another with more strict rules to which those who are not so worthy and not particularly fit for small holdings might come. This also should rest on a voluntary basis, men who were dismissed from class I colony or were 8O COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY neligible to it might come here. The best of the men from this class II colony should be given as promotion a chance to enter class I colony. Finally, class III should be a penal colony in which those who are wilfully unemployed, vagrants and tramps could be sent. To these also should be held up the opportunity of entering class II if they deserve it. Coupled with this system must go an extensive system of labor exchanges and Com- pulsory registration. Those for whom there is work will be placed by the exchanges. Those for whom there is no work will be eligible for the colonies. Every unemployed person, however, must be compelled to register with the exchange, otherwise the problem can never be really known. If after registering a person has an opportunity given him to go to the colonies and he still refuses to work and becomes a charge, he should be sent to the penal colony. Copy of the Conditions of Employment obtaining at the Hollesley Bay Colony, Suffolk. Conditions of other colonies are identical with these with the exception of para- graph 2, dealing with the nature of the work. “THE HOLLESLEY BAY LABOUR COLONY. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT. I. Period of Employment.—The men are to be employed at Hollesley Bay, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, for continuous periods of one month. The offer will be repeated for successive months at the discretion of the Central Body. 2. Nature of Work and Class of Men Required.—Hollesley Bay is primarily an agricultural training colony. There is, however, a large amount of less skilled work. 3. Conditions as to Payment.—The men will receive board and lodging at the Colony and, in addition, the sum of 6d. per week for incidental expenses. Allowances will be paid weekly to the families of the man at the following" rates: Io/ for the wife. 2/ for the first child under 14. I/6 for the second child under 14. I/ each for other children (only children under 14 years of age being reckoned). Deduction will be made for other earnings at the following rate: Earnings of wife, one-third such earnings, of other children one-fourth such earnings. In no case will more than I7/6 be paid. Each man will be required to sign a statement agreeing to these conditions. 4. Monthly Furloughs.-The men will be free to return at the end of the month for about two days to visit their homes and to look for work, during which time the payment to the families will continue (see also section Io). They will also be free to leave the colony at any other time, but unless they show good reason for So leaving, their places will not be reserved for them. 5. Rules of Colony.—The men will be required to observe certain rules which have been decided on in the interests of the general discipline. These include: (a) Prompt obedience to orders; (b) Sobriety; (c) Observance of appointed hours. Breach of rules will render the offender liable to dismissal. 6. Cleanliness and Freedom from Infection.—The men must be free from infection and must go down clean. 7. Clothing and Boots.--It is necessary for the men to have a change of clothing at the Colony. It is recommended that wherever possible each man should take two shirts. Failing the possession of a second shirt by the end of the first week, a shirt will be issued from the Colony stores, and the cost (2/6) will be charged in weekly installments. Other clothing is obtainable at the Colony and chargeable in the same way. Boots will be supplied on loan to the men when they arrive. Their own boots will be returned to them when they leave. The boots are purchaseable in the same way as the clothing. Each man will be responsible for his own personal washing. 8. Railway Fares.—The fares of the men from Liverpool Street to Melton Station and back will be paid by the Central Body.” APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. WOSS 8I GLASGOW. In Glasgow there is but one Distress Committee composed of fifty members. Sub- committees under this carry on the various kinds of work, such as the labor colony, relief works, emigration, and finance, which in London is done by the Central Body. There is a sub-committee which decides on all cases of granting work which receives advice from the paid clerk of the Distress Committee. If the clerk disagrees with any decision relating to the granting of work he may appeal the case to a sub-committee specially created to listen to appeals. At the time of our visit in Glasgow (mid-August) there were no relief works being carried on except at a farm colony, which employed at the time about Ioo men. Few applications were being received, but this, we were assured, was no index of the amount of unemployment. The applicants do not come unless they know that relief works are carried on. When a person calls at the Distress Committee for relief, he is asked if he has been at the Labor Exchange and his record is inquired into. Applications to the Distress Commit- tee may be made in any public building in the city. Forms left for the purpose are collected by the Distress Committee. The applicant is then required to make out the more detailed record paper prescribed by the Local Government Board. This is in three parts, as in London. The references are visited and later the homes. Then the case comes before a committee and the recommendation of the investigator is made by the clerk. Appeal may be made as mentioned as above. The Distress Committee which formerly managed the Labor Exchanges keeps in constant touch with it now. Should a person's record be bad there, he would get no relief work. The experience in Glasgow has been much the same as in London. The number of applicants for relief almost doubled from 1907–8 to 1908–9. There were 7,906 in the first year and 14,001 in the second. Of the latter Io,022 were new applications. Fifty-five per cent. of the applicants were qualified to receive work; for 220 no work could be secured, and 534 refused to accept the work offered them. As in London, the unskilled casual laborers form the majority of those who apply. During the year 1908–9 a larger proportion were skilled workers than in any of the previous years. About 2 per cent. are women. The Glasgow Distress Committee maintains a labor colony at Palacerigg about forty miles from the city. This was intended to be an agricultural training station like Hollesley Bay, but the difficulty of providing work for the unemployed has compelled the committee to send large batches of men out to the colony every day for temporary work. There is room for about 150 residents at the colony. The resident colonists are kept apart and at Separate employment from the relief workers, but the work of training for agriculture has been hampered by the presence of the latter. There are no permanent settlers at Palacerigg but the managers are very desirous of securing land on which those who have been trained at the colony might be settled on small holdings. For this purpose the Distress Committee asked to buy an island which the City of Glasgow owns on the west coast of Scotland, but the City refuses to sell. The colony is accomplishing little in the way of training. It serves mainly as a means of supplying relief work. During the winter from 6oo to 8oo men are employed on it daily at road making, draining, trenching, construction of a railway siding and general farm improvement. In the City the main relief work has been snow removal and improvement of parks. The regulations at Palacerigg and the conditions of employment on all relief works are similar to those in London. The total wages paid to relief workers during 1908-9 was about $163,000 (£32,623) and the total cost of the work done was about $217,500 (£43,553), while the value of the work done was $34,000 (£6,525), while the value of the work done therefore amounted to but 20 per cent. of the wages paid and 15 per cent. of total cost of the work. During the last year a women's workroom has been opened in Glasgow, capable of accommodating fifty-four women. The number employed thus far has not exceeded twenty-four. The work consists mainly in making and mending clothing for the colonists at Palacerigg. Eight shillings per week are paid to all women employed at the workroom. It was feared that if the scale of allowances to wives of resident colonists were adopted, i. e., 8s. for women and Is. 6d. for each dependent child, it might induce women actually employed to relinquish that and to apply for admission to the workroom. The sub-committee on emigration suspended operations last year. This emigration work had been carried on in co-operation with the Salvation Army. Fares were advanced to Canada but nothing was ever heard of the men who were emigrated. The agents of the Army did not visit them in Canada to collect periodical payments as they had promised to do. Vol. III.-II 82 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY * Money for the work of the Distress Committee in Glasgow is obtained with less diffi- culty than in London. In 1908-9 the total income was over $270,000 (£54,ooo). The average daily number of men given employment was 903 and the average of their dependents was 3.8. About $5.00 per week (21s. 64d.) was the average expenditure in each case, including man, wife and children. RESULTS OF THE UNEMPLOYED WORKMEN Act. The officials who are carrying on the work under the Unemployed Workmen Act are quite frank in confessing the failure of the law in all things that it set out to do, except the labor exchanges. The experience gained under the Act, however, has been most useful in pointing out the measures needed to deal adequately with the problem of unemployment. Temporary relief works, we are told, are useless as a permanent remedy for unemploy- ment. The same men return year after year to the Distress Committees for employment. The work they do is never satisfactory. What is needed is work under the ordinary condi- tions of employment, and the Central (Unemployed) Body are unable to offer either the proper sort of work or the proper amount of it. Relief work fails to attract the best type of unemployed. The deserving strong, useful workmen temporarily out of work, for whom the Act was undoubtedly passed, are not reached. For the most part the operations reach only those deficient in physique or capacity to work. Colony work, the Central Body reports, can not be made of real and permanent benefit unless special colonies are provided for different classes of men, and an outlet for those who are trained. “A very large proportion of those with whom the Central Body had to deal are hardly capable enough to obtain work for themselves by reason of their lack of training for anything definite than purely casual labor; and if they are to be made really efficient, some system of training is an absolute necessity. Some of the work provided should be of a nature to supply this need.” The most successful part of the work was that carried on by the labor exchanges. The Central (Unemployed) Body for London reports to the Local Government Board that the experience “Shows conclusively that it is impossible to deal adequately with unem- ployment by local authorities. That a State Department should be set up and organized National Labor Exchanges throughout the country; and that, in addition to providing means for registering the unemployed, the exchanges should act as a means for discovering where work existed, and also for finding out as far ahead as possible when and where bad trade might be coming.”* LABOR ExCHANGES. The Labor Exchange Act was passed by Parliament in September, 1909. It met with practically no opposition. Experience under the Unemployed Workmen Act showed its necessity and both the majority and the minority of the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws had recommended a national system of labor exchanges. The first exchanges were opened in February, 1910, so that their results could hardly be judged at the time of our visit which was only six months later. * The law on which the system of exchanges is based (Appendix V) is very simple, merely giving general powers to the Board of Trade to establish, take over, and maintain labor exchanges, and to make regulations for their management. Any regulations so made have the effect of law. Two sets of regulations have thus far been made under the act (Appendix IV). The first was general, relating to registration, policy in time of strikes, advances of transportation, advisory committees, etc. The second related par- ticularly to juvenile applicants for employment. The number of exchanges and where they were to be located was not fixed. This too was left to the Board of Trade. The Labor Exchanges are conducted by the Labor Department of the Board of Trade. The president of the latter is a member of the cabinet, Mr. William H. Beveridge, the director of the exchanges is a subordinate of the head of the Labor Department. All the expenses are paid out of parliamentary funds. There is a central office in London which directs the work of the whole system of exchanges. Its work is purely that of organization and administration. Mr. Beveridge - * Several reports have been issued describing the operations of the Unemployed Workmen Act. See “Return as to proceedings of Distress Committees in England and Wales . . . during the year ended 31st March, 1998.” . Also reports of the Central (Unemployed) Body for London, “Preliminary Report to May 12, 1906." Second report, from May 12, 1906, to June 30, 1907, and third report, from July, 1907, to June, 1909. (P. S. King & Son.) APPENDIX NO. 2 – REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. voss 83 presides over the central office and under him there is a general manager and a woman Supervisor whose activities cover the whole country. The country is divided into eleven divisions, each under the control of a divisional officer whose office acts as a clearing house to arrange the transfer of workers from one part of the country to another. The divisional officers are the responsible heads in each division and the selection of the office force is left in their hands. All appointments, however, must be passed on by the Director and approved by the President of the Board of Trade. For convenience the officers are roughly classified into five main grades according to the population of the towns in which they are situated: Class A. Cities over Ioo,ooo. Class B. Cities 5o,ooo to Ioo, ooo. Class C. Cities 25, ooo to 50,000. Sub-offices. Suburban districts. Waiting-rooms. For dock workers. Up to June 1st no exchanges have been opened in towns less than 50,000. In general it has so far been the plan to have one exchange for about 1oo,ooo people in the provinces, and one for every 300,000 in London. The classification provides that Class A shall have a staff of eight, Class B five and Class C four. The largest offices have normally a manager, assistant manager, four regis- tration clerks, a messenger, and a caretaker. The sub-offices will be under the super- vision of a manager in a neighboring city, and will have an assistant manager, a clerk and a messenger. Class C exchanges are to have but two waiting-rooms, one for men and One for women, while in Class A exchanges provision is made for separate departments for skilled and unskilled men, skilled and unskilled women, boys and girls. These rules relating to grades of Offices are not absolute. They are modified as conditions in each locality require. The salaries for the employees in the various offices are graded as follows: Divisional Officers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #4oo to £600 per annum. Managers, Class A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 to 350 per annum. Managers, Class B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 to 250 per annum. Managers, Class C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 50 to 200 per annum. Assistant managers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ioo to I 5o per annum. Clerks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 to 90 per annum. By August 120 labor exchanges had been established. The employees in these (from 6oo to 7oo) were appointed by a special commission selected for the purpose and they are probationary civil servants until examinations for this service can be arranged. Then all appointments will be made after civil service examinations. The eleven divisions and the number of exchanges in each that have been established as well as those that it is planned to open later appear in the following table: LABOR EXCHANGEs – UNITED KINGDOM. —-º —º Exchanges Total DIVISION. Divisional center. Open June, exchanges I9 IO. proposed. London and South Eastern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . London. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 44 South Western. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bristol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 I 2 East Midlands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nottingham . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2O West Midlands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Birmingham . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 34 South Wales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cardiff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 I I Liverpool and district”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liverpool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I8 North and East Lancashire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Manchester. . . . . . . . . . . . . I6 3O Yorkshire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leeds and Sheffield . . . . . . 9 25 Northern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New Castle. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 I5 Scotland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Glasgow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 24 Ireland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dublin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2 I I O.4 254 At the end of 1910 there were 149 exchanges open. The final plan is to have from twenty to thirty in each division and a total of about 250 exchanges. When the system * These two divisions are under one divisional officer. 84 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY is completed there will be about 1,000 people engaged in carrying on the work of the labor exchanges. The cost as estimated in the financial statement submitted with the Labour Exchanges Act (Appendix IV) will be almost a million dollars a year. There is nothing charitable about the labor exchanges. They are administered as are factory inspection, workmen's compensation, etc., by the National Board of Trade. Their function is merely to bring employers and workmen together and to collect and furnish information relating to the state of the labor market. This is considered an import- ant duty of the state and the service of the exchanges is made free both to employers and to workmen. All classes of labor are dealt with except domestics. The system retains a neutral attitude between capital and labor. Regulations of the Board of Trade provide for an advisory committee for each division to be made up of an equal number of employers and workmen. In times of strike or lockouts both employers and workmen may notify the exchanges of the existence of the disputes and this information must be communicated to any work- men who applies for a position with an employer engaged in a trade dispute. The law gives the Board of Trade power to advance the fare for workmen from one part of the country to another if they can not themselves pay it; but no fares must be advanced to any person who is going to work for less than the prevailing rate of wages, or where he is to take the place of strikers. If the officials are not sure of finding permanent work for an applicant in a distant place they do not advance the fare. In general practice they do not pay any transportation unless the workman has promised to repay the amount and the employer has agreed to deduct it from his wages. Following is a table giving statistics of the operation of all the labor exchanges from the time they were established to the end of the year: STATISTICS OF LABOR Exchanges, FEBRUARY I to DECEMBER 1, 191o. —” —” Feb. Mar. April. May. || June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. | Totals. Number of exchanges. . . . 93 '93 98 IO3 IO3 IOS I I I I 24 I32 I38 I46]. . . . . . . Number of working days. 24 25 24 22 30 24 23 30 24 24 28 278 Vacancies notified. . . . . . . 21, 193| 29, 704 31, 7III 30,788, 5 I, 417| 39, 746. 37,891 || 53,938|| 44, O35| 44, 283| 48, 6.93|433,399 Vacancies filled. . . . . . . . . . I2,628, 20,395] 23,858| 24, o25 41,650| 33,813; 31, 257, 45,314|| 37, oro 37,716 41,463|349,139 Work-people's applica- tions on register-end of month. . . . . . . . . . . . . ... [II2,424; 90,627| 81, 523| 75,402| 73,604. 72,670| 79,829| 85,477| 96,714|Ioo, 273| 64,763|923,306 Proportion of vacancies filled to vacancies noti- fied. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60. O 69. O 7S. O 78. O 8I. O 85. O 82.5 84. O 84. O 85. O 85. O 80.5 . It is quite evident from this table that the exchanges are being used more and more by the employers of the country and that their efficiency is steadily increasing. The first is shown by the fact that the number of vacancies notified to the exchange has in- creased steadily from month to month, and the second is proved by the fact that the pro- portion of vacancies filled to vacancies notified rose from 60 per cent. in February to 85 per cent. in December. The percentage varies for different classes of wage-earners, the highest usually being for men. Thus in December 88 per cent. of vacancies notified for men were filled, and only 80 per cent. for women. The “Work-people's applications on the register" at any date are the applications of persons who have registered or renewed their registration during the seven days ending that date. They may be taken to represent separate individuals unemployed. It will be noticed that at first there was a steady decline in the number remaining on the registers at the end of each month. This was due to the general improvement in business condi- tions and also to the elimination of the unemployable, who, when the exchanges first opened flocked to them to register. But no employment could be secured for them and they dropped out during the following months.” The principle occupations dwelt with by the exchanges are as follows: * Statistics are also published of the number of work-people's applications every month. These, however, include re-applications of some whose registration had lapsed after a month, and can not be taken to represent the number of individuals unemplºyed. APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. WOSS 85 VACANCIES NOTIFIED AND FILLED, BY TRADEs, FIVE WEEKS ENDED DECEMBER 30, 191o. Total appli- Vacancies Vacancies cations on TRADE. notified. filled. sº I9IO. Building and works of construction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 323 3,950 I3,339 Mining and quarrying. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.18 282 796 Metals, machines, implements and conveyances. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 7 I2 3,890 II, 158 Textiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,286 2,548 3, I29 Dress. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I,813 I, 236 3, I5O Conveyances of men, goods and messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, O92 8, 172 I6,345 Agriculture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 623 486 I,85I Paper, prints, books and stationery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 3O4. I, O45 I,263 Wood, furniture, fittings and decorations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, O2 I 772 I, 734 Chemicals, oil, grease, soap, resin, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347 306 494. Brick, cement, pottery and glass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 I49 425 Food, tobacco, drink and lodging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 6 II I,896 6, I59 Skins, leather, hair and feathers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I42 III 36I Precious metals, jewels, watches, instruments and games. . . . . . . 228 I65 434 Gas, water, electric supply and Sanitary Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 I 42O 573 Commercial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, O26 I, 598 6, I62 Domestic (outdoor). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,967 4, IO9 9, 185 Other, general and undefined: (a) general labourers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 6O2 6,244 I3,297 (b) others. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 590 4,084 6,547 Totals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48,693 4I,463 93,382 —º —º No statistics have yet been prepared to show the number of skilled and unskilled who apply and are placed, the time it takes to find positions for applicants and the character of the places found, whether they are permanent or temporary. It is apparent, however, from the statistics that are published that the exchanges are dealing mainly with skilled men. The managers say that employers can get all the unskilled labor they need at their gates. They send to the labor exchanges only for the skilled workers. The work of transferring unemployed people from one district to vacancies in another is shown in the following table: VACANCIES FILLED IN DISTRICTs OTHER THAN THOSE IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED. |United MONTH. Kingdom. London. October. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 45 I I, 508 November. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 457 I, 536 December. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 9 I2 I , 7.26 Of the total number of places filled in the United Kindom from 6 to 7 per cent. are placed in districts other than those in which the men registered. More than half of these, however, were transferred between the various exchanges in London, so that the migration of unemployed from one part of the country to another has not yet reached large proportions. LONDON. We found in London twenty-two labor exchanges in operation. Most of these had been established by the Central (Unemployed) Body for London, and had been at work for several years. The Board of Trade took them over and is developing and fitting them into its larger system. Most of the old employees went with the exchanges to the Board of Trade, and their experience has been a great advantage in carrying on the work. Besides the exchanges planned for London, the Board of Trade proposed to erect waiting rooms for dock laborers each in charge of a caretaker. This plan included the registration of all those who are employed at loading and unloading ships. Every person registered would receive a badge, and only men with badges could be em- ployed. If a man was not regular at his work his badge would be taken away, and thus a large number of casual workers who refuse to work steadily would be eliminated thereby affording more regular employment to the rest. Foremen hiring men from day to day would have to do so at the waiting-rooms, but those who are steadily employed at one dock could go direct to their work provided that their employers reported the number of men employed each day. This plan has not been carried out because the law which created the “Port of London Authority” to govern all the docks and wharves stipulated that this authority was to establish waiting-rooms for laborers. The Board of Trade was ready to 86 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY subsidize any scheme which the port authority might establish; but up to the present nothing has been done in this direction. Each labor exchange in London caters to a district varying in population from 25o,ooo to 5oo,ooo. Besides the twenty-two exchanges in the city there are six others in the near- by country which are included in the London and Southeastern Division. Over all of them is the divisional officer who is assisted by two women supervisors who look after the various women's departments. The methods employed in each of the exchanges will be best understood if we give the forms which are used in carrying on the work. These forms were devised in the Central Office and are the same for all exchanges. Applicants are registered by a clerk who asks the questions and fills out the following form. If any one prefers it he may fill out the application himself and a clerk then transfers the answers to this form. All those living within three miles of an exchange are required to register in person. Others may register by mail. INDEX CARD FOR MEN (WHITE) OR WOMEN (RED). Names Date Full address <º Age. Renewals. Work desired. Also willing to take work as Previous employers in that class From Till of work, with addresses. * = Qualifications Willing to take work When free to at a distance? begin work? Remarks B ~& The same forms are used for men and women except that different colors are used. For applicants under 17 years of age the following card is used with different colors for boys and girls: Surname Other names Date Full Address Date of birth Renewals Last day school Date of Standard at Attending or Was applicant leaving time of leaving going to attend a half-timer Continuation before leav- School, day or ing school, if evening? What so, how long? subjects? Employers since Time with Left Wage |Employed as Remarks leaving school. Employment Willing to be Can premium be Willing to take work desired. apprenticed paid? at a distance? Remarks. *-**ms-mme Bb. APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. WOSS 87 At the beginning of the work of the exchanges many complaints were made that no positions were secured. The applicant on registering is therefore now given the following notice: “In order to prevent disappointment, it must be remembered that Labour Exchanges do not guarantee to find work for any applicant, but only to put workmen into touch with vacancies of which the Exchange is able to obtain notice.” All registrations have to be renewed every week, and if not renewed in thirty days they are dropped from the registers of the exchange. On registering the applicant receives the following registration card. He retains this as long as he wishes to remain on the register of the exchange. If he secures work through his own efforts he signs the card and returns it. The back of the Čard it will be seen is ad- dressed to the labor exchange and franked for free transmission through the mails. (Front) Reg. No. REGISTRATION CARD ONLY. Trade No. Not a recommendation to an employer. N Name Trade O T - T Address R A Date I have obtained employment *- N S with F E. R *-i- - - A Signed B --- L N. B.- Change of address should be notified at once to the Labour E Exchange. R. (Back) Please Read This Care- O. H. M. S. Official fully. Paid. If you obtain work—either through the Labour Exchange or otherwise— you must return this cardimmediately to the Exchange, through the post THE MANAGER, unstamped. Labour Exchange, Until you obtain work you must present this card at the Labour Ex- change every in order to remain on the register. —-" Employers apply for help as a rule by telephone, but a good many use the mails or call personally. These orders are entered on registry cards of which there is one for each em- ployer. All his orders as they come in from time to time are numbered and this number is noted on the registry card. Thus it is possible to see at a glance all the business done with any employer. 88 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY EMPLOYERS’ REGISTRY CARD. tºº Name. Full address. Nature of Business, Telephone No. Staff engaged by Hours, etc Remarks When an order has been received from an employer and a suitable workman has been found, he is sent to the employer with an identification card, which the latter is asked to sign and return to the exchange. This is also now franked for free transmission through the mails: BOARD OF TRADE LABOUR EXCHANGES. Tel. No. ---------- Telegraphic Address: “Labex'' Labour Exchange----------------------------------------- IDENTIFICATION CARD In reply to your request for---------------------------------------------------- I am sending---------------------------------------------- the bearer. If you engage bearer, please sign and return this card to me. If you do not engage bearer, please give this card back to her. (him Manager. N. B.- Until this card is returned the situation is considered open. I ENGAGED. Signature---------------------------------- APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. WOSS 89 Tel. No. Telegraphic Address. “Labex'' #d. stamp POST CARD. BOARD OF TRADE LABOUR EXCHANGES. THE MANAGER, LABOUR EXCHANGE. The index cards containing the applications for employment are filled according to trades following the census classification. The files of these cards make up the registers of the exchanges. All those that have registered or renewed within one week are placed in the “Live Register.” Those who have not renewed at the end of the week but those application has not been on file longer than a month make up the “Intermediate Regis- ter,” while in the “Dead Register ’’ are all those for whom employment has been found or who have not renewed within thirty days. The Live Register is first consulted when workmen are sought to fill vacancies. The person whose card is selected is notified by mail or telegraph. If a worker is needed immediately he is selected from those in the waiting-room. Applicants are not permitted to remain long in this room but they are encouraged to come often. The number of men sent to an employer for each position varies. Sometimes the manager selects one man and sends him. This is generally true in the building trades and where the manager knows exactly what the employer wants. In other cases several men are sent and employer makes his own selection. In certain cases employers have left orders at the exchange to send all the help of a certain class. Some of the employers come to the exchange, interview applicants and select their own help. Where one exchange can not fill an order it applies to nearest local exchanges by tele- phone where it is likely to find the particular kind of help. If in this way the position still can not be filled the order is sent to the Divisional Clearing House which sends out lists of such open positions to all the local offices three times a day. These lists are typewritten and stencilled. As soon as one of these orders is filled the Divisional Office is notified and it in turn sends out notices of cancellation to the local exchanges. To get the exchanges known, advertising, soliciting and circularizing are freely resorted to. Advertising has cost very little. The papers take it free. In every post office notices are put up and in army recruiting offices. In the underground railways of London the exchange notices are put up free, in return for the map of the routes which are published with them. Soliciting is done very largely by the local manager or next assistant. It is his business to familiarize himself with the wants of employers in his district. At first an attempt was made to have special agents to solicit business, but this was found impracti- cable. The office hours in the London exchanges are from eight to five. Registration is usually suspended between twelve and two and also on Saturday. Monthly returns have to be made to the Board of Trade of the amount of work done. This requires much work and it is considered so important that the manager has to give it his personal attention. In a number of exchanges the unemployed registers of various trade unions are kept. This is encouraged in order that the Board of Trade might get fuller knowledge of the state of unemployment. In each of the branch offices in London we found the manager in charge a practical man, selected evidently for his ability to handle men, to mix with them and to understand human nature. Most of them had formerly been mechanics and union officials. Some had been in business. Sufficient clerical help is supplied so that the manager need not give time to this kind of work. The office force in the various exchanges ranges from six to nine including caretaker. Vol. III.-I 2 90 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY The exchanges are usually in the most public center in each locality. In some cases it remains in an old inadequate building on a public square rather than go to better quarters, or a side street. The Divisional Officer for London feels that a labor exchange can not afford to be on any but the busiest street. It must advertise itself to the public. The advisory committee composed of employers and workmen for the London division was organized during the time of our visit. An attempt to care for children under Seven- teen is also being made by organizing a special juvenile advisory committee, voluntary and unpaid, to co-operate with the exchanges. For London there will be about twenty members, six from the London County Council, four from the Divisional advisory committee, two employers and two workmen, and ten others, such as teachers and other educators inter- ested in apprenticeship, children, etc. Its secretary is to be an official of the Labor Ex- change. The committee is to form a local advisory committee whose members will give their time voluntarily, assisting the manager to place children in good positions and looking after them in those positions. The teachers and school authorities are to be depended on a good deal for this work. Separate rooms have been established for juveniles in a num- ber of exchanges. Some of the difficulties which the labor exchanges have met so far are important. Opposition has cropped out now and again from the rank and file of the trade unionists. The leaders of the labor movement support the work. Many of the unions have employ- ment bureaus and those men who formerly joined the union because of this facility need do so no longer. This and the bad feeling in time of strikes has aroused opposition, but it is gradually being overcome. - Another difficulty has been the old buildings, inadequate quarters. Most of the places were the old offices of Distress Committees taken over. The rooms for women and juveniles are particularly bad. A separate branch, for women only, has recently been established, but also in very bad quarters. It is planned to remedy this condition as soon as possible. In other cities where the exchanges had to get new buildings they have done much better. When exchanges were first opened they were overrun by unemployables who had formerly applied to Distress Committees. They thought here was something new for them. These people cannot satisfy employers and it has been the policy not to send any- one to a position if a good man cannot be found. Employers still fear that the exchanges have only the “no-goods '' and the managers try now to get their confidence by satisfying them. The exchanges are entirely voluntary and employers must be won over, so that is the main work for the present. In the following table the work of the London exchanges from the time they were taken over by the Board of Trade up to the end of December, 1910, is given: STATISTICS OF LONDON LABOR Exchanges, FEB. I to DEc. 30, 1910. —” —" Feb. Mar. April. | May. || June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. | Totals. Vacancies notified. . . . . . . 6, I 18; 7,993| 8,896; 7,981| II, 174| 7, 977| 7,545 II, 428 9,908| Io,393| Io,677|Ioo, ogo Vacancies filled. . . . . . . . . . 3,816, 5,591 | 6,722| 6,009 8,847| 6,613. 6, 167| 9,465| 7,935| 8,517| 8,899| 78,522 Work-people's applica- tions remaining on regis- ter at end of month. . . . 34,867 26,842| 24, 577| 22, 767| 22,083| 21, 286 22,345| 24, 674 28,868| 26, 999] 17, 267 . . . . . . . Proportion of vacancies filled to vacancies noti- ed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62. O 70. O 75. O 75. O 79. O 83. O 8I. O 83. O 8O. O 82. O 83. O 78. O About one-fourth of the total business of these exchanges is done in London. It does not appear that the London exchanges fill a larger or smaller percentage of the vacancies notified to them than do the exchanges in the rest of the country. But of the number of individuals who apply for work in London only about 30 per cent. are placed, while for the country as a whole the percentage is over 40. Otherwise the statistics for London show the same general tendencies as those for the country as a whole. More employers Seeking help through the exchanges and a larger proportion of vacancies notified are filled. From 18 to 19 per cent. Of all the places filled in London represent people sent to positions outside of the districts in which they registered. GLASGOw. The Glasgow Labor Exchange is situated just off one of the busiest streets in the city, but on a street that is quiet in itself and where many men stand about waiting for work. without obstructing traffic. It occupies all of the lower floor of a large corner building, This floor is divided into two rooms, one for skilled workers and one for unskilled workers. APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE' GEORGE A. WOSS 9 I The skilled workers come in on one street, the unskilled on the other street. On the second floor there are two more departments, one for women and one for juveniles. The women and the children enter by the door which the skilled men use. Also on the second floor are the offices of the divisional officer for Scotland. In the Scotch division there are now nine offices, one each in Glasgow, Edinburgh Dundee, Aberdeen, Greenock, Paisley, Coatbridge, Kilmarnock and Motherwell. In Glasgow there will be established soon three or four branch offices. The local exchanges in the Scotch division communicate directly with one another for positions they cannot fill. If they do not succeed in filling them in this way then they mail a postal to the divi- sional office in Glasgow notifying the vacancy. At the end of the week a list of all the vacancies notified to the divisional officer that have not been filled is made and mailed to every exchange in the division and to other divisions. All transfers within the division are usually made directly by the local exchanges. Transfers to and from English divisions are made through the divisional office. Transportation is sometimes advanced as in Eng- land, and the same policy of getting the employer to deduct the amount out of the salary of the wage-earner is followed. Very little money has been lost by failure to repay ad- V3.11C6S. There is connected with the divisional office a woman supervisor who looks after the women's departments and also the juvenile departments of the division. All the other divisions have found it necessary to place the boys' department under the divisional office but in Scotland it proved successful under the women's supervisor. This supervisor spends most of her time in Glasgow because of the greater need there, although she plans to be in other cities also. She visits employers in an effort to place the women and children and to drum up trade for the exchanges. She does little in the way of direct investigation of working conditions in the places of employment, but is familiar with most of the condi- tions in Glasgow. She depends directly on the factory inspectors for this information. There was in process of formation at the time of our visit, the advisory committee and also the juvenile advisory committee for Scotland. With regard to the latter, difficulty has been met in that the Scotch school authorities under a law recently passed have author- ity, and in some cases have exercised the authority, to establish juvenile labor exchanges. This tends to divide the work of the exchanges and in order to get all unified, the divisional officer has had to agree to allow a majority of the juvenile advisory board to be educational authorities. It is proposed to have the children register in the schools, the information being secured by the teachers and transmitted to the labor exchanges. The routine work of the Glasgow office is much the same as in London, except that it seems to go with greater dispatch. Fewer men are called into the office to be sent out to positions. They are sent direct from the desk at which they apply. Instead of using the big order sheets which are prescribed by the Board of Trade, the handy em- ployers' index cards are used, and from these the orders are filled. This permits of much more rapid work. In order to avoid the waste of time in hunting for a man's application card, his classification number is written on his registration card and his application can immediately be found. Usually about three or four men are sent to every position and the employer makes his pick. But in some cases the employers would rather depend on references and have the exchange pick out the man. For this reason, although the design of the Labor Ex- changes Act was not to do anything more than to bring employer and workman together, a special form “Private and Confidential " has been printed, which makes inquiry of a man's former employers as to his capacity, ability, honesty, reasons for leaving employment, etc. The Glasgow Exchange is soon to have new quarters in a building designed to meet its own needs. The plan shows an arrangement by which all the departments will have separate entrances, and the clerks will be able to pass from one department window to another freely. This will enable the office force to adjust itself to those departments which for the moment happen to be busiest. tº: The staff of the exchange which caters to a population of approximately one million is composed, aside from the manager, of an assistant manager, five clerks, and a messenger for the male department. There is also a telephone girl who works as well for the divi- sional office. In all, therefore, there are twelve. In the divisional Office there are six, the divisional officer and five clerks. The statistics of the Exchange in Glasgow shows that it fills a larger proportion of the vacancies notified to it than do the London Exchanges or all of the exchanges in the country taken together. Also a larger percentage of the applicants for employment in Glasgow are found places than in London or in the country as a whole. This is probably due to the fact that both in registrations and in placements skilled Workmen out-number 92 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY the unskilled. In the women's department, too, the skilled women come to the exchange much more freely than in London. Charwomen are permitted to sit in the Glasgow office till II o'clock and their registration must all be done in the morning. Skilled women come in the afternoon. In the juvenile department boys and girls were formerly allowed to come together. Now the boys come in the morning and the girls in the afternoon. The boys are allowed to sit in the office as the charwomen are, for the purpose of meeting a hurry call. STATISTICs of GLASGow LABOR Exchange, FEBRUARY I TO DECEMBER 30, 191o. –47 ~! Feb. Mar. April. May. || June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Totals. Vacancies notified. . . . . . . I, 782 3,328, 2,944. 2,764 3,995| 2,690, 3,017| 3, OSI 2, 204 I,832| I, 578| 29, 185 Vacancies filled. . . . . . . . . . I,350; 3, Oro 2,719, 2,523| 3,497 2,541| 2,887. 2,756. 2, O41| I, 659] I, 37 Il 26,354 Number of applications on register at end of each month. . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 7, 169, 3,752, 3,655] 2,754 2,362. 3, 139 3, ISO 2,614 3, 157. 3,300|| I,947 . . . . . . . Proportion of vacancies filled to vacancies noti- - fied. . . . . . . . ... • . . . . . . . . 76, o' go.o. 92. o. 91, o] 87. O. 94.0| 96.O. 96.O 93.9 9I. of 86. of 90. O —-º CoNCLUSION. The labor exchanges in England have been too recently established to pass any final judgment on them. They are, however, gaining favor both with employers and with workmen. In spite of the complaints from a few local unions the British Trade Union Congress has endorsed the labor exchanges, merely suggesting certain amendments. The Labor Party, on the other hand, “decided that it would be better not to press for any amendments until experience had shown in which direction amendment was needed.” The growing number of employers who patronize the exchanges shows that they are learn- ing to have confidence in the work. A number of employers have made arrangements to hire their help through the exchanges, and so many have expressed their willingness to do this that placards for distribution among employers bearing these words: “Applicants for employment in these works should apply to the Labour Exchange at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 y The labor exchanges will not solve the problem of unemployment. “The most that can be claimed for them,” said Mr. Beveridge, “is that they find work faster than is ordi- narily possible, although in some cases they do not find work for some by filling places which without the exchanges might not be filled at all. In the main the labor exchanges aim to eliminate leakage between jobs, to do away with the waste of time in hunting for work.” The law establishing labor exchanges was the first step in a plan for dealing with the problem of unemployment in a comprehensive manner. The Liberal Government has promised to introduce a system of insurance against unemployment. This can be called a real solution for unemployment. Its aim is to spread wages over the periods of unemploy- ment. Just as a government official has busy times and slack times yet his pay goes on, So by means of insurance a sum is laid by during busy times which will insure a steady income during unemployment. This fund ought to be made up by contributions from workmen, from employers, and from the State, for all three are interested in reducing unemployment when they have to pay for it, and there are many ways in which each can reduce unemployment. It is bad to have the State do all the insuring, for then the employer has no incentive to keep his workmen at work as long as possible and to make or to find work for them. GERMANY. In Germany the struggle against unemployment has been carried farther than in any other European country. The means adopted are of three general kinds, (1) employ- ment offices, (2) relief works, (3) insurance. The employment offices are of various kinds. There are the public labor exchanges which are usually conducted by municipalities or by voluntary associations receiving municipal subsidies. At the beginning of 1910 there were 462 of these in operation. They find places for about a million wage-earners every year. Employers' associations have recognized that agencies for bringing together employers and workers seeking each other are a necessity, but desiring to exercise control over the labor market, they have organized APPENDIX NO. 2 – REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. VOSS 93 exchanges of their own. In recent years these labor bureaus have made great progress. There are about 1.5o such now in existence. One hundred and fourteen of them filled 514,122 vacancies in 1909. Then there are the trade union offices which act as employ- ment bureaus. These are in the main confined to the large cities. They are not increasing the amount of business that they do. In 1908 they filled about 300,ooo places. In some of the smaller industries there are labor exchanges conducted jointly by employers and workmen under trade agreements. In 1908 there were 47 of these which filled 88,442 vacancies. Besides the exchanges mentioned, there are about 2,500 labor bureaus conducted by the Trade Guilds filling over 200,ooo positions annually, and 15 exchanges conducted by Chambers of Agriculture which supply work for about 90,000 workers annually, mostly immigrants brought into Germany for short periods. Relief works for the unemployed are of two kinds. For residents the municipalities and states change the date for beginning their public works and make them available for unemployed workmen in time of depression and during the winter months. Municipal relief works were organized in 1908-9 by . I 50 cities. For non-resident unemployed, travelling workers, vagrants, and others, there are refuges and labor yards where men are lodged and fed for short periods in return for manual labor performed. Finally, insurance against unemployment of several kinds has been developed in Germany. The most important is that conducted by the labor unions. Something like 2,000,ooo workers are thus insured. In a number of cities these trade union insurance funds are subsidized by municipal grants. A few cases of loans to the unemployed and even grants of relief in money or goods also exist. PUBLIC LABOR Exchanges. There is no federal or state law establishing labor exchanges in Germany. The munici- palities have taken the lead and the Imperial and state governments merely subsidize certain parts of the work. In 1884 a bill was introduced in the Reichstag to compel every city of Io, ooo or more to provide a labor exchange. This was not passed. In Prussia the Minister of the Interior has issued a circular recommending to each city that it establish an employment office. Such action is not compulsory. Recently a law passed the Reichs- tag, which is the beginning of an attempt to centralize the work of placing labor in the public exchanges. It proposes to regulate the private employment offices which deal mainly with domestics and hotel and restaurant employees, and it provides that no employ- ment office shall be established where a public exchange exists which places the kind of help the private office proposes to handle. The first of the municipal labor exchanges was established in Dresden in 1887. It was not, however, until after the industrial depression of 1892-3 that other cities took up the work. Then, however, the movement became general and to-day the principle upon which the exchanges are based — that finding employment is a public Service — is admitted practically without discussion. The most important reasons which have led to the establishment of public employment exchanges have been three. First, unemploy- ment; secondly, the abuses of the private employment bureaus; and thirdly, the necessity for keeping the work of finding places for wage-earners in neutral hands. Trade unions and employers' associations had organized labor bureaus to be used as weapons in their struggles. It was recognized by the public and is now generally recognized by labor men and the small employers that the securing of employment should be kept outside of the conflicts of capital and labor. Organization.— At the beginning of 1910 there were 462 public labor exchanges in operation, distributed as follows among the various German States: Prussia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 Bavaria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Saxony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Hesse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Würtemberg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I6 Baden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I6 Alsace-Lorraine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I6 Braunschweig. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Waldeck. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Other States and cities having I or 2 each. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I5 94 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY The necessity for co-ordinating the work of the various city exchanges was felt early in their existence. In 1898 The Association of German Labor Exchanges was organized (Verband deutscher Arbeitsnachweise), sixty-eight exchanges joining the first year. At the present time there are 200 affiliated, including the most important exchanges in the country. The purpose of the association is to facilitate communication and interchange of information among the various local exchanges, to assist cities in establishing new exchanges, to suggest improvements in organization and management, to give publicity to the work and to induce employers to patronize the exchanges. At the headquarters in Berlin statistics are compiled, a library and archives on the subject of unemployment are kept, and a monthly paper Der Arbeitsmarkt (The Labor Market) is published. The association holds annual conventions for discussion of problems and methods of importance to the exchanges. Besides the national organization, there are twelve associations covering smaller divisions of the Empire and several others are contemplated. Each of the States in southern Germany has a union of labor exchanges, and in Prussia there are such organizations in all but one of the provinces. Through these State and provincial associations the local exchanges co-operate in transferring men from One to another, in getting the work known, and in establishing new exchanges. The various associations of labor exchanges receive subsidies from their respective governments to carry on their work. For the year 1908-9 the total of these subsidies amounted to 262,635 marks or about $65,000. To this must be added the free use of the telephone and reduced rates of railroad transportation for men placed at a distance, which is allowed by some of the States in southern Germany. Most of the exchanges affiliated with the Association of German Labor Exchanges are conducted by the municipalities. About one-fourth are managed by voluntary associa- tions receiving municipal subsidies. The service is generally free both to employers and workmen, although a number of the subsidized exchanges charge nominal registration fees. Management is usually intrusted to a committee composed of equal numbers of wage- earners and employers with a city official as the chairman. In the smaller cities there is generally but one such committee and its work is perfunctory, the manager in the main directing the operations of the exchange. But in the larger cities where trade unions and employers' associations are strongly organized, the “Paritatische ’’ Committees as they are called play an important role. They look after the work in detail, and where the exchange is big and divided into many departments there is such a jointly managed com- mittee for each department. The advantage of giving all parties interested a share in the management of the exchanges has shown itself in their increased efficiency and in the con- fidence which they are winning from employers and wage-earners alike. A constantly increasing number of towns are intrusting the management of their exchanges to such committees. All the exchanges are Organized so as to permit separate waiting-rooms of men and women, and where the amount of business warrants it there are separate departments for children and for workers in various trades. The waiting-rooms are provided to keep the unemployed from tranping the streets and also to enable the employer to come to the exchange and make his own selection of the help he needs. While the ASSOciation of the German Labor Exchanges is organized to promote uni- form methods of carrying on the work and keeping the records, no uniform system has yet been adopted. In general three systems are used. A majority of the exchanges still adhere to the oldest methods and register their applicants in books. Next in number are those which use the card system. And some have a combination of both. Experience in Germany has not shown that any one of these systems would be best for all exchanges. The best results, the largest number of placements, are secured by different systems in different localities. t In filling positions the main considerations are the qualifications of the applicants and the wants of employers. But wherever possible, permanent residents of the town and married men are given preference over others. The policy in times of labor disputes is to remain neutral. Formerly it was the custom in Some cities to refuse the Services to employers whose workmen were on strike. In other cases the exchanges controlled by employers undertook to supply strike breakers. The results in both cases proved disastrous, and the general policy now, is to take the applica- tions of employers in time of strike, but to notify the workers of the existence of the strike, leaving it to them to apply for the positions or not, as they see fit. This method has on the whole proved successful, though in practice it works out that few wage-earners apply for the places of employees who are on strike. APPENDIX No. 2 – REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. voss 95 Operations of Public Labor Exchanges.— The number of positions filled annually during the last three years by exchanges affiliated with the Association of German Labor Exchanges has been: I907-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 932,956 I908-9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86o, 9or 1909". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 947,81o To this must be added the placements of the smaller exchanges not affiliated with the Association which are annually from 50,000 to 60,000. The decrease in 1908-9 was due to the industrial depression. Of the affiliated exchanges in 1908-9 2 I filled from I to 250 positions 12 filled from 251 to 500 positions 14 filled from 501 to 1,000 positions 29 filled from 1,001 to 2,000 positions 25 filled from 2,501 to 5,000 positions 22 filled from 5,001 to ſo,000 positions II filled from Io, oor to 20,000 positions 6 filled from 20,00I to 40,000 positions In the last group were Munich with 60,885 placements, Stuttgart with 61,299 and Berlin with 99,421. - The proportion of vacancies filled to vacancies notified to the principal exchanges may be given in this manner: For every Ioo vacancies there were placements Augsburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6o. 5 Baden-Baden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6o. I Berlin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : . . . . . 82.8 Breslau. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8I. 8 Dresden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91.8 Düsseldorf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84.9 Essen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6o. 9 Frankfurt a. Main. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85.7 Hamburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88.5 Hanover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76.4 Cologne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82.8 Leipzig. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88.8 Magdeburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77.4 Mulhausen i. E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6I. 6 Munich. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79.2 Nürnberg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83.3 Posen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8o. 3 Potsdam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93. O Strassburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ** * * * g g g º a s & a lº ſº º 88.7 Stettin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76. 2 Stuttgart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78.8 In all the large cities where the exchanges have been in operation for a good many years over 75 per cent. of the workers wanted are supplied. In some of the Smaller cities the pro- portion runs as low as 20 per cent. For every Ioo positions secured in 1908–9 there were applicants for employment in the principal cities as follows: CITY Skilled. Unskilled. Augsburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.4 46. I Baden-Baden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.6 I6. I Berlin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5O. 7 28, 6 Dresden . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9. 4 I9.8 Düsseldorf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S5. 2 I 7.3 Essen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 I. 2 9. 2 Frankfurt a. Main. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 S. 3 IQ . 4. Hanover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36.7 36. I Cologne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23. 7 47. 4 Leipzig. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O. 9 36.4 * Calendar year. 96 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY CITY Skilled. Unskilled. Magdeburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II .. 2 37. 9 Mainz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.8 2O. I Mulhausen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3O. 9 42.6 Munich. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I.6 22.4 Nürnberg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4O. O I3. 7 Posen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I . I I9. I Potsdam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49.2 44. I Strassburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29.6 4.2.2 Stettin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.8 8o. 4 Stuttgart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.4 I7. O An unusually small proportion of placements to applications especially for skilled workers is shown because of the industrial depression. The extent to which the people make use of their exchanges is shown in an interesting table prepared for the annual report of the Association of German Labor Exchanges in 1908–9. It shows the number of positions Secured by the exchanges per every Too of the population. Part of the table is here reproduced: For every Ioo people there were positions secured Stuttgart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.6 Freibergi. B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.6 Baden-Baden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 7, 2 Posen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I2. 7 Frankfurt a. M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II .. 2 Mulhausen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II . I München. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II . I Augsburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.4 Strassburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9. 2 Düsseldorf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.2 Potsdam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7. 9 Mainz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.8 Magdeburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.6 Cologne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6. I Berlin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. 3 Leipzig. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. 2 Nürnberg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 2 Hanover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.8 Hamburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.6 Essen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5 Stettin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . 2 In general, southern Germany and the thickly settled centers make the greatest use of their public labor exchanges. On the average, one out of every four or five of the population has a place found for him every year by these exchanges. . The lower proportion in some of the other cities is due to the presence of employment bureaus conducted by employers' associations. The character of the occupations of those placed in positions is shown in the following table: PUBLIC LABOR ExchANGEs – VACANCIES FILLED, 1908-9. Occupations. Number Male: Skilled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264,954 Unskilled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249, O42 Highly qualified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I3, 907 Agricultural. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38, 775 Female: Domestics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98, og I Charwomen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 22,323 Agricultural. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, O73 Factory women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33, 905 Highly qualified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 453 827,463 APPENDIX NO. 2 – REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. WOSS 97 Skilled workers constituted more than half of all the men for whom places were found. Those placed on farms were a small proportion of the total, but the number is increasing. In the figure for charwomen, the same woman might be represented in many positions secured. While this would reduce the number of individuals placed it represents a most important part of the work of a labor exchange. By securing many temporary positions for the woman, the exchange enables her to earn a steady income. In Bavaria, Würtem- berg, Baden and Alsace-Lorraine, a successful system of finding places for young people as apprentices in skilled trades has been developed. Six thousand two hundred and twenty- six apprentices were placed in 1908. Labor unions, guilds, employers' associations and the School authorities co-operate with the exchanges in this work. The children fill out their applications for work in the schools and the teachers add notes as to their qualifications. Employers and the labor men report to the exchanges the opportunities for learning trades and see that the apprentices are properly trained. Aside from the placing of juveniles, special measures have been taken by a number of exchanges for dealing with aged, crippled, and otherwise handicapped workers. This work, however, is still in its infancy. . To aid the transfer of unemployed workers to localities where they are needed, a number of the associations of labor exchanges issue lists of vacancies two or three times a week which are exchanged among all the branches. Usually there are two lists, one general for all trades, and the other a special list for agricultural workers. The publication of vacant lists has not been successful in all places. Frequently the end is better accomplished by direct communication of exchange with exchange over the telephone. The total cost of the work of the public labor exchanges in Germany was 943,411 marks (about $235,000) in 1908-9. Of this, 262,635 marks were covered by subsidies from the national and state governments. The average cost for each vacancy filled was less than a mark, or about twenty cents. BERLIN. The labor exchange in Berlin is conducted by a philanthropic society which receives a subsidy from the city government. It was established in 1883, and at the present time occupies two large buildings erected at a cost of 650,000 marks especially to meet its needs. One of the buildings is for unskilled workers, the other for skilled workers, and for women. These buildings are in the midst of a wage-earners' residence section. There are also three branch offices in other parts of the city. In the building for unskilled men the first floor is occupied by the offices of the exchange, and a great waiting-room capable of accommodating 3,000 to 4,000 people. This room is open from 8 A. M. to 4 P. M., and those who have a registration certificate may sit there all day. A lunch counter at one side of the waiting-room sells sandwiches, beer and coffee at low prices. Two days every week a shoemaker and tailor occupy the little shops just off the waiting-room and the men may have any repairing done that they need. In the base- ment of the building shower baths are provided which may be used by those who have reg- istered on payment of five pfennig. All the unskilled males register at the office on the first floor. The large waiting-room is for the men and they are grouped in different parts of the room according to their callings, such as teamsters, porters, deck-hands, etc. A separate room for boys is provided on an upper floor. In the building for women and skilled workers, there are separate waiting- rooms for different trades and one room for women and girls. There is also a lunch room for the men. - An executive committee of thirty-five members administers the affairs of the exchange. Part of its members are elected at a general meeting of the society and part are representa- tives of employers and workmen. The work is divided into about twenty district depart- ments, each with a managing committee composed of equal numbers of employers and wage- earners. Some of the departments for skilled trades, such as those for brewery workmen and woodworkers, are conducted by joint committees of trade unions and employers' associations under their trade agreements. In these there are usually two clerks, one ap- pointed by the employers and the other by the unions. They are really independent labor bureaus, hiring quarters of the Central Labor Exchange, and co-operating with it. Vol. III.-13 98 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY A registration fee of twenty pfennig or five cents is charged to all but those who as members of a union contribute to the support of a jointly-managed department of the labor exchange. Applications are registered by a clerk who fills out the following form: No. 31990 NO. 3 1990 Eingetragen am ---- - - - - - - - - - Centralverein für Arbeitsnachweis Allgemeine Abteilung Name---------------------- Gormannstr., I 3. Verheiratet, ledig. Bescheinigung Letzter Beschäftigungsort:----für den---------------------------------------------- Seit wann arbeitslos?--------- über die am------------ erfolgte Eintragung in die Liste In welchem Beruf arbeitslos des Arbeitsnachweises wofür eine Einschreibegebühr von 2o Pf. entrichtet ist. geworden?– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Beruf in der nachgewiesenen Zur Beachtung! Stellung ------------------ Bei Zuweisung einer Arbeitsstelle wird diese Bescheinigung dem Inhaber abgenommen Ä in Bureau des Arbeitsnachweises aufbe- in einer sº wahrt. Diejenigen Arbeitnehmer, welche vom Arbeitgeber nicht Dorthin eingetreten am:– – – – – – eingestellt werden, haben sich unverzüglich im Bureau zwecks Wieder- 4 einhändigung der Bescheinigung zu melden und eine Bescheinigung Lohn:- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -vom Arbeitgeber über die Nicht-Einstellung beizufügen, widrigenfalls die Bescheinigung ihre Gültigkeit verliert The part at the left is kept in the office for reference while the “ Bescheinigung," or registration card is detached and given to the applicant. It entitles him to the use of the waiting-room of the exchange for three months, when, if he has not found work, he must re-register. x Employers send in their applications usually by telephone. Their orders are entered on this card: Name des Arbeitgebers:- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Eingegangen - - - - - - - - - - - Branche ------------------------------------------------------ Erledigt:– – – – – – – – – – «=– Zahl der verlangten Personen Art der Stellung Lohnsatz Sonstige Arbeitsbedingungen » - «m“ ºr mºms sºmm am amº- sº = wº sm - msm m« sº sms «s- s« - -s- = =s sº- «s- - - - - - - - - - sss sms s=-- - - - -s «s- m sº - an- -= == * *== === - - * | * = == ** =* * * * =- =* * *= = - * * * * * * * Sº s» - * = * * *m - «-. * * * * * * * * = = = = =s - - - - - msº- - - m=s «m- sº- - am sm sms. -- m, s- sº s-, - s- sms -- -- -- * = = = = *= * «- = = * = = = = = = = = = = = = = aus «m w“ m m sº- sº ma sº sºms am s- s= = = = = Ergebnis des Gesuchs------------------------------------------------------------- The superintendent takes the orders to the waiting room and calls out the nature of the work to the men there assembled. All who wish to apply for the positions come APPENDIX NO. 2 – REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. VOSS 99 forward to the windows of the office. Here the workingman gives up his registration card and receives in return this introduction to the employer: Telephon-Centrale: Amt III 8865, 8896, 1614, 3077. BERLIN, den-------------------- I903. Gormannstrasse 13. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -, * = * * * * * - - -, * = a- ºr a ºr -, -, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - !----------------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6.-------------------------------------- 3. ---- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4. – - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8.-------------------------------------- Wir bitten Sie ergebenst, nur diejenigen Arbeitnehmer zu berúcksichtigen, deren Namen hierauf verzeichnet stehen, da nur diese von uns liberwiesen sind. CENTRAL-ARBEITSNACHWEIs. Falls keiner der überwiesenen Arbeitnehmer Ihnen zusagt, ersuchen wir Sie um gefl. Mitteilung auf dieser Karte, ob weitere Zusendungerfolgen sol1. Usually two or three workmen are sent for each position so that the employer may have a choice. Those who do not get the position must return to the exchange within twenty-four hours to claim their registration cards, otherwise they are forfeited. Since the card costs something, the people usually make sure to get it, and it is assumed that those who do not return for the card have been hired. The manner of doing business is simpler in the Berlin Exchange than in London, because of the large waiting-rooms where the applicants are assembled. This does away with the need for index cards classified according to trades and time of registration. Appli- cants are considered for positions generally in the order of their registration. All the departments except two or three managed by joint committees of labor unions and employ- ers' associations have the same methods of doing business and use the forms here given. In the following table the results of the work of the Berlin Exchange from 1902 to 1909 are given: —º —º Applications Vacancies Vacancies YEAR. for work. notified. filled. I902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42,829 37,935 30, 534 1993 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74,54. I 60, 69 I 46,616 I904 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99,874 90,499 67, or 7 1905 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I37, O25 I28,249 92, 190 1906 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156,817 I34,474 99,557 1997 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I58, O98 I IQ, 9 IS 95,678 1908 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I5 I, 960 I O2, 3O4 84, 245 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99,827 —" —A. The depression of 1907–8 showed itself in the decline of the proportion of vacancies filled to the number of applicants. In 1906 for every 1oo applications for work there were 85 vacancies notified to the exchange. In 1907 this had dropped to 76, and in 1908 was 67. The same conditions are shown by the decreasing proportion of positions Secured to the applications for work. For every Ioo applications 63 were found work in 1906, 61 in 1907, and only 55 in 1908. That the exchange was doing its utmost during these years is shown by the increasing proportion of vacancies notified that have been filled. Out of every roo vacancies notified to the exchange 74 were filled in 1906, 80 in 1907, and 82 in 1908. About 2 per cent. Of the vacancies filled were outside of the City of Berlin. More than half of the men for whom places are found belong to the skilled trades. With the women, however, a majority are unskilled. IOO COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY The expenses of the Berlin Exchange in 1908 were 91,810 marks. Of this amount 55,000 marks were contributed by the City Government. The average cost of each position secured was 1.02 marks, less than twenty-five cents. MUNICH. The public labor exchange in Munich has been in existence since 1895. It was the first to be established in Bavaria. Since then the number of exchanges has grown until now there are 51 of them organized in a union of Bavaria Labor Exchanges. The country is divided into eight divisions, with a central office in each. The Kingdom of Bavaria, through the Minister of the Interior, contributes to the work of these central offices. Munich gets 6,ooo marks. The work is to facilitate the exchange of men and information from one locality to another. Once a week each exchange sends to the central office a list of the vacancies it has not been able to fill. The central office compiles this information and distributes it to all the offices in the division and to all the other divisions in Bavaria. These lists are posted on bulletin boards in the waiting-rooms, and men inquire for the places either at their local exchange or direct to the exchange where the place is open. In some cases the exchange advances the fare, but usually only when the employer is willing to refund it. The men are seldom sent far from Bavaria, but within the State, and in the neighboring States many vacancies are filled. The expenses of running the city exchanges are entirely assumed by the city of Munich. There is no fee of any kind charged either to employers or to workmen. The exchange has the free use of the local telephone, but the State Government has thus far refused to grant the free use of its lines for long distance use. There is a commission at the head of the municipal labor bureau composed of four employers and four wage-earners, with a chairman who is a city official. This commission has general charge of the central exchange and two branch offices. In the main building there is a general division into a male and female division. Separate waiting-rooms are provided for skilled and unskilled men. The women have but one room, but mixing of various classes is avoided by having different hours for skilled women, domestics and general day workers. - The waiting-rooms are not so elaborately fixed up as in Berlin. The men are encouraged to come and go rather than to wait around all day. Separate desks are provided for the registration of men in different trades. In the unskilled department there is a special division for farm laborers. A very successful department for placing apprentices has also been established. . There is but one jointly-managed labor bureau operated as a department of the Munich Labor Exchange. This is the exchange for hotel and restaurant employees which is one of the branch offices. The other branch deals mainly with domestics. The method of doing business is much the same in Munich as in Berlin, except that lists instead of cards for registering applications are used in Munich. These lists are bound into books, and it is the opinion of the superintendent of this office that both for statistical purposes and for dispatch in carrying on the work, books are better than cards. In 1909 the applications, vacancies and positions filled by the Municipal Labor Exchange were as follows: Male. Female. Total. Applications for work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48,279 37, 293 85, 572 Vacancies notified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38,477 40, 6 II 79, o&8 Vacancies filled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34; 43 I 3o, o&5 64,516 Among the men, there were 125 applications for every Ioo vacancies. The demand for women workers, particularly domestics, on the other hand, was greater than the supply. For every Ioo vacancies for males the exchange was able to supply 89, but it could fill only 74 vacancies for women out of every Ioo. g In the following table the occupations of those for whom places were found are shown: MUNICH POSITIONS FILLED, 1909. MALE. Number. | Per cent. FEMALE. Number. | Per cent. Unskilled.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I7, O36 49.5 | Unskilled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IO,563 35. I Skilled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IO,943 31.8 Hotel and restaurant. . . . . 9, 7O4 32.2 Agricultural. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, I61 I5. O | Domestics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, O29 23.4 Apprentices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 2 IQ 3.5 || Factory women. . . . . . . . . I,882 6.3 Other. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 o. 2 | Agricultural. . . . . . . . . . . . . 652 2.2 • Apprentices. . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 O. 6 34, 43 I IOo. 0 i Other. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 O. 2 30,085 IOO ... O APPENDIX NO. 2 – REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. WOSS IOI While unskilled laborers make up the greatest portion, the figures show that the public labor exchange is capable of dealing with all classes of workmen. The work of relieving the congestion of unemployed wage-earners in the city has been carried on very successfully by the exchange in Munich. Ten thousand five hundred and forty-one or 16 per cent. Of the vacancies filled were in places outside of the city. All but 263 of these were within the Kingdom of Bavaria. Workingmen who have secured positions more than 25 kilometers from their homes are allowed a reduction in fares by the Bavarian State Railways upon presentation of a card from the labor exchange. In 1909 the Munich exchange issued 4,399 such cards, 3,655 to men and 744 to women. Among these were: —-sº —-º Male. Female. Total. Per cent. ſº Skilled workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, I48 23 2, 17 I 49.4 Agricultural. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, O23 52 I, O75 24.4 Unskilled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379 9 388 8.8 Domestics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 296 299 6.8 Hotel and restaurant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 359 368 8.4 Apprentices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 5 98 2.2 3,655 744 4, 399 I O º O In eighty-six cases it was necessary for the exchange to advance transportation costs and the total advanced was 415 marks. Since 1907 there has been a separate department for public employees at the municipal exchange. The purpose of this is to make public work available for the unemployed. All laborers working for the city must be hired at this department, and before any one is laid off the exchange must be notified. The plan is to have the public work done when the general demand for labor at the exchange is small. The number of positions secured on public works was 4,267 in 1909, and all but Ioo of these were unskilled laborers. The highest number of placements was made during the winter months. The Munich exchange has made a success of placing men on farms. Five thousand eight hundred and thirteen vacancies in the country were filled in 1909. About 91 per cent. of all such vacancies for men which are notified to the exchange are filled. It is more difficult to meet the demand for women on farms. Only about 60 per cent. of such, vacancies are filled. . Another department which has been most successful at Munich is that for apprentices. This is due partly to the fact that hand trades still predominate in southern Germany, but also to the well-organized system of co-operation of the Schools, labor unions and employ- ers with the exchange. The operations since 1896 appear in the following table: VACANCIES. APPLICATIONS. POSITIONS FILLED. Boys. Girls. | Total. Boys. Girls. | Total. Boys. Girls. | Total. I896. . . . . . . . . . . . . 523 4O 563 727 I26 853 26I I6 277 I897. . . . . . . . . . . . 365 74 439 634 IO4 738 243 35 278 I898. . . . . . . . . . . . 447 90 537 73 I IO8 839 250 47 297 I899. . . . . . . . . . . . 252 88 34O 658 I 54 8I 2 172 6I 233 I900. . . . . . . . . . . . . 334 II.4. 448 7oo 167 867 240 71 3 II I90I . . . . . . . . . . . . 337 I IO 447 629 I 30 7.59 I96 45 24 I I902 . . . . . . . . . . . . I , 355 I37 | I, 492 I , 342 I9 I I , 533 738 67 805 I903 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 6 IO 309 2, 9 IQ 2, 38 I 44O 2, 82 I I , 493 I9 I I, 648 I904 . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,823 396 || 3, 219 2,426 535 | 2,961 I, 765 2O8 I , 97.3 I905. . . . . . . . . . . . 2,698 440 3, I 38 2, 5 IO 584 3,094 I,888 256 2, 144 1906. . . . . . . . . . . . 2,628 3O2 2,930 2,535 505 3, O4O I , 947 23O 2, I77 I907 . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 829 279 2, 108 2, 354 452 2,806 I, 560 24. I I, 8OI 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . 2, O50 34. I 2, 39 I 2, 37O 444 2,814 I , 594 252 I,846 I909 . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 679 309 || I,988 || I, 829 478 2,307 I, 219 187 I, 406 19,930 3,029 22,959 || 2 I, 826 || 4,418 26, 244 I3,566 I,907 I5,473 IO2 comMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY Following are the statistics of the operation of the Munich Labor Exchange since its establishment in 1895: Per cent. of Per cent. of Appli applicants vacancies filled. YEAR. º: Vacancies Vacancies who secured work. work notified. filled. Male. Female. Male. Female. I895... . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,661 * 2,639 I , 965 I6.7 28.4 83.3 65. I I896. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47,008 3O, O57 25, 586 49. I 69.4 93.5 74.7 . I897. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4I, OO2 34, 452 28,855 70.5 68.2 88. 6 76.4 I898. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54,994 38,991 32,336 56.5 63. I 87.3 76.3 1899. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,472 49,380 39,487 82.5 71.6 89.4 67. I I900. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54,357 54,398 44,498 85.6 77. O 9I. I 7.I. 2 I90I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73, 307 56, 556 45, I 73 56.8 68.5 89.5 70.9 I902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68,441 52,619 4O, 513 53.4 67. I 84.4 70.3 I903 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65,448 56,610 42, I 72 62. I 67.2 84.2 66. I I904 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65,758 64, o88 46,822 74.3 67.7 85. I 62.3 I905. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65,507 67,986 49,478 81.7 69. O 87.4 60. 3 I906. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68,092 7I, 990 53,673 83. I 74. I 86.3 63.7 I907 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74, 4 I5 78,883 60,752 84. I 78.8 84.5 68.7 I908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79,843 76, 129 60,083 72.2 78.3 87.9 71. O I909 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85, 572 79, o88 64,516 7I .3 8O. 6 89.4 74. O Total . . . . . . . . . . 903,877 813,866 635,909 69.2 72.2 87.6 68. 6 The central exchange with its two branches employs twenty-Seven people, including a superintendent, and an assistant superintendent, to carry on the work. The total expenses in 1909 (excluding the branch for hotel and restaurant workers) was 43,587 marks, and the average cost for each position secured was sixty-seven pfennig, or about fifteen cents. The Kingdom of Bavaria contributed 7,500 marks toward meeting the expenses of placing people outside the city. AGRICULTURAL LABOR EXCHANGES. In southern Germany the public labor exchanges place farm laborers as well as other workmen. In northern Germany there are special employment offices conducted by the Chambers of Agriculture. These concern themselves with Securing farm laborers and also with importing contract workers into Germany from neighboring countries for short periods. There is considerable antagonism between the land owners and the city authorities. The former want to control the placing of farm help. In 1909 there were fifteen labor bureaus conducted by the Chambers of Agriculture. They filled 88,294 vacancies of which 65, IoI were for men and 23, 193 for women. A majority of both the men and the women were foreigners imported for seasonal work. Some of the agricultural exchanges have private employment offices in different parts of the country to act as their agents. In Berlin there is also a central office for farm laborers which is conducted by an association of land owners and employment agencies. Its work is mainly to bring laborers from other countries into Germany to work on the farms. For this purpose it has agents in Russia, Austria, Italy and other countries. Of the vacancies filled by the Agricultural labor exchanges in 1909, 12,244 came through this central office. About half of the labor bureaus conducted by the chambers of agriculture make no charges to workingmen. The others have registration fees from one to twelve marks. In Berlin there is a labor bureau conducted by the Chamber of Agriculture of the Province of Brandenburg. In this are employed a director, two secretaries, four office assistants, four clerks and one messenger. Very few of the farm laborers placed by the office come to the office. Most of them have to be imported and this is done through agents in foreign countries. There are also some private agencies under the supervision of the Cham- ber which act as branches of the main office in various parts of the province. There are a great many private employment offices which supply farm help, and they are guilty of great abuses, which has resulted in workmen shunning farm labor. By entering into an agree- ment with the best of these private offices, to get help through them and by seeing that the work is carried on legitimately, the Chamber hoped to induce more workmen to work on the farms. But in this it has not been very successful. It has had to give up a number of these branch offices. - The Berlin Agricultural Labor Exchange places annually about 8,000 workers, only a Small portion of whom (about 600) are for permanent work. Most of them are temporary workers and foreigners imported under contract. About 2,500 more places are filled annually by the agencies of the Berlin office. - APPENDIX NO. 2 – REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. VOSS IO3 An elaborate attempt to shift city labor to the country was made by the Berlin Agri- cultural Exchange. A great waiting-room with all conveniences was fitted up, much like the public exchange. It cost a lot of money, but was wasted. The good men would not leave the city. Inefficients reported and were sent out, but 90 per cent. of them would not stay in the country and of those that stayed, very few were any good. The plan had to be abandoned. OTHER LABOR EXCHANGES. No detailed description of the employment bureaus conducted by employers and by trade unions is necessary. The trade union exchanges are losing ground. Most of them are nothing more than the headquarters of the union, without any organized system of placing men. Employment bureaus managed by joint committees of employers and wage-earners are becoming affiliated with the public labor exchanges. The labor bureaus of the guilds of small employers are still greatin number but they do a small business. It is the exchanges of the great associations of employers, such as in the metal trades that are making the greatest progress, surpassing even the public labor exchanges. They are able to do this because the employers agree to hire all their help through their exchanges, and seeing in it a weapon against labor unions, they are willing to spend a lot of money for the work. The metal trades' employers of Berlin established their exchange in 1890. It was primarily to be used as a weapon against the unions, which at that time were more exacting in their demands and methods than they are now. But also employers were beginning to see the value of a single exchange where all their help could be secured. The business of this exchange has grown tremendously since it started and at present when conditions are so good that workmen might get positions without the aid of the exchange, the amount of business done is growing faster than ever before. In 1907 there were orders from employers for 5,077, in 1908 for 16,000, in 1909 for 16,439, and up to the end of August, 1910, for 21,658. The positions filled in 1909 were 13,708. - There is an office force of fourteen to carry on the work of the bureau. The service is entirely free for the workmen. The employers' association spends about 50,000 marks annually for the work. *. The rules of the metal trades' association require that each employer shall report to the labor exchange every day the persons he has hired and discharged. With this informa- tion the employer is supposed to send in his order for the workmen he needs. If a firm gets an application direct from a workman which happens very often, the exchange must be notified whether the man is hired or not. The attitude of this employers' exchange toward the public offices is one of antagonism. In the first place, the employers fear that ultimately all of them might be forced by the gov- ernment to get their help from the public employment offices. Secondly, they think that the policy of notifying men in time of a strike is really partial to the workmen, and finally they want to have an exchange that can help them in time of strike, and that can also weed Out Strikers and agitators in time of peace. PUBLIC WORK FOR THE UNEMPLOYED. Instead of creating work primarily for the unemployed, the German policy is to manipu- late the necessary public work so as to make it available when there are a great number of idle wage-earners. The public labor exchanges furnish the information when public works are needed, and applications for employment on relief works are made through them. The best method of combining the labor exchanges with the execution of public work in times of dull trade has been developed in Bavaria. In that State, the Minister of the In- terior publishes a monthly bulletin, called “The Labor Market in Bavaria.” In this are published the statistics of the labor exchanges, reports from workmen and from employers, and any other data relating to the amount of unemployment. Every month an analysis is made from these data of the condition of the labor market. Whenever hard times appear to be imminent, the Minister of the Interior issues a proclamation to the mayors of all cities and to the heads of the various state departments, calling attention to the facts in the bul- letin and requesting that plans be made for starting up public works of necessity, which may have been delayed until this time, or which would be needed at Some future time. In 1909 the Minister requested that a list of the proposed works be sent to him. This was done and the amount of work which the cities had prepared seemed enough to take care of most of the unskilled labor that was likely to be unemployed. When the winter came it was found that the conditions were not so bad as it was expected they would be. Only half of the work that the city governments were prepared to undertake was begun. The country was prepared for a crisis. The local governments supplied work to most of the un- IO4 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY skilled laborers who were likely to be in distress during the winter, and they were ready to afford work to double that number. º Most of the German cities plan their work so that every year as much as possible of it shall be left over for the winter. On this work, usually only residents of the town and married men are employed. Usually the city does the work directly, hiring its men from the labor exchange, but sometimes it is let out to contractors. The work is in the main of unskilled labor, such as extending streets, improving parks, building dams, grading street car lines, etc. In some cases the wages paid are below the prevailing rate, but despite this, the cost of carrying on the work in winter is from 30 to 50 per cent, greater than if it were done in summer or spring. It is difficult to distinguish between relief works begun primarily for the unemployed and ordinary public work postponed till the winter. During the winter 1908-9 about 150 German cities reported having conducted relief works. Most of it, however, was necessary public work. The town of Düsseldorf gave employment to 2,354 persons, and spent 200,ooo marks on the work. Cologne employed 1,991 persons, a total of 37,271 working days at a cost of 172,447 marks. In Frankfort from 320 to 370 persons were employed daily during the winter. In Charlottenburg 539, Ellierfeld 694, Magdeburg 590 and Mainz 452 persons were given employment for periods ranging from a few days to two or three months. The works were carried on mainly between November and March. The sums paid out in wages on these relief works were about 250,000 marks in Berlin, 28,000 in Charlottenburg, 300,ooo in Düsseldorf, 4oo,ooo in Frankfort, and about 200,ooo marks in Hamburg. These works, of course, reach only part of the unemployed, the unskilled laborers. But they take care of the most of those who are likely to be left without any means of support. The skilled workers who belong to trade unions in Germany usually have some form of out-of-work benefit. INSURANCE. Insurance is the next great step to be taken by Germany in dealing with the problem of unemployment. In Bavaria a plan has already been worked out and the authorities are only waiting until the money can be raised to start it. Many cities throughout the Empire now have insurance schemes under consideration. Two important experiments have been made in Germany with insurance against unemployment. They are the Municipal Insurance Fund of Cologne and the subsidy granted to trade union funds by the City of Strassburg. Neither of them can be said to have proved successful, but they have pointed out what might be done for certain classes of the unemployed. A third experiment at Leipsic, is not very important. An insurance fund supported mainly by a charitable Society has been in existence since 1905, but in 1908–9 it had insured only 227 persons. The City of Cologne established an insurance fund in 1896. It provides against winter unemployment only. Benefits are paid from December first to March first. The fund was designed primarily for seasonal workers. All casual laborers and persons without regular occupation are excluded. Irregularly employed persons are further excluded by the requirement that premiums must be paid for thirty-four weeks in the year; and a person losses all claim to benefit if he is four weeks in arrears. Persons who have not resided in the city for at least one year are also excluded. The premiums paid are about ten cents per day for unskilled workers and twelve cents for skilled. The benefits are fifty cents per day for the first twenty days of unemployment, and twenty-five cents a day for twenty-eight further days. The resources of the fund consist of the premiums paid by the insured, the subventions of the city, voluntary donations, and the interest on capital belonging to the fund. The number insured was 1,382 in 1907–8, and of these 1,127 or 81.5 reported themselves as unemployed. The Municipal Labor Exchange found work for 891 of these. The number of days for which benefits had to be paid was 29,899, and the amount paid was about $12,000. Of this amount less than half (42.5 per cent.) was provided by the premiums of the insured. This insurance scheme shows the weakness of any voluntary plan. Only the bad risks insure. Those who are steady workers will not come into the fund. On the other hand, those that need help most, the irregular workers who cannot pay the premiums are excluded. It is for these reasons that the Cologne plan of insurance has not spread to other cities. g e In Strassburg has been adopted the famous Ghent system of granting additional sums to the out-of-work benefits paid by the trade unions. The subsidy is 50 per cent. of the benefits drawn by members of the union. No one can be entitled to the supplement from APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. WOSS IO5 the city who has not been a resident of Strassburg for at least one year; and every trade union is required to keep its unemployed fund separate from its other operations. When a person is referred to work in his own trade he may not draw any benefits. All insured persons are required to report daily at the Municipal Labor Exchange in order to see if they are really unemployed and to get them work whenever possible. The scheme was commenced on January 1, 1907. The sums voted by the city have been small (less than $500), for the total membership of the unions having insurance funds is about 4,000 and only a small number of these have been entitled to the municipal subsidy. All of those who are insured belong to the skilled trades and these make up but a small portion of the total number of wage-earners in the city. The unskilled laborers are entirely excluded. © COMPULSORY CONTINUATION SCHOOLS. No descriptions of the methods of combatting unemployment in Germany would be complete without mention of the Fortbildungsschule (continuation schools), although these were not started primarily for this purpose. Chapter 120 of the Imperial Labor Law pro- vides that every person between the ages of fourteen and eighteen who is gainfully employed must attend the continuation School provided in that community; and employers must allow children the time to attend these schools. The various state governments organize the schools and determine how many shall be required. In Prussia six hours per week are required; in Baden only four, while in Bavaria the requirements are from eight to ten hours weekly. These hours of attendance must be in the day time. Evening schools were tried but proved unsuccessful. The continuation schools have been in existence in Germany for about fifteen years. They are primarily public schools designed to continue the education of the children beyond the fourteenth year. But instead of making this education general it is related directly to the daily work of the children. Classes are organized on the basis of the trades at which the pupils are employed. Whenever there are twenty children of one trade registered in a School a separate class must be provided for that trade. But the schools are not trade schools in our sense of the word. Children are not taught any trade. They learn their trades at their daily employments. In the continuation schools they are taught the history of their trades and the scientific principles upon which their daily occupations are carried on; they are given general training of eye and hand, and they are taught the general branches of study as well. In connection with the compulsory continuation schools there are also maintained voluntary trade schools in which tuition is charged. These trade schools are open both during the day and in the evening. There are now about 500 of these trade and continuation schools in Germany which are concerned with industry. An equal number relate to agriculture. The city of Munich has the most perfectly developed system of these schools. With a population of less than 6oo,ooo it maintains fifty-two trade continuation Schools, with about 3,000 students enrolled. The work of these schools will be made plain if we describe the system in Munich. When a boy leaves school at fourteen he secures a position largely through the efforts of the labor exchange in co-operation with the school authorities. He then attends the continuation school eight or ten hours per week until his eighteenth year. His employer allows him either one whole day or two half days to go to the school. If he works in a machine shop he attends the continuation school for machinists, if he is learning the barbers' trade he is enrolled in the school for barbers, and if he is in a store he attends the merchant's school. There are schools for every trade, including butchers, gardeners, chimney sweeps, carpenters, architects, etc. The continuation schools afford a good means of keeping tab on the employers to see if they are teaching apprentices their trades properly. When an apprentice registers in the school his knowledge of his trade is tested; and if it appears that he is not being properly taught, the employer's attention is called to the fact. The scientific training which German children get in these schools enable them to pass quickly from their own trade to another related one when the demand for labor in the first grows smaller. After his eighteenth year too, the workman can attend the day or evening trade school and thus keep up with the inventions and changed processes of his calling. It is due in a large measure to this system of industrial training and education that Germany owes her industrial progress. The great oversupply of unskilled wage-earners and the unemployables so common in England and in our own large cities have been also reduced by Germany's system to very small proportions. Vol. III.-I4 IO6 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY SWITZERLAND. LABOR EXCHANGES. Eleven cities in Switzerland conduct free labor exchanges. In 1905 the Swiss exchanges formed an association for the purpose of promoting uniformity in methods and also to facilitate the transfer of men from one locality to another. The labor bureau of Zurich acts as the central office of this association. It receives from each local exchange reports of the vacancies unfilled. These are listed twice a week and distributed among all the exchanges of Switzerland and the neighboring countries. The central office also deals with the Federal and Cantonal authorities on all matters relating to the distribution of labor. Since 1905 a workman sent to a distant place by a labor exchange receives a reduction of 50 per cent. in the fare from the government railways. In 1909 a law was passed by the Swiss Parliament providing subsidies for the municipal labor exchanges. The Federal Government will make grants on certain conditions. To receive a subsidy a municipal exchange must make its service free to both employers and workmen; it must deal with all classes of labor including domestics and farm workers; its management must be in the hands of a joint committee of employers and wage-earners and neutrality must be maintained in labor disputes. Other requirements are: regular compilation of statistics; uniform methods of working; membership in the Union of Swiss Labor Exchanges and co-operation with the central office. - The subsidy for the public labor exchanges is 44,000 francs. Out of this all the expenses of the central office are paid, and half the expenses incurred by the Association of Labor Exchanges. Local offices may receive grants not exceeding one-third of their working expenses. The expenses of the central office in 1909 was about 3,000 francs. Besides the 44,000 francs for the public exchanges, 6,ooo francs are set aside to sub- sidize trade union labor bureaus that may come under the conditions of the Act. The business methods of the Swiss exchanges are much the same as the German, and need no separate description. In the following table appear the combined results of the operations of municipal labor exchanges in Switzerland: OPERATIONS OF Swiss LABOR BUREAUs, 1909. APPLICATIONS VACANCIES FOR WORK. NOTIFIED. Vacancies EXCHANGES. Total. Total. filled. Men. Women. Men. Women. Basel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II, 616 4,253 15,869 8,629 || 5,502 || 14, 131 II, 603 Zurich. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I3,440 2,278 || I5,718 8,334 2,956 | II, 290 8, IO3 Berne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,292 3, I42 I2, 434 7, IOO || 4, 25I II, 35I 7,648 Geneva. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 20I 2,943 | 8, 144 5,584 || 3,996 || 9,580 6,532 St. Galle and Rorschach. . . . . . . . . . 7, O7I 2, 2I 3 9,284 4,647 3, 547 8, 194 3,663 Other six exchanges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,456 3, 525 | IO, 98 I 5,695 || 4, 215 9, 9 IO 6,422 Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54,076 | 18,354 || 72,430 39,989 || 24, 467 || 64,456 43, 97 I 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54,366 17,426 || 7 I,792 || 37,685 23, 17 I | 60,856 4O, 2 I 5 1907 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,984 I8, O51 69, O35 44, O63 25,903 || 69,966 46, 313 1906 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,242 I6,297 | 66,539 59,647 22,862 62,509 39, 7 I5 I905 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4I, 25I | I 8, IO4 || 59,355 36,496 || 28, I2O | 64, 616 44, 243 Out of 64,456 vacancies notified to the exchange in 1909, 43,971 were filled, that is 68 per cent. for employment. It appears also that for every Ioo positions filled there were 165 applications In 1908, of the total vacancies filled, 21.2 per cent, represented people sent from one locality to another, and 82.4 per cent, were permanent positions. and 1908 follow: Swiss LABOR Exchanges — VACANCIES FILLED. The figures for 1907 Placed Inter-locally YEAR. locally. placements. T otal. * Permanent. | Temporary. 1908 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I, 7 I 2 8,503 4O, 2 I 5 33, I 42 7, O73 1907 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38,675 7,638 46, 313 36, I27 IO, I86 APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. VOSS IO7 The Swiss exchanges are small affairs compared to those we saw in Germany. The one in Zurich has an office force of six including the superintendent, and he devotes part of his time to the management of the central office for Switzerland. The Zurich exchange places about 8,000 persons annually at a cost of about 20,000 francs. The cost per posi- tion is therefore about fifty cents, which is much greater than that of Munich. A small office always has a higher cost per position than a large one. In Basel which has a higher proportion of vacancies filled to vacancies notified than the Zurich exchange the expenses in 1909 were about 15,000 francs. About 11,500 vacancies were filled, making a cost of one and one-third francs per position. This is about half of what it cost in Zurich. INSURANCE. All the schemes of insurance against unemployment, compulsory, subsidies to trade union benefits, and even plain grants to the unemployed have been tried in different cities of Switzerland. A complete description of these schemes will be found in the Annual Report of the United States Commissioner of Labor which has just appeared. We mention here briefly only the systems in operation in the three cities which we were able to visit. ZURICH. The City of Zurich in 1894 began a system of aid to the unemployed (“Arbeitslosen Unterstützung”), which is aimed at helping those who are without work and cannot sup- port themselves. There are no premiums but the city gives 40,000 francs annually to dis- tribute among the unemployed and it impresses the fact on the public that this is not charity, but the man's due; and none of the consequences of the receipt of charity, such as loss of the suffrage, follows the receipt of this aid. The managers of this fund prefer a good system of unemployment insurance, but up to the present time, none has been discovered which helps those who need help most, and this aid to the unemployed is considered best. Zurich is watching the experiments of other cities with the idea of establishing the system of insur- ance which proves successful. An unemployment commission which is appointed by the Stadtrath of Zurich, manages the unemployment fund. The commission is unpaid, but there are two employees in the office, and one or two investigators who visit families and employers in order to verify the applicant's statements. The commission is composed of representatives of employers and workmen's organizations, charitable Societies and several departments of the city govern- ment. The aid is granted only during the months from November to March. The applicant fills out a blank and when it is verified that he has not been able to work through the labor exchange, his family is visited and then the employer. If his record is good he receives 80 centimes per day for every adult in his family, and 40 centimes for each child. This may run on for six weeks, after which the amount is reduced 25 per cent. for four more weeks, when it usually ceases, though in rare cases aid is granted for the remaining two weeks, reduced 50 per cent. from the original grants. Those only are eligible who are citizens of Zurich and have worked steadily six months prior to their application. Non-citizens must have worked in Zurich at least nine months before they can receive aid. The relief granted by the commission is seldom in money, but usually consists in the payment of rent, orders on stores for food, clothing, etc. - During the last year for which a report is out, 1908-9, about 500 persons were given relief from the Unemployment Fund. With those dependent on them a total of 2,000 per- sons received help. The average length of time during which the weekly grants continued for each person was about thirty days. BERNE. During the industrial depression of the early 1893, the trade unions established an insurance system particularly for unskilled laborers. They made application to the city for subvention. The city decided that it would give no subvention, but would take the whole insurance plan over and manage it as a city enterprise. It is run in connection with the labor exchange. A sub-committee of the commission which manages the exchange, looks after the insurance department. An insurance fund is made up by grants from the city, premiums of the insured, and voluntary contributions by employers and others. The insured are divided into two classes, the skilled and the unskilled. The former pay one franc fifty centimes, and the latter pay one franc per month premium. In return unskilled men may draw, when unemployed, one franc fifty centimes if unmarried, and two francs fifty centimes per day if married. Skilled men may draw two francs if single and three IO8 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY francs if married. The benefits run only for sixty days. In exceptional cases ten days more are allowed. There are now about 600 persons regularly insured every year. When the scheme was started in 1893, about 300 insured themselves. This rose in a few years to 6oo and has remained about that ever since. Formerly the majority were unskilled men, because the rates were lower for them. Also the benefits were granted formerly during the three winter months. Now, however, since the rules have been changed, and the skilled men are in the majority, the system of paying benefits at any time of the year has been started. About 300 of those insured receive benefits every year. Very often it is the same workmen who come for the insurance year after year. But if they are lazy, they are soon found out by an offer of a position through the exchange and by inquiry of the former employer as to the reasons for the man's quitting work. Although only 600 out of a population of nearly 80,000 insure themselves, the managers consider Berne's insurance system a complete success. It might not do for other cities, but it is the best for Berne. Theoretical discussion of risks, etc., do not apply to unemploy- ment insurance. The city would have to spend money on relief works, charity, etc. Here it helps the workmen to help themselves, Berne pays annually 12,000 francs into the in- surance fund. This with the premiums has been more than sufficient to meet all demands. There is now a reserve fund of 53,000 francs in the treasury. For two years at least the city could meet the demands of all those whom it insures. It may be that this system works only in Berne because there are no great industries there. There has been no great amount of unemployment there in ten years past. The fund, however, would be able to stand a long strain on it. The policy is not so much to give men insurance as to find them work. An unskilled man must take whatever work the labor exchange offers him. A skilled man is not held to that. When the labor exchange finds there is not enough work it informs the city of the fact, and asks that public works be begun. Only when all opportunities for work have been tested and none could be found is insurance granted. Employers are even asked to find jobs for unemployed men, and in some cases they do so. The building trade employers, association of Berne voted many years ago to contribute to the insurance fund, a gift each year, equal to the amount paid in by individuals working in the building trades. This amounts to about 1,000 francs per year. BASEL. For nine years up to May 1910, the Canton of Basel has a system of grants to the unemployed similar to that of Zurich. Experience showed, however, that it had a bad effect on the recipients. The same applicants returned year after year. The scheme seemed to encourage begging. A study of the various systems of unemployment insurance was therefore made and in December 1909, a law was passed establishing a cantonal insurance fund and providing also for subsidies to trade union funds. The projectors of the insurance scheme would have preferred a compulsory system of unemployment insurance with the three parties, employers, workmen and the canton con- tributing to it. But such a scheme was drafted about nine years ago, but was voted down by a referendum vote of the people. Employers, of course, were against it and the skilled workmen fearing that they would have to support the unskilled opposed it too. Therefore in drafting the present system it had to be made voluntary. Any wage-earner over 17 years of age who has been a resident of the canton may become a member of the Insurance Fund. The dues are graded according to the earnings of the insured, not according to trade or number of dependents. Persons earning 4.50 francs or less pay 60 centimes per month from 4.5o to 5.5o francs pay 80 centimes per month over 5.5o francs pay I franc per month. The benefits paid are graded according to the earnings and the conjugal condition of the insured. BENEFITS PAID. DAILY EARNINGS. Single. - Married. Less than 4.50 francs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I franc per day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I.60 francs per day. From 4.50 to 5.50 francs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I. 20 francs per day. . . . . . . . . . . . I. 80 francs per day. Over 5.50 francs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I .40 francs per day. . . . . . . . . . . . 2 francs per day. APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. VOSS IO9 These daily rates are paid for thirty-five days. If the workman is idle for a longer time, he may receive half these amounts for thirty-five days more. No one can draw benefits for more than seventy days in one year. The expenses of the fund are met by the premiums paid, grants from the canton and by voluntary contributions. The canton assumes all administration expenses and if the amount collected in premiums is not enough to pay the benefits due, it makes up the deficit. Besides this the canton makes grants to trade unions which pay out-of-work benefits, and which submit to the conditions laid down by the government. The short experience with the present system shows encouraging results. There were only three unions who carried benefit funds prior to May, 1910, when the present law went into effect. Since that time three or four other unions have established unemployed benefits. Also the union members whose organizations have no benefits are joining the city fund, and the union gets the stamps for monthly dues from the city, then selling them to the individual members. The insurance fund is managed by a committee of eleven members, five members appointed, one from each political party, and five members elected by those insured in the city fund, with a city official as chairman. The first election resulted in chosing five social democrats for the elective members. This gives the fund the complete confidence of the workers, and is what the projectors of the scheme desire. The employers are rather indifferent to the system. Their interests are not affected very much since the contribu- tions of the canton is not very great. - Among the trade unions a total membership of 200 to 2,500 are now insured against unemployment, and thus far 5oo have come into the Insurance Fund of the canton. The insurance of those who are not in the trade union organizations is run in connection with the local labor exchange. They must report every day at the exchange and unless they do, they cannot receive benefits for that day. On all work which the exchange can supply members of the organization funds, whether with the canton or in an organization, are given preference. These are put to work first and if they can get work they do not receive benefits. However, a skilled man is not forced to take unskilled work. The grants to the unemployed which were formerly made during the winter months will now be discontinued. The Charity Department of the city also will hereafter grant no aid to those who are in distress from unemployment unless they are insured against unemployment. Where necessary the insurance will be supplanted by additional help to the family however. Many notices have been made public of these decisions of the city authorities, but the people who are most likely to need help are not insuring themselves. In the winter they will come for relief as usual. Then they will not be given any. In time it is hoped to make them provide a little at least during the summer for the hard times which they have in winter. BELGIUM. Public Labor Exchanges are not well developed in Belgium. A majority of them are still in the hands of private associations receiving subsidies from the government. Where the exchanges are publicly owned they are often subject to political influence. Belgium has paid the most attention to insurance against unemployment. The system of granting subsidies to trade union out-of-work funds was originated in Ghent and has spread through- out the country. LABOR EXCHANGES. In 1904 the Belgian Government passed a law providing subsidies for municipal labor exchanges or others of a public nature. There were then in existence five municipal bureaus and seven philanthropic ones aided by city funds. The conditions upon which the govern- ment subsidies were granted were (1) that the exchange be under the joint management of a committee of employers and employees, and (2) that annual reports be made to the National Labor Office. In 1909 subsidies to the amount of Io,794 francs were distributed among fourteen labor exchanges. Six of these were managed by municipalities, and eight by philanthropic associations. The progress from 1904 to 1909 is shown in the following table. It will be seen from the percentages of vacancies filled that the efficiency of the exchanges has not been improved much: I IO COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY BELGIAN LABOR EXCHANGES. Proportion & * ... * sº f vacancies Vacancies | Applications | Vacancies O tº- YEAR. Number. rººfij || “...". fiti.” ". fied. 1904 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - IO I3,303 20,461 7,996 6O I909 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 27,970 51,576 I8,735 67 Following are statistics of the operations of each of the Belgian labor exchanges in 1909: OPERATION OF LABOR EXCHANGES, 1909. APPLICATIONS FOR VACANCIES POSITIONS FILLED Per Per EMPLOYMENT. cent. of cent. of EXCHANGE. - applica- vacan- tions. cies. Men, Women. Total. Men, Women. | Total. Men. Women. Total. filled. filled. Alost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IOS | . . . . . . IO5 IO7 | . . . . . . IO7 76 . . . . . . 76 72 7 I Anvers. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,631 77o 5, 4OI 3, O II S7O 3, 58 I 2,640 403 || 3 || O43 56 85 Bruges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645 | . . . . . . 645 432 | . . . . . . 432 408 | . . . . . . 408 63 94 Bruxelles (rue du . Lomb.) . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 5 II I, 287 9, 798 3,966 I, I95 5, I6 I 2,952 627 3, 579 36 69 Bruxelles (rue du Boulet) . . . . . . . . . . . 2,856 | . . . . . . 2,856 I, 627 | . . . . . . I, 627 I, I67 | . . . . . . I, I67 4 I 72 Eecloo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 68 I64 I7o Ioff 276 I89 IIS 504 I85 I IO Gand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 350 I , 2 I2 5,562 3, 188 I, O82 4, 270 2, 348 762 | 3, I Io 56 73 tly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I62 I43 305 47 S7 IO4 IS 28 . 43 I4 4 I Liége (pl. St. Barth- my). . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 738 2, 220 | Io,958 3, 537 I , II.4 4,651 2, O8O 489 || 2, 569 23 SS Liége (Hors-Château). 5, 195 I , 252 6,447 I , 932 68O 2, 612 I, I28 408 I, 536 24 59 Louvain. . . . . . . . . . . . I, 780 I96 I, 976 814 I39 953 S27 56 583 29 6 I Malines. . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 70 22 I, 726 I6 I IS I76 I36 6 I42 8 8 I Mons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 66 I, 718 3,384 729 I, I69 I , 898 4II 676 I, o&T 32 57 Pâturages. . . . . . . . . . . I46 590 736 300 376 676 37 357 394 S3 58 Renaix. . . . . . . . . . . . . I40 I4. IS4 82 S 87 32 5 37 24 42 Saint-Nicolas. . . . . . . . 406 I3O 536 3.54 234 588 2 II I3 I 342 63 58 Schaerbeek. . . . . . . . . . 67 I 33 823 589 I82 77 I 209 IOG 3 IS 38 4 I Totals. . . . . . . . . . 4I, 802 9, 774 | SI, 576 || 2 I, O46 6,924 || 27,970 || I4, 566 4, 169 18,73s 36 67 Very little co-operation exists among the various labor exchanges. There is no central office and this explains why Belgian exchanges are lagging behind those in other countries. No special effort is made to deal with juvenile labor and few workmen are sent to the country. In recent years, however, they have begun to copy German methods and they are likely to make greater progress in the future. In March, 1910, the number of exchanges recognized by the government had increased to twenty-four, and the Belgian Parliament was asked to raise its subsidy to 20,000 francs. - In Ghent we found a municipal labor exchange managed by a general committee composed of members from all employers' and workmen's organizations in the city. This committee elects an executive committee made up of an equal number of employers and wage-earners to carry on the work. . * Up to a few years ago the Ghent exchange was conducted by a philanthropic associa- tion. It was reorganized and made a city institution after a study of the German exchanges was made. All the office force are now appointed after an examination. There are but two departments, one for men and one for women, and the office force is composed of five, three men and two women. It is proposed to extend the work of the bureau so as to organize separate departments for the different trades. Up to the present, however, the exchange has not done a business large enough to warrant this. The workmen are, on the whole, favorable to the work of the exchange, but the employers are still indifferent. A new manager has recently been put in the bureau, and it is hoped that he will win the confidence of the employers. The methods of doing business is quite like the German exchanges. All the work is done on the spot. Orders are filled from workmen who are in the waiting- rooms. Seldom are they notified by mail. Every person is registered and receives a regis- tration card which must be given up when he is sent to an employer with an introduction card. If he does not get the position, the registry card is returned to him. The exchange finds places for about 3,000 people annually. Its proportion of vacancies filled to vacancies notified are among the highest in Belgium, being 73 per cent, Brussels has a semi-public labor exchange conducted by a private society. The city provides the quarters for the exchange, and a number of the suburban communes unite with it in subsidizing the work. Small grants are also given to the exchange by the govern- ment of the province in which it is located, and by the national government. The Burgo- master of Brussels is the chairman of the committee of employers and workmen which manages the exchange. APPENDIX NO. 2 — REPORT OF HONORABLE GEORGE A. WOSS III The Brussels office has but two departments, one for men and one for women. Two men are employed in the male department and two women take care of the female depart- ment. The exchange places about 4,000 persons per year, at a total cost of about 7,ooo francs. The Society which maintains it pays about half the expenses. The rest are made up by the subsidies and by an annual lottery which brings in from 1,000 to 2,000 francs. The office force of the exchange is selected by the managing committee. INSURANCE. The recent report of the United States Commissioner of Labor on Workingmen's Insurance, describes in detail the workings of the Belgium Unemployment Funds. We shall mention here only a few of the principles of the system which were pointed out to us by its originators in Belgium. The Ghent system of unemployment insurance was organized in 1901. It is not a subsidy to trade unions as some of the recent laws passed in other countries are. It is merely a subsidy to any individual who will put by something for times of unemployment. A workman insured in a trade union fund may get this subsidy, as a workman who insures in any other way. The subsidy is paid on the amount of money the workman draws in in- Surance, usually about 50 per cent., but never more than one franc a day or six francs a week. As a matter of fact, however, it has worked out that only members of trade unions receive the subsidy. The others do not insure. It was thought that they would save in the city savings banks, but they do not. The city does not grant any subsidy to trade unions as such, but it is willing to help individual members who insure against unemploy- ment. It is possible, however, for the trade unions to advance the money to the individual and to have the subsidy given to them later in the form of a refund. This is now gen- erally done. - -- The insurance fund is managed by a committee composed of members of each political party, representatives of the various communes that have joined in the fund, and by repre- sentatives of the unions who have unemployment benefits. The effect of the funds is to increase the strength of the trade unions. When the system of subsidies by the city was started there were only a few unions which carried unemployment benefits. Since then the number of unions with funds has very greatly increased. The Commune of Ghent voted Io, ooo francs in 1901, the first year, to subsidize unem- ployment benefits. In 1902 it voted 15,000 francs. The following year three suburban communes joined in giving subsidies with Ghent and together they gave 20,000 francs. The following year 15,000 francs only were voted because it was thought 20,000 was too much. The city said if more would be needed it would vote more. During 1905, 1906 and 1907, 20,000 francs were granted in subsidies each year. In 1908, the Commission which manages the fund, asked the city for more money, but only 20,000 francs were granted with a promise of more. The crisis brought on a great amount of unemployment and 14,000 francs more were voted. This was exhausted and the city gave 6,ooo francs more, making 4o, ooo in all for that year. During the same year, three other suburban communes joined the fund making seven in all. The following year the city decided that it was too much to give 4o,ooo francs at once. Therefore it lays aside 5,ooo francs each year now to meet the needs of years of crises. Since then the subsidies have amounted to 3o,ooo francs an- nually, with 5,ooo francs additional laid aside each year for emergencies. The rules of the Communal Fund in Ghent permits the committee to pay up to Ioo per cent. of what the insured person gets in benefits; but instead of paying all of this at once, it gives 60 per cent. at first and the other 40 per cent. is held in a fund to pay such workmen as have secured all they are entitled to from the union and are still in need. The union usually pays only for thirty-five days. The city's rule is that a man may receive benefits for sixty days. The fund created by the 40 per cent. is used in paying men benefits during those additional twenty-five days. The Ghent system has spread rapidly throughout Belgium. Every city of 35,000 now has such a fund, and the number of members as well as the amount of payments are steadily increasing. The National Government grants a subsidy to the administration of each communal fund and also 50 per cent. of the amount paid out in unemployment benefits. The government of each province also contributes to the communal funds, and to registered trade unions, paying benefits which are not affiliated with the communal funds. II2 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY APPENDIX III. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE UNITED STATES. Public employment offices are bureaus established for the purpose of bringing together wage-earners seeking employment and employers seeking help. Their services are free both to employers and to workers, the expenses being met either by the state or the munici- palities, and sometimes by both. f The accompanying chart tells the story of public employment offices in the United States. There are now in existence sixty-one such offices distributed over nineteen States. All but seven of them are conducted by the State governments. In Seattle,Tacoma, Spo- kane and Everett, Washington; Butte and Great Falls, Montana; and Newark, New Jersey, the offices are conducted by the municipalities. The State of Ohio took lead in establishing free employment offices. In 1890 its legis- lature passed a law creating an office in each of the important cities of the State, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo. Following the depression of 1892, a number of other States and cities established employment offices, but up to 190o the movement was slow, experimental, and not very successful on the whole. Within the last ten years, however, many States have studied the subject. They have framed up laws more carefully, increased the appropriations for the work, and in other ways have attempted to promote the efficiency of the offices. All but a few of the public employment offices now in operation have been established since 1900. Illinois and Wisconsin opened their first offices in 1899; now there are four in the former and six in the latter State. The Commissioner of Labor of Missouri organized a free employment office at St. Louis in 1899 without legislative authorization; since then the State has passed a law establishing three offices. Minnesota began with a municipal office in 1901. This was taken over by the State and two others have been created. Kansas passed its Free Employment Bureau Law in 1901, and the same year Connecticut established five offices. Massachusetts began with the Boston office in 1906, and since then offices have also been opened in Springfield and Fall River. Michigan passed a law establishing two offices in 1905. Three more were added in 1907, and the legislature of 1909 added three more making eight in all. Oklahoma has recently established three offices, Rhode Island and Indiana one each, and in Newark, N.J., a municipal office was organized two years ago. The conditions which have led to the establishment of these free employment offices have varied in the different States. In most cases the abuses of the private employment agencies have been powerful arguments for the establishment of public offices. The lack of farm labor in the agricultural States, and the presence of large numbers of unemployed wage-earners in the industrial centers have greatly helped the movement. The growing belief that it is the duty of the State to prevent idleness as far as possible, and the example of foreign governments and neighboring States, have also been important causes. Where the State conducts the employment offices, they are usually connected with the Bureau of Labor and the Commissioner of Labor is the responsible head. In Kansas the office of “Director of Free Employment" has been created.* Where the bureau is main- tained by a municipality the superintendent is usually responsible directly to the mayor. In Newark, New Jersey, the city clerk conducts the free employment bureau. The office force including the superintendent is in most cases appointed by the Com- missioner of Labor who also has the power of removal. A few states give power of appoint- ment and removal to the governor. The mayor with the approval of the City Council usually appoints the staff in the municipal employment offices. In Tacoma the Mayor appoints the superintendent upon recommendation of a commission representing the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce, and the trade unions; while in Seattle a civil service examination is required. The selection of the staffs in the three Massachusetts offices is also by civil service examinations. The size of the Office force is in most States limited by law, and this has been a great weakness in the public employment offices of the country. The general rule is to have a superintendent and one clerk, while in some States only a superintendent is provided for each office. Massachusetts alone has no legal limit to the size of the staff and the Boston * See p. 117 infra. APPENDIX No. 3 – PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE U. S. I 13 office has besides the superintendent, eight clerks and a caretaker. In Illinois a superin- tendent, an assistant and a clerk is appointed for each office. Four States, Indiana, Mary- land, Nebraska and West Virginia require the Commissioner of Labor to conduct a free employment office in the office of the Bureau of Labor, usually with the same office force. The salary of the superintendent is in no State more than $1,500 per annum. From $1,200 to $1,500 is usually paid. In a few of the smaller offices the salary is $900. Clerks are paid from $600 to $1,000, and where there are chief clerks or assistant superintendents the salary is from $1,000 to $1,200. Office methods vary greatly in different States and even within the same States different offices use different methods. Most of the laws require that there shall be separate rooms for men and for women. Only one office, that of Boston, has further divisions into depart- ments for skilled and unskilled workers. In Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and West Virginia, practically all the applications for employment as well as for help are made by mail. This mail order system is necessary where no appropriation is made for fitting up and maintaining free employment offices, and where the work has to be carried on in the rooms of the Bureau of Labor Statistics or the City Clerk. No efficient system of bringing together the supply of labor and the demand can be carried on by mail alone. In Iowa, and in Montana, where offices were given up, the mail order system was used; and the least successful offices now in existence are those which conduct a mail order business. The laws generally stipulate that records shall be kept of the name, address and character of work or help desired by the applicants. A few States require that a separate register be kept giving age, Sex, nationality, duration of unemployment, etc., of each appli- cant, but this is not to be open to public inspection, and it is not obligatory on any applicant to give this information. In Massachusetts the Bureau of Statistics must devise the forms for keeping the records of the employment offices. - There is little uniformity, and practically no co-operation among the various offices, even within a State. Hardly in any office are all the applicants registered. In many cases employers' applications are not taken if the help they want is not available, and there is a general practice of not registering applicants for employment unless there is some work to which they can be referred. This makes the statistics of the public employment offices very unreliable. It makes the proportion of applicants for whom work is found and the proportion of vacancies which are filled very high, and gives no idea of the actual supply of labor and the demand for help. The statistics of the number of positions filled are also not very reliable. The methods of finding out whether the men sent to employers have secured the positions are lax in many cases and in few offices are they alike. The most efficient scheme has been devised in Boston, where a clerk verifies every position filled by means of the telephone or by mail, The superintendent of each office is required in some States to make weekly reports to the Commissioner of Labor of the applications for employment and for help. The Commissioner must publish these and distribute them throughout the State. This work has not been very successful, the results seldom justifying the expense. In most States the superintendent makes monthly reports to the Commissioner of Labor who publishes them in his annual report. - The policy of the public employment offices in times of strike is shaped by their official heads. The first laws of Illinois and Wisconsin contained clauses prohibiting the superin- tendents from supplying help to employers whose workmen were on strike. These clauses were declared unconstitutional by the courts. In many States the trade unions have secured the appointment of their men as commissioners or superintendents to look after their interests. Thus labor men have been favorable on the whole to the free employment offices, while employers have rather opposed them. In Massachusetts the applicant is informed of the existence of a strike by having his introduction card stamped to that effect. Then he may apply for the position or not, as he sees fit. The total number of places found annually for wage-earners by the public employment offices is about 300,ooo. The cost varies greatly. In Seattle, Washington, where the office places large numbers of unskilled workers in hop fields and lumber camps, the cost per position secured is only four cents. In some of the smaller offices the cost is as high as two, three, and even four dollars per position secured. The average expense of finding a position for an applicant in most offices, however, is less than $1. Illinois spends more money than any other State for employment bureaus. It appropri- ates annually over $40,000 for the maintenance of its six offices. Massachusetts spends about $20,000 annually on its three employment offices. In three of four States the law stipulates that not more than $10,000 shall be appropriated for this work, and in about Vol. III.-15 II.4. COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY half a dozen States the expenses for the free employment offices have to be met from the appropriation for the conduct of the Bureaus of Labor. Massachusetts and Illinois, which have the largest appropriations are doing the most effective work. CALIFORNIA. In California there have been three public employment offices, two municipal and one State, but all of them have been discontinued. The trade unions of Los Angeles organized a free employment office in 1893, which was taken over by the city. In 1904 the plan of charging a registration ſee of twenty-five cents was inaugurated. This seemed to bring good results, but a few years later the Office was discontinued. The Commissioner of Labor organized a free employment bureau in San Francisco in 1895 without any legislative authority. Its expenses were paid out of the contingent fund of the State Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Commissioner thought that the results would convince the legislature of the necessity of supporting a free employment department. No appropriations were made, however, and the office was given up in 1897. The city of Sacramento passed an Ordinance in 1902 creating a municipal labor bureau with a Commissioner in charge. His duties were to be simply those of a superintendent of an omployment office. This bureau also was abolished after a ſcw years. COLORADO. There are three public employment offices located at Denver, Tueblo, and Colorado Springs. The law establishing these was passed in 1907. It provides a superintendent for each office and one assistant. The salary of the former is $1,200, of the latter $1,000. Besides the salaries the legislature appropriates annualy $2,000 for 'rent and all other expenses of the three offices. This allows only $666 for each office which is far short of the amount needed to carry on the work efficiently. Especially is this true of Denver where rents are high. The following is from a letter from the superintendent of the Denver Office: The Colorado Springs Office has been the best conducted, and it now has driven all but one of the private offices out of business in that town. * * * The first six months my assistant and I were in this office the cost per job averaged thirty-three cents. We have reduced this average to something like twenty-five cents per job the last three months, this by reason of our having done a much larger business at practically the same cost to the State. * * * My report for May (1910) was as follows: Applications Positions for appointment. secured. Males. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,335 768 Females. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I3O 93 Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,465 86 I The law requires the Commissioner of Labor to publish a weekly report of the work of the three offices and to distribute it throughout the State, but this has been discontinued on account of the cxpense. CoNNECTICUT. Five free employment offices were established in Connecticut by a law passed in 1901. These are still in existence. Each office is in charge of a superintendent who is appointed by the Commissioner of Labor. No clerks or other assistant is provided, and the superintendent has to carry on the work alone. The salary of the superintendent is $1,500 per year, and besides this about $500 is available for the expenses of each office. The total appropriation for the five employment bureaus is $10,000 a year, and all of this is usually spent. APPENDIX NO. 3 – PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE U. S. II5 The cities in which the offices are located are: Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, Norwich and Waterbury. The operations of these offices for the year ended November 30, 1909, were as follows: Aºok * FOR SITUATIONS SECURED. ** | *. Fe- ^T\,-, 4-, gr Fe- * / Fo- Males. males. Total. Males. males. Total. Males. males. Total. Hartford. . . . . . . . . 2,573 2,387 || 4,960 | 1,535 | 1,839 3,374 1,397 | 1,444 2,841 Bridgeport. . . . . . . I , 329 2, 206 3, 535 879 2,356 3,235 809 I , 890 2,699 New Haven. . . . . . I , 34O I, 398 || 2,738 848 I, I 35 I,983 72 I 903 I, 624 Waterbury. . . . . . . I, O28 I, 528 2,556 765 I , 490 2, 255 702 I, 2O5 I, 907 Norwich. . . . . . . . . 382 277 659 250 298 548 176 236 4 I2 r | Total. . . . . . . . 6,652 7,796 || I4, 448 4, 277 7, I 18 II, 395 3,805 i 5,678 9,483 Of the male applicants for employment 57.2 per cent. were supplied with situations against 51.9 per cent. during the year 1908. - Of the female applicants for employment 72.8 per cent. were supplied with situations against 69.6 per cent. during the year 1908. - - Of all applicants for employment 65.6 per cent. were supplied with situations against 62.9 per cent. during the year 1908. - Of the total number applying 83.2 per cent. were furnished with help against 88.2 per cent. during the year 1908. - Assuming the $10,000 appropriation to have been spent the average cost of a position secured was $1.og. This seems high because of the higher cost in Norwich where only 412 positions were secured. The average cost per position secured by the other four offices was eighty-eight cents; and in the two largest cities, Hartford and Bridgeport, it was only seventy-two cents. -- . The proportion of positions secured to applications for employment or for help can not be relied upon because all applicants are not registered. Unskilled laborers, particularly farm help and women domestics, make up the bulk of the applicants at all the employ- 1ment offices. ILLINOIS. .The law creating free employment offices in Illinois was passed in 1899. This was declared unconstitutional in 1903 because of the section which prevented the offices from supplying workmen to employers in times of strikes. The same year a new law was passed establishing three offices in Chicago and one in Peoria. In 1907 another office was opened in East St. Louis, and the sixth in the State was established in Springfield in 1909. The governor appoints upon recommendation of the State Board of Commissioners of Labor, a superintendent, assistant superintendent and a clerk for each office. Their term is two years unless sooner removed for cause. Either the clerk or the assistant superintendent must be a woman. The salaries are $1,500 for the superintendent, $1,200 for the assistant, and $1,000 for the clerk. - There is no specified appropriation but the law states that the salaries together with the proper amounts for defraying the necessary costs of equipping and maintaining the Offices will be provided. For 1908 the last year for which a report has been issued the amount appropriated by the legislature exclusive of the cost of equipment, was $38,610. This was divided among five offices as follows: Chicago: North Side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,25o oo South Side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Io, O2O Oo West Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, Soo oo Peoria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 92 O OO East St. Louis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ó , 62o oo $38,610 oo II6 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY The following table shows the combined work of the five offices for the year ending October 1, 1908: APPLICATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT. APPLICATIONS FOR HELP. PoSITIONS SECURED. OFFICE. - Male. Female. || Total. Male. | Female. | Total. Male. | Female. | Total. | Chicago: §h Side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,678 3, 869 8,547 3, SO9 3,598 7, IO7 3,463 3 : 334 6, 797 South Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,614 3, 456; IS, O70 9, 422 5, O-49| I4, 47 I 7, 724 3, O43| Io, 767 West Side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 778 3, 662 II, 440 4, 8 I4 3, O73 7, 887 4, 761 2, 44 I 7, IO2 Peoria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,916 2,484 9, 400 5, 976 2, S75 8, 55 I 5, 548 2, O54 7,603 East St. Louis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I , 70s. I, 2 II 2,916 1,444 993 2, 437 I , 432 946. 2, 378 Totals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . so,69: 14.6s. 45, 373 as los I5, 288| 40, 453 asos 11,818, 34, 736 This was almost double The following table The cost per capita of filling the 34,736 positions was $1. II. the cost for 1907, the increase being due to the industrial depression. shows the per capita cost for each office: Cost per - position Location of office. secured. Chicago: North Side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1 21 South Side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . 93 West Side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I oã Peoria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 East St. Louis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 78 The five Offices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1 II Unskilled laborers make up the great majority of the applicants for employment, and of all those placed in positions. For the nine years ending November 30, 1908, the statistics of skilled and unskilled workers in all the officers were as follows: PERCENTAGES OF APPLICATIONS FILLED. Applications | Applications | Positions for work. for help. secured. Employ- Help. ment. - Skilled . . . . . . • - ... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 47, 340 33, 507 26,713 56.43 79. 72 Unskilled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363,760 384, IO5 329, 498 90.58 86. O4 Totals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4II, IOO 4I 7,612 356, 2 II 86.65 85.30 The percentages of applications filled are not reliable because all applicants were not registered. This defect was remedied in the spring of 1910. Since then an attempt is made to register all applicants and a list is kept of those who decline to register. INDIANA. The Indiana law authorizing the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics to establish a free employment office went into effect April Io, 1908. No appropriation was made for this purpose, but it was provided in the bill requiring every private employment agency to pay $25 for a license, that the license fees may be used for maintaining a free employment bureau. It was not till September, 1909 that enough money had been accumulated from these fees to start the new work. - . The first quarterly report of the free employment bureau, covering the months of October, November and December, 1909, gives the following results: Applications Help Positions e for work. wanted. filled. Men. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, I83 4O4 3I 5 Bows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367 I26 I25 Women and Girls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A 89 44 23 Totals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 639 574 463 APPENDIX NO. 3 – PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE U. S. I 17 The Chief of the Bureau of Statistics asked for an appropriation to extend the opera- tions of the free employment office and to make it more efficient. The work thus far has been carried on mainly by mail. Iowa. The Commissioner of Labor of Iowa in his report for 1890–1, recommended that he be authorized to maintain a free employment agency. A bill was introduced in the next legislature to carry out this recommendation, but it failed to pass. The Commissioner then on his own responsibility undertook to organize a free employment office. The result was a total failure. It seems that while applications for work were numerous, no applica- tions for help were made at the bureau. This was probably due to the opposition of the manufacturers who in 1905, caused to be defeated another bill to establish free employment offices in the State. The Commissioner of Labor might have overcome Opposition as has been done in other States, if he did not have to rely entirely upon the mails for carrying on the work. No employment office in the United States has proved successful which has not had an office to which employers and workmen could come in person and which has not had a force big enough to allow the Superintendent to canvass employers for business. KANSAs. Tn Kansas the law of 1901 created a free employment bureau, under the supervision of a “Director of Free Employment,” who is appointed by the Governor. His salary is $1,200 a year and he holds office for two years. Each city of the first and second class is required to establish an agency of the State free employment bureau, but it is provided that the mayor and council of any second-class city may by resolution dispense with such an agency. If any city does not organize such an agency and appoint a person to take charge of it, the city clerk must act as free employment agent and his office is the free employment agency. The Director of Free Employment prescribes the rules for the conduct of the agencies and he prepares the forms and blank books which are necessary. He has an office in Topeka, and is allowed $500 for expenses. The law as far as it relates to cities establishing free employment agencies is practically a dead letter. The Director's Office is the only one that does any considerable work as an employment agency. Following is the report for 1909: Applications Help Positions for work. wanted. Secured. Males. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 23 I I, 792 I, 686 Females. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2O4 I74 93 Totals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 435 I, 966 I, 779 Harvest hands made up the bulk of the men, and the women were mainly domestics. MARYLAND. In Maryland the Chief of The Bureau of Industrial Statistics is authorized by the Law of April 8, 1902, to conduct a free employment agency. The office is operated in Baltimore in connection with the statistical bureau and its expenses are paid out of the $10,000 annually appropriated for this bureau. The business of this office is very small, applications being made almost entirely by mail. Following are the statistics for 1908 and 1909: Applications Applications Positions for work. for help. Secured. 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425 64 | 29 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 50 32 MASSACHUSETTS. The Massachusetts law for the establishment and maintenance of free employment offices was passed in 1906. It authorizes the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics, with the approval of the Governor and Council, to establish and maintain offices in such cities as may be selected after proper investigation by the bureau. The Chief appoints, after civil service examinations, a superintendent and such clerks as may be necessary for each office. The superintendents are required to keep records of their offices in books or forms devised by the Bureau of Statistics, and they must make semi-weekly reports to the Chief of that Bureau, who is required to publish them periodically and distribute them throughout the State. k II 8 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY The law as it was first passed confined the privilege of registration to citizens of Massa- chusetts, but this has been changed so as to permit any one to register, citizens being given a preference wherever possible. The original law also limited the amount to be expended annually for salaries and maintenance of the offices to $5,000. This limitation has since been omitted and the legislature is authorized to appropriate such amounts as may be necessary from year to year. Up to the present the Governor and Council have authorized the establishment of three offices. The first was opened in Boston on December 3, 1906, the second in Spring- field on September 4, 1907, and the third in Fall River on October 1, 1907. These offices each have separate departments for men and for women, and in Boston these are subdivided into departments for male skilled, male unskilled, and boys; female skilled and female unskilled. The Boston office has developed the most efficient system of carrying on the work and keeping records that is to be found in the United States. The rooms of the office are too small to permit applicants to wait there and be called when orders for help come in. The superintendent therefore encourages those seeking work to report at the office many times a day. When a person applies for work for the first time a clerk fills out the following card which the applicant is required to sign: EMPLOYEEs’ REGISTRATION CARD. (Front) (Back) THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. REFERENCES Card No. [FEO-29] BOSTON Name Employer's No. Employer Date Sont Residence Telephone T. U. Color or Race | | Age POSITION IDESIREID Conjugal Condition Home or Board Religion Unemployed Received by Date Received No. Dependents Dato Filled Experience Y Birthplace, | Wages or Salary Signature of Applicant APPENDIX No. 3 – PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE U. S. I 19 On the back of this card a record is kept of the employers to whom applicant has been sent, the date on which he was sent, and whether he was hired or not. If the applicant has proved unreliable this is noted in the last blank column, and such aperson is denied the use of the office for thirty days. When an employer makes application for help either in person or by mail, or over the telephone, a clerk enters the order on this card: - - ET (Front) * (Back) THE COMMON WEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Reply to EMPLOYER'S REGISTRY CARD —A- [FEO-33] Name FURTHER PARTICULARs Address - No. in Family Cooking Religion No. in Service Washing House Apartment Business | Kind of Work Tel. Age Limit Hours per Week Rates: — Hour Day Week Month Date of | No. Receipt Wanted | | Person Clerk Hired Date ! | | This card is used by the department clerks in sending working people to employers. When the report comes back that the position has been filled, the card is filed away. If an employer applies for workmen of different trades, a separate card is made out for each trade. When a person is referred to an employer he is given the following card, which is ad- dressed on the back to the employment office, and the employer is asked to return it, stating whether he has hired the applicant or not. If it is not returned inquiry is made of the em- ployer over the telephone or by mail until it is definitely ascertained whether the position has been filled or not. I2O COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS FREE EMPLOYMENT OFFICE 8 KNEELAND STREET Telephone, Oxford 1383 BOSTON, --------------------- IQI == -s - am --, -, -, -, - are ar, as - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This will introduce----------------------------------------------------------- - as an applicant for the position at your disposal. WALTER L. SEARS, Supt. Employer please fill out blank below and return card by mail. If applicant is not engaged write in the word NOT. The above-named applicant has------------ been hired by Name of Employer------------------------------------- § [FEO-26) Address-------------------------------------- In order to keep a record of all the business done with one employer the following Employers' Index Card is used: (Front) (Back) THE COMMON wealTH OF MASSACHUSETTS POSITIONS FILLED FREE EMPLOYMENT OFFICES Date | Numberl Date | Numberl Dato Number Namc Address Business Kind of Work Reply to: — Telephone Entered by Date of Application and Number Wanted APPENDIX No. 3 — PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE U. S. 121 These cards are filed according to the names of the employers and from them the reports and statistics are compiled. The forms used by the Boston office are also used in Springfield and Fall River, and the free employment offices of Connecticut and Rhode Island have recently adopted the same system. In the following table the operations of the three Massachusetts offices are shown from the beginning of their existence: CONSOLIDATED SUMMARY OF THE THREE STATE OFFICES FROM DECEMBER 31, 1906, to NOVEMBER 30, 1910. YEAR ENDING November 30. CIASSIFICATION. Total. *1907. 1908. I909. I9 IO. Applications for employment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 746 57, 405 42, 607 47, 377 I95, I 35 Number of positions reported filled. . . . . . . . . . . I5, 5 IO I4,955 I7, 74 I 2O, 574 68,78o Number of persons for whom positions were Secured. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f Io, 707 9, O93 II, I 66 I 2, 292 43, 258 Persons applied for by employers. . . . . . . . . . . . 35,563 18,980 23,817 28, 354 IO6, 7 I-1 The positions filled during the year ending November 30, 1910, different occupational groups as follows: were divided among OCCUPATIONS. Males. Females. Tota'. Agricultural pursuits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, OO2 2 2, OO4 Professional service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 | . . . . . . . . 89 Domestic and personal Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 302 7,477 II, 779 Trade and transportation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,361 4O9 2, 770 Manufacturing and mechanical pursuits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,950 836 3,786 Apprentices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 25 I J. I 39 Other trades and occupations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 | . . . . . . . . 7 Totals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II, 836 8,738 20, 57.4 An appropriation of $21,000 was made for the year 1910, but all of this was not cxpended The distribution of the expense among the three offices was as follows: ExPENDITURES ON Account of FREE EMPLOYMENT OFFICES, 19 Io.” Boston. Springfield. | Fall River. Total. Maintenance of Offices: Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,592 oo $2,384 62 || $1,512 44 $13,4°9 O6 Rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,499 96 Ó27 OO . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 126 96 Printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504 26 87 42 79 49 671 17 Telephone, telegraph and messenger service. . 36 I 75 88 54 IOG 95 557 24 Electric light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 26 65 44 9 I | . . . . . . . . . . I 7 I 56 Postage and expressage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I O2 75 3 I 80 28 40 I C2 95 Advertising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 I 74 67 96 65 II -154 8 I Cleaning and cleaning materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . 654 83 I 23 39 IO-4 O2 882 24 Travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 I O 30 OO 69 IO Third Annual Reportf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 49 2-1 25 24 25 96 99 Sundries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 I 7 69 2-4 53 I 3 IO I 55 32 Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14,330 12 $3,543 52 || $1,963 76 || $19,837 40 Balance unexpended. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, I 62 60 Appropriation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2 I, OOO oo * The figures for 1907 are for a full twelve months for the Boston office, but are for three months only for the Springfield office, and two months only for the Fall itiver office. f This figure is for the Boston office only. * In addition to the amount expended by the bureau as here accounted for, from the regular appro- priation for the maintenance of the offices, there were expended during the year by the Sergeant-at-arms, under the provisions of chapter 135, section I of the acts of 1907, for certain repairs and equipment at the Boston office, $146.48. f Arbitrarily distributed, one-half to the Boston office, one-quarter to the Springfield office, and one- quarter to the Fall River office. Vol. III.-I6 I22 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY In the following table is shown the average cost of filling one position, for each year from 1907 to 1910. It will be seen that the cost has gone down steadily as the business increased: * Fall River. Total. Boston. Springfield. | | | | I907. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.35 , *$o.82 f$1.67 . . . . . . . . . . . 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I. 55 .84 .84 $1.38 I909. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I. O8 1.48 I. 48 I . I 2 I9IO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 I .38 | I .38 .96 | MICHIGAN. A law to establish free employment offices was passed in Michigan in 1905, but no appropriation went with it. The Commissioner of Labor, however, opened two offices, one in Grand Rapids, and the other in Detroit, in both cases in connection with the factory inspection department. In 1907 the law was amended to establish three offices in addition to the two already in existence, and an appropriation of $5,000 was allowed for the work. The law was further amended in 1909, authorizing the Commissioner of Labor to establish and maintain free employment offices in eight cities, namely, Battle Creek, Bay City, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Muskegon and Saginaw. The Commissioner of Labor appoints such assistants as may be necessary for the proper administration of the offices, and he fixes their salaries. All the expenses of the offices have to be met out of the appro- priation of $40,000, which is made annually for the work of the Bureau of Labor. When the last report of the Commissioner of Labor was published only five of the offices had been organized. In Detroit there are two assistants besides the manager. Each of the other offices had only a manager. The manager of the Detroit office is the superin- tendent of all the free employment offices in the State. The operations of the five employment offices for the year ending November 30, 1909, are shown in the following table: APPLICATIONS FOR APPLICATIONS FOR POSITIONS WORK. HELP. SECURED. | | ! Male. Female. Total. | Male. | Female. | Total. Male. | Female. Total. ! º | Detroit. . . . . . . . . . 20,714 3,905 24,619 || 2 I,358 || 5,661 | 27, OI9 || 19,321 | 3,703 || 23,024 Grand Rapids. . . . . 4,375 I, 844 6, 219 || 3,996 || 2, O7I 6, O67 || 3, 199 || 1,484 4,683 Jackson. . . . . . . . . . I, 3 I 7 826 2, I43 883 814 I, 697 804 642 I,446 Kalamazoo. . . . . . . 3,541 2,259 6,206 || 2,623 2,576 5, 193 2,056 | 1,667 3, 7 I 7 Saginaw. . . . . . . . . 2,75I 689 3, 44O I , 844 843 2,687 I , 529 547 2, O76 Total. . . . . . . . 33,098 9, 523 42, 62 I 30,704 || II, 959 || 42,663 26,903 8,043 34,946 MINNESOTA. The first public employment office in Minnesota was established by the City of Duluth in 1901. In 1905 a State free employment office was established in Minneapolis, and two years later a law was passed authorizing the Commissioner of Labor to conduct a free employment office in each city of 50,000 inhabitants or more. There is now in operation an office in each of the principal cities of the State, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth. The Duluth municipal office was taken over by the State. The Commissioner of Labor appoints one superintendent for all three offices. His salary is $1,200 a year. A manager is in charge of each office, and he has a woman assistant to take care of the female department. * Office in operation three months only. f Office in operation two months only. APPENDIX No. 3 – PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE U. S. 123 A letter from the Commissioner of Labor gives the following statistics of the business done by all three offices: Number Cost to put to work. State. August, 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,602 $675 28 September, 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,61o 723 58 October, 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,264 707 73 November, 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 763 689 22 December, 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I , os8 709 68 January, 1909 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 962 746 88 February, 1909. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 994 703 I8 March, 1999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, I6o 747 Io April, 1999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 783 729 IS May, 1909. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,958 749 44 June 1999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,360 741 88 July, 1999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,813 I. I.48 og August, 1909. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,8or 76o 77 September, 1909. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 26o 756 98 October, 1909. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 87 I 813 57 November, 1909. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 75.4 772 o8 December, 1909. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, O25 735 33 January, 1910. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, OOI 8 IS 86 52, o& 9 $13,728 8o During these eighteen months the State spent $13,728, securing 52,039 positions, at a cost of 26 cents per position filled. MISSOURI. The Commissioner of Labor of Missouri opened a free employment bureau in St. Louis in 1899 on his own initiative. It proved a success, and the next year the Legislature passed a law establishing an office in each city having Ioo, ooo or more inhabitants. Three cities meet this requirement, St. Louis, St. Joseph and Kansas City. Ten thousand dollars is appropriated annually for the support of the three offices. A superintendent at $1 oo per month is in charge of each office and he is assisted by a clerk receiving $75 per month. Both of these are appointed by the Commissioner of Labor. The operations of the three offices during 1909 are shown in the following table: APPLICATIONS FOR APPLICATIONS FOR POSITIONS EMPLOYMENT. HELP. SECURED. | Male. | Female. | Total. Male. | Female. Total. Male. | Female. | Total. | St. Louis... . . . . . . . . 4,608 537 5, 145 2, IQ4 676 2,870 I, 748 4 I 3 2, IG I Kansas City. . . . . . . 3, O39 438 3, 477 3, 226 924 4, I 50 2, 373 196 2,569 St. Joseph. . . . . . . . . . 2,328 4O9 2,737 17, 882 566 18,448 2, oio 365 2,384 Totals. . . . . . . . 9,975 I, 384 II, 359 || 23, 3O2 2, 166 25,468 | 6, I40 97.4 7, I I-1 | | | Harvest hands and general laborers make up the vast majority of those dealt with by these free employment bureaus. In his report for 1909 the Commissioner of Labor recom- 1mends the establishment of five more offices in the State. MONTANA. Montana passed a law in 1895 creating a State free employment bureau to be carried on by a clerk in connection with the Bureau of Agriculture, Labor and Industry at Helena. The work was to be done mainly by mail. The office was not successful, and the law was repealed two years later. I6 I24 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY In its stead an act was passed permitting any city of the State to conduct its own free employment office. Two cities, Butte and Great Falls have thus far established offices. Their operations for the year ending November 30, 1908, were as follows: APPLICATIONS FOR WORK. APPLICATIONS FOR HELP. POSITIONS SECURED. Male. | Female. | Total. Male. Female. | Total. Male. | Female. | Total. Butte . . . . . . . . . . . 3,478 2,533 4, O II 2, 22 I 3, 224 5,445 I , 805 2, 4 I 7 4, 3 I 2 Great Falls. . . . . . . 707 IOO 807 I54 83 237 97 33 I 30 The Butte office filled almost half its positions outside the city, while the Great Falls office filled 74 positions out of the city, and only 56 within the city. NEBRASKA. In Nebraska a law was passed in 1897 establishing a free employment bureau in con- rection with the Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics at Lincoln. No funds are pro- vided for the work, the Deputy Commissioner of Labor and a stenographer being required to attend to this along with all their other duties. Practically all the places they find are on farms and the business is conducted wholly by mail. NEw JERSEY. Newark.- The city clerk of the city conducts a Municipal Bureau of Employment. The following is from his report for the year 1909. “The bureau was established on November 15, 1909, its purpose being to reduce enforced idleness through the operation of the bureau as a free employment exchange. Opportunity is afforded all unemployed male inhabitants to register with this bureau, which seeks to induce employers of all grades of employees to apply to it for help wanted. “Registration is accomplished through mail, the bureau investigating the records of the registrants, thereby enabling it to meet the requirements of employers without delay. “Help is furnished on the personal application of employers or on mail or telephone orders. “From November 15, 1909 to January 31, 1910, there were 709 persons registered. Of these, 97 procurcd employment through the bureau (no public work).” NEW YORK. A free employment office was established in New York city by the Commissioner of Labor following the passage of a law in 1896. Five thousand dollars was appropriated annually for its maintenance, and the Commissioner of Labor was empowered to appoint a Superintendent and such clerks as might be necessary. In 1906 the Commissioner appointed a committee to investigate the work of the office. They reported that its efforts were confined mainly to supplying domestics, that this work could be done more efficiently by private agencies, and that the money spent for the office could be used to better advan- tage for factory inspection or other work of the Department of Labor. The Commissioner of Labor thereupon discontinued the free employment bureau. The annual appropriation of $5,000 was entirely inadequate for conducting an efficient employment bureau in New York city; and this was the chief cause of the failure of the office. OHIO. The original law establishing free employment offices in Ohio was passed in 1890. Offi- Ces are maintained in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo. The Com- missioner of Labor appoints a Superintendent for each office and may appoint a clerk where One is necessary. The Salary of the Superintendent was fixed at $1,500 and that of clerks at $720 per year, by an amendment to the law in 1904. During the year ended November 15, 1910, the five public employment offices placed 47,209 persons in positions at an aggregate cost of $13,316. 14 or 28.2 cents per person placed. The preceding year only 22,448 persons were placed and the cost was APPENDIX No. 3 — PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE U. S. I25 $13,569.85 or 60.5 cents per person. offices from their beginning in 1890 to November 15, 191o: The following table shows the operations of the five MALES AND FEMALES. APPLICATIONS FILLED. CITIES. Situations Help Positions For For wanted. wanted. secured. I situations. help. Per cent. Per cent. Cincinnati. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I4,769 9 I, O75 72,363 63. I 79.5 Cleveland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I29, 337 II 5,995 85,663 66.2 73.9 Columbus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94,767 96,856 67,089 7o. 8 69.3 Dayton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I33,488 I38,685 90, 3 I2 67.7 65. I Toledo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IOI, 596 IOO,657 72, 44 I 7 I. 3 72 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573,957 543,268 387,868 67.8 72 WASHINGTON. Free employment offices are now operated by four cities in Washington, Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane and Everett. All of these have been established by the municipalities. There is no State law relating to free employment offices. Seattle. The Seattle office is under the control of the Civil Service Commission, which employs a Commissioner of Labor to conduct the public employment bureau. selected by civil service examinations. The operations of the Seattle office from its organization in 1894 to the end of 1909 together with the expenses incurred are shown in the following table: The office force is Total Total Total Cost male female i. &l Grand Average Total of each help help - . total. by month. expense. position. supplied. | supplied. | Pº CTS. Cents. I894. . . . . . . . . . I, 580 I , 243 I, I44 3,967 44I $909 65 22 93 I895. . . . . . . . . . I, 83 I I,898 2, O50 5, 779 482 I, I2O OO I9 38 I896. . . . . . . . . . I, 647 I,756 I35 3,403 284 727 50 2 I 38 I897. . . . . . . . . . 6, 163 2,573 2,890 II, 626 969 724 O8 6 24 I898. . . . . . . . . . I8, I54 3,794 2, 235 24, 183 2, OI5 ! I, 377 I3 5 69 I899. . . . . . . . . . | 20, 852 5,468 I, 285 27, 650 2, 3OO | I , 239 4 I 4 49 I900. . . . . . . . . . | 16, O82 4,082 2,682 22,846 I,904 || I, I32 6 I 4 96 I90I . . . . . . . . . . | 19,411 5,684 I,465 26,560 2, 2I4 I, 276 69 4 O8 I902 . . . . . . . . . . I9, 242 5, 183 I, 480 25,905 2, I 59 I, 32O 9 I 5 OI I903. . . . . . . . . . 23, 3O2 5,639 I,465 30, 305 2, 525 | I , 479 70 4 88 I904 . . . . . . . . . . I5,666 3,787 I, IO5 20, 558 I,713 || I, 308 36 6 36 I905. . . . . . . . . . I7,763 3, 202 8O2 21,767 I , 814 | I, 3I4 I9 6 O3 I906. . . . . . . . . . 3 I, 792 3, 552 2, 490 37,834 3, 153 I,526 II 4 O3 I907 . . . . . . . . . . 28,769 2,305 28O 3 I, O74 2,589 I, 549 30 4 98 I908. . . . . . . . . . 2O, I23 2, O60 | . . . . . . . . 22, 183 I, 848 I, 32 I 70 5 95 I909 . . . . . . . . . . 36,332 2, 5 I 4 | . . . . . . . . 38,846 3,237 I, 623 O5 4 I 8 Tacoma. The Tacoma office was started in 1904. A superintendent is appointed by the mayor upon recommendation of a Commission composed of a member of the City Council, a representative of organized labor, and a member of the Chamber of Commerce. From January, 1907, to August, 1908, Io,335 men were placed in positions and 942 women, the men mainly at general labor and the women at housework. I26 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY Spokane. This office was opened in 1905. Its last report to the Commissioner of Labor of Wash- ington reads as follows: “SPOKANE, WASH., September 30, 1908. DEAR SIR.— Complying with your request of September 23d, I hereby submit report of work done in this office from January 1, 1907 to August 31, 1908. During this time 5,766 men have been furnished positions and 457 women have received work, making a total of 6,223 persons securing employment. This summer has not been nearly so good for work as a year ago. Respectfully submitted, M. R. ARANT.’’ Everett. . Following is the report of the City Free Employment Bureau in Everett for year ending September 1, 1908. Office created by ordinance June 15, 1908. Office opened for business July 26, 1908. Help furnished for July: Male, 25; female, I. Help furnished for August: Male, I 12; female, 18. Office in the City Hall. - Board of Control, consisting of: H. B. Goldfinch, member of Chamber of Commerce; J. A. Powers, member of City Council; J. J. Fox, member of Trades Council. Salary of clerk, seventy-five dollars ($75.oo) per month, WEST VIRGINIA. A law passed in 1901 authorizes the Commissioner of Labor of West Virginia to establish in connection with the Bureau of Labor a free crimployment office, and to employ such assist- ants as may be necessary to carry on the work. The expenses for this purpose, however, are limited to $1,000 per year. The work of the Office from its organization is given in the last report as follows: APPLICATIONS FOR POSITIONS AND FOR HELP AND POSITIONS SECURED THROUGH THE FREE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT BUREAU, MAY 15, 1901, TO MAY 15, 1908. APPLICATIONS FILED FOR- PER CENT. OF POSITIONS SECURED. APPLICATIONS FILLED. YEAR. POSITIONS. HELP. | Males. |Females. | Total. Males. |Females. | Total. Males. |Females. | Total. .. #. | I902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 896 3I2 I, 208 836 468 I , 304 790 254 I, O44 86.4 80. O I903. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 952 I88 2, 140, 3,468 SOI 3,969 I , 8.75 165 2, O40 95.3 5.I . 4 I904. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, OO9 230) 2,239; I, 560 448| 2, 008] I, 504 2O7 I, 7 II 76.4 85.2 1905. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I,960 38O 2, 34O' I , 275 420 I, 695 I, OOI 274 I , 275 54.5 75. 2 1906. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, OIS S2O 2,535 8OI 493 I , 294 65 I 378 I , 0.29 40.6 79.5 I907 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I , 450 540 I , 990 I, O25 785 I, 8 IO 885 478 I, 363 O8.4 75.3 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,852 I , OOS 5,857 43 I 572 I , 003 38 I 461 842 I4.4 83.9 | ; Total. . . . . . . . . . . I5, I.34 3, I 75 18,309 9,396 3.68. I3, 083 7, O87 2, 2 I 7 9, 304 so." 7 I. I | WisconsLN. Wisconsin now has four State free employment offices, one in each of the following cities: Milwaukee, Superior, LaCrosse and Oshkosh. The first office was opened in Su- perior in 1899 by the city government. A State law establishing free employment bureaus was passed in 1901, but this was repealed and a new one enacted in 1903. The Governor, upon the recommendation of the Commissioner of Labor, appoints a superintendent for each office, who serves for two years, and receives a salary of $1,200 per year. The cities APPENDIX No. 3 – PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE .U. S. I27 are required to furnish office room for the free employment bureau, except in Milwaukee, where the local office of the Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics furnishes the quarters. The number of positions reported as filled by each of the four offices is given as follows in the last published report: NUMBER OF POSITIONS REPORTED As FILLED, 1905–8190. + All Mil- e La CLASSIFICATION. offices. waukee. Superior. Crosse. Oshkosh. MALES I905. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,453 3,594 3, 293 I, I25 44. I 1906. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I3,865 6,898 4, 37 I I , 47 I I, I25 I907. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I4,538 5,545 5, 97O I,718 I , 305 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I3, I 33 4, IQ4 6, 20I I, 593 I , I45 Total, four years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49,989 2O, 23.I I9,835 5,907 4, OI6 FEMALES. I905. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,637 I, II 5 7I3 516 293 1906. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,467 I,267 992 544 664 I907 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,884 992 618 635 639 1908. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3, O22 I, O77 672 63 I 642 Total, four years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I2, OIO 4, 45 I 2,995 2,326 2,238 * In explanation of this table the report says: “The figures in reality show the number of persons who have been referred to possible employers who have asked for help, but it has not been ascertained in how many of these cases positions were actually secured.” PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE UNITED STATES. OFFICE FoRCE. OPERATIONS.*** COST. - Kind Estab- & STATE, City. of office. I lished. Official head. NUMBER. SALARIES. Appli- Separate Reports H ppli - - - Annual Per departments. t OW cations Help Positions * * * y selected. for wanted. secured. appro- position Sup’t. Clerks. Others. Sup’t. | Clerks. | Others. work. priations. secured. Colorado. . . . . . Denver. . . . . . . . . • * * - orado #. §: ::::: Commissioner of Labor ; I . . . . . . Appºinted. ;| $1,200 $1,000 | . . . . . . I6,879 | . . . . . . 8, O83 $2,739 $o.34 Male and female. Weekly and annual. Colorado Springs Š. te. . . . . 16.0% e I . . . . . . w O . . ] I , 200 I , OOO . . . . . . . 5,955 . . . . . . . 4, 327 2,766 O. 63 do do pring at C . . . . 907 I I . . . . . . do I, 2OO I , OOO | . . . . . . 7, IS2 | . . . . . . 6,453 2, 740 O .42 do do Connecticut... . #:* * * * * * §: • * * ; : - - - - e º - * * * * * Appºinted. * s: º: • * * * * * : * * * * * * 4,960 | 3,374 ::::: $2, ooo $o. 70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annual • * * * * * - - - - - e. - - - - « g : - - - e. e. e. tº º o • * * * * * * * * * * * * 3, 535 , 2 2, 2, OOO O . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * i. º: - - - §: . . . . IQOI Commissioner of Labor. I . . . . . . . . . . . . . do I , 500 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . ; #:#; ::::: 2, OOO I 4; * * * * * * * * tº a tº 4 & e e 3. N 3. º * - - - - §. . . . IQOI I . . . . . . . . . . . . . do I , 500 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,556 2, 25S I, 907 2, OOO I-95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do OTW1CI] . . . . . . . . ate . . . . . I 90 I I . . . . . . . . . . . . . do I , 500 ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . 659 548 4 I2 2, OOO 4.86 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do £e - e - ſ - - ºp Illinois. . . . . . . . §:§§ §: - © e - ; | 3. - - a s is tº Appºinted. g *::::: sº : *::::: {}}. s & s • * * :::::: $8,250 *::::: Male *: female. Weekly and annual. e • X:--- * * * * | * Wºw ºf ºz I - I dº. I dº & s a g º º & ſº y y t I7, 749 | . . . . . . IO, 253 , O2O O . § º-W. Side. ś. . . . . I 899 State Board of Com- I 2 . . . . . . do I , SOO I, OOO (to 1, 200 ###3% * * * * * * I 2, 93O *::::. 3.3% 3. 3. #."; Loui - - - §. . . . . IQO I missione, s of Labor. I 2 . . . . . . do I , SOO I, OOO to I, 200| Io, 368 . . . . . . 9,965 5, 920 O. 59 do do §. - *::: tate . . . . 1907 I 2 ) . . . . . . do I , SOO I, OOO to I, 200 8,634 | . . . . . . 8, O96 6, 62o O.82 do do pringfield. . . . . . State. . 1909 || J I 2 | . . . . . . do I , SOO I, OOO to I, 200 5, 8 Io . . . . . . 4,827 S., 420 I. I.3 do do Indiana. . . . . . . . Indianapolis. . . . . State . . . . . 1908 Chief–Bu. of Stat. . . . . . . Conducts work by mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, O58 2,857 2,387 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Quarterly and annual. Kansas. . . . . . . . º: City • * * * *::::::: I90 I Director | . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ap. by Gov. $1,200 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 435 I, 966 I, 779 SI, 700 || $o .96 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annual. ë... . . . . Ä...] . . . . . . Directºr free, employ- | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * . . . Kingman * g e - - - - Agency. • * Iment bureaus. * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1 s s a tº e s s a s - e s ∈ e s - * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I e < * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Silver Lake. . . . . Agency... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maryland. . . . . Baltimore . . . . . . State. . . . . I902 Chief—Bu. of Stat. . . . . . . Conducts work by mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 SO 32 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Biennial. Massachusetts. Boston. . . . . . . . . State. . . . . Iooſ | } ni I 8 I Civil service $1,500 $720 $6 o º e - Director— of , 5 7 OO | 35, I8 I 2 I, 425 I5,478 $14,330 $o. 93 Five' . . . . . . . . . . Weekly and annual. §. River . . . . . . §: . . . . I907 j gºureau I . . . . . . . . . . . . . do I , 200 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, o&8 I , 922 I , 42 I I,963 1. 38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do pringfield. . . . . . tate. . . . . IQ07 I 2 . . . . . . . do I, 2OO 72O | . . . . . . 8, IO8 5, OO7 3,675 3, 543 I. 38 Male and female.] do Michigan. . . . . . Bººk º - - - §: & © - ; : • * * * * is I - - e s a e Appºinted. s = • * * * * * r * * * * * * : * * * * * * 1 s e e = ‘. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Male *: female. Anºa * * * * - - - - e º a • * * * * * | * * * * g e O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O Detroit. . . . . . . . . State. . . I905 h I 2 / . . . . . . do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 6 I 27, O I 23,024 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . º: Rapids... §: - e. I90S Commissioner of Labor. I . . . . . . . . . . . . . do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:3:3 $: :::::: - - - - & tº - - ::::::::::::::: : aCKSOI] . . . . . . . . tate. . . I907 I . . . . . . . . . . . . . do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, I I, 6 1,446 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do Kalamazoo. . . . . State . . . . . I907 I | . . . . . . . . . . . . . do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . §§ 5, § ;:#; • * * * * * * * : * * * * * * * * * * * * * s e º a e s is do Muskegon * * - - - - State . . . . . 1909 I . . . . . . . . . . . . . do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do Saginaw. . . . . . . . State. . I907 I l . . . . . . . . . . . . . do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 440 2,687 2,076 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do Minnesota. . . . . Duluth. . . . . . . . . State . . . . . 1901 - • I I l . . . . . . Appointed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I7, 372 I5, I53 $3,601 || $o. 24 Male and female. Annual Minneapolis. . . . . State . . . . . IQoS | sº eIn- I I l . . . . . . do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I , 292 27, 78.I 3, 424 . I 2 do do St. Paul. . . . . . . . State . . . . . I907 I I . . . . . . do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IO, 874 8, 779 2,887 . 33 do do Missouri. . . . . . Kansas City . . . . . State. . . . . 1900 - - I I . . . . . . Appointed. . . S1, 200 S900 i . . . . . . 3,477 4, ISO 2,569 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annual. St. Joseph . . . . . . State . . . . ] 1901 Commissioner of Labor. I I l . . . . . . do . . . I, 200 900 | . . . . . . 2,737 I8,448 2,384 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do St. Louis. . . . . . . State . . . . . 1899 I I l . . . . . . do I , 2OO 900 | . . . . . . 5, I45 2,870 2, 16I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do Montana. . . . . . utte. . . . . . . . . . Municipal 1902 Employment agent. . . . . . I . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appointed. . S1, 200 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, O II 5,445 4, 3I 2 $3, Ooo $o. 70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Biennial. Great Falls. . . . . Municipall 1905 Superintendent. . . . . . . . . . I | . . . . . . . . . . . . . do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 807 237 I30 | . . . . . . . . • * * * u e º s a w w w e º 'º e s - e s do §. Nebraska. . . . . . Lincoln. . . . . . . . State. . . . [ 1897 Deputy Com. of Labor. . . . Conducts work by mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 977 I, 296 T | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘. . . . . . Biennial. New Jersey. . . . . Newark. . . . . . . . Municipal 1909 City clerk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 709 | . . . . . . 97tl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ohio. . . . . . . . . . Cincinnatti. . . . . State. . . . . 1890 I I . . . . . . Appointed...] I, 5oo 720 ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Male and female. Weekly and annual. Cleveland. . . . . . State. . . I890 I I . . . . . . do ..] I, 5oo 720 ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do do Columbus. . . . . . State . . . . | 1890 Commissioner of Labor. I I . . . . . . do I, SOO 720 ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 209 $13,316 || $o. 28 do do Dayton. . . . . . . . State. . . . 1890 I I . . . . . . do I, 500 720 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do do Toledo. . . . . . . . . State . . . I890 I I | . . . . . . do I, SOO 720 ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do do Oklahoma. . . . . Oklahoma City..] State. . . . . 1908 e I I . . . . . . Appointed..] I, 200 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 703 || | | | | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Biennial. mid. . . . . . . . . . . State. . . . . 191o Commissioner of Labor. I : . . . . . . . . . . . . . do .. 900 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,450 $o. 273 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do Muskogee . . . . . . State. . . . . I909 I | . . . . . . . . . . . . . do 900 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 149 || J | U | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do Rhode Island. . . Providence . . . . . State. . . . . 1908 Commissioner of Labor... I 2 Appointed...] I, Soo 480 to 540 3,627 2, IS2 2, I52 $4, ooo $1.85 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annual. Washington. . . . . Seattle. . . . . . . . . Municipali 1894 Civil Service Com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Civil service! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38,846 $1,623 || $o. O4 Male and female.ſ Biennial. Tacoma. . . . . . . . Municipal Igo4. Superintendent. . . . . . . . . . I . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appointed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Io, ooot! . . . . . . . . * - - - do do Spokane. . . . . . . . Municipal 1905 Superintendent. . . . . . . . . . I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, ooot! . . . . . . . . do do Everett. . . . . . . . Municipal Igo& Board of Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . . . . . . Appointed. . . . . . . . . 900 l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, ooof. . . . . . . . . do do West Virginia. . . Wheeling. . . . . . . State . . . 1901 || Commissioner of Labor. . . . . . . . . . . . I l . . . . . . Appointed. . . . . . . . . 500 | . . . . . . 5,857 | 1,003 842 $1,000 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Biennial. . Wisconsin. . . . . Mix. * - - - e º §: . . . . IOOI l I l . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appºinted. . . I 200 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, : tº e s - - - - - Male *: female | Biennial. a CTOSS6 . . . . . . tate . . . . I90 - * I . . . . . . . . . . . . . O - I , 200 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 383 . . . . . . . . . O . ClO Oshkosh. . . . . . . . State. . . . #: j Commissioner of Labor. I . . . . . . . . . . . . . do I , 200 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, O40 | . . . . . . . . do do Superior... . . . . . State. . . . ; 1899 I . . . . . . . . . . . . . do I 200 | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I2, I88 . . . . . . . . . do do * One clerk is assistant superintendent. ** See page —. *** The statistics cover the last year for which a report has been issued, usually 1909 or 1910. f November 15, 1909 to January 31, 1910. † Estimated. § Male skilled, male unskilled, boys, female skilled and female unskilled. * No record kept. The figures for Montana and West Virginia are for the year 1908. § I3O COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY APPENDIX IV. THE BRITISH UNEMPLOYED WORKMEN ACT, 1905. (5 Edw. 7, Ch. 18.) An Act to establish organisation with a view to the provision of Employment or Assistance for Unemployed Workmen in proper cases. (IIth August 1905.) Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and con- sent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assem- bled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:– 1,– (1) For the purposes of this Act there shall be established, by order of the Local Government Board under this Act, a distress committee of the council of every metro- politan borough in London, consisting partly of members of the borough council and partly of members of the board of guardians of every poor law union wholly or partly within the borough and of persons experienced in the relief of distress, and a central body for the whole of the administrative county of London, consisting partly of members of, and Selected by, the distress committees and of members of, and selected by, the London County Council, and partly of persons co-opted to be additional members of the body, and partly, if the Order so provides, of persons nominated by the Local Government Board, but the number of the persons so co-opted and nominated shall not exceed one-fourth of the total number of the body, and every such order shall provide that one member at least of the committee or body established by the order shall be a woman. (2) The distress committee shall make themselves acquainted with the conditions of labour within their area, and when so required by the central body shall receive, inquire into, and discriminate between any applications made to them from persons unemployed: Provided that a distress committee shall not entertain an application from any person unless they are satisfied that he has resided in London for such period, not being less than twelve months, immediately before the application, as the central body fixes as a residential qualification. (3) If the distress committee are satisfied that any such applicant is honestly desirous of obtaining work, but is temporarily unable to do so from exceptional causes over which he has no control, and consider that his case is capable of more suitable treatment under this Act, than under the poor law, they may endeavour to obtain work for the applicant, or, if they think the case is one for treatment by the central body rather than by themselves, refer the case to the central body, but the distress committee shall have no power to provide, or contribute towards the provision of, work for any unemployed person. (4) The central body shall superintend and, as far as possible, co-ordinate the action of the distress committees, and aid the efforts of those committees by establishing, taking over, or assisting labour exchanges and employment registers, and by the collection of in- formation and otherwise as they think fit. (5) The central body may, if they think fit, in any case of an unemployed person referred to them by a distress committee, assist that person by aiding the emigration or re- moval to another area of that person and any of his dependents, or by providing, or contribut- ing towards the provision of, temporary work in such manner as they think best calculated to put him in a position to obtain regular work or other means of supporting himself. (6) Any expenses of the central body under this Act, and such of the expenses of the distress committees under this Act, as are incurred with the consent of the central body, shall be defrayed out of a central fund under the management of the central body, which shall be supplied by voluntary contributions given for the purpose, and by contributions made on the demand of the central body by the council of each metropolitan in proportion to the rateable value of the borough and paid as part of the expenses of the council: Provided that — * * (a) A separate account shall be kept of all sums supplied by contributions made by the councils of the metropolitan boroughs, and no expenses except — APPENDIX No. 4 – BRITISH UNEMPLOYED workMEN Act, 1905 131 (i) establishment charges of the central body and the distress committees, including the expenses incurred by them in respect of labour and employment registers and in the collection of information; and (ii) the expenses incurred by the central body in aiding the emigration or re- moval to another area of an unemployed person and any of his dependents; and (iii) the expenses incurred by the central body in relation to the acquisition, with the consent of the Local Government Board, of land for the purposes of this Act; shall be paid out of that account. (b) No such contribution by a council shall in any year exceed the amount which would be produced by a rate of one halfpenny in the pound calculated on the whole rateable value of the borough, or such higher rate, not exceeding one penny, as the Local Government Board may approve. (7) The provision of temporary work or other assistance for any person under this Act shall not disentitle him to be registered or to vote as a parliamentary, county, or paro- chial elector, or as a burgess. (8) This section shall apply to the City of London as if the City of London were a metropolitan borough, and the mayor, aldermen, and commons of the City of London in common council assembled were the council of the borough, and any contribution required for the purposes of this Act shall be paid out of consolidated rate, but shall not be reckoned in calculating the amount of the rate for the purpose of any limit on that amount. (9) The Local Government Board may, upon the application of the council of any bor- Ough or district adjoining or near to London, by order, extend the provisions of this section to that borough or district as if the borough or district were a metropolitan borough and were within the administrative county of London, and with such other modifications and adaptations as to the Board may appear necessary. 2.— (1) There shall be established by order of the Local Government Board for each municipal borough and urban district with a population, according to the last census for the time being, or not less than fifty thousand, and not being a borough or district to which the provisions of Section one of this Act have been extended, a distress committee of the council for the purposes of this Act, with a similar constitution to that of a distress committee in London, and the distress committee so established shall, as regards their borough or district, have the same duties and powers, so far as applicable, as are given by this Act to the dis- tress committees and central body in London. g This provision shall extend to any municipal borough or urban district with a popula- tion, according to the last Census for the time being, or less than fifty thousand but not less than ten thousand, if the council of the borough or district make an application for the purpose to the Local Government Board, and the Board consent. (2) Subject as aforesaid, the Local Government may, on the application of any county or borough or district council, or board of guardians, or, if they think it expedient, without any such application, by Order establish for the purposes of this Act in any county or part of a county a central body and distress committees with similar constitutions to those of the central body and distress committees in London, and the body and committees so established shall, subject to any exceptions made by the order, have the same duties and powers as respects their area as are given by this Act to the central body and distress committees respectively in London. For the purposes of this provision a county borough with a population of less than fifty thousand shall be deemed to be included in the county in which it is, for the purposes of the Local Government Act, 1888, deemed to be situated. (3) Where a central body and distress committees have not been established under this Act for the whole of a county, the council of that county, and, where a distress committee has not been established under this Act for a county borough, the council of that county borough, shall constitute a special committee under this Act, consisting of members of the council, with power to co-opt any persons to be additional members of the committee; but the number of persons so co-opted shall not exceed one-fourth of the total number of the committee. It shall be the duty of the council, in such a case, through the special committee, to collect information with respect to the conditions of labour within their area by establish- ing, taking over, or assisting labour exchanges and employment registers, and in such other manner as they think fit, and to supply any such information when required. Any expenses incurred by a council under this provision shall be paid in the case of a county council out of the county fund as expenses for special or general county purposes, as the circumstances may require, and in the case of a borough council out of the borough fund or borough rate. I32 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY (4) Where any order is made under this section as respects any area, the provisions of this Act relating to London shall apply with respect to that area, with such necessary modifications and adaptations as may be made by the order. * 3.—Where at any time a central body and distress committees or a distress committee are about to be established for any area under this Act, any body already established in that area, whether before or after the passing of this Act, for the purpose of dealing with the unemployed, and any special committee under this Act, may, if the Local Government Board think fit, be temporarily constituted by order of that Board a central body or a distress committee, as the case may be, until the establishment in accordance with this Act of a central body and distress committees or of a distress committee for that area. 4.— (1) An order of the Local Government Board under this Act establishing a central body or distress committee may provide for the constitution and proceedings of that body or committee, and, in the case of an order establishing a central body, for the incorporation of that body by an appropriate name, and, where any property or liabilities are taken over from any other body, for effecting by virtue of the order the transfer of that property or those liabilities, and also for any matter for which provision may be made by regulations under this Act, and for which it appears desirable to make special provision affecting only the body or committee established by the order. (2) An order of the Local Government Board under this Act may be varied and re- voked by any subsequent order of the Board made under this Act. (3) The Local Government Board may make regulations for carrying into effect this Act, and may by those regulations, amongst other things, provide — (a) for regulating, subject to the provisions of this Act, the conditions under which any application may be entertained by a distress committee under this Act, and the conditions under which a central body may aid emigration or removal or provide or contribute towards the provision of work under this Act, and other- wise for regulating the manner in which any duties under this Act are to be per- formed or powers exercised by any central body or distress committee or special committee under this Act; and (b) for authorising the establishment, with the consent of the Local Govern- ment Board, of farm colonies by a central body established under this Act, and the provision, with the like consent, by such a body of temporary accommodation for persons for whom work upon the land is provided; and (c) for authorising and regulating the acquisition by a central body of land by agreement for the purposes of this Act, and the disposal of any land so acquired; and (d) for the employment of officers and provision of offices, and for enabling any inspector of the Local Government Board to attend the meeting of any body or committee established under this Act; and (e) for authorising the acceptance of any money or property by a central body established under this Act, and for regulating the administration of any money or property so acquired; and (f) for the payment of any receipts of a central body to the central fund, and for the apportionment, if necessary, of those receipts between the voluntary con- tribution account and the rate contribution account of that fund; and (g) for the audit of the accounts of any central body established under this Act in the same manner and subject to the same provisions as to any matter incidental to the audit or consequential thereon as the accounts of a county council; and (h) for enforcing the payment of contributions by any councils liable to make such contributions in pursuance of this Act, and for authorising and regu- lating the borrowing of money by a central body established under this Act; and (i) for facilitating the co-operation of any body or committee having powers under this Act for any area with any other body or committee, or with any local authority, and the provision of assistance by one such body or committee to another; and (k) for applying, with the necessary adaptations, to a distress committee having the powers of a central body regulations relating to a central body; and (1) for the holding of local inquiries by the Local Government Board for the purposes of this Act, and for requiring returns to be made to the Board by any body or committee having powers under this Act; and APPENDIX No. 4 – BRITISH UNEMPLOYED WORKMEN ACT, 1905 133 (m) for the application for the purposes of this Act, as respects any matters to be dealt with by the regulations, of any provision in any Act, of Parliament dealing with the like matters, with any necessary modifications of adaptations. All regulations made under this Act shall be laid as soon as may be before Parliament. 5. In the application of this Act to Scotland — (1) “The Local Government Board of Scotland ” shall be substitute for “ the Local Government Board ”: (2) “Royal, parliamentary, or police burgh "shall be substituted for “muni- cipal borough and urban district ’’ and for “borough or district ’’: (3) “Parish '' shall be substituted for “poor law union,” “parish council '' shall be substituted for “board of guardians,” and “town council ' shall be substituted for “council of the borough or district ’’ and for “borough or district council '': (4) “Royal, parliamentary, or police burgh with a population, according to the last census for the time being, of less than fifty thousand, but not less than twenty thousand,” shall be substituted for “county borough '': (5) References to special county purposes shall not apply: (6) “Burgh general improvement assessment ’’ or any other assessment levi- able in equal proportions on owners and occupiers shall be substituted for “borough fund or borough rate ’’: Provided that any rate under this Act shall not be reck- oned in calculating the amount of such assessment for the purpose of any statutory limit on such assessments: (7) “Inspector ’’ shall include general superintendent and visiting officer: (8) Sections forty-seven, fifty-two, and fifty-three of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1894, shall be substituted for sections eighty-five, eighty-six, and eighty-eight of the Local Government Act, 1894: (9) “ Municipal elector ’’ shall be substituted for “burgess'': (Io) Subsection three of section two of this Act shall not apply to any county or to any burgh except with the consent of the Local Government Board for Scot- land expressed by order made on the application of the county council or town Council, as the case may be. 6. In the application of this Act to Ireland — (1) “The Local Government for Ireland ” shall be substituted for “the Local Government Board ”: (2) As respects population “ten thousand ” shall be substituted for “fifty thousand,” and “five thousand ’’ for “ten thousand ’’: (3) The provisions of this Act relating to the inclusion of a county borough in a county shall not apply: (4) Subsection three of section two of this Act shall not apply to any county in Ireland, except by order of the Local Government Board for Ireland made on the application of the council of that county: (5) Articles forty, forty-three, and forty-five of the schedule to the Local Government (Application of Enactments) order, 1898, shall be substituted for sections eighty-five, eighty-six, and eighty-eight respectively of the Loca Gov- ernment Act, 1894. 7. This Act may be cited as the Unemployed Workmen Act, 1905. 8. This Act shall continue in force for three years from the date of the passing thereof, and no longer, unless Parliament otherwise determine, and at the expiration of that period, unless this Act is so continued as aforesaid, the Local Government Board shall make such orders as they think necessary for dissolving the central bodies and distress committees established under this Act, and transferring their property and liabilities; and for the pur- poses of such transfer sections eighty-five, eighty-six and eighty-eight of the Local Govern- ment Act, 1894 (which relate to current rates, existing Securities and debts, and pending contracts, &c.), shall apply, with such modifications and adaptations as may be made by order of the Local Government Board. I34 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY APPENDIX V. THE BRITISH LABOUR EXCHANGES ACT, REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT, AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT. LABOUR Exchanges ACT, 1909. (9 Edw. 7, Ch. 7.) An Act to provide for the establishment of Labour Exchanges and for other purposes incidental thereto. |20th September 1909.] Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: 1.— (1) The Board of Trade may establish and maintain, in such places as they think fit, labour exchanges, and may assist any labour exchanges maintained by any other authori- ties or persons, and in the exercise of these powers may, if they think fit, co-operate with any other authorities or persons having powers for the purpose. (2) The Board of Trade may also, by such other means as they think fit, collect and furnish information as to employers requiring workpeople and workpeople seeking engage- ment or employment. * (3) The Board of Trade may take over any labour exchange (whether established before or after the passing of this Act) by agreement with the authority or person by whom the labour exchange is maintained, and any such authority or person shall have power to transfer it to the Board of Trade for the purposes of this Act. (4) The powers of any central body or distress committee, and the powers of any council through a special committee, to establish or maintain, under the Unemployment Workmen Act, 1905, a labour exchange or employment register shall, after the expiration of one year from the commencement of this Act, not be exercised except with the Sanction of, and subject to any conditions imposed by the Local Government Board for England, Scotland, or Ireland, as the case may require, and that Sanction shall not be given except after consultation with the Board of Trade. 2.— (1) The Board of Trade may make general regulations with respect to the manage- ment of labour exchanges established or assisted under this Act, and otherwise with respect to the exercise of their powers under this Act, and such regulations may, subject to the approval of the Treasury, authorise advances to be made by way of loan towards meeting the expenses of workpeople travelling to places where employment has been found for them through a labour exchange. (2) The regulations shall provide that no person shall suffer any disqualification or be otherwise prejudiced on account of refusing to accept employment found for him through a labour exchange where the ground of refusal is that a trade dispute which affects his trade exists, or that the wages offered are lower than those current in the trade in the district where the employment is found. (3) Any general regulations made under this section shall have effect as if enacted in this Act, but shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament as soon as may be after they are made, and, if either House of Parliament within the next forty days during the session of Parliament after any regulations have been so laid before that House resolves that the regulations or any of them ought to be annulled, the regulations or those to which the resolution applies shall, after the date of such resolutions, be of no effect, without prejudice to the validity of anything done in the meantime under the regulations or to the making of any new regulations. (4) Subject to any such regulations, the powers of the Board of Trade under this Act shall be exercised in such manner as the Board of Trade may direct. (5) The Board of Trade may, in such cases as they think fit, establish advisory com- mittees for the purpose of giving the Board advice and assistance in connexion with the management of any labour exchange. APPENDIX NO. 5 – BRITISH LABOUR EXCHANGES ACT, ETC. I35 3. If any person knowingly makes any false statement or false representation to any officer of a labour exchange established under this Act, or to any person acting for or for the purpose of any such labour exchange, for the purpose of obtaining employment or procuring workpeople, that person shall be liable in respect of each offence on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ten pounds. 4. The Board of Trade may appoint such officers and servants for the purposes of this Act as the Board may, with the Sanction of the Treasury, determine, and there shall be paid out of moneys provided by Parliament to such officers and servants such salaries or remuneration as the Treasury may determine, and any expenses incurred by the Board of Trade in carrying this Act into effect, including the payment of travelling and other allow- ances to members of advisory committees and other expenses in connexion therewith, to Such amount as may be Sanctioned by the Treasury, shall be defrayed out of moneys pro- vided by Parliament. 5. In this Act the expression “labour exchange ’’ means any office or place used for the purpose of collecting and furnishing information, either by the keeping of registers or otherwise, respecting employers who desire to engage workpeople and workpeople who seek engagement or employment. 6. This Act may be cited as the Labour Exchanges Act, 1909. GENERAL REGULATIONS MADE BY THE BOARD OF TRADE IN PURSUANCE OF SEction (2) OF THE LABOUR Exchanges Act, 1909. I.— (1) Applicants for employment through a labour exchange shall register and shall renew their registration there in person, if they reside within three miles of the exchange or within such other distance as the Board of Trade may direct from time to time, either generally or as regards any specified district or class of applicants. (2) In the case of applicants not residing within the above limit of distance, the officer in charge of the labour exchange may accept registration or renewal of registration through the post. (3) Applicants shall register upon a form containing the particulars set forth in the First Schedule hereto, subject to such modifications as may be made by the Board of Trade from time to time, either generally or as regards any specified district or trade or class of applicants. (4) The above regulations shall not apply to juvenile applicants. II.- Registration of applications for employment shall hold good for seven days from the date of registration or for such other period as the Board of Trade may from time to time direct either generally or as regards any specified district or trade or class of applicants, but may be renewed within that period for a like period and so on from time to time. III — (1) Any association of employers or workmen may file at a labour exchange a statement with regard to the existence of a strike or lock-out affecting their trade in the dis- trict. Any such statement shall be in the form set out in the Second Schedule hereto, and shall be signed by a person authorised by the association for the purpose. Such statement shall be confidential except as hereunder provided and shall only be in force for seven days from the date of filing but may be renewed within that period for a like period and so on from time to time. (2) If any employer who appears to be affected by a statement so filed notifies to a labour exchange a vacancy or vacancies for workmen of the class affected, the Officer in charge shall inform him of the statement that has been filed, and give him an oppor- tunity of making a written statement thereon. The officer in charge in notifying any such vacancies to any applicant for employment shall also inform him of the statements that have been received. IV.- (1) The officer in charge of a labour exchange in notifying applications for employ- ment and vacancies to employers and applicants respectively shall undertake no responsi- bility with regard to wages or other conditions, beyond supplying the employer or applicant, as the case may be, with any information in his possession as to the rate of wages desired or offered. (2) Copies or summaries of any agreements mutually arranged between associations of employers and workmen for the regulation of wages or other conditions of labor in any trade may, with the consent of the various parties to such agreements, be filed at a labour exchange and any published rules made by public authorities with regard to like matters may also be filed. Documents so filed shall be open to inspection on application. (3) No person shall suffer any disqualification or be otherwise prejudiced on account of refusing to accept employment found for him through a labour exchange where the ground I36 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY of refusal is that a trade dispute which affects his trade exists or that the wages offered are lower than those current in the trade in the district where the employment is found. V.— (1) Where an applicant for employment has been engaged through a labour ex- change at which he is registered to take up employment at any place removed from the exchange or from his ordinary residence by more than five miles by the quickest route, or by such other distance as the Board of Trade may direct from time to time, either gener- ally or as regards any specified district the officer in charge may, at his discretion, make an advance to the applicant towards meeting the expenses of travelling to the place of employment. (2) The advance may be made at the request either of the employer or of the appli- cant. The person at whose request the advance is made shall give such undertaking with respect to the repayment of the advance as the Board of Trade, with the consent of the Treasury, may from time to time prescribe either generally or as regards any specified district or class of applicants. (3) No advance shall be made where the officer in charge has reason to believe that the employment falls within the terms of Regulation IV. (3) hereof. (4) In making advances care shall be taken to avoid unduly encouraging rural labour- ers to migrate from the country to the towns or between Great Britain and Ireland. (5) The advance shall not exceed the amount required to defray the applicant's fare to the place of employment, and will be made by the provision of a ticket or pass, or, in exceptional circumstances, in cash. VI.- The officers in charge of a labour exchange shall consult the central office in London before notifying to applicants for employment vacancies at any place outside the British Isles. * VII.- (1) There shall be established by the Board of Trade in such areas of the United Kingdom as they think fit advisory trade committees consisting of equal numbers of persons representing employers and workmen in the district and appointed by the Board of Trade after consultation with such bodies and persons as they may think best quali- fied to advise them on the matter, together with a chairman, agreed upon by a majority both of the persons representing employers and of the persons representing workmen, or in default of such agreement appointed by the Board of Trade. (2) It shall be the duty of advicory trade committees to advise and assist the Board of Trade in regard to any matters referred to them in connection with the management of labour exchanges. (3) The members of an advisory trade committee including the chairman shall remain in office for three years. (4) Vacancies, howsoever caused, occurring in the membership or chairmanship of an advisory trade committee shall from time to time be filled in the same manner as pro- vided by sub-clause (1) of this regulation in regard to the original appointment of members and chairman. Any person appointed to fill a vacancy shall not hold office after the expiration of the period during which the person in whose place he is appointed would Have held office. (5) At the request of the majority either of the persons representing employers or of the persons representing workmen on an advisory trade committee present at any meeting, voting on any particular question shall be so conducted that there shall be an equality of votes as between the persons representing employers and the persons represent- ing workmen, notwithstanding the absence of any member. Save as aforesaid every question shall be decided by a majority of the members present and voting on that question. (6) On any question on which equality of voting power has been claimed under sub- clause 5 of this regulation, the chairman shall have no vote, but in case of the votes recorded being equal he shall make a report to that effect to the Board of Trade and may also, if he think fit, state his own opinion on the merits of the question. (7) Subject to these regulations the procedure of any advisory trade committee shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Trade, or by the Committee with the approval of the Board. VIII.- (1) All applications for accommodation within the premises of a labour ex- change shall be made to the officer in charge of such lanour exchange, who shall consult the advisory trade committee for the district. Any such application shall only be granted for Such purposes and on such terms and conditions as the committee may approve. (2) In the case of labour exchanges which were in operation before the passing of the Labour Exchanges Act, 1909, existing arrangements with regard to accommodation may be allowed to continue except in so far as they may be modified or cancelled here- after. APPENDIX NO. 5 – BRITISH LABOUR EXCHANGES ACT, ETC. I37 IX.- Subject to these regulations, special rules may be made from time to time by the Board of Trade, after consulting the Board of Education so far as regards England and Wales and the Scottish Education Department so far as regards Scotland and the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland so far as regards Ireland, with respect to the registration of juvenile applicants for employment; that is to say, applicants under the age of 17 or such other limit as the Board may fix, either generally or as regards any specified district or trade or class of applicants. The Board of Trade make these Regulations by virtue of the power conferred upon them by Section 2, Subsection I of the Labour Exchanges Act, 1909. Dated this 28th day of January 1910. - H. LLEWELLYN SMITH, Secretary. Board of Trade, Whitehall Gardens, S. W. FIRST SCHEDULE. Particulars to be included on the Form for Registration of Adult Applicants for Employment. (N. B.-Applicants are not compelled to furnish all the particulars specified.) Surname. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Age Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Work desired. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Last employer and previous employer in ) in that class of work, with address and period and date of employment. Qualifications for desired employment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Also willing to take work as . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Whether willing to take work at a distance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . When free to begin work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a & e e ſº * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SECOND SCHEDULE. FoRM OF STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REGULATION III (1) I, the undersigned, being duly author zed by (give the name of the association) beg to notify that the above Association has a trade dispute, involving (insert “a strike ’’ or “lock-out,” as the case may be), with (give the names of firms or class of firms or the name of the association). Dated this day of I9 Signature Address SPECIAL RULES WITH REGARD TO REGISTRATION OF JUVENILE APPLICANTS IN ENGLAND AND WALES MADE IN PURSUANCE OF REGULATION No. IX OF THE GENERAL REG- ULATIONS FOR LABOUR Exchanges MANAGED BY THE BOARD OF TRADE. I. Juvenile applicants for employment shall register on the forms prescribed in the Schedule to these Rules, subject to such modifications as may be made therein by the Board of Trade from time to time. Such applicants, or any prescribed class of such applicants, may be permitted in lieu of attending personally at a labour exchange to register their applications at such other places as may be recognised by the Board of Trade as suitable for the purpose. Forms containing such applications, if transmitted forthwith to a labour exchange, shall be treated as equivalent to personal registration. VoI. III.-18 I38 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY 2.—(1) Special advisory committees for juvenile employment shall be established in such areas as the Board of Trade may think expedient. These committees shall include persons possessing experience or knowledge of education or of other conditions affecting young persons, appointed after consulting such authorities, bodies, and persons as the Board think best qualified to advise them, and also persons representing employers and workmen, appointed after consulting any advisory trade committee established in the district in pursuance of Regulation No. VII of the General Regulations, together with a chairman appointed by the Board. (2) Such labor exchange officers as may be designated by the Board of Trade, and such of His Majesty's Inspectors of Schools as may be designated by the Board of Educa- tion may be present at meetings of the special advisory committees, but shall not be mem- bers thereof. 3. Subject to these rules, the procedure of a special advisory committee for juvenile employment shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Trade or by the Com- mittee with the approval of the Board. 4. It shall be the duty of a special advisory committee to give advice with regard to the management of any labour exchange in its district in relation to juvenile applicants for employment. 5. Subject to these rules a special advisory committee may take steps, either by themselves or in co-operation with any other bodies or persons, to give information, advice, and assistance to boys and girls and their parents with respect to the choice of employment and other matters bearing thereon. Provided that the Board of Trade and the officer in charge of the labour exchange shall undertake no responsibility with regard to any advice or assistance so given. 6. (1) If any Local Education Authority for Higher Education which has or may ac- quire statutory powers for the purpose of giving advice, information, or assistance to boys and girls with respect to the choice of employment or other matters bearing thereon, submits to the Board of Education a scheme for the exercise of those powers, and the Board cf Education, after consulting with the Board of Trade, approve that scheme with or without modifications, the foregoing rules shall, so long as the scheme is carried out to the satis- faction of the Board of Education, apply to the area of that Local Education Authority with the following modifications:— (a) The officer in charge of any labour exchange shall not undertake the regis- tration of juvenile applicants for employment except in accordance with the pro- visions of the scheme. sº (b) The special advisory committee for juvenile employment shall take no steps under Rule 5 except in accordance with the provisions of the scheme. (c) The Board of Trade may, if they think fit, recognise, in lieu of any special advisory committee establish or to be established under these rules, an advisory committee constituted under the scheme, provided that such committee included an adequate number of members possessing experience or knowledge of educational and industrial conditions, and thereupon the Board of Trade may, if the circum- stances require either dissolve any special advisory committee or modify its area and constitution. (2) Nothing in this rule shall affect the registration at any labour exchange of vacancies for juvenile workers notified by employers. 7. These Rules shall apply to the registration of juvenile applicants in England and Wales. - These Rules are made by the Board of Trade after consultation with the Board of Education in pursuance of Regulation No. IX. of the General Regulations for Labour Exchanges managed by the Board of Trade. Dated this seventh day of February 1910. - H. LLEWELLYN SMITH, Secretary. Board of Trade, Whitehall Gardens, S. W. APPENDIX NO. 5 — BRITISH LABOUR EXCHANGES ACT, ETC. I39 SCHEDULE TO SPECIAL RULES. PARTICULARS TO BE INCLUDED ON THE FORM FOR REGISTRATION OF JUVENILE APPLICANTs For EMPLOYMENT. Date of birth. Full address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Name of last day School and date of leaving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Standard or class in which applicant was on leaving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Whether applicant was a half-timer before leaving and, if so, how long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Whether attending or proposing to attend any continuation or technical school, and, if so, in what course or subjects, and whether in the day or evening Employment or employments since leaving school: Employment desired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Whether willing to be apprenticed, and if so whether a premium can be paid Whether willing to take work at a distance Remarks tº a º º is e g º $ tº a tº & © * * * * * * * s is e º e s s a s e º e º e º e e s is sº e º e s e e s & © e º a tº a º * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * s s = e e s e º e s s a s , s s = e = e s e e s a s s = e s a e º s FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The national system of labour exchanges which it is proposed to establish under the present Bill contemplates the division of the United Kingdom into Io great districts, each Division being a unit complete in itself, under the supervision of a Divisional Central Office or “Clearing House,” and containing a network of minor exchanges, varying in importance with the localities which they serve. The Divisional Centres will be co- ordinated with each other and with the central office or “National Clearing House" of the whole system, which will be situated in London. For the complete and efficient organization of this system, at least 240 Exchanges will probably be required, and the best and more economical method for the provision of accom- modation for these Exchanges has been carefully considered by a small committee of the Board of Trade. The Exchanges have, for the purposes of convenience, been very roughly classified as follows:— A. For towns with over Ioo, ooo inhabitants. B. For “ " from 50,000 to Ioo,ooo inhabitants. C. For “ " " 25,000 to 50,000 inhabitants and suburban districts. D. Docks and Casual Labor Centres (Waiting rooms). It has been estimated that the numbers of each of the types of offices will be approxi- mately: A. From 30 to 35. B. From 40 to 45. C. From 130 to 16o. D. (Waiting rooms), from 20 to 3o. This is exclusive of the Divisional Clearing Houses, which will be located in the same building as the principal Exchange in each Division, and the Central Office or National Clearing House in London. It will not, of course, be possible to bring the whole system into being during the present financial year; the utmost that can be done will be to set up about half the total number proposed, but these will include nearly all the more important Exchanges, the remainder being established in 1910–II. The method which it is proposed to adopt as a rule at the outset is to hire existing premises throughout the United Kingdom, and to carry out the necessary alterations and adaptations to fit them for the purposes of Labour Exchanges. I40 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY The accommodation required for these Exchanges is, however, necessarily of a some- what special character, including adequate rooms, commanded by and easily accessible from the offices set aside for the staff. This is not always readily obtainable, and, especially in the case of the more important, i. e., the Class A. Exchanges, it is not likely that entirely suitable premises will be obtained without a great amount of costly adaptation. For this reason especially, and generally for the more efficient working of the system, it is proposed eventually to erect buildings, at least for the Class A. Exchanges, such construction being spread over a period of some Io years. While this course will necessitate additional capital expenditure, the estimates which have been framed go to show that it will result in considerable ultimate economy owing to saving of rent. - - Estimates have been framed showing the probable cost of renting and adapting prem- ises for the different types of Exchanges. This expenditure falls naturally into two divisions —viz. (1) Initial expenditure, for alterations, fittings, and furniture; and (2) Annual ex- penditure, for rent and taxes, heating, lighting, and maintenance. The total amount for each of these categories is estimated to be approximately Ioo, oool. and 60,000l. respectively, for the full number of Exchanges contemplated. The eventual cost of purchasing sites and erecting buildings for Class A. Exchanges would, it is estimated, amount to some 18o, oool., and as has already been pointed out, this process would be spread over a period of years, probably about Io. The Io Exchanges housing the Divisional Clearing Houses should, however, be constructed in two years (i. e., in the years 1910–11 and 1911–12), as it is most important that the Divisional Centres should be suitably housed and adequately equipped at the earliest moment possible. The saving effected in annual cost of rent, &c., at the end of the period of construction has been estimated to amount to about Io, oool. per annum. The initial expenditure on buildings, including sites, would amount to about 65,000l. in the present financial year, 65,000l. in the following year, 36,000l. in 1911–12, and rather under 20, oool. in each of the following six or seven years; the annual expenditure on rental, upkeep and maintenance would rise from about Io, oool. in the present year to about 50,000l. in 1910–II. In 1911–12 the figure would amount to about 55,000l. and would decline gradually to about 45,000l. as the building of premises for the exchanges is completed. Each exchange will have a staff varying from the single clerk-caretaker of a simple waiting room to the staff of about a dozen for a Divisional Clearing House. The total number of officers of all grades required will probably be over 8oo, and the average annual cost of salaries and wages when the scheme is in complete working order is estimated approxi- mately at 95,000l. The expenditure of salaries in the present financial year will be about I5,oool., in the second 65,000l., rising ultimately to the figure stated above. The two items already dealt with cover the major portion of the amounts required. In addition to this, postage, printing, and stationery, is estimated to account for another 25,000l. a year; and telephones, which form a most important feature of the system, together with travelling and incidental expenses, will require about 12,000l. more. The total sum in respect of expenses other than on account of salaries and buildings is thus about 37,500l. In the present year about 12,000l. will be required under this heading. The total expenditure, so far as can be estimated at present, will be approximately as follows:— #, 1999T19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ioo, Ooo 1919TI I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Io, Ooo 191 ITI 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Io, OOO 1912-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Oo, Ooo 1913-14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Oo, Ooo 1914T15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2OO, Ooo 1915-16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Oo, Ooo 1916-17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Oo, Ooo 1917-18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 oo, Ooo 1918-19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Oo, Ooo 1919-20 and subsequent years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18o, ooo APPENDIX No. 6 — “ LABOR MARKET LETTER '' I4I APPENDIX VI. “Labor Market Letter’’ issued monthly by the Superintendent of the Boston Free Employment Office. (For the year 1910.) JANUARY. It is not too much to say that at present there is plenty of work. We have a large increase in the demand for workers over that of last year at this season, and a considerable decrease in the applications for employment. This is a very good indication of the fact that fewer people are out of a job. More than 14,000 individual employers have applied to us for men to fill vacancies since we began work, three years ago, and in the majority of instances these applications have been filled and filled satisfactorily. We are not furnishing unskilled labor alone but skilled labor as well. We have applications for men to fill places paying up in the thousands, and some of these applications we have successfully filled, too. There are positions paying all the way from $3,000 to $5,000 a year now waiting. The chief trouble we, in company with other employment agencies, experience is in finding men qualified to fill them. What we want are technically trained men. They are what we are asked to supply, and such men can be placed without the least trouble. You don't hear of technical school and college graduates seeking work. Such men are snapped up and placed in good paying positions on graduation. They are the men that the world wants to-day. We have not a sufficiency of such men, and the cause for this is the lack of indifference of parents to their children's future. MARCH. Labor conditions for Boston and vicinity may be said to be good, very much better than last year. The demand for skilled help, especially in the metal trades, continues large, not alone for Boston and Massachusetts but, so far as I am able to learn, for all New England. Competent machinists at from $2.25 to $3 per day, for nine hours, are exceed- ingly scarce. The G. E. Co., at West Lynn and Pittsfield, and in fact nearly all of the machine shops in New England are in need of competent machinists at the above con- ditions or better. The Fore River Ship Building Co., to fullfil the Argentine warship con- tract of $22, ooo, ooo recently made, will need several thousand additional mechanics, skilled in the different trades. The demand for help in the industrial lines has been good; in the building trades it should be phenomenal very soon. Agricultural help is not in great demand at present. There is a noticeable scarcity of competent and reliable farm laborers, with evidence that farmers will have to pay more for labor than in previous years. Just at this season every year ambitious boys, neat and honest, are scarce at wages varying from $3 to $5 per week. We have a few good opportunities for apprentices. We could easily place 5oo women at factory work of various kinds, as stitchers, power machine operators, candy workers, also at addressing, at wages ranging from $5 to $8 per week or more if they are experienced. We could place several hundred women as domes- tics in some of the best families in Boston and vicinity at from $2.5o to $7 per week, ac- cordingly. With regard to the supply of labor — there is an unusally large number of unskilled out of employment at this season, men who may be classed as shippers, packers, clerks, janitors, watchmen, collectors and general workers, – men who are willing to work for from $8 to $15 per week. We have a large supply of women who desire employment at work by the day such as cleaning, washing, etc., at I 5c an hour, who prefer to go home nights. There are also several hundred young women eligible as office clerks at $5 to $9 per week. APRIL. There has been a decided improvement in the demand for help at this office during the past few weeks. The demand for skilled help and farm hands far exceeds the supply. The supply of unskilled help remains about the same. I42 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY No first class mechanic need be idle, provided that he is willing to accept employers' terms. We now have a demand for first class tool-makers, punch and die-makers, carriage and sign painters, draftsmen, lathers, carpenters, wagon-makers, women for factory work, also farm hands. The demand for housework girls has been greater than the supply during the depression, and now that business has started up again the demand has greatly increased. In a few weeks the summer resorts will commence to engage their help for the season, which begins about June 15. Temperate and industrious persons with some skill can secure employment more readily than at any time within the past 17 months. MAY. Conditions in the Labor Market of New England are decidedly better than a year ago. The demand for help skilled in the agricultural, building, and industrial lines has been ex- ceedingly large, nearly 50 per cent. greater than last season with a slight increase in wages offered. Machine shop and foundry hands have been in great demand and are exceedingly scarce all over New England. Many shops are running night and day. We have had a demand for skilled help from various sections of the country but could not fill the orders if we wanted to as under our law we must give preference to residents of Massachusetts. So far as I have been able to learn there never has been a greater demand for skilled work- men everywhere than at the present time. In commercial or mercantile lines business has not been brisk for some time. I had hoped for an improvement before this but there does not seem to be any immediate pros- pect of better conditions. We have had an excessive demand for female help of all kinds factory, hotel, house- work, and restaurant, with really no good material on hand with which to supply such demand. The warm weather is about here and the proprietors of summer resorts, from present indications, are going to have difficulty in Securing a sufficient supply of help, unless something unforeseen happens. We have unfilled orders for more than 200 housemaids in some of the best private families in greater Boston. The supply of men who desire light general work, such as clerks, shippers, packers, janitors, porters, or watchmen, is surprisingly large just now, with very little demand at any price. The market is overcrowded with such help. They are asking from $10 to $15 per week with no offers. There is plenty of work for such help in the country but they are unwilling to leave the city and its allurements. The demand for good boys at from $3.50 to $6 per week cannot be supplied just now but very soon the market will be well supplied as is the case every year when school closes. Boys and men with a technical training, graduates of either Technology or Mechanics Art High are always in demand. JUNE. The labor conditions for Boston and vicinity, and I may say for all New England, continue good. There is really no unemployment among willing industrial workers. There is an unprecedented excessive demand for female help, as domestic, factory, hotel and res- taurant workers. Business in the mercantile and retail lines, due to unseasonable weather of the past month, has been exceedingly quiet. The demand for agricultural help has shown an increase over last year with better wages offered. Notwithstanding the usual adjustment of labor conditions which occur during the late spring, there has been no un- usual disturbance this year. * This is largely due to a better feeling existing between employers and employees. Three weeks ago 2,500 of the machinists of Boston and vicinity struck for improved con- ditions with less than 3oo on strike now. There is a great demand for help at the summer resorts which is usual at this time of year. JULY. The labor market, viewed from the State Free Employment Office at Boston, may be Said to be normal for this time of year. There has been a slight decrease in the demand for industrial help of all kinds. Manufacturers are going slowly for fear of over-produc- tion. The demand for skilled workmen, except in certain seasonal occupations, has been fairly good. There has been a fair demand for stenographers and bookkeepers as sub- stitutes during the vacation period, with a reasonable supply on hand. There is evidence of a decrease in the demand for female factory help. Construction is not especially brisk at present. There are quite a few building trades- men idle, although not as many as there were last year. There has been a slight cessation in the demand for machine shop and foundry hands. APPENDIX No. 6 — “LABOR MARKET LETTER '' I43 The demand for summer hotel help for the past month has been excessive, with a limited supply. From present indications such help will be scarcer in the future. Present orders are to fill vacancies only. A large portion of the help at summer resorts are students and teachers, who take this means of securing a vacation and earning a little money. We have had a large demand for such help from adjoining states, but under our law, we must give preference to residents of Massachusetts. There is a noticeable improvement in the farm labor market, compared with last year, which is largely due to the campaign of education that has been going on for a year Or more. The “back to the land ” talk has been exceedingly beneficial to the farmer. Agricultural help has been in good demand with a fair supply, all things considered, at increased wages. There is a large supply of boys, who are seeking vacation jobs, with a chance to learn trades — rather more than there were last year, with really no demand. This increased desire of the youth to learn a trade seems to be due to the social evolution which has been in progress for several years, with regard to vocational and industrial education. Greater care is being exercised by employers with regard to the employment of children under the School age. There is a large class of unskilled, who will not work, who should be made to work On the land where they will not come into competition with free labor. The state should send all such persons who will not work to some institution where they will be made to work and join the producing class. They might be leased on some equitable basis to the farmers of the state on parole, and if they perform their work well, and prove to be of steady habits for a certain period, they could be allowed a portion of the money earned, as an incentive to industry. This is only a suggestion, however, which could, no doubt, be improved on. One thing is certain, and that is, Something must be done shortly to minimize the number of non-producers — those who will not work – and also to minimize the number of unskilled in the large cities. We could easily place 5oo domestics, 200 waitresses, Ioo chambermaids, 5o scrub women in hotels and institutions, also kitchen women and cooks in city and summer resorts at good wages. Female help is in great demand everywhere, with really no supply. The number of those who formerly did such work grows less, with no prospect of improvement. AUGUST. The condition of the labor market as viewed from the State Free Employment Office at Boston, may be said to be normal for this time of year. There is a large demand for female help of all kinds, with a limited supply of good material on hand. A large number of engineers and firemen are idle, rather more than there were last year. Building mechanics, painters, and carpenters, are plenty with no demand. There are quite a num- ber of machine shop and foundry hands idle. High grade mechanics such as toolmakers and certain kinds of specialists in the metal trades are scarce. First-class cabinet makers are in demand. Farm help is in good demand, with a limited supply. Farmers are not offering high wages for such help. Hotel and restaurant proprietors at the summer resorts and in the city have been experiencing great difficulty in securing enough competent help in the culinary departments. Very many boys and young men, rather more than usual, are applying for positions as apprentices and to learn trades, with few opportunities to place them. We have a small army of men of all ages who are seeking employment as clerks, col- lectors, watchmen, bookkeepers, shippers, janitors, caretakers, handy men, elevator tenders, and in fact any kind of light general work, with absolutely no demand for their services. There is a surprisingly large number of vagrants — men unwilling to work — in this city. * SEPTEMBER. Conditions in the Labor Market as viewed from the State Free Employment Office at Boston, remain about the same as reported for the month of August, except that there is an increased demand for boys on account of school opening. There is an excessive demand for young men and boys for errand and office work, with a limited supply of good material on hand. An unusually large number of young men and boys are seeking an opportunity to learn a trade. Employers do not seem to be offering such opportunities for apprentices as they did years ago. The demand for skilled mechanics continues good. The unskilled are still with us in large numbers, many of whom are unwilling to work. The demand for domestics is exceedingly large with a limited supply. Factory help (female) is still in demand, which is usual for this season. I44 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY High grade mechanics in the metal trades are in great demand in the Connecticut Valley. Business in nearly all industrial lines in the New England States, everything considered, may be said to be fairly good. Manufacturers, generally speaking, are not overstocking the market; a few here and there are running overtime but only to keep up with orders. Reports received from the Middle and Far West indicate great activity especially in the agricultural line—harvesting and mowing the large crops. In the South and South- west there is great activity and the demand for help of nearly every kind, chiefly able- bodied laborers and domestics, is enormous. Large manufacturing plants of all kinds are springing up in the newer sections of the country, South and West, so that thousands of workmen for a large variety of occupations will be constantly needed in those sections. Undoubtedly, there are thousands of men and women who would be glad to take up employ- ment in these sections if they only knew from Some reliable source where employment could be secured. New business for employers is increasing at the rate of more than six hundred a month, so that the office now has more than 16,ooo employers, representing nearly every known kind of business. OCTOBER. The condition of the labor market, as viewed from the State Free Employment Office at Boston, remains about the same as last year. The aggregate demand, for the month of October, generally speaking, has decreased materially, with an increase in the supply. There are very many unskilled idle, rather more than for some time past. The amount of building contracts is not up to last year by several millions of dollars, which, together with the approaching cold weather, is responsible for the large number of building trades- men being idle – very many more than there were last year. Owing to the recent agree- ment between the Thomas G. Plant and United Shoe Machinery Companies, there are several thousand shoe factory hands idle in this city. The demand for boys has fallen off greatly. The demand for help in the clothing (custom), printing and publishing trades is much better than last year. Plumbers and steamfitters are scarce just now, and will be for some time to come. There are a great many engineers and firemen idle; the open weather is to some extent responsible for this condition. There is a goodly number of machinists and helpers idle all over New England. The supply of auto drivers is increas- ing more rapidly than the demand. The situation as regards the demand for waitresses and chambermaids has improved somewhat as compared with last month. Factory help (candy, paper box, and novelties), also garment workers, are still in fair demand with a limited supply. The demand for housework girls remains about the same with a better supply, every- thing considered. November. Conditions in the labor market, as viewed from the State Free Employment Office at Boston, are not as encouraging as they were last month, or even a year ago. The demand for help has decreased more than 30 per cent., while the supply of help has increased nearly Io per cent., compared with the month of October. Some of the demand has been only for temporary help. Ordinarily business at this season of the year is dull, but it seems to be unusually quiet just now. An exceedingly large number of unskilled help are idle at present. The unseasonable weather of the past few months is largely responsible for much unemployment. Retail business has not been active, and that condition has had its effect upon the wholesale trade. Manufacturers are proceeding cautiously and not over-producing. The year ending November 30th, has been the best since the office opened, everything considered. A much larger volume of business has been transacted, covering a wider field of activity than in any previous year, but the month of November, compared with other months of the year just closed, has not been up to normal, Several months ago, the “Help Wanted ” ads. in the papers exceeded the “Situations Wanted; ” just at this time, the “situation wanted” ads. are increasing. The strict observance of the recent law in regard to school attendance has eliminated a considerable number of boys and some girls from the labor market, and bright boys are not as plentiful as usual. A goodly number of housework girls can be furnished now, which is another sign of industrial quiet. If employers will call at this office between 2 and 3 o'clock they can APPENDIX No. 6 — “LABOR MARKET LETTER." I45 make a selection from a large number who are seeking positions at housework. This is a rare occurrence, as such help is generally very scarce at any period. DECEMBER. Labor conditions as viewed from the State Free Employment Office at Boston, may be said to be a little below normal, although for the year it has been exceedingly good. For the month of December as compared with a year ago there has been a material increase in the supply, while the demand has remained practically the same. In the unskilled male department there has been a 60 per cent, increase in the supply compared with December, 1909, while the demand for help has been normal, showing conclusively a larger number out of work than there were last year at this time. Fully 3o per cent. of those who applied for work were aliens who could speak little or no English at all, a majority of whom desired work in the culinary departments of hotels and restaur- ants or mill or factory work. The demand for such help has been exceedingly small. The other applicants were men accustomed to do all kinds of general work; teaming, farm- ing, heavy labor, and general work. On reasonable notice any number of unskilled help can be supplied at market rates. In the Skilled Male Department business has been unusually quiet since December 1st, although in a general way it is somewhat better than a year ago. There may be an improvement after January 1st. There are countless engineers, firemen, and machinists idle at the present time. The lack of opportunities for machinists of all kinds is perhaps due to conditions usually surrounding the holiday season, and also the dullness in the steel market. Clerks, bookkeepers, chauffeurs, and general mercantile help are idle in large numbers, which is not especially unusual at any season. Business in the Apprentices' or Boys' Department shows a little improvement as compared with last month and a year ago at this time. The prospects, therefore, appear good because showing constant progress. Errand boys are chiefly represented in the supply and also in the demand. More boys are seeking opportunities to learn a trade than formerly, but there is little demand for their services. In the Unskilled Female Department there has been a slight decrease in the demand for help as compared with last month and this same time last year, while the supply has materially increased. The greatest call is for housework girls, kitchen women, and clean- ers by the day. The greatest supply is of people who desire work where they can room at home with their families. There is very little demand for hotel help at this season of the year. In the Skilled Female Department during December the demand was for a smaller number of people than in November, while the number of positions secured was larger. As compared with December, 1909, the showing is much better. The number of applicants for work in November and December, 1909, was larger than for the same period this year. The supply at this season is somewhat limited; most of the demand is for factory help out of town. There is a large supply of waitresses and chambermaids, who prefer to room at home; also for store and office work, printing and publishing help. This quiet season is not unusual as it is between seasons, and a number of firms take advantage of the dull period to take stock, thereby needing ſewer employees. JANUARY, 191 I The labor market for the month of January, as viewed from this office, is a trifle below normal, as compared with the two preceding years for the same month. The daily average demand for help was 45, as compared with 54 for last year, which is a decline of 16 per cent. The supply of help seeking work in practically all lines, skilled and unskilled, was 162, as compared with 118 in 1910, 130 in 1909, and 205 in January, 1908, which was the panic year. The daily average number of positions reported filled during the past month was 31, as compared with 42 in 1910, 28 in 1909, and 42 in January, 1908, so that it will be seen that there has been a slight falling off in the demand, a large increase in the supply, and a decrease of 25 per cent. in the number of positions reported filled. Of course there is always greater unemployment during the winter months, but during the past month it has been unusually quiet. What little demand there has been was chiefly of a temporary nature. Reports from industrial concerns show curtailment, short time, or total cessation of production in very many cases, representing about every kind of business, especially those affected by weather conditions of the season. Vol. III.-19 I46 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY A goodly number of skilled mechanics are idle, rather more than usual for this season. The unskilled we have with us in constantly increasing numbers; men seeking employment as clerks, bookkeepers, collectors, shippers, and light general work of any kind which will offer any reasonable remuneration for the services rendered. The demand for factory help (female) is fairly good but the wages offered can not be said to be alluring, expecially as a large portion of such demand is for help out of town. Most young girls, and in fact older ones too, can not afford to leave home and support themselves at the wages offered, whereas if the opportunities offered were in or near the city where such help could live at home they perhaps, might be willing to consider the offers. Domestics are scarce as usual. APPENDIX No. 7 – CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY OF N. Y. I47 APPENDIX VII. A STUDY of 439 CASEs TREATED BY THE CHARITY ORGANIZATION SocIETY OF NEW YORK WHOSE DESTITUTION WAS DUE PRIMARILY TO UNEMPLOYMENT. Out of about 1,500 cases which were closed by the Charity Organization Society during the year there were 439 in which the destitution was due principally to lack of work. This is about 29 per cent. which is slightly greater than the percentage found by Professors Gidding and Mayo-Smith who made a study of the cases treated during 1898–1899. They found 25 per cent. of the destitution caused by “Lack of employment not due to employee.” The remarkable thing about the results found in these records is that in general the men are of the same kind that were found in the Municipal Lodging House, except that the men who applied to the Charity Organization Society were family men. But in nation- ality, in age, in the trades which they followed and in the casual nature of their employment the two sets of men are in the same class. They are not strong characters, but neither are they bad men. They are of the average type of man that follows the unskilled trades. They live up to their incomes which are not very large. Work usually brings $2.oo a day, but a few weeks of unemployment brings destitution. Of the 439 heads of families who were out of work through no fault of their own 167 or 38 per cent. were native born Americans. The next highest group were the Irish who numbered 98 or 22 per cent. Then came the Italians who were represented with 75 cases or 17 per cent. of the total number. The complete table is as follows: NATIONALITY OF UNEMPLOYED TREATED BY CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY. Per Country. Number. cent. United States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 38. O Ireland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 22.3 Italy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 I7. O Germany. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 7.5 England. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2O 4.6 Austria-Hungary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I9 4.4 Other countries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 6.2 439 IOO ... O While almost two-thirds of the heads of families were immigrants, they were not recent immigrants. Four-fifths of them were in this country five years or more. About two- thirds were here more than ten years, while almost 40 per cent. had been residents of the United States twenty-five years or more. IMMIGRANT APPLICANTs — LENGTH OF RESIDENCE IN THE UNITED STATES. Per Years. Number. cent. Less than 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 I8. o 5TIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 I6.5 IOTI 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 I 2.5 I5T2O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 IQ. I 2OT25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 I6.9 25T3O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IS 6.6 Over 30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I7 6.3 Unknown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I 4. . I Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 IOO ... O When we come to the ages of the men who were destitute because of lack of work, the greatest evil of unemployment becomes apparent, viz., the waste of the State's greatest asset, the labor power of its citizens. Almost one-fourth of all the men were between the ages of 36 and 40, and almost two-thirds of them were in the very best ages of working life, under forty years old. A very slight proportion can be said to have been Superannuated. I48 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY AGE DISTRIBUTION OF HEADs of FAMILIES DESTITUTE BECAUSE OF LACK OF WORK. Per Years. - Number. cent. I5-2O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 o. 7 2I-25. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 6.4 26-30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 I4.6 3 I-35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 2O. 3 36-40. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IO4 23. 7 4I-45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 I4 . I 46–50. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 IO ... O 5I-55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 7 3.9 56-60. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 I. 8 Over 6o. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 I. 8 Not given. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 2 2. 7 439 IOO ... O It is difficult to classify the occupations of the men because there were so many of them. But two important facts are to be noted regarding the occupations. First, the majority of them were unskilled trades, and secondly, the skilled trades represented were those which are highly seasonal in their demand for labor. Thus about half the men were laborers, teamsters or longshoremen and about 15 per cent. belonged to the building trades. Laborers and the building trades were the two most highly represented callings. This seems to be the rule every year, for in 1898–1899, Professors Giddings and Mayo-Smith found exactly the same trades most highly represented. We can see here two of the main causes of distress. Irregular or casual employment is characteristic of unskilled labor, and seasonal fluctuations mark the building trades. Despite the high wages in the latter, the discontinuous employment seems to have a demoralizing effect. The records of the Charity Organization Society give the period of unemployment at the time the application is made. The figures in the following table, then, do not show the time actually out of work, for in most cases the men continued out of work long after the application was made. The figures are valuable, however, as showing how long it takes a family to become destitute after the man is thrown out of employment. PERIOD OUT OF WORK OF HEADS OF FAMILIES DESTITUTE BECAUSE OF LACK OF WORK. I Per Weeks. Number. Cent. IT4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 I9. 5-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 2 I . O 9TI2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 I 3. O 13-16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 9.6 I7-2I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 6.4 22–26. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 6. I 27–31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IO 2. 3 32-36. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I3 3. O 37-52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 2 2. 7 Irregular. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 9.6 Not given. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 6. I Over I year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 I . I Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439 IOO ... O About Io per cent. were recorded as having been irregularly employed. The percentage is undoubtedly much greater. Among those whose period of unemployment was not given, and among those who were out of work more than three of four months, very many had probably worked irregularly. Aside from the irregularity of employment, it is important to note that in a majority of the cases the men were out of work less than three months. In a few cases was the idleness protracted. The reason for this quick destitution after loss of work becomes plain when we look at the earning power of the men. APPENDIX No. 7 – CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY OF N. Y. I49 EARNING PoweR OF HEADS OF FAMILIES DESTITUTE BECAUSE OF LACK OF WoRK. Amount. Men. Per cent. Less than $5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 I. 2 5-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 IO .. 2 9TI2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2O9 49.5 13-16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 23. O 17-29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4I 9. 7 2 IT24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IO 2.4 25 and over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 ... O 422 IOO ... O About half of those whose wages were given earned from nine to twelve dollars. Two- thirds of them earned twelve dollars or less per week, and almost 90 per cent. made less than $3 per day when working. When this earning capacity is compared with the number of those who are dependent upon the head of the family for support, we see how inevitable the destitution must be as soon as unemployment comes. By dependents in the table following is to be understood those who are dependent upon the head of the family for support. Wives who go out to work and children who contribute to the family income are excluded. DEPENDENTS UPON HEAD OF FAMILY FOR SUPPORT. *s- 47 had no dependents. 39 had I dependent. 72 had 2 dependents. 85 had 3 dependents. 68 had 4 dependents. 63 had 5 dependents. 42 had 6 dependents. I6 had 7 dependents. 3 had 8 dependents. 3 had 9 dependents. I had Io dependents. The characteristic of these families is that the children are too young to work and so supplement the father's earnings. In only 64 out of 439 cases were the children of work- ing age, and out of these 43 had but one child able to help in the support of the family. This condition compels the wives to go to work and we find that in almost half the cases (191) the women did go out to work. The number of applications that a family makes for charity throws some light upon the character of the family. These 439 families who suffered from lack of work do not appear to have been habitual receivers of relief. Just half (219) of the families had applied for the first time. In Ioo cases it was the second application, and in most of the latter classes the first application was made in 1908, the year of industrial depression. Twenty- five per cent. of the families had made application three times or more. In a considerable number of these cases the first application had been made during the depression of 1893–1894. It would appear from these facts that these families were on the whole not habitual receivers of charity; but irregular employment sent a good portion of them to the Charity Organization Society a number of times. Practically all the cases here considered were those in which the reason for closing the case was that the man had secured work, making the family self-supporting. The length of time that the families remained in the care of the Charity Organization Society varied from a few days to two and four years. But the latter were exceptional cases in which other misfortune besides lack of work had befallen the family. The treatment received was in most cases of short duration. Three-fourths of the families were self-supporting within five months after their application was made. About half received treatment 1ast three months or less. On the whole the experience of the families seems to have been that they needed helping over a rather short period of idleness. I5O COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY PERIOD IN CARE of THE CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY. Time. Number. Per cent. Less than I month. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 9. 2 I– 2 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8I I9. I 2- 3 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 I4.8 3–4 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6I I4. 4. 4- 5 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 II. 3 5- 6 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 6. I 6- 7 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I7 4. O 7–8 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I8 4. 2 8- 9 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I8 4. 2 9–Io months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I4. 3.3 Io-II months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 I. 2 II–12 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 I . 2 Over 12 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3O 7. O 42.5 IOO ... O The fact that the Charity Society marks a case “closed” because the man Secured work, does not end our interest in the family. We must look into the kind of work the man has secured. Unfortunately the record does not always show this. In many cases, however, the work secured was irregular, and it is evident that these are the cases in which re-applica- tions for aid will be made. In 85 cases the character of the work secured is indicated by the wages which the men received. Seventy-five out of 85 men resumed work at lower wages than they had earned previously. The reductions varied from one dollar to twenty dollars per week; but in the majority the man on resuming work earned from two to five dollars less per week than he had formerly earned. The effects of unemployment as gathered from the records in these cases illustrate very strongly what the most dangerous results of unemployment are. First, is the fact that when a man is thrown out of regular employment he is likely after a time to take any job that is offered. This draws him into the great group of irregular, casual laborers. At first, unable to get steady work, he soon becomes unable to work steadily, even if the work be available. Secondly, the unemployed workman with a family to support is apt to resume work after a period of idleness at a wage lower than his real earning capacity. The ne- cessity of his condition compels him to accept any wage that is offered. Thirdly, the lower earning capacity of the men compels the women to go out to work, and that means Several children neglected. And fourthly, the children neglected while they are under the legal working age, are sent to work as soon as the law allows. The reason that we found such few cases in which children were contributing to the support of the family is that they were too young. As soon as they reach the legal age they help to keep the family Self-supporting: but they are seldom trained in any occupation which will make them capable of supporting a family when they grow up; for that means a period of apprenticeship with little or no earnings, and the family needs the earnings of the child at once. Thus is the cycle re- peated. The present family's self-support is Secured by making the future generation liable to dependency.” * It is interesting to compare the results found in these cases with the experience of the Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor, the other great charitable agency in New York City. The following letter is taken from the report of the A. I. C. P. for 1908. April Ioth, 1908. “My Dear Sir: — In answer to your letter containing five questions about the ex- perience of our Relief Department in dealing this winter with the unemployed, I am glad to send you the following statement : “I. Of the unemployed men without homes who have been offered work through our Joint Application Bureau, 87 3–Io per cent. have accepted and done the work. “II. Of the unemployed men with homes and families who have been offered work through the Relief Department, 83 per cent, have done the work. “III. We have to-day on our list 787 able-bodied idle men with families depending upon them for support. Many of them hold excellent references from former employers, many are using all the Woodyard tickets that we can possibly give them, and there is little doubt that at least 725 out of the 787, or 90 per cent, would accept work if we could offer it. APPENDIX NO. 7 – CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY OF N. Y. I5I “IV. You ask what percentage of our applicants are brought to us through no fault of their own, and our estimate is about 90 per cent., based upon the following table, made up from a list of 3oo unpicked applications: I Number. Per cent. Sickness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 29% Loss or lack of work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ioé 35% Insufficient work, or wages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 I8 Old age. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2 Accident. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 2.É. Death. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. I} Intemperance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I8 6 Man's imprisonment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 # Man's desertion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2 Shiftlessness and inefficiency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 2# 3OO IOO “The eighteen intemperate and eight shiftless may reasonably be called ‘their own fault,’ and although not the fault of the wives and children who apply for aid, the six ‘ desertion ’ and two “imprisonment ' cases may possibly be put in the same class. But the other 266 or 88% per cent. Of the 3oo cannot fairly be classed as ‘their own fault,’ judging as we must by present and comparatively recent conditions. “The answer to your fifth question, “If industrial and living conditions were what a reasonable standard of living demands, what percentage of your people would be self- sustaining?' we would say that 70 per cent. of our applicants would probably require no outside aid if work could be regular and continuous, and wages proportionate to service rendered and price of living. I am in this figure subtracting from the probable 90 per cent. who would accept offered work, a group numbering 20 per cent., who, even with employment and living conditions of a desirable standard, would probably fall behind through poor management or general inefficiency. The treatment of this 20 per cent., however, under good industrial and living conditions, should consist of direction and educational attention rather than of material relief.” I52 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY APPENDIX VIII. FoRMS OF INQUIRY SENT OUT BY THE COMMISSION TO EMPLOYERS AND TRADE UNIONS, NEW YORK. METROPOLITAN LIFE BUILDING. NEW YORK, August Io, 191o. DEAR SIRs: This Commission, having made its report to the Legislature upon Employers' Liability has now turned its attention particularly to the other subjects assigned to it for consider- ation. For the purpose of our inquiry into UNEMPLOYMENT in the State of New York, it seems important that we should have before us the views of representative employers of labor and as full information as we can secure from them, as called for by the accompanying interrogatories. On behalf of the Commission I have, therefore, to respectfully request that you will aid it in the prosecution of its labors by making as full answers in writing as possible to the attached list of questions, and in addition we will be glad to receive from you your observations as to any matter relating to unemployment not asked for or suggested by such questions. It is requested that your reply be received not later than September 1, 191o. Yours very truly, J. MAYHEW WAINWRIGHT, Chairman. Address all communications to: J. M. WAINWRIGHT, Chairman, Metropolitan Life Building, New York City. I. Give the number of your employees on or about the 15th day of each month during the year 1909. (The figures given the United States Census will do.) January. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Give the greatest number of your employees at any one time during each of the following years, and the least number. (Fill in as many years as possible.) Year Greatest Least Year Greatest Least 1909 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1995 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1991 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1992 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1997 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1993 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . APPENDIX NO. 8 — FORMS OF INQUIRY I53 3. What are the main reasons for the fluctuations in the number of your employees? 4. During 1909 how many months was your plant working full time? © How many months part time? e 5. How many days was your plant idle during 1909, and what were the reasons for closing down? 6. Are you always able to get all the help you want? a. What kind of labor do you find scarce? b. What kind of labor is over-supplied? 7. How do you get your help: a. Through an employment agency? b. Through the newspapers? c. By application at your plant? 8. If you are at all familiar with the operation of labor exchanges or free employment offices as established by the general or State governments in several foreign countries and States of the United States, would you favor the State of New York establishing or conduct- ing such an exchange or office? 9. Remarks. (Any opinions or observations of the causes, extent, effects of unemploy- ment and remedies therefor will be greatly appreciated.) Name. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . METROPOLITAN LIFE BUILDING. NEW YORK, August Io, 191o. DEAR SIRs: This Commission, having made its report to the Legislature upon Employers' Liability has now turned its attention particularly to the other subjects assigned to it for considera- tion. For the purpose of our inquiry into UNEMPLOYMENT in the State of New York it is important that we should have before us the views of representative associations of workmen on this subject, and we believe that you must have experience and information which can be of great value to us in our labors in connection with this subject. On behalf of the Commis- sion, therefore, I have to respectfully request that you will make as full answers in writing as possible to the attached list of questions, and in addition we will be glad to receive from you your observations as to any matter relating to unemployment not called for or suggested by such questions. It is requested that your reply be received not later than September 1, 1910. Yours very truly, J. MAYHEW WAINWRIGHT, Chairman. Address all communications to J. M. WAINWRIGHT, Chairman, Metropolitan Life Building, New York City. . Is unemployment a grave problem in your trade? . What percentage of your members have work the year around? . How much time during the year does the average workman at your trade lose? 4. Is your trade seasonal? If so, how many months is it busy; how many months is it slack? how many months is there no work? 5. If a man worked the year around at your trade what would be his earnings? What are the actual annual earnings of most of your members? 6. How do your members secure work when they are out of employment? 7. Does your union have an employment bureau, or a register of uncmployed members? Vol. III.-2 o I54. COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY 8. Does this register show, or do you know whether there are at all times through the year some of your members out of employment? 9. What is the least number of members that you have had unemployed at any time during the last year? What is the greatest number? Io. What are the main causes of unemployment among your members? II. If you are familiar with the operation of labor exchanges or free employment offices as established by the general or state governments in some foreign countries and States of the United States, do you believe it would be wise for the State of New York to establish and conduct such exchanges or offices? Do you believe that your members would patronize such exchanges or offices? I2. Does your union pay any unemployment benefit or make any provision for unem- ployed members? 13. Remarks. (Any opinions or observations on the causes, extent, effects of unemploy- ment and remedies therefor will be greatly appreciated.) Name of Union. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . APPENDIX NO. 9 – TABULATION OF REPLIES FROM EMPLOYERS I55 APPENDIX IX. TABULATION OF REPLIES RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO INQUIRIES SENT TABLE I. NUMBER OF WAGE-EARNERs EMPLOYED IN NEW YORK STATE EACH MonTH BY INDUSTRIES, 1910. TO EMPLOYERS. Jan. Mar. April. June. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. | Dec Food and kindred pro- ducts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II, OS II I I, 382| II, 960 II, 987 I2,382 I3,328. I3, I 74] IS, 207| I3, 797] I 2,513 Textiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4I,923| 42,997.| 43,249 42,816 42, 565 4I, 703| 42,503| 43, 8 Iol 44, 193| 44,836 Iron and steel and its re- manufactures. . . . . . . . . 21,326| 21, 63 Il 22, 523| 21,691 2 I, 875 2I, 289 23, 77 Il IQ, 882] 25,816. 26, 184 Lumber and its remanu- factures. . . . . . . . . .... . . .] 7, 159| 7, osó 7, 253| 7,521 7, 733 7,763| 7,988 8, IoS, 8,306| 8, 161 Leather and its finished products. ... . . . . . . . . . . 2,578] 2,645| 2,568| 2, 552 2,387 2,418| 2,462| 2,478] 2,520, 2,569 Paper and printing. . . . . . 4, 25I] 4,702| 4,850. 4, 515 4, 792 4, 72 I | 4,825, 4,964 4,953, 4,807 Liquors and beverages. . . 674 684 6 707 757 781 734 720 739 72I Chemicals and allied pro- * ducts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 328] I, 25 I, I, 260] I, 407 I , 300 I, 341| I, 263 I, 366l I,357l I, 318 Clay, glass and stone pro- ucts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 568] I, 689: 2,225| 2,614 3, 20 I 3, I23| 3, IO7] 3,029| 2,725| 2, SS4 Metals other than iron and steel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,665| 3,578; 3,589| 3,705 3,839 4, o&5| 4, 195| 4, 474| 4, 570| 4, 515 Tobacco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 180| 4, o&7| 4, I2O 4, IG4 4, 176 4, 598. 4, 54 Il 4, 55 Il 4, 63ol 4, 713 Vehicles for land transpor- *tation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 286| 6, 476 5,690; 6, 175 S., 973 5, 528| 6, O2I 6, 785| 8, O37| 8,546 Ship building. . . . . . . . . . . 82O 82 I 855 7 II 613 68o 8 IO 8 I5 963 Total manufacturing |Ioë, 789|Io8,999 IIo,918|IIo, 709 III, 67 I III, 29I II5, 264|II4, 184|I22,458|I22, 4oo Mercantile establishments 3,442 3,375] 3, 503| 3,614 3,618 3, 191| 3, 756, 3,983| 4, 238|| 4,981 Bldg. and construction. . . . I, 614| I, 48ol I, 679| I, 826 2, 225 2,41 Il 2,713 2,418| 2,713| 2,705 Railroad and railway em- ployees”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I60,478|I59, 574. IóI, 42.5|I64,44I I66,935 I69, 785|I70,289. I? I, 591 |I'71,392|I?3, 947 Light, heat and power cos...| 3,436|| 3,545| 3,601| 3,641 3, 992 4, 04 Il 4, o&ol 4, I48; 4, O73| 4, or 5 Misc. and unclassified. . . . . 46, Io2 46,799; 48, oos|| 48,721 49,447 49, 670 SO, 2I4] SI, 780| 53,398 55, 358 Grand Total. . . . . . . . 321,861 323,772,329,221 332, 952 377,888 340,389|346,360|348, IO4]365,223|363,406 * Includes employees of Pennsylvania R. R. on all lines east of Pittsburgh, and employees of all kinds of Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R. R. Co. TABLE II. GREATEST AND LEAST NUMBER OF WAGE-EARNERS EMPLOYED IN NEW YORK STATE AT ANY ONE TIME EACH YEAR FROM 190o to 1909, By INDUSTRIES. I90O. I90I. I902. I903. I904. I905. 1906. I907. I908. I909. Greatest. Least. Greatest. Least. Greatest. Least. Greatest.| Least. Greatest. Least. Greatest. Least. Greatest. Least. Greatest. Least. Greatest. Least. Greatest. Least. e ſº Food and kindred products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 138 I, IS6 2, 182 I, 2 SO 2, 237 I, 307 2, 45 I I, 264 2,346 I, 348 2, SSI I, 478 2,950 I, 596 2,898 I , 794. 2, 616 I, 569 2, 748 I, 573 Textiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, O46 || 7,750 || 9,64I 8, 277 | Io, 445 || 8,860 II, 217 || 9, 50 *:::::: 9,634 I2, IG4 Io, 196 || 12, IG8 Io, 595 | I3, OS3 | Io,686 12,998 || Io, 647 13,818 II, 627 Iron and steel and its remanufactures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 3O4. 2,966 7,800 3, 773 8, 238 4, 503 8, 748 4, II 8, 36 I 4,378 8,545 4,961 9, 269 5, O38 Io, 2I4 5, 957 8,776 4, 959 9, 803 4, 374. Lumber and its remanufactures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, 715 I, 369 I, 730 | I, 367 || 2, or 7 | 1,527 | 2, o&3 || I, 607 || 2, o40 I, 694 2, 168 1,798 || 2,352 I,928 2,471 2,046 2,299 || 1,892 || 2,596 || 2,073 Leather and its finished products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 806 649 788 S70 7 IO 570 706 S72 727 589 776 630 8 IO 638 8I 684 896 781 880 756 Paper and printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3O2 223 3 I2 226 306 225 309 ić 309 227 32O 229 3 I? 232 3 I 233 3 I8 233 325 237 Liquors and beverages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5O2 4.08 586 438 S9 I 459 584 46 582 467 623 496 727 563 75S 596 733 588 758 585 Chemicals and allied products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 26 Q9 I39 84 I33 IO8 2OO I3 I 2 IS II9 2 I5 I8 I 22 I I 78 226 I61 242 I92 243 2O7 Clay, glass and stone products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, II 2 336 I , 2 IS 375 I, 384 463 I, 356 553 I, 296 495 I, 257 43 I I, 418 499 I , 409 477 I, 407 426 I, 478 463 Metals other than iron or steel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 890 736 94 I 77 I I, O3S 878 I, 225 892 I , 242 952 I, I64 974 I, 386 I, O74 I, 387 I, O65 I, 2O5 809 I, 261 989 Tobacco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 3OO 3OO 3OO 3OO 3OO 400 400 400 400 SOO 500 SSO 550 Óoo 6oo 6oo 6oo 7oo 7oo Vehicles for land transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I , 960 996 I,830 852 I, 864 967 2, O4. I I , 32 I 2, 18O SIO 2, 506 I, I83 2,585 I , 4O7 2,686 I, 822 2,988 I, O60 3,692 I , 433 Ship building. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 924 773 I, O53 537 I, 377 259 I, I49 3O4 I, O39 226 787 354 I, O.I.3 285 I , 45.5 495 I, 277 3I4 828 3 IS Total manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,825| I7, 456 || 28, 2I 7 || I8, 520 || 30,337 20, 126 32,069 20,954 32,684 | 20,639 || 33,076 22,911 || 35,216 24,033 37,684 26, oi6 || 35,755 || 23,470 || 38,430 24,630 Mercantile establishments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I , 399 992 I, 398 983 I , 4 IS I, O II I, 572 I, O92 I , 5 IQ I, O77 I , 7.30 I, 360 I , 792 I , 333 I, 746 I, 370 I, 85- I, 369 I, 488 I , 294 Building and construction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 377 2, S72 3,362 2, 723 3, 63.I 2, 992 3,602 2,887 3, 414 2,963 3, 582 3, II 7 4, I89 3, 424 4, 594 3,902 4, 279 3,658 4, I40 2,867 Railroad and railway employees”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83,476 || 76,895 | 97,591 86, 588 |Io8,351 94,596 |II7, 760 |Io9, O4I |II4, 253 |Ioč, 864 |I25,795 |II2,660 |I28,951 |I23, 160 |I35,872 |I26,961 |I25, I23 |II.3, o&7 |I23,819 | II.3,921 Light, heat and power companies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 726 6I2 79S 656 989 73 I I , I92 I, OS 7 I , O9 I 94 I I , 429 I, II 5 I, 881 I , 227 I , 900 I , 252 I, 686 I, I84 I, 957 I , 440 Miscellaneous and unclassified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I4,841 II, 144 I6,854 I2, O67 19, 284 I4,866 20, 732 I7, O36 | Io, 162 | IS, 504 || 22, 596 || 16,522 || 25, 616 || 20, 149 || 26, 392 || I&,460 || 2 I, I76 || I6,834 26, oA4 | 18, 263 Grand Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * * * * * * * * * * I30,643 Hoo,67. 148, 217 | 120, 537 (164, oo7 |134, 222 176,927 |I52,067 |I7I, 523 |IA7,988 |I88, 208 |I57,685 |197,645 |I64,717 |208, 188 |I77,961 |I89,869 |I59,582 |195,878 162,365 *Includes employees of Pennsylvania R. R. on all lines east of Pittsburgh, and employees of all kinds of Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R. R. Co. § APPENDIX No. 9 — TABULATION OF REPLIES FROM EMPLOYERS I57 TABLE III. CAUSEs of FLUCTUATIONS IN THE NUMBER OF WAGE-EARNERs EMPLOYED. To the question “What are the main reasons for the fluctuations in the number of your employees?”— 245 replied: 168 replied: 69 replied: 34 replied: 33 replied: 3o replied: I4 replied: II replied: 9 replied: 7 replied: 7 replied: 6 replied: 5 replied: I5 replied: TABLE IV. PLANT's WoRKING FULL TIME AND PART TIME, 1909. Full Time. 536 plants worked full time I2 5 (C. 2 7 (ſ 2 (C 34 “ 2 5 & 2 I “ 2 ({ II “ I plant 20 plants 6 (4 I plant 5 plants II {{ 2 (& I {{ I (C 9 (£ { { { { I plant 32 plants plant plants {{ I s I 2 plant plants plant plants {{ {{ {{ did not work any full time during the year. {{ Part Time. 499 plants had no part time during the year. Worked “ {{ (C. {& ({ II} II Io; IO # # 4. # # . I 2 I 1% . # # # IO Increase or decrease of orders. Seasons. Busy or dull times. New work. Inventory and repairs. The weather. Lack of material. Employees’ personal reasons. Lack of help. Over-production. Improved machinery. Changes of business. Strikes. Stating various other causes. months. month. {{ months. (£ I58 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY 4 plants worked full time during the year with half force. I plant worked full time during the year with half force for 4 months. I plant worked full time during the year with one department on part time for 5 months. - I plant worked day and night during the year. TABLE V. IDLE PLANTS IN 1909. 479 plants were not idle at any time during the year. 36 “ “ idle .I to 5 days. 66 {{ {{ {{ 6 {{ IO {{ 32 {{ (C. “ II “ 15 “ I3 (& {{ {{ I6 “ 20 “ {{ {{ “ 21 “ 25 “ {{ (4 “ 26 “ 3o “ {{ {{ {{ {& {{ 3 I 35 (£ (C “ 36 “ 4o “ ({ (ſ (ſ {{ {{ 4I " 45 {{ {{ “ 46 “ 5o “ {& (£ (£ & {{ 5.I 55 (ſ (£ “ 56 “ 6o “ (& (£ (C 6I {{ 65 {{ plant was “ 66 “ 7o “ I plants were “ 71 75 (& ({ (& 8 I (£ 8 5 {{ (ſ ſº (K 8 6 {{ 9 O (C plant was “ IoI “ Io; “ plants were “ II6 “ 12o “ plant was “ 121 “ 125 “ (& (£ {{ I 2 6 (K I 3O {{ {{ (ſ {{ I 6o {{ plants were “ I75 {{ plant was “ I9 I {{ « . {{ {{ 27o {{ {& {{ & 3 2O {{ I plant reported I department idle 39 days; I department idle 86 days; and I depart- ment idle 87 days. I plant worked full time 12 months with I department idle 180 days. I plant worked full time 12 months with I department idle 120 days. I plant worked full time 12 months with I department idle 18 days. APPENDIX No. 9 – TABULATION OF REPLIES FROM EMPLOYERS I59. TABLE VI. SHOWING THE SUPPLY OF LABOR IN CITIES AND Towns of THE STATE, AND THE KINDS - OF LABOR SCARCE OR OVER-SUPPLIED. .9. WHAT LABOR SCAR CE. * WHAT LABor OversUPPLIED. .P. O (1) "3 Q. QD --> | 3 & #3 .# # 3 CŞ - †: d; #3 CITY OR TOWN. ‘ā § .# 3. '3 # º § | # * | 5 | . g|* g |*|†: g|" § | < : | 9 | a | 3 || 5 "º $5 : | * | c |..}}| g| 35 º; $5 wo ,-\- 3 || 3 || 5 || 3 || 3 | ". º .8 a 'º 5 || 3 ||3|..}}|... ..].5 lº 8 3 . Q: g-t # -$-> KX 9 || 2 | * E. * E. # § '85 E . 9] .2 º E. : 3 d 5 | # | 3 | | | # | 5 || 3 |#|=|5 Q || 3 à ||}|3|3|##|E|# 2. P-2, 2. ºf P O || @ gº, gº | CO | < | 2. Z, ºf p |O} ºil ſºil ſºil gº | Colºg | Z. Addison. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 21 . . . . . . * | * * a - * * * * * * : * - - - - Akron. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I I . I . - - - - Il . . . . - - - - - - Albany. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I2 4 8|. S - 2 3 I I | I 2 2 5|.. . . 2 I 8 Alexandria Bay. . . . . . . . I . . . . I . I} . & I} . . . . . . . . . . ] I I Amsterdam. . . . . . . . . . . . 8| 5 3 I 3 I I 5! . . . . 3] . . . . . . I . . . I 5 Attica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2} . . . . 2 . . . . I I I II . . . . . . . I Auburn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 5 I I Il . 2 3! . . . . 2! . 2 Baldwinsville. . . . . . . . . . II . . . . Il . . . . . . . . . I . - Il . . . . . . Il . I Ballston Spa. . . . . . . . . . . 2 I Il . . . I - - I - 2] . . . . . . I] . . . I 2 Batavia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Il . . . . Il . . . . Il . . . . . . . . . - I . . . . . . Il . I Bath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I | . I . . . . I] . . . . . . . . . - II . . . . . . Il . I Belmont. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . I . . . . º | I . - I I . • * * * * * : * * * * * * * Binghamton. . . . . . . . . . . 8 6 2} . . . . 4] . . . . . . . . . 3] . . . . . . - 7| . . . . . . 3| . . . 3}. liss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . - - - - - e. e. e i e s - e. ! . . . . . . . . . Il . - - II . . . . . . • * * : * * * * * r * * * * Brooklyn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52: 36, IG| IQ. IS 2 I 3 2 I I 2S 7|. 2O 2. SH 2 I 30 Buffalo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Il 27 24 4] I 2 7i 4 5|. 2| I]. I 32 9| . I6|| 1 || 3|. 2O Buchanan. . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - * * * * - - - - - - - - - - Caledonia. . . . . . . . . . . . . I | . I .. I …'...l... tº - I I . Canajoharie. . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 Il . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ". . . . . . I I 2 I I Canandaigua.... . . . . . . . Il . . . . I • * : * I - - I . I Canastota. . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . - * - - * : * Candor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I'. . . . I • * I I I Canisteo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I I Il . . . . I . I I I Canton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I * * * * e = e e Carthage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 I I I Il . . . 3 . . . . . . I I Cazenovia. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 I . I I } . - e i s Chadwick. . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . tº e . . . . . . . . I Clayville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . I I I . . . I * * Clinton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . - - - - . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - e i s e - - Cobleskill. . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . I } . I . . . . . . l Il . . I Cohoes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 7 2 I 2 Il . . . . 3 I 2! . . . . . . I 3 Cold Spring. . . . . . . . . . . . I I | . I - - II . . . . . . Il . I Cooks Falls. . . . . . . . . . . . I I . I] . I I . - - - - - Cooperstown. . . . . . . . . . . 2 2} . - - - - - s = s - - - - - - Corning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2}. I - - - I . I I Cortland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2 2 I 2 3 I I I Crown Point... . . . . . . . . I . . . . I I I I Dansville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I I I I - *> Depew. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I - - * | * - - Dexter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I - - - - Dolgeville. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 I - - 2 - - - - Dundee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I I I . I - - I Dunkirk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I I - - - - I Edmeston. . . . . . . . . . . . . I . I | . I Elmira. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3 3 I 2 I I S 2 I I Essex county. . . . . . . . . . 2 2 Fayetteville. . . . . . . . . . . . I . . . . Il . . . . II . . . . • * I I | . . . - - - Firthecliff. . . . . . . . . . . . . I . . . . I . . . . e e I I 2 I . . . . . . . . - - Fishkill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I | . * * * * I • * Il . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - Fishkill Landing. . . . . . . . I I | . - - II . . . . - - II . . . . . . . . I . I Fonda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I - - I} . . . . - * I | . e - I . . . I Fort Plain. . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . . . . . * * - - I I . - - Iſ . t I Franklinville. . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 II . . . . 3|. - - I 4 I 2] . . . . 2 Fredonia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I | . - - - 4 - - - I - * - I - Fulton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4. 2 - - - 2 Franklin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I II . . . . Il . I Genesee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I | . I I I . Geneva. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 I 3 2] . . . . I I 4 I 3 I Glen Cove. . . . . . . . . . . . . I I | . tº a - - - - - Glens Falls. . . . . . . . . . . . I I | . I . I | . Gloversville. . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2 2 I I I 3 I 2 Goshen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, II . I - - - - Il . . . . . . . . . . . . Gouverneur, . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 2]. I - - I . - - - | - Gowanda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I, I . I - - * * * * * * I Granville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 . I | . . . . I' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Graphite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . I . . . . Fi iſ . . . . . . . . . . . . Greene county . . . . . . . . . 3' I 2 I I . 2 . I I Greenwich. . . . . . . . . . . . . I I | . * - I e º 'º - I w = s. v i s s = e i e º f * * I • * * * : * * * * f * * * * f * * * * * * * Hale Eddy. . . . . . . . . . . . I I . - - - - I Hancock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I | . I I . I'. Hannibal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I II . - - • * i < * * * i = * * * * * * * * i e a Harrisville. . . . . . . . . . . . . I II . - - * I . . . . I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Herkimer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . II . . . . º I . * I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Heuvelton. . . . . . . . . . . . . I I I . . . . * * * * - II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . & Highland Falls. . . . . . . . . I I * * • * * * • * * * : * * * * * * * * * | * * * * * Holland Patent. . . . . . . . I} . I e & I e e e I 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Homer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . I I . - - • * 1 a - - II . . . . . . I #; Falls. . . . . . . . . . 2 2 Il . . . . - & e º 'º e II . . . . . . . . . ". . . . . . . . . - - - OThell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S 2 I 3 - - I . 5 I 2 2 4 Horseheads. . . . . . . . . . . . I} . 3 I II . . . . . . Il . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I Ilion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. 2 2 I 3|. - - - - 3i. I s'. 4. Ithaca. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3 I | . I | . I . 2} . I . . . . . . . I 2 Jamestown. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 4 3|. 2 I 2 * 7 * 3 I 4 Johnstown. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 I} . I I I © - - Reiseville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I | . I I Kingston. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . I I Lancaster. . . . . . . . . . . . . I II . . . . . . e tº e I | . I . Il . I e Roy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3 I . - e. 2} . 2 I I] . . . I Lestershire. . . . . . . . . . . . I II . . . . . . & a I | . I . . . . . . Il . . . l ima. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Il . . . . . . * - I . l j . . . . . . I' . . . I Little Falls. . . . . . . . . . . . 2| I | I I s = º - I I | 2 . . . . . . . . - - Lockport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I 2|, Il . . . I 2}. I . ... . I Long Island. . . . . . . . . . . . II 8 3 I I 2 I 8 2' . . . . Jſ l 2 I 4 I6O COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY TABLE VI – (Concluded). --- tº a g .9. WHAT LABor ScARCE. £ WHAT LABOR OVERSUPPLIED. # 9.3 à g t .9 tº * bO ºf 89 2 ; 3 & #” 5 § CITY OR Town. | #| g 3 O o; 5 o 3. cº od § '3| . § Wºº B. wd 3 tº tº º' wº 3| : w; º' 5 | < * | # | H | # g º; $5 * | # 3|#| #|s. º; #5 #| | | #|#| || ||#| || g|3|| | || ||###### 3 c O | * # | 5 || 85 6 i.; ; ;- 8 ºf 3 35 | 3 3|E|3 t # | #3 || 3 | # | 5 || 3 | # | #| 3 |3|## | 3 | #| 5 |}}}|####|# county. . . . . . . . I H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * * * * * * * * * * * * | * * tº is a e º e ºs tº e º ſº gº º sº tº e II . . . . I . * * Il . . . . * & a º I I . & gº i a $ tº ſº tº a tº gº tº º & & 8 ſº e is I II . . tº e e * * * : * * * * 1 s & e # * g e i & s a ſº I tº * * | * * * * | * * tº a tº g is is tº º a tº I I! . . . . . . . . . . . . . * * * * * * * * * * * * e tº Il . * I . . . . . . I | . . * I * * * * * * * * * 3 I 2] . . I I | . * * * 2 I | . • * * | * * j e s e * * * e * g g is a & s & e e * s I * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * s s i s = * * * s s s = | 8 * * * * * * * * g e º & 2 I I I I . # e Iſ . . . . . . . I | I] . . * 2 is * g g g g is s * & & I Iſ . . . . . . . * is nº i e is {º * * * * | * e º e i e < * a s i = * iſ e * | * * * * * tº s • * * g e º a tº e º * * Il . . . . II . . . . . . I . . . . . . . g & e II . . . . . . . tº e * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2 2! . . . . Il . . II . . . . g I 2 I . . * * : * * I I | . 2 * * * * * g e º e II . . . . II . . . I I & I . . I } . & & I * * * * * * * tº º ſº e º & I II . . . . # * * t e s & º ºr •3 Newark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2i . . . . 2|. * = ... * I | . . I . 2 I | . º ewburgh. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I 2} . 2 | . . . . I º * 3! . . . . . . . * { * * New Paltz. . . . . . . . . . . . . I I | . tº e º º I . * & I I | . * • H = * * c Nºelle is sº sº º is s e = e tº & Il . . . . I] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I} . * * * * * * * | * s : * * | * * : * g & a 8 s | * * * * .6W YOTK . . . . . . . . . . . . I76. I25 || 5 Iſ 29 5| . . . . . I I8 * 90 I O| I5 || I I | . . / 2 6 New York Mills. . . . . . . . 21 . . . . 2 9.4s. 3| & ; I # 4 2 3| 4. s 9||5|3||. 7. Niagara Falls. . . . . . . . . . 8 4. 4 I 2 & 2! . . . Il . . . . ] I . 6 4|. 5 | . . 5 orwich. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2] . . . . I I | . * * * . . . . . . . . I . * I Norwood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . e & * * * & * e Nyack. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . . . . . . . & * * Oakfield. . . . . . . . . . . . . * e I I . . . . . . . . . . . I | - * * * * * I I . Ogdensburg. . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I 2 I | . - - - - I | . I I j . * * * * * | * s TI - - - - ean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I I . I I . * 2|. 2| . 2 Oriskany Falls. . . . . . . . . I I | . * * tº e e * tº º ssining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . . . . I tº gº * * | * * * * | * I | . I SWego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 I . I & e I | . . 2 2 . . . . . . . . * & Wego. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . I . I . & I I | . Palmyra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I j . * Peekskill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . * * * * : * * * * | * Penn Yan, . . . . . * * * * * * * I I . . . . . . e I i. • * : s , ; e. I I . * * * * * I s * * * Perry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2} . . . . 2} . I I | I } . 3|. 2| I . 3 Philmont. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I II . . . . . . * - I & * * * is e e s a º * & Phoenecia. . . . . . . . . . . . . I} . . . . II . . . . . . . . . I } . * I I | . s e - e. & º Phoenix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 I | . 2. 2 4. 2} . I}. I Plattsburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I I | . I } . * * * * I . I . I Portchester. . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 : . . . . . . I | . . . . . . . . . I j. * 2] . . . . 2|. • 2 Port Henry. . . . . . . . . . . . 2| I I . II . . . . . . I . * f s is Port Jefferson. . . . . . . . . . I . . . . I . . . . I} . s & I | . . . . . . Port Jervis. . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 : . . . . I . . . . . . I I I | . Portville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . I . I . * * * * I} . * g º º & º e Poughkeepsie. . . . . . . . . . 5|. 5} . 2 I I 4}. 2| I . * 3 Rensselaer. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I I I . I . * I . . e º ..I I #. * & & & is e * * * g º a e I I . . . . . . . . . . . § tº º & * * * * * * * * | * * * * | * * * * * * * * s g Rochester. . . . . . . . . . . . . 26, 18 I s tº * * * * * * * | * * & g Rockland Lake. . . . . . . . . 44 I . . . . . . 4| 7 3| *: *|3| *| 3| s *|4|*|. * a Oſſie. . . . . . . . . . * * * * * * * S 2 3 If . I I I & & Rondout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I | I] . . . . . I j . . . . . . . & I 4. I e | I 3 Roxbury. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I | I] . * e º te * * || || ... Saint Regis Falls. . . . . . . I I} . . . . . . s & & tº a e º * - Saratoga Springs. . . . . . . 2! . . . . 2} . 2} . tº $ & 2. | 2|. * 2 Sayville. . . . . . . . . . . . gº a w I I . I i. I | I §::::::::::::::::: * * * * * * I Il . . . . . . ſº tº º º ...| e Schenectady. . . . . . . . . . . 5 2] . . . . I & & e s I & * * * * # * g. Seneca Falls. . . . . . . . . . . I #| & e I . I s sº i º 3| & s 3| . . . . 2} . il. : Shuster. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . . . . I . & © I | . I| | | || & Silver Creek. . . . . . . . . . . 3 I 2 . . 2} . . . . I 3 II. . . . . . . . 2 2 Silver Springs. . . . . . . . . . I . I ) . . . ] I | . T e º Skaneateles. . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . 2 . . 2 . . * @ º 2| | 2|| 2 Sodus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . If I . . . . . * g : * I | . & º & I} || - Solvay . . . . . . . . . * * * * * * * I. . . . . I . I . * I . 2 & #|| I §.º. • * * * * * * * * * I | I] . . . . . . * e s iſ sº & - t; te Staten Island. . . . . . . . . . 3 I 2 º * & & tº $ tº e = Sullivan county. . . . . . . . I I | . tº e #| : 2} . #| * \ : Sydney. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . . . . I . tº g º g . . . . . . . . . . . . & e Syracuse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24. I4 IO; 3 7 2} 6 I I 17 2 . . IO} . . . 2; S. . I . I8 Tarrytown. . . . . . . . . . . . . I' . . . . I} . . . . . . . . . . . I * * * * I} . . . . . . I I Y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IO I g * * e s tº w & e. * Tonawanda. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 ; ;|. #| | | | | | . . . . . . . | : !. : | || ; Tupper Lake. . . . . . . . . . . Il I . . . . . . I . I . . . . . * º Unadilla Valley. . . . . . . . I'. . . . I . I . I I Union Springs. . . . . . . . . . I I . . . . . . . . . I . . . . . . I 1|| tica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II] 5 6' 2. 7 I | . I 9; . 9| iſ io Victory Mills. . . . . . . . . . M I . J. & I I | . . Wadhams. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 . 2|, & 2 W. • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * If I | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * * e aſlakeſha . . . . . . . . . . . . . I * * : * * : * ~ I & sº tº gº Wappingers Falls. . . . . . . 4 2 ... 3 : & 2 | . I 3 : & 2 . . . . I il. 3 arwick. . . . . . . . * * * s & s 2' 2 | . . . . . . * * * * & s is e e & I Waterloo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . I . s tº º I | . #|| Watertown . . . . . . . . . . . . Il . . . . I | . . I * r|. il. * I Watervliet. . . . . . . . . . . . . I I | . & a & II. II. * * : * * Watkins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . * * * * I . * I!. iſ . . . tº * * * * Wayland. . . . . . . . * * * * * * I I } . I . I Wayne county. . . . . . . . . 2| 2 | . . . . . I} . . . . . . . tº gº & e 11. º Webster. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2] . . . . 2 2 2 I}. * West Branch. . . . . . . . . . . I I . . . . * * = r * |: e * * : * * * * Whitesboro. . . . . . . . . . . . I . I . I | . gº º 'º gº I * * * * * * * * * * * º * * * Williamson. . . . . . . . . . . . I I * g. # I | . e I Worcester. . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . I * g. e tº tº iſ & Yonkers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2} . º I | . I I . I | . I Toºls. . . . . . . . . . . . . 723| 458 265 104. 182| 54 64 63| 37 8|2013. 441||146 6 19928|4627|s|q| 3 4| 322 APPENDIX No. 9 – TABULATION OF REPLIES FROM EMPLOYERs 161 TABLE VII. METHODS USED BY EMPLOYERS IN SECURING HELP. Through employment agencies only * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * s = e º e s is s a e s tº s s a s s e e s = e s e 2 Through trade unions only. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IO Advertising in newspapers only. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I4 By personal application at plant only. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440 Through employment agencies and advertising in newspapers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Through employment agencies and by personal application at plant. . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Through trade unions and by personal application at plant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . • - - - - - I8 Advertising in newspapers, and by personal application at plant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Through employment agencies, advertising in newspapers, and by personal application at plant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 &ºm=ººsººmamºs Vol. III.-2 I 162 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY APPENDIX X. TABULATION OF REPLIES TABLE I. RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO INQUIRIES SENT TO TRADE UNIONS. PER CENT. OF MEMBERS OF TRADE UNIONS WHO WORK THE YEAR ROUND, AND THE AvERAGE TIME LOST BY MEMBERS. F. #: Number of members - TRADE. of trade "working. i.º.º. unions. year rouñd. | *PY members. (Averages.) Railroad and railway employees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 92 3 weeks. Metal workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2I 73.9 I# months. Painters, decorators and paperhangers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I8 29.3 || 3% months. Glass workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 40.5 || 33 months. Butchers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 9I 2 months. Engineers and firemen (stationary). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 96.6 6 days. Plumbers, steam and gas fitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , º a a s IO 7o 2 months. Clothing and textiles. . . . . . . . . . . ... • * s s a s g g º e s is - w e º 'º e º e - e. 2. I8 38.6 || 3 months. Letter carriers and post-office clerks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I IOO None. Carpenters and joiners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I 6o. 5 || 23 months. Longshoremen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 41.3 || 23 months. Teamsters and drivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 75.7 | } month. Stone workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 36.6 || 3 months, Printing and bookbinding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 86.5 25 days. Cement workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. 47.5 || 3 months. Boilermakers and blacksmiths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘. . . . . . . . . 6 8O } month. Brewery workmen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 97 } month. Bakers and confectioners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 86 20 days. Building employees (miscellaneous) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 24. 3% months Masons and bricklayers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 I6 5 months. Woodworkers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 65.4 I 3 months. Stage-hands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 33 3 || 4 months. Molders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 57.4 I# months. Vehicle workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 IOO 5 days. Tobacco workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 2 63.5 I# months. Machinists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 93.3 IO days. Barbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IO 97.3 || 4 days. Pavers, rammermen, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 | . . . . . . . . . . 6 months. Marine workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 43.5 || 4 months. Electrical workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 87 None. Millwrights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 57.5 3% months. Hotel and restaurant employees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 67. 2 | I 3 months. Musicians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. 25.7 4% months. Retail clerks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 IOO None. Miscellaneous and unclassified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 66.5 | I # months. Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365 66.6 I month, 25 days. TABLE II. LENGTH OF BUSY AND SLACK SEASONs, BY TRADES AND NUMBER OF Months No WoRK. Average | Average | Average Number number of number of number of TRADE. of unions. months months months no busy. slack. work. Railroad and railway employees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 9 3 None. Metal workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I3 7% 3} I Painters, decorators and paperhangers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I7 6% 4 I } Glass workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 8} I} 2 Butchers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6 4% I } Plumbers, steam and gas fitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 7% 3 I # Clothing and textiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 4 7% 3 I } Carpenters and joiners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 8 3 I Longshoremen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 6 6 None. Teamsters and drivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 6 5 I Stone workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 9 | . . . . . . . . 3 Printing and bookbinding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IO 8% 3% None. Cement workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * - - - 3 6 4. 2 Boilermakers and blackSmiths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I IO 2 None. Brewery workmen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. 6 6 None. Building employees (miscellaneous). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 6# 3 2% Masons and bricklayers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 2 6 4. 2 Woodworkers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 4% 2% Stage-hands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9 3 None. Molders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 7 5 None. Vehicle workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 IO 2 None. Tobacco workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 7% 4. # Barbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 8 4. None. Pavers and rammermen, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 6 | . . . . . . . . 6 Marine workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 7 3 2 Electrical workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 8 4. None. Millwrights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... • 2 7 5 None Hotel and restaurant employees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 6 3 Musicians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 8 4. None. Miscellaneous and unclassified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I5 8 3} } Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I9 I 7% 3# I APPENDIX NO. IO — TABULATION OF REPLIES FROM UNIONS I63 TABLE III. POSSIBLE AND ACTUAL EARNINGS OF MEMBERs of TRADE UNIONS. Per cent. TRADE. Nº| ºt. ºf |*|Pºnt OI U1I]1OIlS. & 3k º possible OSt. earnings." earnings. ga.nings. Railroad and railway employees. . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 |$1,134 78 |$1,027 32 90.5 9.5 Metal workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I6 I, OI9 18 842 87 82.7 I7.3 Painters, decorators and paperhangers. . . . . . . . I 2 945 33 688 75 72.8 27.2 Glass workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I, 500 OO | I, 26O OO 84. O I6. O Engineer and firemen (stationary). . . . . . . . . . . 8 907 87 841 87 92.7 7.3 Plumbers, steam and gasfitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 I, I55 II 9I5 OO 79.2 2O. 8 Clothing and textiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 975 66 7Io Oo 72.8 27.2 Carpenters and joiners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 | I, O91 88 766 oo 70. I 29.9 Longshoremen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 825 Oo 544 66 66. O 34. O Teamsters and drivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I, I 77 33 853 33 72.4 27.6 Stone workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I, IOO OO | 775 Oo 7O.4 29.6 Printing and bookbinding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II 983 45 882 27 89.7 IO. 3 Cement workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I, 337 OO 97O Oo 72.5 27.5 Boilermakers and blacksmiths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 I, O22 OO 978 40 95.7 4.3 Brewery workmen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 788 66 689 66 87.4 I2.6 Building employees (miscellaneous) . . . . . . . . . . 3 8OO OO 550 OO 68.7 3 I. 3 Masons and bricklayers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I5 I, 228 60 651 66 53.5 46.5 Woodworkers. . . . . ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * e º 'º - º t e a 3 || I, O29 33 896 oo 87. O I3. O Stage-hands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 720 OO 432 OO 6O.O 40. O Molders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 878 oo 752 66 85.3 I4. 7 Vehicle makers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. 776 25 776 25 IOO. O | . . . . . . . . . Tobacco workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 799 66 7I4 OO 89.2 IO. 8 Barbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 64I 50 64I 50 IOO. O | . . . . . . . . . Pavers, rammermen, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I, I5O OO 650 Oo 56.5 43.5 Marine workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I, O78 33 73 I OO 67.7 32.3 Electrical workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I, II2 50 868 OO 78.o 22. O Millwrights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I, 269 OO 650 OO 5.I. 2 48.8 Municipal employees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 755. OO 625 OO 82.7 I7.3 Hotel and restaurant employees. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 835. 33 8OO 66 95.8 4. 2 Musicians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 858 oo 588 50 68.5 3I. 5 Retail clerkš. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 659. 33 659 33 IOO ... O | . . . . . . . . . Miscellaneous and unclassified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 963 54 752 45 78. o 22. O Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 II |$1,012 I4 $801 I3 79. I 2O. 9 * Earnings possible if a man worked full time the year round. TABLE IV. GREATEST AND LEAST NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF 186 TRADE UNIONS UNEMPLOYED IN 1909. Number TRADE. of Greatest. Least. 1111101).S. Railroad and railway employee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 450 I95 Metal workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I5 I,363 450 Painters, decorators and paperhangers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II 807 75 Glass workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 4O IO Engineers and firemen (stationary). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 25 I Plumbers, steam and gas fitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 I, OI6 344 Clothing and textiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2, 45 I 4 I2 Carpenters and joiners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 2 463 IO4 Longshoremen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4OO 50 Teamsters and drivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 35 2O Printing and bookbinding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 234 88 Cement-workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 636 I5 Boilermakers and blacksmiths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I70 I5 Brewery workmen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 42 I3 Bakers and confectioners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I 674 I 44 Masons and bricklayers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 3 468 97 Woodworkers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I83 IO Stage-hands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 23 . . . . . . . . . Molders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. I35 I3 Vehicle makers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tobacco workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 935 I58 Machinists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. 9 3 Barbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 29 I9 Pavers, rammermen, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 28 I O Marine workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. 26 I IO5 Electrical workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 I I 3 Millwrights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 50 | . . . . . . . . . Miscellaneous and unclassified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 176 8 I Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I86 II, I 34 2, 445 I64 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY TABLE V. CAUSEs of UNEMPLOYMENT. To the question “What are the main causes of unemployment among your members?” — I43 replied: 37 replied: I9 replied: I6 replied: 13 replied: I9 replied: Lack of work. . The weather. Improved methods and machinery. The seasons. Lack of material. Giving various other causes. APPENDIX NO. II — HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I65 APPENDIX XI. *=mºmºmºmºsºs PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY AND CAUSES OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS, UNEMPLOYMENT AND LACK OF FARM LABOR. - 215 WEST 23D STREET, NEw York, January 7, 1910. IO A. M. Present: Senator J. MAYHEW WAINWRIGHT, Chairman. Hon. HENRY R. SEAGER, Vice-Chairman. Miss CRYSTAL EASTMAN, Secretary. Senator FRANK C. PLATT. Assemblyman ALFRED D. Low E. Assemblyman EDWARD D. JACKSON. Assemblyman GEORGE A. Voss. Assemblyman Cyrus W. PHILLIPs. Hon. GEORGE W. SMITH. Hon. JoHN MITCHELL. Joseph P. Cotton, J.R., ESQ., Counsel. Mrs. FLORENCE KELLEY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I65 The need of an institution for fitting young unemployable New York city men for country employment. LINDON BATES, JR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I69 Creation of State Labor Exchange for equal distribution of labor during times of depression of business and work on State improvements. FRANK J. WARNE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 74 The working of the Commission, causes of unemployment and remedies in general. John C. EARL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I82 Conditions among unemployed at Bowery Mission. The Bread Line. What men are practical for different employment, especially on farms; transportation to farms. O. F. LEWIs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I86 The Labor Colony Bill and bill for establishment of reformatory for misdemean- antS. FRANK TUCKER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I90 The unemployed generally. - - - CHARLEs W. LARMON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I92 Free public employment bureau. Work on farms. HARRY W. HOOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I95 The unemployed of the Bowery Y. M. C. A. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- I think we might proceed. The Commission will come to order. Mr. Voss, the chairman of the Committee on unemployment has a program here and it is with him to develop his program. Assemblyman Voss.--All of you who are here to-day have been notified to be present, and the program has been made out and your names are on the program, and I will call the names of the speakers in the order in which I have them on the program. I will call on Mrs. Florence Kelley first, and ask her to kindly address the Commission. Mrs. FLORENCE KELLEY. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. Please state whom you represent, whether you are a representative of any chari- table organization, and what your connections have been with such organization from time to time, and how long you have been connected? A. I am Secretary of the National Con- I66 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY sumers' League and have been for ten years, and I have been a resident also for ten years of the Henry Street Settlement. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: I Q. What is the League? A. It is an educational and philanthropic institution, incorp- orated under the State of New York, for interesting the shopping public in the history of the sources of its supplies. It has offices in the Charities Building. Q. Who are the officers? A. Mr. John Graham Brooks, of Cambridge, Mass., is president, and Mrs. Frederick Nathan, of New York city, is first vice-president; Mr. Robert Shaw Minturn is the chairman of the Finance Committee; Mr. Herman Kennicutt, treas- urer, and I am the executive Secretary. Q. How large is the membership? A. It is about eight thousand. That is not my qualification. My qualification for speaking, is distinctive. I have lived for eighteen years among the unemployed. - Q. Will you kindly state what you think we ought to know as to your qualifications to address us on this subject? A. I am speaking this morning as a resident of the Henry Street Settlement. That is, a group of people who live among the poorest working people here in New York city, in the hope of improving their condition, chiefly industrial. Now, living eighteen years among the very poorest working people, I have had a great deal to do with unemployable and a wide acquaintance among them. Q. Please speak a little louder. I doubt those at the back can hear what you say, and won't you take a seat? A. No; it is easier to speak here. I want to point out that we need here in New York city an institution for dealing with the young unemployable men, the youths whom we are producing by wholesale by our method of employing them in industries now, and have been producing by wholesale for the last ten years. I wish to urge the need for an institution for them somewhat similar to the Bedford Reform- atory for Women, which I wish the Commission might visit. Q. I am very familiar with it; it is in my district. A. It is the only case I have ever known, having an institution for women before having the need felt for men of a correspond- ing class. Q. Is that different in principle from the Elmira Reformatory? A. Yes, yes, it is, in that so far as it is humanly possible, it gets the women ready for a country life. The Elmira Reformatory calculates that the young New Yorker that goes to Elmira is coming back to town, and he is taught very largely a city trade. Q. Why don't you urge that this policy at Elmira be changed and be sent on the farms? That is one of our objects, how we can better the farm labor in this State? A. I have no quarrel with Elmira. I only want it supplemented by another. Q. As, of course, incidentally, do you consider that related to the general subject of unemployment? A. Yes. It is the only great proposition that I see at this moment, that anybody can make about unemployment. We are producing unemployables by wholesale, and the least that we can do is to stop sending them to prison and teach them only things that send them back to the environment they were in before. We should furnish them with a new kind of employment, sending them out in the country. Q. Isn't that only a very small part of the problem? A. It happens to be the part I know about. Q. You desire to address yourself to that particular part of it? A. Yes, that is the part I happen to know about. I know about these young unemployables, because I have been watching them for eighteen years. What they do now is to send the boys fourteen years of age into the messenger service, and at sixteen years old they let them work on the night messenger Service, and by the time they are sixteen years old, they learn nothing by which they can support themselves; they are too old for that service, and they are thrown out of it, and they largely recruit the body of tramps, a body of young people who do not keep any jobs. There are no tasks that fall on the settlement so discouraging. We try to get work for the multitudes of them; they don’t want to work; they have become entirely disillusioned. The same thing is true of a great many young boys who have been in employ- ments like driving Sewing machines in tailor shops and doing physically exhausting work, and in the factories; they have seen the working people, and in their own expression, “there is nothing in it,” and they have to be made over; they have to be physically set up, habitu- ated to an entirely different kind of work than anything they have had before. The National Child Labor Committee is making a study, and I shall furnish the results of this to the Com- mittee later, as soon as we get them printed, of the experience of those boys in the messenger Service. There are about six thousand of them put off every year, employed by one single company here in this one single city in the State. The payroll of the Western Union covers 2,000 permanent, and in order to keep 2,000 on the payroll, they hire 6,ooo, and of those APPENDIX NO. II — HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT 167 6,ooo, the great majority, according to the statement of one of the officers of the Company to me, do not stay in their employment more than three months. It is just a floating experience they have. © By Assemblyman Voss: Q. What becomes of them? A. They are just drifters and floaters. You cannot get them to take any real work; after they have had them for a while, they are ruined by it. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. Have you any statistics of the number of prosecutions and convictions of those boys for petty offenses? A. No, we are getting that now. Personally, I know that the proportion of boys committed who have floated through this service, the proportion of floaters is very large among the boys committed, but we are getting the actual figures. Q. Are those boys of an age to go before the Children's Court? A. They are over four- teen years; they cannot be in the service at all after they are 16. Q. How large an institution would we have to have to cope with the problem? A. I think the proposition of the Grattan Bill for a farm colony that proposed a thousand acres would be a fair beginning. Q. Is that the bill introduced — the Grattan Bill? A. Yes. There was another bill introduced by Mr. Murphy. Q. How much does the appropriation call for? A. I don't want to appear to Sug- gest that I want a farm colony exclusively for messenger boys. I use that one industry because I know about it as an illustration of the way we are producing candidates for re- formatory treatment afterward. At the present time, there is a large number of boys who have given up on the lower east side of New York, who are now at Elmira, and others who are in the Catholic Protectorate, and others who are on the Island, all of them under lock and key, and all of them being treated as criminals, and all of them being trained to come back to the environment from which they went, under conditions that are not going to make them really self-supporting for the future. We are going to have to deal with them; they are going to be graduated into other institutions. Q. How many inmates are there in those institutions now? A. I can furnish you figures from their reports; they go by thousands. There are about four hundred boys Over sixteen years in the Catholic Protectorate alone, under lock and key. By Miss EASTMAN: Q. Is the plan of this farm colony that it shall take only young offenders? A. Yes, first Offenders. Q. It doesn't deal at all with the problem of the old tramp — does not plan to deal with it? A. That is my understanding; it deals solely with youthful vagrants. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. Have you any observations to make on the general subject of unemployment? What ought we do — that is what we want to find out — what course ought this Commis- sion to pursue to cope with the general problem? A. I think the only constructive thing this Commission could hope to accomplish this winter would be a bill similar to the Grattan Bill for the treatment of the young unemployable. I don't think we have a problem the Same as in Germany and England. Q. You think the problem of unemployment is a serious one in this State to-day, that there are many thousands of unemployed who are unemployed because there is lack of employment for them? A. I think there are permanently in New York city, more people of the unskilled class than there is work for. I have never known a time when people who are skilled workmen could not find work. I think that is confined to the unskilled class. Q. Do you think there is plenty of work for skilled employment? A. Yes. Q. Our situation is this: A committee of Some sort appeared before the Legislature last year, and asked for the appointment of a Commission to take up the subject of unem- ployment. There were suggestions for the Employers' Liability Commission, and the Unemployment Commission to combine in one bill, and the whole task has been thrown on this Commission. Here are we, people who knew very little about this problem, except in a vague way, the problem is always not only with us, but with everybody over the country, and has been so to a certain extent from the beginning of time, and it seems to us that those who prompted and secured the appointment of this Commission, in place of saying, as we understand some of them said, “We appointed this Commission to investigate the subject, and they have failed to cope with and solve this problem,” that those very people who I68 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY defined the problem and induced the appointment of this Commission should make Some real helpful suggestions within the general scope of the inquiry, and tell us how we are to get at the causes of unemployment and the remedy. It seemstomeitis fair for us to assume – I am not saying this only for you, but others here present – that those who got this Commission appointed, should have some program for the Commission. A. I was not one of them. I am a new recruit; but I do believe that we have permanently in the city of New York, an unemployed problem, due to our production of young unemployables. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. Have you given any thought as to its solution? A: I think the simplest thing to do would be to shut the boys out of injurious trades, and we are working at that all the time, but this Commission cannot undertake that, as far as I can see; it would not be within its scope to restrict the employment of young people; but they certainly could recommend a method of treating them after the harm has been done. By Miss EASTMAN: Q. Do you mean to say that unemployment in trade conditions in America is confined to the unskilled? A. Not at all. I was speaking of New York city at this moment. At this moment there is a demand for skilled workers. Q. Do you think that in years of ordinary prosperity, all skilled men all the year around can get employment? A. Not in the seasonal trades. Q. You don't mean to say there is not a problem in seasonal trades? A. That is not anything I am prepared to make any constructive suggestion on. I am saying that at this moment in the city of New York, there is a demand for skilled labor, but I have never known a time when there was not unemployed unskilled men. By Commissioner MITCHELL: Q. What do you think is the effect of immigration – have you given thought to it? A. It would be a pure guess to say that the great body of unskilled laborers are the immi- grants. They appear to be a problem. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. Isn’t that very largely, or is it, to a certain extent, a problem of distribution? In other words, we may have a lack of employment for them here, and yet there may be other parts of the country where they are crying for them? By Miss EASTMAN: Q. Do you favor a labor exchange if discreetly managed? Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. There was one for ten years. It was discontinued on a report made by the Com- mittee of the Charity Organization Society, or some kindred bodies – Was not a very exhaustive report made on the whole subject by Dr. Devine and others, recommending that the Act be repealed, and the institution abolished? A. Yes. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- I wish we could get somebody who could give us a history of that proposition, how it came to be established and discontinued, and why those people gave the Legislature that advice. Assemblyman Voss.— I can tell you something about that. The reason that Bureau was discontinued, and the principal reason was, it only carried an appropriation of $5,000; it was not a workable bureau; the Commissioner of Labor advocated the abolition of this Bureau for the reason the appropriation was entirely inadequate and he could not cope with the situation. That is the reason the Bureau was abolished. Mrs. KELLEY. — I had something to do with the abolition of that. That Bureau was carried on under Commissioner John McMachin; it was carried on so badly and was so hopelessly discredited, that until the deck was cleared of the wreckage, no efficient bureau could be started. The fact that McMackin made a hopleless muddle of it, is no reason why it could not be carried on. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- My recollection is that they went deeper into the subject, and practically recommended that that institution was fundamentally wrong — funda- mentally ineffective. Mrs. KELLY.- Of course if they did that, they flowed into the face of the whole experience of Europe. It was just badly managed by an incompetent person. APPENDIX NO. II – HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I69 Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- Has your committee got that report? Assemblyman Voss.— I have got that report. By Miss EASTMAN: Q. What States are there that have got labor exchanges now? A. Massachusetts, Ohio, and Illinois, all I know about. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. Wisconsin, also? A. Yes. Q. Anything further you wish to say, Mrs. Kelly 2 A. No. Assemblyman Voss.- I call on Assemblyman Bates as the next speaker. I would like : to say, you happen to be responsible for the investigation of the subject of the unemployed, and I am sure you can enlighten us. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- Now, you are just the man we are after. LINDON BATEs, JR. Mr. BATES.— Mr. Chairman, my qualifications are: I am an engineer by profession and employ men, have been engaged on very large works including the raising of the grade at Galveston, Texas, and the Barge Canal. The firm I have been connected with is engaged in works throughout the world, in England, Belgium, Russia, Australia, and various other places. To get down to this particular subject about the fact of unemployment, I believe anybody who has been in politics in New York, and had an average of about ten men a day at times, come up looking for work, and simply going to their assemblyman or alderman because he is the outward and visible sign of officialdom, where you see apparently about half of those men are clean, decent, hard-working people that simply cannot get work, you could get a pretty good idea of the fact that very certainly unemployment does exist, and when you have seen those men in the course of a year or two years go down into the lower ken you cannot help feeling a certain amount of sympathy and a desire that some of the brains and some of the intelligence of the body politic be put into this problem. You see, concomitantly with that, the fact that in this very State there are a very large number of deserted farms, you find even in a place as close as Staten Island, it is impossible to get labor for such small tasks as market gardening or cutting hay, so that there is prima facie evidence of a faulty distribution of labor. Considering the fact that a very large pro- portion of the immigration here consists of peasant laborers from Italy, from Hungary, and from Austria, and to a certain extent the Russian immigrant is a peasant; the fact that there is not adequate farm labor would not seem to be due to the fact there is not an adequate supply of farm laborers, if they could be gotten to the place where their work will be of Service. With this condition before us, there are two alternatives: One of them is the old doctrine laissez faire — let the supply and demand take care of it; let the people that cannot get work make their little struggle unaided by anybody outside, except possibly Some stray charitable institution, and if they fail to make connection (the peasant that has just landed here in New York, with the farmer upstate, and the railway journey between, going off into what to him is the unknown) let him get trampled down into the mire. The other alternative is to undertake to do something for them. There are two ways only that I can see of doing something for them; one of them is to create work. Now, whether the State is prepared to create work at this time, I am in doubt. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. Isn’t the State doing a pretty good deal of work at the present time? A. To create work for the particular object of making work is usually believed to be contrary to the rules of sound political economy, and various historical occasions of doing it have seemed to lead into rather dangerous situations. It secms to me, however, that along that line, this might be done: That is, that the great public works which do give onployment directly and indirectly to a very large number, might be made in a systematic and intelligent way — for instance, upon the Barge Canal where I was engaged, a very large number of contracts were lot out at a period when we were at the floodtide of good times. I remember going personally to Buffalo trying to get some sailor men to run a dredge, and finding the greatest difficulty in getting labor. I remember going to Syracuse, and trying to get some car- penters, and they were building a new White City, and wages were up to $8 and $ to a day. At that time, all those contracts were let by the State. Then, when the hard times came, the State shut up like a clam and did not let any contracts, and the work was only the work that was in progress that was carried on, and all the State activities were shut down. Vol. III.-22 I7o COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS LIABILITY Q. Is that so. Do you mean to say the progress of work upon the State Canal, and the progress of the work of the construction of the State highways was affected and stopped, or impeded by the depression of 1907. Why should that be so? A. The work that was in progress was of course kept up; it was already let under contract, but there were very few new contracts made. Q. You mean less contracts than in the previous years? A. Yes, exactly. Q. Can you illustrate that by any figures, or really show that that was the fact, that the State shut down or stopped work to a certain effect, during those times? A. I am afraid I am not a card index on the figures of the thing. Q. The easiest thing in the world is to take the bulletins of the Canal Department - every month and by an examination of them, that would illustrate your point? Have you examined them to see if you could sustain your statement by the record? A. I have not examined the record. I have lived into the thing; I have watched those contracts as they came up one after the other, all of them. Q. Do you mean to state the canal work which began in 1904, along there, or in 1906, we will say, that there were very much fewer contracts both in number and amount let on the State Canal in 1907. A. The hard times came in 1907. Q. Take any period which will make a contrast. A. Exactly. Q. I wish you would look that up yourself, the exact figures, and illustrate your point right from the record, and communicate with us in writing on that subject, and also whether you find the same thing exists with regard to the State highways, whether the State Engineer shut down on his contracts at that time? A. I will try to find out as regards the actual detail, but that was my experience. Q. We want the fact which is ascertainable. A. If a certain amount of that work that is necessary and is contemplated by the State, is reserved, as it were, for hard times, when it is most certainly to the interest of the State to do it, because in periods of hard times, the price of labor and material is depressed; and furthermore, the private contract work is usually let down or decreased, so that a large number of contractors are very desirous of work, and will consequently take a far lower price than they would in a period of pros- perity. That, it seems to me, is as far as one can really recommend going in the creation of work; that is, that it be systematized in such way that the State work is done at a time of these descending waves of hard times. Q. I would like to work out the details of that proposition. When hard times come, they sometimes come suddenly, unexpectedly and very quickly. You want to apply the rem- edy at once. You take your plan and apply it to the depression of 1907 and 1908. That came very suddenly, like a bolt out of a clear sky, and has lasted a comparatively short time. Assuming that the greatest distress was along in the early winter of 1908 and spring, do you think that the State could have opened up a whole lot of highway and canal work, so as to have in time with all the restrictions there are about the advertisement and the de- velopment of the plans for the particular sections of the work that have to be made, and all that sort of thing, in time to have really been effective — in other words, so that it would have come into operation and furnished relief before the good times came again? A. If such a project as that were adopted, as a State policy, there might very readily be kept in reserve — certain projects that could be put into effect with a fair degree of rapidity. You could not at once do it; that is, you would have to make preparation several years in advance. But to take an obvious matter — it is outside of New York city, but we will take the Hackensack meadows out here. I looked into the cost of filling them with material from New York Harbor. Now, there is a great engineering work of profit, but it is a remote profit, and a private individual or corporation would be unlikely to undertake it. Nevertheless, if something of that nature were done by the Government, it would be profitable in itself and it would create immense values. Of course, over there in the Hackensack meadows, between Newark and New York, where all the railroads come in, it is an ideal site, and in the long run, it would be valuable. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. The State would benefit? A. That is in New Jersey; the State in the long run would benefit. In a matter like the Barge Canal, which you are driving to completion rapidly, there might be a certain amount of difficulty in holding back any sections until there was a depression in labor and material, so that the particular feature that you would have to utilize would be probably, not something of immediate return. The question of the terminals for the Barge Canal, that might be conceivably utilized in some such method as this, having determined just where you wanted to put them. Perhaps you would want them over here at Staten Island, as the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce recommended; perhaps in Jamaica Bay. There is an opportunity for a great APPENDIX NO. II — HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT 171 and useful work that should be done, if possible, in times of depression. I am not developing this thing in detail because it cannot be so developed. It is simply a matter of making that a State policy. Q. Who, would you say, would direct that policy? Where would you lodge the power to do that? With the Legislature or with the Governor, or with some special council or with the Department of Public Works? A. I rather consider the Legislature is the fountain of wisdom for this State. It might authorize any particular project to be held in reserve until a period of hard times. * The Second great method, aside from creating work, is that of securing an adequate distribution of work. To Secure an adequate distribution of work, is to get the man with- out a job to the job, and is simply a matter of one sort or other of labor exchange. The labor exchange is simple in principle. What it requires is simply aheadquarters or agency in the center of labor, with various other centers in the places to which labor might go, such as the farm labor and between the various industrial centers. Commissioner WAINWRIGHT: Mr. Mitchell, has not the Department of Labor in Washington done something of that SOrt? Commissioner MITCHELL; It is limited entirely. The government bureau limits its operations to the distribution of domestics and applications from laborers, and only when the application is made by the laborer. They cannot go and lock up laborers and find them a job. It is not employment bureau; it is simply an information and distribution bureau, and only works when the immigrant makes application. By Commissioner WAINWRIGHT: Q. Are you familiar with the one that has been established here in New York city? A. I know in general the Agricultural Department has some sort of bureau. I am not familiar with the details of it. Q. Were you suggesting that might be handled as a State proposition? A. State proposition? Q. Is not the question of distribution of labor really something you cannot govern entirely by State means? Isn't it a very wide, broad problem? A. I am rather inclined to believe you can govern it to a fairly adequate extent within State lines. For instance, abroad, each individual country there has some such arrangement — Belgium, for instance, where it is simply within the small lines of the country. In Germany, if a carpenter is out of work in Manheim, for instance, he can go to the government agency there and there is a great big table up on the wall, telling him whether they need carpenters at Cologne, Stras- burg, or anywhere else, and as one of Our States is about as large as one of the countries in Europe, it is not at all improbable that it could be applied. By Commissioner MITCHELL; Q. Would it not be a practical objection to the establishment of a State Labor Exchange that it would induce a larger number of laborers to come to this country than would secure employment through the Exchange? Do you not believe, or do you not think a very large number of the unskilled laborers are induced in various ways to seek homes in this country, and the establishment of an exchange particularly in the City of New York, would be used to further induce the unskilled laborers of Southern Europe to seek employment here? A. I think you are very much in the right. There are two main reasons why immigrants come to this country. One of them is because of the higher level of prosperity that exists here, which is a real tangible reason; the second is, because the steamship companies and various other people that profit by their passage, induce them to come over by agencies and such statements as this would be of the advantages of the country. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. Have you looked into the control of public works, as it exists in New Zealand at the present time? As I understand it, in New Zealand, the Government there controls the public work, and it does not let out any contracts for public work, but the work is done by people at large who, when they seck employment, apply direct to the Crovernment and are employed in various capacities upon the public works. Isn't that what you had in mind when you spoke of the Barge Canal and the public works of this State? A. No. I had not in mind making the Government the employer. I am rather opposed to that in principle. I had the idea of so manipulating the times of entering upon large Government work, that, I72 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY if possible, to do the large Government works at periods of depression rather than at periods of expansion, believing that that will be of advantage to the laborers, because at a time when they are thrown out of private work, this Government work will exist, and equalize the matter and be likewise an advantage to the Government, because the price of labor and materials are depressed, and they can get work done more cheaply. Q. Would you think if the Government controlled public works, it might solve this question? A: I don't believe in the Government as an employer. I would reduce that to the minimum. Q. You don’t think that would help the situation any? A. I do not. By Miss EASTMAN: Q. Do you suggest this manipulation of Government work in times of depression— you mean years of financial depression that come every once in a while? A. Yes. Q. Do you think there could be any possible manipulation of public works within each year — do you think the plan could be developed to that extent? A. I doubt it, because Government works are very largely in this State — like the Barge Canal — that would have to be done at a certain season of the year. Q. You would not suggest any other kind of public work? A. I can not think of any at the present time. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. The proposition has been advanced by some people, that it may be a wise move on the part of the State Government to control the present abandoned farms throughout the State, and send people to these farms, and work these farms. Have you given any thought to that. I just want your opinion? A: I have given a certain amount of thought to all of these projects, and have studied the matter very deeply. I have got a satchel full of evidence which I herewith present to the Commission. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- Now is the time. Mr. BATEs.— It consists of a large number of books that have been written, some of them are German, some are French, Dutch and so forth, on the problem of unemployment. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. Do you want to tell us what is in them? A. The suggestion I simply have to make was this, if I had been capable of solving this problem to my satisfaction, I would not have put in a bill for the Commission; I would have put in a bill for the remedy Q. You would have done it yourself? A. Exactly. Q. You are one of us. If you can’t do it, I don't know how you can expect us to. A. As far as I had a constructive suggestion, it is this: since these are the only two con- ceivable alternatives, it might be recommended first, that the State undertake as a definite policy to hold some big public work of public utility in reserve as against hard times; and, second, that this Commission frame as good a bill as is physically possible, for labor exchanges, digging out of the various data and testimony that has been furnished to them, precedents for such acts and sections as they put into this bill, and that they work in full collaboration with the Commissioner of Immigration, because the question of distributing the immigrant is a large portion of the question of unemployment, and they have under- taken, I believe, something of this nature of labor exchange. It is fundamentally just that if there is to be a labor exchange, it shall be not only for the immigrants, but the native born. Q. Do you mean to say that one of the great'elements of this problem is the number of people that are dumped into this country through the Barge Office, and land in New York, Cannot get work? A. Yes, of course. * Q. Can not that be shown any more than just the mere statement of the fact? Are there any figures to show for given years, the immigration? Commissioner MITCHELL: It shows for the State of New York. They have to state where they are to go to. Chairman WAINWRIGHT: What proportion of them after landing, are idle? My point is this, it seems to me to really illustrate that problem, you would have to have something to show in proportion to the number that come in, the number of those who come in during every year who had for a certain number of months remained idle. APPENDIX NO. II — HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I73 Mr. BATES : That is in the report of the State Commissioner on Immigration, which reported last year. It is also in the reports of the Federal Commission. Mr. Mitchell, I believe, knows all about that. My idea of the whole matter is this: You had about two-thirds, I should say, of this Commission's work has been done for it by the Commission on Immigration, because they have dealt with the great foreign question. If one can take their bill and what- ever advantages there are, and modify it to suit the native as well as the immigrant popu- lation—if the Farm Colony Bill is advisable, to your committee, stick that on, too—stick them together, if you can put something in that will stand the test, there is a project it seems to me, by which something definite and tangible can be proposed for the considera- tion of the Legislature, and which can be tested by the recorded precedents of other countries, and this country. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. What do you think about the Farm Colony Bill? A. I have hardly studied it enough to give a dogmatic opinion, but it seems to me to be a glorified workhouse, but as the work- house has been a matter of State policy, it is not at all improbable that this is desirable. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. You are very much interested in this problem? A. Certainly. Q. And you admit the responsibility for the creation of this part of the Commission's work, and I suppose you are willing to give a great deal of time to this, yourself? A. I have given a great deal of time, but I think Governor Hughes is really the responsible party. Q. You are always very modest, of course, and it is quite the fashion for everybody to attribute everything to our respected Governor. Can the Commission count upon your active co-operation in this matter, so that in any later inquiry which we have to make, we can enlist your services? A. Why, certainly, Q. In other words, you are willing to spend real time on this thing. A. Certainly. Q. If you will take some of these arguments you have got in your books, and digest them in Some way, and give us the salient features you think we ought to have as a basis for our inquiry, namely, the extent and the magnitude of the problem, contrasting the num- ber employed in the different trades in one year, with these unemployed in another year, the real statistical information we ought to have, and see that we get it, we will appreciate it very much. A. I understand this Commission has legal officers, secretaries, type- writers, and all sorts of aids, to work out this particular problem. Q. A very small appropriation. A. Whenever I undertake to draw a bill, I have about ten Philadelphia lawyers come and jump on me, and say I should stick to my last, not that I am very modest about drawing bills and presenting this sort of thing. If there is any specific thing I can look up, I shall be very glad to, but this matter really comes down not to a matter of fundamentals, but to the details of framing some particular bill and trying it on. By Commissioner MITCHELL; Q. Have you the laws of the European countries on labor exchange? A. Certainly. I have everything here. Q. As I understand, the meeting to-day was not for the purpose of taking evidence so much as for experts telling us what we ought to do, what course this investigation should take, what channels we should explore in order to determine exactly what the remedy was, and we have not yet had very much along these lines. A. All the data regarding un- employment is so very easy of access — there is such an immense abundance of it – that is not the problem at all; you can be simply smothered in information regarding the volume of unemployment. People can not get jobs; there is no use talking; the thing is to arrive at a remedy; that is to formulate a bill. That, it seems to me, is the task of the Commis- sion. Now, you have got your bill two-thirds formulated by the Immigrant Commission, insofar as it concerns the labor cxchange. It is simply a matter, it seems to me, of draft- ing a good lawyer-like intelligent bill that will cope with an absolutely well-known situation. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. You have got a lot of facts and data in your bag, suppose you and I get together and see what is there and I will submit it to the Commission. A. Why, certainly. Assemblyman Voss: I will call Mr. Frank J. Warne. I74 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY FRANK J. WARNE. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. Will you please state, for the benefit of the Commission, whom you represent, and your qualifications to appear before this Commission, and give testimony? A. Officially, I represent no one; I happen to be secretary of the Immigration Commission. Q. State or National? A. State, I happen to be chairman of the Labor and Industry Committee of the Association of Neighborhood Workers which organized a sub-committee on unemployment, of which I happen to be secretary. I made an investigation in 1907 and 1968 of the more important charitable organizations in New York city on unemployment, and am connected with the New York University. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. In what capacity? A. One of the teachers — lecturers. Q. In what department? A. School of Commerce in Washington Square. Q. You are one of those that asked for this Commission? A. I am one of the villains, and while I sympathize with the Commission, I am at the same time glad of it, because there is undoubtedly no question at all but that the first subject toward the solution of any problem is to get the facts. The first thing I should like to know, inasmuch as this is a tremendous problem and I could stay here for months, and talk about it, is as to the interpretation the Commission itself has put on its bill. In looking over the bill, it was passed under certain conditions, that while we recognize that there are defects on it, we could not remedy it; in other words, by the title of the bill you are to investigate the causes and effects of unemployment. The body of the bill says you are to investigate the causes of unemployment, and suggest a remedy. Q. The body of the bill — A. Yes; the title of your Commission has been the causes. Q. The body of the bill would absolutely govern? A. Then you are to concern yourselves only with the causes. Q. Don't let us be too technical. A. I only want to know, so as to know what to talk about. Q. You start in and tell us just what you think we ought to do with regard to this general proposition. You know just as well what that bill means, and what the problem is, a great deal better than we do. A. I know what is intended. Q. You go ahead on the basis of what you think it means. Assemblyman Voss.- You better tell us what it means. Mr. WARNE.— The design of the Committee was to have the causes, effects, and reme- dies for unemployment officially investigated. Another thing I would like to know, is as to just what the Commission itself has done, if it has done anything, as to narrowing its investigation. I assume, for instance, it is not possible for this Commission to take in the whole subject of unemployment; in fact, I would say it is absolutely impossible. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. Why? A. Because it is too big. In the first place, you haven't the appropriation, and in the second place, you haven't time. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. I think in place of attempting to predicate your statement on what the Commission has done, it would be very much better for you to go ahead and give us your own Sug- gestions in regard to the matter. A. I will do that. Q. You may assume the Commission does not know much about this problem as yet; we expect you to furnish us with some light on this subject, you, as one of the experts in the problem and as one of those that ought to know a great deal about it. We know very little. Assemblyman Voss.- What is more, it is our purpose and our idea to cover the entire subject. We will be glad to have you tell us all you know about the entire subject of unemployment. Mr. WARNE.— I should begin by saying this, that you are tackling a subject which has baffled the most astute statesmanship of modern Europe. You are tackling a subject that is a conspicuous cause of this great social problem of poverty; in other words, this Commission has undertaken to attempt to solve one phase of the great problem which the Twentieth Century has set itself to do. e By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. We have not undertaken it; it has been fired at us. Q. Very well; we will assume that. APPENDIX NO. II – HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I75 Q. You are one of those that pulled the trigger? A. Well, if I am possibly able to bear what responsibility there is attached to that—in the first place, my part in the estab- lishment of this Commission was that we saw here in 1907, a great problem — we saw everybody who pretended, and who by right should pretend to know about this problem, knew nothing about it. We started out attempting to find facts. We found there were no facts that could be relied on here. The State Bureau of Labor, for instance, is supposed to present statistics on unemployment. I am not criticising the Bureau of Labor because it is doing the best it can, but those statistics of unemployment are absolutely useless and worthless. In the first place, they don't show at any time, under any condition, the con- dition of unemployment. Q. What do they purport to show? A. They purport to show this: They take a Selected group of labor organizations that are presumed to be representative of organized labor in New York State; then those unions make to them quarterly reports as to the amount of the unemployment in those unions. In one sense of the word, the statistics that are valuable in that, as far as these few unions are concerned, there is a relative relation as to the increase and decrease of unemployment, because it does not take into mind, the tremendous body of unskilled labor which is the cause of unemployment. In the second place, we have no certainty of knowing that the men that those unions report as out of employment, are out of employment. We know, for instance, quite a number of members of organized labor are out of work in their own particular trade, and report so, that they are at work at Something else. I know of a carpenter, that when he is out of work in the winter, becomes an engineer, and there are lots of instances where men reported as out of employment, and the Department of Labor statistics are not reliable. What is unemployment? I take it that your problem is not at all with men who are out of work and yet able to take care of themselves. We can go along up Fifth Avenue and find a large number of men and women unemployed, that is an habitual disease with them; that is not your problem. So it is with the great mass of organized labor; they are Out of work at times, which presents no particular problem, as a rule; they are able to take care of themselves through benefits and various ways. You have not anything to do, I should say, with the great problem of vagrancy; it is not unemployed problem, but unem- ployable problem; it seems to me if you analyze just exactly what your problem is, you would get down to a comparatively small number Sf people really out of work. As long as a man is out of work, unemployed, as long as he is able to take care of himself, it seems to me it is not a problem for anybody. Take the men of seasonal occupations; it is very much a matter of doubt in my mind, whether a seasonal occupation is a problem of unemployment. I am inclined to think it is more a wage problem. For instance, if a man is out of work three months of the year, if he is able to take care of himself, if he has earned during nine months, enough money to take care of himself during three months, it is no more of a problem of unemployment than if a man is idle one day out of seven. I would say, as a general statement, this great problem of building trades, a seasonal occupation, is not a problem of unemployment at all. There may be certain numbers of men engaged in those trades that fall into the unemployed class, but as a rule, they all get sufficiently high wages to take care of themselves the rest of the year. Just where the Commission would define the word “unemployed " I don't know; you can make it large or Small. When it comes to the question of men who are out of work and women who are out of work, applying to the Municipal Lodging Houses, it is an indication that they have exhausted all they resources, all their savings — you have a problem that verges very near the problem of poverty. For instance, the last three years, take the reports of all your charitable Societies of New York State, all your insane asylums, peni- tentiaries, all your hospitals, you have there a problem of unemployment, but at the same time, it is a problem also of those other social diseases. The State Penitentiary Board made a report on this question, as to the large number of men being sent to the penitentiaries and jails because they are out of work; they said it was not just and fair. You had in 1907 and 1908 where over on Blackwell's Island, they were turning men away before their term expired, because they were out of work; they were sent there on a charge of vagrancy. A good many people approaching the problem of unemployment say you cannot do anything, whether you do anything intelligently or not; but anyway, you are doing some- thing, you are taking care of unemployed men in your insane asylums, and almshouses, hospitals and penitentiaries. We may not be doing it intelligently, but we are there, solving in an unintelligible way the problem of unemployment. Q. We are not solving it. We are taking care of a few of them. A. I say you are not taking care of them. Q. You mean furnishing them employment? A. And using the word “you” in a general relative sense, including all society, we are not making a Solution, but making 176 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY matters worse. Putting a man in the workhouse, it stands with him the rest of his life. A man goes to the Municipal Lodging House three times, and if he comes back the fourth time, he is very likely to be taken before a magistrate, and the magistrate is very likely to send him to the workhouse, on a charge of vagrancy. You can go through all of this horrible social condition, from the time the man has exhausted all of his savings, and to the time he gets to be a criminal, and it seems to me you would have to mark out just where this problem stops. My idea is to find out, as far as possible, the definite, concrete facts as regards the effect of unemployment, then find out as much as possible about the definite, concrete causes of unemployment. My own idea is that there is no cure-all; Mr. Bates’ recommendation that you distribute labor is only an insignificant Small part of the problem of unemployment. Q. You seem to avoid what seems to me the basic proposition as to the extent of unemployment? A. That is not possible to measure. As I say, the only measurement we have are statistics of the State Department of Labor. I should say you cannot at present use it as any instrument to measure the amount of unemployment. Q. You say you have not any figures to-day; they are only merely suggestions? A. Merely suggestions. By Miss EASTMAN: - Q. Isn't it equally true there is no definite measure of causes and effects of unemploy- ment, that we cannot get final information? A. We have no measurement, but we know pretty clearly what are the causes of unemployment, and know pretty clearly what are the effects. We do know there are twenty or twenty-five definite, distinct causes of unem- ployment, all operating at the same time. - By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. What I meant to ask you was, if there are no figures available, somebody ought to be able to suggest to us how we can get at the facts and figures. A. You cannot get figures and measurements. For instance, in 1907 the State Department of Labor esti- mated in its report the total number out of work, of two hundred thousand. That don't take into consideration at all all the unskilled classes, probably twice as many, I should say, simply from observation; if there were two hundred thousand skilled members of organized labor out of work, there was twice that many unorganized men out of work, because they are the men that get unemployed first. Take the question of immigration — when a period of depression starts in, the immigrant starts going back to Europe. Q. You were coming to things we ought to do. A. Some of the definite distinctions of unemployment, we have two kinds as a rule: what we call periodic unemployment, that comes every eight or ten years as the result of financial crises. That is a cause of unemployment separate and distinct, which has to have a separate and distinct remedy; that is to say, the unemployment which we had in 1898 and 1899 could not in any way be remedied by an invention or scheme which would affect unemployment in 1903 or 1904. Periodic unemployment, it seems to me, coming as it does every ten years, and we can usually see it is coming — it seems to me that the panic of 1907 was coming for the whole year, we had indications of it — Q. How could anybody have foreseen that panic or be prepared for it? A. Industrial conditions all Over the country predicted it — at least, that is my humble opinion; students who are close observers of economic conditions. Q. Who is going to be weather prophet on that? A. I have a suggestion later on. Of course you have got to get men acquainted with conditions who can read them and discern them. - Q. If men were able to do that, we know certainly the men that could do it would be pretty rich men. A. No; I don't think that. . He would not take any money for his services; he would be a social service man. Q. His Service would be so valuable he would be won from social service. A. My only suggestion as to a remedy for periodic unemployment is a suggestion somewhat like Mr. Bates has made. It seems to me it is possible — I differ from Mr. Bates in this respect, that there ought not to be work created merely to give men employment, but that the work that he stated to come out year in and year out is sufficient, if properly controlled and regulated, to adjust these periodic periods of unemployment. It is possible on these great State contracts and great buildings, through the proper officials and through the Legislature when it makes appropriations, to indicate or to state that this work is to begin at times when there is industrial depression or when there is indication of an oversupply of labor. As it is now, the State bids for labor, materials and everything else in its con- APPENDIX NO. II — HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT" 177 struction work at times of highest prices, when other individuals are doing that kind of work in times of industrial depression. Q. Is there any other country in the world — is there anywhere you have any pre- cedent for your suggestion, or Mr. Bates' suggestion, where it has been put in practical operation? Commissioner MITCHELL– The governments of Europe are all considering the question of pushing their public works in times of industrial depression. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- Of course it is a tremendously interesting suggestion – I mean if it has been practically put in operation, or anybody can suggest the exact way of applying it. Mr. WARNE.— Now, this question as to seasonal occupations as a cause of unem- ployment. As I said before, it is very much a question in my mind, as a general state- ment, whether seasonal occupations are the cause of unemployment. I am inclined to think it is more of a wage problem. This much is true. There are certain occupations, such as the garment industry, where the work is so little that it amounts to a question of unemployment. Then the question comes in, that the people do not work at some- thing else. These are facts the Commission has to ascertain. In other words, I should say the whole question of seasonal unemployment is a question you have to get the facts about; I don’t think anyone knows anything about it. Mr. MITCHELL.- The hardships of unemployment are accentuated by the idleness in the seasonal trades, because a certain number of skilled workers do unskilled work during the time of their own idleness. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- You mean to say that there are a certain number of skilled workers, skilled mechanics, who in times of depression will undertake manual labor? Commissioner MITCHELL.- A certain per cent. of them; not large enough to accen- tuate the hardships, and certainly in no instance will it relieve the situation. The tend- ency is to increase the difficulty; for instance, an engineer employed in the construction of a building will, when the building trades are not in operation, seek employment as a stationary engineer. Commissioner WAINWRIGHT.- Could you take a situation where an unemployed carpenter will try to get work as a farmhand? Commissioner MitchELL.- No; I don't think anyone will go — any city workman will go to a farm for employment. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- In other words, this State work, the thing suggested now is that where there are many thousands of skilled workers unemployed, and the State opens up its work on the Barge Canal, and the construction of highways, how much of a relief would that furnish for the skilled mechanics. Will it furnish some relief if it could be suc- cessfully put in operation for the men in that particular grade of labor? Mr. WARNE – In all that kind of work, there is a certain part of it that is carpenter work, will give employment to certain skilled occupations. There is this possibility with regard to seasonal occupations, that a close study of it would enable an adjustment between slack seasons in some trades and rush seasons in others. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. What, in your judgment, is the most model study on unemployment? A. I should say that to my knowledge, there has been no good study on the facts of unemployment. There are a whole lot of suggestions as to unemployment from a theoretical, academic point of view. Q. Is there any comprehensive text book on the subject of unemployment? A. You take England; there are quite a number of English books. Beveridge has just written a book on unemployment. Q. I asked what you consider the best and most satisfactory treatise on the subject? A. In this country we have none. We have magazine articles, and chapters in books of political economy, and other books, but there has been no detailed, concrete, definite study of the cause and effects, in this country. Q. Probably there has been no economist who has had the temerity to tackle it? A. That may be so, but it has not been until recent years a very serious problem to us. Q. That is attributing a tremendous amount of wisdom to us. A. That Massachu- setts Commission report, judging from the time it was made, 1895 and 1896, was a fairly able report, but I doubt whether this Commission would get any benefit from it. Now, Mr. Chairman, another cause of unemployment, to my mind, is the introduction of machinery. We have a very striking illustration of that by the linotype which in one year, during the time the great controversy was going on between the organized printers and Vol. III.-23 I78 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY publishers had 30,000 members out of work. Every industry at all times is throwing men in their employ, throwing them out of work because they are introducing machines, for the purpose of more efficiently doing that work. Q. I know a gentleman very closely connected with the linotype machine who was discussing that very problem, saying that the prediction was that the introduction of the linotype machine would have a tremendously disastrous effect upon printers, but as a matter of fact, there are more printers to-day employed, than were regularly employed before in the country. A. They solved their own problem. Commissioner MITCHELL.- When they introduced the linotype machine, they put a typewriter there and the compositors in the printers' union took possession of that machine that was coming into their trade; they were going to get control of it, and they did, and of course, the linotype machine gives such an impetus to the printing industry, the men are all at work. Q. This same gentlemen, who is an intelligent gentlemen, mentioned that an improved machine with six men operating on it, did the work of 1,500 men, in the shoemaking trade, and yet the number of men employed in the shoemaking industry is proportionately greater than at the time? A. That is true; that is the effect of the introduction of machinery in the long run, it does give an employment to a larger number of men; but take the case of the linotype, those compositors who had spent their twenty or thirty years, who were unable to adjust themselves to these conditions, what are we to do with those 30,000 com- positors. In other words, the great result of the introduction of machinery is a temporary dislocation of labor supply. Where the organization is strong enough, it will control that machine; but take a great many instances, they are not strong enough; they can not control that machine. Assemblyman Voss.- That was also illustrated when the elevated roads changed from steam power to electric power — the engineers who were running locomotives had to acquire the knowledge to run cars as motormen. Mr. WARNE.— That is true wherever they can do it. Commissioner MITCHELL.--Where there was an organized trade, the engineer would fight for the job and it is all right where the man could go with the machine, but where you have to leave a machine, an unskilled man takes the job. Then, a great hardship falls, as is true in a great many industries — in unorganized street railways right in New York, it happened when the change was made, there was an organization, for instance, the train- men or the engineers themselves had control of these locomotives on these elevated lines, but as soon as they are no longer controlling the situation in New York, there has been a change in the men, and that has been true everywhere where they have taken off the loco- motives and put on the motormen. It is only where the organization is strong enough to demand their men shall continue on the job that there is no great hardship. Mr. WARNE – I think the thing can be concretely illustrated in the question of the taxicab. The cabmen of New York city are not strongly organized. The taxicab has come in, and has taken away from the cabmen in New York city their positions. If they were strong enough to demand that all taxicab drivers shall be men who formerly drove those cabs, then you will find the taxies were being run by men formerly cabmen, but taxi- cab motormen are being used. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. Is that an element in our problem? I cannot exactly think of the State furnishing much of a remedy in a situation of that sort. It seems to me the State could not undertake the control. A. If the State had a Department or Bureau to follow the inventions of mach- inery — at the present time, I understand there is a machine about to be introduced into the cigar-making industry that is going to displace about 40,000 people in New York city alone. It is possible for a State official to get advance notice of that, and bring about a condition where there would be a better adjustment. * Q. Have a separate bureau to watch those things? A. To watch those things and sec what is going to be introduced, and see if there cannot be some adjustment. By Miss EASTMAN: Q. What could the State do in relation to those changes? Would not the establish- Iment of a labor exchange connect them with openings? A. Undoubtedly, that would be an element in the adjustment. The primary thing is first to find out beforchand and not wait until they are thrown out, and go and ask for a job, but find out certain men are going to be thrown out of work because of this machine, and in the meantime prepare for it. It seems to me a little forcsight would be better than hindsight. Take the questions of inven- tions so closely related to machines, the same problem, it seems to me, could be followed up if some kind of a State body could keep in touch with the inventions that are taken out APPENDIX NO, II — HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I79 constantly and being applied to machines. In other words, it is a question of foresight. If you have got a body or bureau that is going to distribute men who go about for a job, why can’t that same body use a little foresight in cases of inventions and in the introduction of machinery, and know ten months beforehand what men are going to be thrown out of work, and make provision for that, beforehand? It seems to me it is a very practicable thing that could be done. Now, take this question of immigration which is a cause, a very serious cause, a very prominent cause of unemployment. If you will study the inmates of most of our dependent institutions — take for instance, the Municipal Lodging Houses, a great many of the applicants are immigrants. The problem of unemployment is complicated seriously by this whole question of immigration. I was alive to the fact a while ago that a great many people are rather proud of the fact and rather point out the fact that whenever there is a period of industrial depres- sion, all this oversupply goes back to Europe. To me that is an injury, because the people that go back are the very best people economically and those who stay in this country, the immigrants that do not go back, are the ones that are the worst economically, are practically dependent, and that is the reason why in every period of industrial depression, you find the reports of all our almshouses and institutions showing a tremendously large increase in the number of their alien population. In other words, every industrial depression in the United States fills all of our dependent institutions with those immigrants who are less efficient economically, and not able to take care of themselves. If the immigrants who do go back and are able to take care of themselves here, if it were possible to keep them out of competition with the natives, they would make a demand for goods which would lessen industrial depression; but they take back their savings and there stay until conditions change. The Immigrant Commission of New York State made a limited investigation as to the effects of immigrants' labor on native labor on practically all of our industries. My recollection is we did not find a single industry in New York city where immigrants were not working. We did not follow it up to find out what became of the native labor, but it is fair to assume it was thrown into the unemployed class. By Assemblyman Voss: - Q. A large proportion? A. I don't know whether it would be a large proportion in comparison with the total of native labor. It is my own personal opinion that most of this native labor forced out, is forced to better occupations, more skilled; in fact, that is one explanation of this big change; native labor does become more skilled in every occupation we followed. Mr. Larmon has been endeavoring for a number of years, to adjust this oversupply of immigrant labor to the absence of farm labor. He can take that up, because he is better able to tell you about it than I am. The Commission asked the question how it was pos- sible to measure the immigrant labor, that is in the unemployed class. You can do it very easily through these employment agencies. You have in New York city 750 employment agencies, a large number of them being agencies exclusively devoted to immigrants. We I found in 1907 and 1908, the number of applicants for jobs, if I remember the figures correctly, ranged from thirty to forty-five to one applicant for a man placed, that is there were twenty to forty-five men looking for work when there was only one position for a man. That will give you a fairly good measurement as to the relative proportion of immigrant labor in the unemployed class. By Commissioner MITCHELL; Q. There was no duplication? A. Yes, that has to be allowed for, you cannot tell cxactly. You can get the relative measurement of it. One other cause of unemployment, I doubt very much if it can be measured in numbers, and as to whether it is relatively important or unimportant, depends upon the opinion or personal predilection of the indi- vidual; that is the absence of industrial education. Any of you who have followed the trend of education in our public school system, will have realized that a large number of people are being thrown out into life who are not qualified, who are industrial misfits. There are ways in which that can be measured. My own idea on this point is somewhat similar to that made to the last annual meeting of the American Federation of Labor by the Committee on Education, to the effect that some kind of a change must be brought about in our public school system, which will provide or which will unable a boy or a girl, when they reach the age of fourteen years, to choose some kind of a trade or industrial occupation, to be educated and trained for that. We have throughout the country, in different parts of the country, trade institutions, schools that are rather higher educational that these boys and girls could fit very nicely into. In other words, it seems to me this Commission should direct its attention to that phase of our public school system which is presented to us. I8O COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. I understand that the present Commissioner of Education is giving a great deal of attention to that subject. We passed in this State two or three years ago, an act drawn in Professor Draper's Department, that gave the school authorities the right to establish, in connection with the public school, industrial schools. It was a very general grant of power to them. By Commissioner MITCHELL: Q. They are simply given preliminary technical instruction. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- As far as the law is concerned, I should say the law would be perfectly adequate. As I remember it, it gives the Board of Trustees or the Commis- sioner of Education, or whatever educational authorities there may be in the different communities, the right to establish, in connection with the schools, trade departments. It was so broad, it gave them full power on the subject. Mr. WARNE.— May I suggest that this Commission make some such recommendation on that point, because it is a solution of certain things. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- That has been a great hobby of the present Commissioner of Education. Mr. WARNE.—Another important cause of unemployment, that is industrial accidents— I don't know whether the Commission has found out — I don’t know whether it has empha- sized the relation of industrial accidents to unemployment; but it is a very important cause of unemployment. It might be well, if the Commission would take a certain industry, or get sufficient information at certain industrial centers, to indicate what relation there is. Now, another cause of unemployment that is serious, and how serious we don't know, because there is no organized way of measuring it, is the trade diseases that come from dif- ferent occupations — men who become ill and thrown out of work. That is another ques- tion, it seems to me, that needs more facts before we can do anything definite about it. Another thing is the question of old age. Now, when you come to the question of old age as a problem of unemployment, no one can make a suggestion that would not be in a way very radical from all our previous practice. No one could make a suggestion that would not border very much on socialism, but to me it is a very important and serious problem — the large number of people who are unemployed in old age, and absolutely not able to take care of themselves. It only takes a visit to the almshouses to sce this; it is pitiful. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. I think in my county—we have got nearly 300,000 people in Westchester County, and we have got a very diversified population, from a manufacturing and industrial center like Yonkers, to the oldfashioned farm towns where the population is as sparse as in any other part of the State; and I think we have only got about 350 inmates of the almshouse. A. Is that largely agricultural? Q. No. I say we have got Yonkers on the south with some of the largest factories in the State, a city of 80,000; we have Mt. Vernon, with 30,000 and New Rochelle with 25,000 people, and a large agricultural region in the upper part of the county, with nearly 3oo,ooo people, and less than 400 people in the almshouse. Commissioner MITCHELL.- A very large proportion of the people have business in New York city, and people having business in New York are pretty well to do and have a pretty fair income. You would not find another situation just like that. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- How many people have you got in the alsmhouse in your county, Mr. Lower Assemblyman LOWE.— I should not say a larger proportion. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- I would like to get those figures. Mr. WARNE.— Mr. Hebbard issued some time ago, a statement as to the increase in the large number of men and women thrown on his Department because their children were out of work. He knows a good deal about it. Assemblyman Voss.- Would it be right in stating that as the result, for instance, in England to-day, of the great number of unemployed, especially among the old people, that it was a cause of their passing this bill, the law on old age pensions? Mr. WARNE – I should say that is true, because England has been compelled to reach that problem through the government. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. You say that problem has been met as the result of the introduction of the old age pension in England? A. It depends on what you mean by meeting a problem. Q. Taking care of the old people? A. That simply means taking care of them outside APPENDIX NO. II — HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I8I the almshouses instead of inside the almshouses. That is a question more of method. It, seems to me the question is much deeper than that. It is a question of right. A man who has given forty or fifty years of his life to industrial production, should not be taken care of as a charity. It is a right he has to demand of society, to be taken care of in decency and comfort. Whatever your method, it is not a question of charity to the man; it is a right he deserves and should be accorded to him. By Commissioner SEAGER: . Q. Do you mean to imply that the age of superannuation is getting lower? A. What I mean to imply is one of the important causes of unemployment, is old age. I have no means of recommending any remedy. Q. You mean that in the sense you think it would be desirable to devise a method of devising employment for aged persons? A. No. I should say it is being met, as far as my suggestion would go, in the same way that the Pennsylvania Railroad is doing it, or the New Central or those large employers of labor, who are making an arbitrary age limit, say seventy years, and he retires at a certain per cent. of his salary, which continues until he dies. That part of the problem is being met by these private corporations, and large industrial enter- prises. It might be that this Commission could indorse it, encourage that thing. I don't mean to say the Commission should recommend it to the State to do. I take it this Com- mission is to recommend devices and ways of meeting this unemployed problem which the State may not have anything to do with at all; in other words, it is my idea the Commis- sion would recommend a solution. Q. This Solution is shoving people out of the employed class into the unemployed class? A. As I said before, it is not an unemployed problem, if a man is able to take care of himself. Q. I hoped you had some figures showing some light on the alleged tendency of industry to superannuate men at an earlier age? A. No; I have not, except it is generally under- stood in most corporations that, comparatively, a man is thrown out of work at an earlier age than twenty years ago. Q. Of course this pension plan, seventy years, it would seem to bear on that view. A. Comparatively few men reach the age of seventy — the number is small. Q. I mean, if the railroads, for example, do not retire their employees until they reach the age of seventy, it does not seem to indicate that men are being superannuated? A. That particular aspect of it would not. Just one other of the many causes of unemploy- ment – I would like to refer to, and that is the question of distribution. The Immigration Commission took that up. It was found in a rough way, that probably three-quarters of the immigrants coming to the United States are farmers and farm laborers in European countries. They do not go to the farms in this country; they immediately go into our industries, most of them at unskilled work. There is something here in addition to these 750 employment agencies, the Bureau of the Federal Government; the Bureau of the Depart- ment of Agriculture, which aims to get these immigrants on the farms, and a great number of philanthropic and religious societies. In other words, you have a tremendous scheme of distributing labor; it is a sort of haphazard thing, a competitive system. Some sort of definite distinct State control, it seems to me, should be made of this distribution machinery. There is no correlation, there is no supervision of any of them, except in this Bureau of Licenses, which has charge of employment agencies, which receives the reports, from, I think, sixty of the so-called contract employment agencies; but there is no general super- vision of the machinery of distribution. It seems to me the Commission could recommend something of that kind. My only general suggestion as covering the problem of unemploy- ment is that this Commission should recommend to the Legislature, the creation of a sepa- rate and distinct Bureau in the Department of Labor; you might call it a Bureau of Unem- ployment or any other name which would have to do solely and particularly with this unemployed problem. I think it is safe to assume the State would get into a position of that kind, a man who is on the job and paid his time and attention and who could arrive at some definite and distinct practical solution. You have a Bureau of Factory Inspectors doing very efficient and necessary and important work. This Bureau of Unemployment could work somewhat along the same lines. Q. You have in mind something different from an Employment Bureau? A. Exactly; except this, the Bureau of Unemployment might devise some sort of machinery of an employ- ment agency. For instance, you had in 1896 a State Employment Agency, which was discontinued. The reason it was discontinued, as far as I could ascertain, was that it developed into a loafing place for servant girls; it was not efficiently managed, did not have a sufficient appropriation, it was not conducted in a way that it should have been conducted. It seems to me because New York State has failed in the attempt, there is no I82 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY reason why the State should not be alive to the fact that it might be an efficient agency for meeting this condition of unemployment. It seems to me there should be an agency created. I haven't anything further to say. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. The only thing you can suggest, is as you have just stated, the establishment of some Bureau, some State Bureau to take this matter in hand? A. That seems to me the only practical thing. For instance, on all these different causes of unemployment, there needs to be a remedy and you will have to have some State official whose duty and business is to apply those remedies and attend to those things. For instance, you cannot reach unemployment through the introduction of machinery unless you have got a man who is on the job to see it is attended to. Q. Would you say it might be possible, if a free Public Employment Bureau were established in the State, with a sufficient appropriation to enable it to be properly conducted in cities of the first, second and third class? A. The operation of this State Employment Agency in 1896 and 1897, was absolutely opposed by all of the private employment agencies, and there came a conflict between the two, and there was a bitter warfare between the two, all the time. If that employment agency can be conducted, so that there will be State control over all the other agencies, I think that would be efficient. All of the employment agencies in New York city used the State Employment Agency to throw their worthless applicants on. And it got a very bad reputation. All the employment agencies used their best efforts to throw mud on it, and all that sort of thing. Q. Have you looked into the statistics also of the workings of similar bureaus in other States? A. We took them up and found some States worked very cfficiently — Massachu- setts and Illinois. Q. In these states where the law is working very efficiently, has the State control over all employment bureaus? A. I think so; I think Illinois has control of some kind over its bureaus; and I think Massachusetts has. I don't know about Ohio. Assemblyman Voss.— I understand Mr. Earl is here. I would like to hear from Mr. John C. Earl. JOHN C. EARL. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. Mr. Earl, will you please state whom you represent and your qualifications? A. I am financial secretary of the Bowery Mission. Q. What is the Bowery Mission? A. It is a charitable institution. Q. Conducted by whom? A. By the Rev. Dr. Hyland, as secretary and by the Christian Herald. Q. How long have you been connected with it? A. Twenty years. Q. What are your duties? A. I have charge of the free labor bureau. Q. What is the purpose of that labor bureau? A. Furnishing labor to the unemployed in New York city that apply there for work. Q. That applies to any kind of labor? A. That applies to any kind of labor that we can fill. Q. It is a general bureau? A. Our principal object, Mr. Chairman, is to get the unem- ployed men out of the city into the country — back to the country, so to speak. We have not taken that up as a fad, but we find the bigger opening is there, and find that there is plenty of employment in the country, if we could get the men to the country. Q. Is this a denominational institution? A. No, undenominational. It is a very wide question, Mr. Chairman, and if I get off the line, just pull me back; I am not used to Speaking in public. There are before us two great factors in the unemployed; one is the foreign element that you can see yourselves in the snow-shoveling in the streets. If you stand by any of these big groups of men, you will think you are in Italy. For instance, the native-born American cannot get employment for that work. There are reasons for that. Q: What are the reasons? A. He he is not suited; the native man is not strong cnough. When a man is out of employment for three or four weeks, he lacks the necessaries of life and as a rule, the native-born workman is not thrifty and he is not able to stand that work. The foreigners come fresh from the other side, and they are a stronger class of men than the general run of men looking for employment, I mean English-speaking races. We find that the farmer in the country, in quite a number of instances, sending his application to us for a man, will say “I don't want an American; I prefer a Swede or an Irishman.” When they get a fresh Swede, or a fresh Irishman, he can do about ten times the work that a workless American will do; and they can give them the wages they like. APPENDIX NO. II – HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I83 . There is a vast number of the unemployed of the trades that do not come to us. That, you must take into consideration. They are kept — supported by their people; in fact, the workingman out of employment, lives on the workingman in employment. They help one another. How you are going to get statistics on that is above me; because we only touch the fringe that comes up against us, that are practically at the end of their tether. When this other gentleman was speaking, you asked whether the mechanic would take up farm work. He does, from my experience. Fifty per cent. of the men we send to the country, belong to recognized trades. You must remember, men who are down and out, they are at the end of their tether, they are glad to get out. On the other side, I have letters from the farmer which will prove what I have said. By Mr. MITCHELL: Q. How about the wages they are to pay? A. We have a form of application, and it is through the newspapers we push forward this work. We write up a little article, and give Some instances of the work we are doing, and that goes all over the country free, and the farmers begin sending in; they want men here, and they want men there — there are not so very many of them, but they do come in, in little lots. Sometimes you will see a newspaper canard that there are a thousand men wanted in Iowa and then find it is not true, that is another thing you want to guard against. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. When a man says five thousand, men can be employed on a line of two big railroads in this country and they have got no problem of unemployment out in their part of the country, what would you think of a statement of that sort? A. I will strike that out. In three cases last year, the thing fell through. Q. I am not stating a suppositious case, but an actual statement where that state- ment was made by a man actually connected with a very large corporation? A. Supposing we got an order in our institution, or the charity organizations which do a tremendous amount of work in that line, and keep statistics in a very perfect manner, supposing they got an order for a thousand men to go to a certain place in the country where there is need of men, the first thing we have got to do is to look for the transportation. We have not got that and the men have not got it. The question then becomes a question of transportation. If you can solve that question in some manner that will transport the bodies of men from where work is not to where it is, you will get very near Solving the question. It is a question of transportation. I have had farmers from away out West send me sixty dollars for one man for transportation, and that man got out there and worked on the farm. By Commissioner SEAGER: Q. Did he stay? A. He stayed there. That man stayed there — some do not stay. There is another problem. The farmer says the men here don't want to work. They do want work; there is a risk in going out to the country. The farmer will fill our employ- ment blank out; we give him a blank and he fills it out. I say: “Make the terms as good as you can, and you will get the man you like.” This is not a joke – sometimes they want a man with blue eyes, sometimes they want a German, a certain class of religion, a man that does not drink or smoke or swear, and they make it so hard they will never get that man except in Heaven. I can show you letters to that effect. The average man will go out to the country for the lowest wage you can get a mall to give, which is about $1 o a month and board. They pay out West on the ranches, $30. You cannot get a farmer to send to you $50 to get a man out there. By Commissioner MITCHELL; Q. About what is the average wage the New York farmer pays for a farm hand. A. $10 to $15. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- Miss Eastman, have you any idea what our figures show on the tabulation of average rate paid to farm labor? Miss EASTMAN.— The average rate paid in the harvest season is $2.07 without board. That is an exceptional wage; that is the wage for harvest labor that comes in for the three summer months. Mr. LARMON.— I am surprised at the statement the gentleman made. In our working department of agriculture, we send out about 4,000, and the average wages was not less than $20. Some are less, but the others run up to $30 and $35 with board. Mr. EARL– It sometimes goes higher. I am giving you average figures; but the bulk of the applications come in for $5 a month, and a lot of them for nothing at all. When they find these men are down and out, these farmers take advantage of then. I84 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY Mr. LARMON.—We turn applications of that kind down. Mr. EARL– We don't turn them down. He is better out in the country at $10 a month, than loafing in the city. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. How many men have you placéd? A. Roughly, this last year, over 4,000 men. Q. That is in addition to the four thousand farm hands the Department has put out? A. When you say farm hands, you don’t mean I send out practical farmers; any class of men. Q. One of our duties is to find out some remedy for lack of agricultural labor in the farm districts of the States. A. These men were not practical farmers, but there would be in them, I suppose at least 25 per cent. of practical farmers. Q. Twenty-five per cent? A. Were skilled farm hands. We put into employment about 4,000 men that went out to the suburbs. These figures have not been Swelled up by the snow-shoveling, because practically we have not sent any men to Snow-shoveling. They are taken up by Italians. I have not studied how this is done, but I believe they have to pay twenty-five cents for a shovel. The Italian always has twenty-five cents. Of all the men we placed, I should think 50 to 75 per cent. went out on farms. Q. How many in this State? A. I did not come prepared to give statistics. A majority go to the nearer cities, and as you go further, there is less and less. e Q. You are not able to state how many men your Organization put on the farms of this State? A. No, I am not; but I could get that if I had an opportunity. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. If transportation had been furnished, how many men could you have placed, not only in New York State, but throughout the country? A. If transportation had been furnished? Q. And there was a call, we will say in Chicago, for a thousand men? A. I think I could put on a thousand men in twenty-four hours. There are men who do not come to the Mission, and the moment they knew their transportation was to be paid they would be right at the door. By Commissioner MitchELL: Q. How many men did apply to you for employment during the last year — come to you to seek employment? A. We don’t put their names down. Q. Can you state approximately how many? A. I would not like to. That would be a jump at it. They might be repeaters. Q. Four thousand or fifty thousand? A. I would not like to answer that. Q. Was the supply of labor greater than the demand for labor? A. Yes. If you go down now, you will find over a hundred men sitting there waiting for jobs. You can go through those men and size them up. They are men from all kinds of trades. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. How do you distinguish between the vagrant and the man who is a serious applicant for labor? A. If I were sitting at my desk in my office, and the man comes to the grill there, before he has got to me I can class him. When I have engaged him in five or ten minutes' conversation I can tell whether he belongs to the vagrant class. By Commissioner MITCHELL: Q. You have what you call a bread line now? A. Yes. Q. How many men in your bread line now? A. About a thousand. Q. How many men during the panic? A. Twenty-five hundred. It is not so large 11OW. Q. You still have a thousand? A. Still have a thousand. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. How many were there in the early part of the winter in 1907 and 1908? A. Average up to a thousand. This is easy. There are not so many of them. There have been Some notices in the newspapers, some clippings come to me that the bread line had gone down owing to the Snow-shoveling. This is not true. We have not sent men to the snow- shoveling; they have not been taken on that. By Commissioner SEAGER: Q. I would like to have your opinion of the capacity of those men in the bread line? How many of them are vagrants, and how many are actual serious workers? A. I am APPENDIX NO. II— HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I85 down there on and off in the nighttime, and go in amongst the men and talk with them, and I can give you a very close idea of that. In the first place, the crook or the clever man is not to be found there. He can make his living otherwise than that. The pro- fessional beggar you meet on Fifth Avenue is not there. A man came to me yesterday; and I gave him a letter to the Labor Bureau, and he never went down. Those men are not to be found in the bread line; but the vast number in the bread line are men who have played the game of resting on their friends as long as they could, and they are practically unfit for labor. When we have a man to go to a farm, we have got to pick him out; he has got to have the strength, or we get complaints from the farmers that they cannot do the work. When he gets to us he is beaten up. He is not able to stand and fight the battle; he is down and out. Q. Do you mean the bread line is no indication of the problem of the unemployed? A. It is in a way. Q. How do you connect the bread line as you have described the composition of that line? A. I took the statistics of it, and out of two thousand men I don’t think there were more than thirty-eight or forty who were bums or tramps; the remainder were farmers, tailors, carpenters, and so on. A man may have said he was a carpenter when he was not. Q. He may have been a carpenter? A. You are right there; we are going into another end of the question. There is where the danger of the unemployed lies, with people who have got connections, who have people who are able to support them. They support that man for about twelve months in idleness, and he then gets no good. He is not worth anything. The bread line is a severe test. There is no man who can earn his bread who will stand in freezing weather two hours for a piece of bread as big as that (illustrating) and a cup of coffee. Now that is a severe test. The hobo is capable of getting it through dishonesty or through all of the many tricks that the city man is up to, but the ordinary workingman is not posted. The ordinary tramp and loafer can live where a good mechanic can not. He is not onto the ropes. I have my views on how that might be remedied. The transportation is the problem, and against that transportation you have an insuperable barrier. And that is this: every- one who wanted to go on a vacation to Chicago would apply for transportation — we would be swamped. The farmer has got to take his chances at the other end. The Government should control that in some way. The man who goes on the railroad and skips, that should be a penal offense. On the other hand, we find that there are more tricksters on the farmers' side than there are on this. I am telling you from my own personal experience. When he gets a man out there he will say he is no good, make him work for a month, and throw him out; and that poor devil is left out there in the country, without a friend. That end of the line has to be watched more than this. These men are weaklings, and we feed them a week or two, and given them good socks and get them shaved and send them to the farmers; but the men cannot stand the work. It is a very intricate problem. If the government could control transportation, so that it could not be abused by people who wanted to travel over the country, you would have a solution. Q. You mean by that to imply when there is a dearth of employment in one part of the country, if you had transportation, you could with reasonable certainty find employ- ment in some other part of the country, and therefore, transportation is the basis of the whole problem? A. Not the basis, it is one of the things that will help. If that order comes from Chicago for a thousand men, I think you could get all the men you want. These are not the vagrants, but the down and out. Then the charity men weed these men out and send the fit ones. Ours is a charitable organization; we give them a little feeding and so on, and give them some clothes, and send them out, and don't inquire too closely into his pedigree, but give him a chance. By Assemblyman LOWE: Q. What effect do you think it would have on the problem to confine transportation to the limits of the State? A. It would be a help, anyway. In New York State, to send the biggest number, but that is a transportation problem. If transportation were furnished, we could send them out West where they would get $30 with board. The next problem of the unemployed, is to see that your man is fit, because a man who has been walking around is not fit, not well fed, not in good condition. There are a lot of sick men who ought to be sent away into an asylum to recuperate. Now here is the third part of the problem. I think it was 12 months ago, the late Edmond Kelly had a big plan, that was a colony system; I believe the colony system is the only solution of the problem. To understand what I mean, you would have to read Mr. Kelly's work, “The Elimination of the Tramp.” A man goes there voluntarily. If a man is constantly appeal- Vol. III.-24 I86 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY ing for charity and does not get work, then you would want to have an infirmary to make them fit for work before you put them at it. A man who is not able to do a good day's work, he is dropped; he is not fit to do a good day's work. If you go down, you will see these men in the Bowery waiting for work, and if you go at 1 o'clock, you will see the bread line. Go around amongst the men, and say “Who wants a job?” and hear them yell. I think the question of unemployment is one that ought to be taken in hand by the Gov- ernment. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. The general Government? A. The general Government of the whole country. Q. You mean, you think it is more a national than a State problem? A. It is a national problem. This immigration business helps it. I applied to the Trunk Line Association to help us out, and we sent invitations to every governor in the United States, and we sent to those States where people were telling us they were in need of employment. I have got governors' letters, saying they had no need. I attended a meeting of the Trunk Line Association, and made a plea that we be allowed some little advantage for the transporta- tion of these men. They considered it and wrote me saying they could not do it. I wrote them again, and they said if it was a question of charity, they might consider it — and they asked “will you pay the balance if we pay half?” Now, that is a tax on us which we are not prepared to meet. I am not blaming these gentlemen; that is their business. This is a government function; we are practically usurping a government function in attending to the unemployed on the Bowery. That is my position, and I think it is a disgrace to the Government. Immigrants come in at the Battery, who are not American citizens, and they are allowed half their fare. I have got a letter from them, saying that there was an allowance of fifty per cent.; a stranger coming in is allowed assistance, and the native Am- erican citizen is not. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- That only means that the railroads are permitted to fur- nish, and do furnish a certain class of transportation suited to their needs, at a less price than the ordinary class of transportation, but your statement was, you seem to think the Government was paying half fare out to the West. Assemblyman Voss.— The point you wish to make is, it is only done by the rail- roads in favor of the immigrant. º Mr. EARL.- That is another important factor on unemployment; the foreigner gots employment and gets a chance, while an American citizen does not get it. We are dealing with the American citizen in New York city, and I say we cannot get the help from any- body, whether Government, railroads, or who it is. A greenhorn who cannot speak one word of the American language, he gets a job. These are things that I am up against. I may be wrong in some little technical points; I did not come here prepared. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. What would you say with reference to the question of a free public employment bureau in this State? A. I think that is very important. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- Mr. Tucker knows all about that, State Employment Bureau. Mr. TUCKER.— I don't know all about it; I know a little something about it. Mr. EARL.- If there was a regular bureau and those other bureaus were put out of existence, people would not look at it in the light of charity. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. Have you given any thought to the methods employed in other countries, with reference to these people? A. I don’t think they can give us anything. I think we are better physically and naturally, than they are. I think the differences are so great in the people, and I think we have a bigger opening here. We have always the country — the land. There is the exception of what Mr. Edmond Kelly brought from Switzerland — that is where the idea came from. O. F. LEWIS. Mr. LEWIS.— Mr. Chairman, I have been connected for about four years and a half, with the Charity Organization Society, in dealing with the homeless men who come to that Society; two years financial Secretary, and scoretary of the Prison Association. I wish to talk particularly in regard to two bills coming before you this winter having a very direct bearing upon this question of unemployment. One is, a labor colony bill in some form, not quite the same as Senator Grattan's Bill of last year; the other is a bill for the cstablishment APPENDIX NO. II — HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT 187 of a reformatory for misdemeanants, of which there is none in the State at the present time. Taking up first the matter of the Labor Colony, and showing why a labor colony of this State seems to be a necessity, I want to direct your attention to the census report of 1904, which shows that the four principal causes of commitment for crime in the United States, were drunkenness, vagrancy, larceny and disorderly conduct; and if you take drunkenness, vagrancy and disorderly conduct, you have 54 per cent of all commitments to penal institu- tions for that year, which is the year that has last been studied by the census. Vagrancy occupies twenty per cent. of that fifty-four. Now, in the State of New York, we committed more vagrants, than any other State in the United States. We commit them at present to workhouses, penitentiaries and county jails. They are committed for very short sentences, rarely does a sentence run over six months. Thirty-six per cent. are not one month; 20 per cent. more are for one month; and the figures above six months are so ridiculously small, you cannot see them on that dia- gram, which is a reproduction of a diagram in the Times about a year ago. Now, that is not only a very serious situation, but it is also one of the continuing causes of unemployment that Mr. Warne did not mention. He mentioned some of the funda– mental causes, and these causes are so important and so much more important, really, than the question of dealing with this mass of vagrants and tramps, that it should receive your first consideration. These various mills are turning out a product and the question before you is how to take care of that product. That product is taken care of at present in a way in New York State, that does not result in their restoration to industrial efficiency. That is an argument for a new kind of institution. Mr. Kelly and others drew an elaborate colony bill last year, modelled very largely on the Swiss colony at Witzweil. There are in Germany a number of compulsory colonies also. The men must stay at Witzweil until they serve their sentence, which is indeterminate. They emerge from the Witzweil colony to a voluntary colony which acts as a passing out house, and from that they can, if they have acquired some efficiency, be restored to industrial life. Now, this Grattan Bill of last year and the bill which comes before you this year, con- templates not a voluntary colony, but a compulsory colony, because it is, I think, the con- sensus of opinion of those that have studied vagrants in this State and in other States of this country, that the best method to be applied to the wandering class is the method of human restraint until such time as it shall have had an opportunity to learn some form of industry, either agriculture or some other form. There will, at the best, be a large residue of men who will not acquire that ability, but there will be, we hope, a reasonable number, committed for a reasonably long indeterminate sentence, who will acquire that ability; and that is the vagrant plan of the Labor Colony. Now, in what has been said this morning, in regard to vagrants, one thing has not been emphasized, that is, there are certain generally well defined groups of vagrants, and you have got to treat them differently. Mr. Earl has spoken of the Bread Line; others have told you of certain classes of men; that there are men who are old, and still elder men, the third class are classified generally as tramps, hoboes and bums. It means there are a large class of young men between ages of 16, 22 and 23, who have recently hit the road, and are reclaimable. Beyond that, there is an intermittent class, and I have confidence that is reclaimable. There is the advanced case of vagrancy upon which efforts are almost wasted in the effort to reclaim such a man as that, and for such a man undoubtedly, we are going to have custodial care for life. For the first class, for the young man, definitely reclaimable man, the man may be in Elmira, we ought to have such a Labor Colony. For the second class the man who is less reclaimable, but still has some form of labor he can do, we ought to have a Labor Colony. There will be naturally a classification of work, agricultural and certain industries, and those who are more reclaimable, more efforts will be spent upon. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. You don't want to make it too attractive? A. It won't be too attractive, because the men can not get out. The plan last year was the maximum sentence to be a year and a half, and the minimum, in the discretion of the superintendent. That, very briefly, is the plan of the Labor Colony Bill. It is to be managed by a Board of Managers. It is a penal institution, but it is a reformatory simpler in its general administration to the admin- istration, for instance, at Elmira, by the Board of Reformatory Managers, similar to the administration of the Bedford Reformatory or other reformatory institutions, not by the superintendent of a prison. It is for the Offense of vagrancy and tramping. Vagrancy is not a crime, but tramping is a misdemeanor. Q. Why do you say so positively, not under the control of the State Prison Depart- ment? A. Because I think the whole purpose of this institution is not to be a prison, but to be a reformatory. I88 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY Q. You distinguish it from a State hospital, then? A. It will have State hospital characteristics, but it will not be a State hospital. Q. Because the State took over the management of the State hospitals? A. We have an analogy in the State Reformatory Institution at present in Elmira, working very satisfactorily. I don't want to go into a long discussion as to the desirability of having the Institution under the Superintendent of Prisons or Board of Managers. I might say this is not a proposition of my own, but has been worked over by a large number of people and organizations in this State — I might mention the Prison Commission, the State Board of Charities, the Prison Association, the Charity Organization Society, the Society for the Improvement of the Condition of the Poor, and men and women throughout the State. Q. How large an appropriation do you ask for? A. The appropriation asked for last year was $250,000, and that killed it, among other things. It did not go through the Finance Committee; it went through the Assembly. Q. Who had it in the Assembly? A. The Finance Committee. Senator Grattan's Bill went through the Assembly. This year, I think there will be an appropriation asked for a site, but these details are now in the hands of a sub-committee, and the bill is shortly to be prepared, and it will be introduced. The theory is not that all these men are going to be reformed, but a certain number of men who have not had a square deal, and par- ticularly the young fellow on the road to vagrancy, shall be sidetracked, to an institution, not as pleasant as outside life, but at the same time, not a prison, but a reformatory. A board of managers and a superintendent of sympathy and efficiency will be appointed, and these men will be taught as far as possible, but at the end of that time, it will come under the system similar to that which now obtains in the case of Elmira. Q. How can you distinguish between a man going to Elmira and this colony? A. There is a very serious difference. The man who goes to Elmira has committed a felony. Q. What have these committed? A. A misdemeanor, or he has offended against a local ordinance. The bill provides distinctly that they shall be sent only on a charge of vagrancy or being a tramp. e Q. In a town like ours on a cold winter morning, there will be ten or fifteen men rounded up there, they have not done anything; they probably go to the police station for a night's lodging? A. They have not done anything there, but you don't know where they have. Q. Upon what theory are you going to restrain these men from liberty and put them in jail? Can you put them in the class of offenders against the law, when the law is more apt to be an offender against them? A. The bill, as it has been drawn, provides that no man shall be sent to this colony but on testimony before a magistrate, which can be cor- roborated by other testimony. We are all sympathetic. It is the men who are down and out. We must not allow our sympathy for the individual to overcome our knowledge of what seems to be the facts, namely, that a very large proportion of this army of vagrants is an army which maintains itself in idleness largely because it wants to; that while there are a certain proportion of men traveling, looking honestly for a job, a large proportion of the men huddled around your lock-up or riding on trains are men who want to be there and don't want to take work. I can't say anything more than that. Mr. TUCKER.—It seems to me that we have got to describe and set up for ourselves a new type of offense and got to admit that it exists. I should describe it as social ineffi- ciency in which the crime, if there be any, is a joint crime as between the individual and Society at large. Society in many cases has not performed its duty to the individual, and the result is that the individual does not maintain his duty toward society. Perhaps to pass upon that crime, if we call it so, or that offense, we will have to create a new type of court, but that we have got to come to it, is as inevitable as that we are sitting here; be- cause we who have dealt with that type of inefficiency know that the desire for that kind of custodial care exists on the part of the offender himself, among doubtless, the more intelligent – that offender, more often you will find him perfectly willing to accept that type of custodial care which will restrain his weaknesses of character and which will provide a means for developing such qualities of earning capacity in him which he may possess; in other words, there is a distinct type of social inefficient, who is willing, who is cognizant of his own weaknesses, and is willing to submit to the restraint and the educational pro- cesses which he hopes will make him fit once more to enter society. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- That is all right, Mr. Tucker, but this proposition of Doctor Lewis involves a broader principle, that it means it is not even the man that goes volun- tarily, but where you take ten men in the New Rochelle lock-up, and five of those men may be the kind of men you describe, and five of them pure bums, where are you going to be able to commit them to some institution? -- APPENDIX NO. II – HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT 189 Mr. TUCKER.—I find a justification for the situation in this: Those men are not capable of Self-support, not capable of performing the duties of a citizen. We must create some official or body which is capable of deciding whether the individual is socially efficient or not. We cannot decide that on the basis of any single act. We must decide it on the basis of the history of the man, so far as it can be obtained, with the ability to judge of his general attainments. - Chairman WAINWRIGHT-You mean you cannot put him in the same category as a lunatic or habitual drunkard? Mr. TUCKER.—The man is distinguished through incapacity of character or other mental or physical weakness. * Commissioner MITCHELL.-If a workman were out of employment either because of his necessity or because of his choice, has lived in the State of New York and has no money, he might be sent to this reformatory for a period and there he would be confined? Mr. TUCKER.—I can not imagine such a thing happening where properly conducted. In the first place, the type of man you instance would travel with credentials — he ought to have credentials; I believe every carpenter should belong to the trade union or body. Commissioner MITCHELL.- And the law will provide if he had a union card he would not be sent? Mr. LEWIS.— It is not the law. It is the magistrate himself. Commissioner MITCHELL.- I doubt if you will have it with the consent of the work- man. If you contemplate putting men under restraint if they are out of work, if they commit no crime against authority except they were unemployed and compelled to beg, I doubt whether the workingmen will ever agree that they can be reformed by sending them off to some place. Mr. LEWIS.– This does not contemplate the sending up men who are now not being arrested, but it contemplates an institution to which they may be sent as described, to learn something, rather than being sent to the jails, penitentiaries and the workhouses. I think that honest men, seeking work, rarely get before the courts. I think you will grant it is much better he should go to an institution with no minimum sentence, but with a maximum sentence, than go to the county jail among confirmed criminals. That is what this institution contemplates. It contemplates providing a better kind of insti- tution, exactly as the Bedford Reformatory for Women is a better institution than the Workhouse of the City of New York. Assemblyman Voss.- One magistrate told me about a year and a half ago that during the winter of 1908 ten or twelve men came into his court that were without work, unable to support themselves, and asked to be committed to the workhouse; and a charge of disorderly conduct was drawn up against them, and they were committed for the winter. By Chairman WAINWRIGHT: Q. Their being committed to the workhouse or institution for vagrancy is always voluntary. You cannot take a man and commit him because he is a vagrant. A. Oh, yes. We commit more men for vagrancy in New York than any other State in the Union. Q. How do you define vagrancy — distinguish between the man who is a bum and the man who is really a hard-luck man? Mr. WARNE – The City of New York has established a municipal lodging house, where any man or woman can be fed or clothed and get a night's lodging; and if they are there more than three nights, they are taken before a magistrate on a charge of vagrancy. Mr. LEWIS.— The weakness of the Municipal Lodging House system in New York city is this: it has no work. It is not in the wood business, or in industrial business, as in the case of Boston Municipal Houses, or Philadelphia Society for Organized Charity, with its wood yard. I won't go into the reasons; we might think it might conflict too much with some industries in the State, and that is probably the reason why Mr. Hebbard, Commissioner of Charitics has spoken of that work test. We have this actual threat of commitment if they go there a certain number of nights in a month, when, for instance, with their half million dollar frce hotel, we ought to have them stay much longer. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.- I am furnished the definition of vagrant—a man without visible means of subsistence. ge Mr. Lewis.— That is one fact. I know another. If you look in the State Charitics' Law, you will find that there are eight or nine definite headings for vagrancy, largely differ- ent in wording. It is supposed the judges also find out there is no intention of working. There are other definitions of vagrancy which cover prostitution and other things that don't directly concern us. Vagrancy is really a state of being nothing clse. A man is rarely sent away on a charge of vagrancy. Vagrancy is a blanket definition; it is an unsatis- factory definition in this State. I90 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY By Commissioner SEAGER.— Q. Will this bill define vagrancy more precisely? A. It has not contemplated that so far. It contemplates rather leaving that commitment to the magistrate. I want to say a word or two regarding this other institution, namely, a reformatory for misdemeanants. A reformatory for male misdemeanants is very necessary because all of our boys between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one are sent to institutions in this State for misdemeanors that have no reformatory character. The man who happens in a street fight to knock a fellow down, or who has gone with a gang and stolen Some pigeons, or something like that, is convicted of a misdemeanor and is sent to the work- house or county jail or penitentiary, and a description of the conditions there has been outlined by Doctor Henderson of Chicago, in his report on county jails, and such description can be found in many places. The Prison Commission and Prison Association are going to bring this bill before the Legislature, providing for a reformatory for male misdemeanants, probably having a Board of Managers or a Board of Reformatory Managers as at Elmira. From January Ist, to October 1st, 1909, I,639 boys were in the Tombs between the ages of 16 and 21. All those boys are reclaimable. They are not to be reclaimed through county jails, workhouses and penitentiaries, and a certain proportion can be reclaimed through a reformatory, and that is the reason I should urge upon your Commission the consideration of this bill. I think your Commission should consider this, that while you have got these fundamental causes that are so important, you cannot deal with those causes immediately. They are important social causes that are going to be rectified gradually. We have got the conditions existing here; we have got the facts; we have got Some 5,500 boys between the ages of 16 and 2 I in these institutions. That should not be for boys between 16 and 2 I that are reclaimable. We need also some form of institu- tion which will enable a man who is down and out, who is in some degree reclaimable, to learn a trade or to learn to become a farmer, because agriculture, it is planned, shall be one of the principal occupations of such a labor colony. I think if you do not consider the labor colony perfection, but consider it in comparison with what we have got now, and that labor colonies have been considered to be the solution of this question in Germany, you will see we are probably on the right track in urging the introduction of such a colony in this country. Chairman WAINWRIGHT.— Now, Mr. Tucker. FRANK TUCKER. Mr. TUCKER.— I have found that it is the easiest matter in the world to talk loosely all over the shop, about the so-called problem of the unemployed. I have seen it in my experience that the problem of the unemployed is not one problem, but it is many prob- lems, and one can not talk intelligently or directly about it, until some attempt has been made to classify the problems that exist and deal with each class of problem by itself. For instance, as I see it, there is the problem of the unemployed within the City. By the City, I mean New York city, which is unique in its unemployment problem. Recess until 2:30 p.m. AFTER RECESS. 2:30 o'cLOCK P. M. (COMMISSIONER SEAGER presiding.) Commissioner SEAGER.—We will come to order. The first gentleman on our program this afternoon is Doctor Tucker, who will continue the remarks he began this morning. DOCTOR TUCKER.—If I recall aright, I had said that we could not talk intelligently or concretely on the subject of unemployment until we had first classified the problems of unemployment, stating it briefly, that the problem of the unemployed in the City of New York is one thing, the problem of unemployment as between the State and the City is an- other problem, and that, the problem of unemployment as between the City of New York and the nation at large is still another and a very different problem. The problems also vary according to the type of employment and the personal equation of the unemployed. Now if I were asked to suggest a program by which unemployment might be mini- mized, it cannot be done away with entirely, in my judgment, for a variety of reasons, among which are the transient nature of many employments both in the City and in the State, I should say that so far as the City is concerned, I believe the first step in minimizing unemployment is the organizing of every occupation and every trade, not for the purpose APPENDIX NO. II — HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I9 I alone of getting higher wages, but for the purpose of intelligent study by groups of em- ployees occupied in the same or similar occupations, for the general purpose of betterment in those occupations and trades, among which, of course, is the improvement of the working conditions, the permanency of work, compensation paid, and generally an intelligent con- ception on the part of those cmployed of the forces that are at work to create work in the the first place, to keep it permanent, to keep it reasonably stable, and to make the whole object of employment satisfactory alike to employer and employee. In other words, from my experience, I believe that the first step in the intelligent orderly treatment of employ- ment is organization of the employees with these objects in view; and intelligent knowledge of themselves as a group, and of all the conditions that govern their employment. As a second step, I believe that there should be centers of intelligence with regard to labor and all that is meant by the term labor — I used it in the most inclusive sense — centers of intelligence, not engaged directly or primarily in obtaining positions for indi- viduals, but centers of intelligence directed by groups of men representing various relations in life and various experiences in life, all of whom should have an intelligent interest in the problem of labor. That for the purpose of aiding these working groups which I have in mind through educational means, through information concerning the larger forces, larger conditions, larger influences that are at work affecting their employment. Now, as to whether those centers of intelligence will be best administered and directed by government or private control is perhaps an open question. I personally believe that it is the function of the Government to provide those centers of intelligence through es- tablished commissions of men of the right type, just as we are learning to establish scien- tific commissions, which are permanent commissions, to deal with the tariff, finance and other intricated and complicated matters of that kind. Now a third step is the labor bureau so called — the employment bureau, I think more properly designated as employment bureau. My own experience is that they are best conducted, so far as the ordinary occupations of life are concerned, by private enter- prize rigidly supervised by the State. We cannot entirely eliminate the selfish motive that lies back of the proprietors of these exchanges. We cannot prevent them from making the most of their opportunities to gather money from the needs of employment of one group and the needs for employees of another group. But we do know that many of the necessary every day functions of life can be regulated and controlled by the State through intelligent, persistent, well-directed supervision. So far as the maintenance of a State labor bureau is concerned of the employment bureau type, that is engaged in the direct work of obtaining jobs, I doubt whether that function can best be performed by the State. I thing it is only fair to say that So far as my knowledge goes, that a State employment bureau, or that the possibilities of a State em- ployment bureau or a State controlled employment bureau, had never been entirely de- veloped. The one that was started by the State in this City never had an adequate financial support from the State. Of course, going hand in hand with inadequate financial support, I think was inadequate supervision, and with them a limited point of view to the possi- bilities of the State bureau. I was one of the Committee appointed by Labor Commissioner Sherman to make inquiry into the workings of the State Bureau in this City, and as the result of our investigation we come to the conclusion that the chief function it was then performing was that of an intelligence office for domestic servants — women. And we recommended unanimously that the Bureau be discontinued. My recollection is that the Commissioner obtained permission from the Legislature – I don't know that a bill was passed rescinding the creation of the Labor Bureau, but at any rate he did obtain authority to transfer that appropriation to the Factory Inspection Department. That at least is my recollection. It may not be accurate. Now broadly this is my attitude toward the whole problem. We have talked loosely. We have talked I think unintelligently. I don't mean that in an invidious Sense, but unintelligently, because we have not the common language of expression with regard to certain conditions, and because we have not classified the conditions that existed about the problem of unemployment. I, of course, from the point of view of my cxperience believe that a variety of instrumentalitics must be created to deal with the so-called unemployed in all their many varieties. We have the efficient man unemployed because there is not work for him at the present. I think that type of man adjusts himself with reasonable quickness, particularly if he is a member of an organized trade, because the best Cmploy- ment bureaus that I know of or have had anything to do with are the organized trades. That type of man does not concern us. His trade is probably one of transient employ- ment, and the rate of compensation is usually fixed with a view to giving him a reasonable living income for a year, even though he may work only 200 or 250 days. We have the most serious problem in obtaining employment for those who are essentially inefficient. I92 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY I mean by that that they have not been taught an occupation which is steady in its char- acter. I have come in contact with many men who know only what is called clerical work. They have not been trained as bookkeepers, they have not been trained as accountants, they have not been trained as cashiers or cashiers' assistants. In other words, their early training has not equipped them for existence, and for obtaining employment in a commu- nity where employment is highly specialized. Then there is the type of so-called handy man who usually has no capacity whatever. He cannot even attend to the furnace well. He does not know how to remove the ashes from the kitchen to the sidewalk without leaving a trail. He does not know how to clean a window and seemingly has not the capacity to learn how, and at any rate no one has the time or the inclination to teach him. Then there is the great group whose working capacity has been destroyed both through lack of proper training for a vocation, and whose earning capacity is weakened by some weakness of character that we usually find to be over-indul- gence in stimulants, which has so fastened itself upon them as really to become a disease. That type of man is not an uneducated man. He is not a man who has been limited as to his early opportunities in life. He is usually a man who has had opportunities and who has not established himself, and who has reached an age where he can not unlearn the habits of the past, and he can not learn or develop a new form of earning capacity sufficient to maintain himself. These are types of men whom we who have dealt with dependent families are constantly in contact with. And it is from that group that the need for the custodial institution which Doctor Lewis spoke of this morning has grown—an institution where there can be control, so that the desire for drink will be controlled, or at least minimized, and where Some form of earning capacity can be developed, at any rate to such an extent as to enable the indi- vidual to go back in society and establish for himself a place where he can maintain himself independently without outside assistance. By Commissioner SEAGER: Q. You have in mind sending inebriates to such a colony? I did not take that to be Doctor Lewis’ idea. A. No. When the inebriate becomes so great that it is an absolute great physical and mental disability, he needs absolute treatment as well as Supervision; needs another type of institution. And it was that idea that I had in mind when I said, in order to deal with the unemployment instantly, we must develop a whole chain of instru- mentalities, to deal with the individual and with the conditions that exist. I think that is all I have to say. Of course, my experience has been of two kinds. First, contact with those who have become dependent both by lack of work and through no fault of their own, and those who have lost work because of weakness of character. The Cooper Union Labor Bureau, while perhaps it had not all the resources that one ought to have to test an experi- ment thoroughly, yet it did have a fair, very fair, test, and I believe it was a failure as a permanent established method of dealing with unemployment. Commissioner SEAGER.— Have any of the Commissioners any questions they would like to ask Doctor Tucker before he escapes us? We thank you very much, Doctor Tucker. The representative of the Department of Agriculture, who was to follow Doctor Tucker on the program, has stepped out, I take it for a moment only. Is there anyone else present who was to address us this afternoon? CHARLEs W. LARMON. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. Will you please state your qualifications and whom you represent, for the purposes of the record? A. I am chief of the Bureau of Agricultural Labor in the State Department of Agriculture. I work along general agricultural lines, and that is the principal work, and that means, Mr. Chairman, that I am a farmer. Eloquence is not one of the crops that we usually cultivate on the farmes up-State, but sitting in the chimney corner by a blazing log, with a bag of popcorn, a few pounds of Sweets and a mug of cider at hand is an opportunity that gives one to revery, a little thought and study to these questions. I Suggested some of these thoughts to Governor Higgins four or five years ago. The Gov- ernor and the Legislature being in a receptive mood, passed a bill authorizing the Com- missioner of Agriculture to institute in his department a bureau of information and statistics to take up the question of the decreasing prices of our farm lands in New York State and the lack of labor, which probably is one of the great causes of that depreciation. Leading up to that, the ideas and thoughts that came into my mind were, first, perhaps that great decrease, which if the statistics furnished by the Census Bureau are to be relied upon, was a decrease of about seven and a half millions per year in the value of the lands in New York State, second, of a great lack of labor; that the great numbers of immigrants coming to this APPENDIX NO. II – HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I93 country would be available to occupy the places which had been left by the boys and girls raised upon..those farms in this State, who were by reason of the exertions made by Western States, railroads, land companies and the Canadian Government, going into the wilderness of the West, leaving these golden opportunities. It occurred to me that something ought to be done. I have been struggling along with that for four years and a half on a little appropriation of a few thousand dollars, and the work has been harder perhaps to keep within the appropriation, than the other part of it to accomplish anything. I called attention frequently to the fact that the great business depressions to which we are incident at stated periods would recur, and that no effort was being made by the State or the Nation to distribute its people to an environment where they could become self- sustaining, self-respecting people. It seemed to me that something ought to be done by the State to direct those people, that instead of the property of the State depreciating $7,500,ooo a year, that it ought to be appreciating something like the Western States, Iowa for instance. Of course, Iowa has the advantage that it has new lands, but there was a demand for that land. It was advertised. People were going there because they were encouraged to go there. Europe was flooded with circulars calling attention to the un- equalled opportunities in that section, and the result was that while we went down $168,- ooo, ooo in ten years, Iowa increased $1, Ioo,000,ooo, Minnesota, Kansas and Nebraska about the same. There has been a great deal of talk about abandoned farms and unoccupied farms in the State. It seems to me wholly unnecessary that such a condition should exist. We are producing $245,000,ooo worth of crops in the State. The enhanced price in the last few years, which has so increased the cost of living, has increased that probably to over $4oo, ooo, ooo a year. The cost of living in ten years advanced probably 50 per cent., and in the last year the record is II per cent. Wages have not increased in proportion, and as I in my work have visited various sections of this City, the situation is to my notion appal- ling and growing worse. I don't know, or at least I have not thought out the question seriously, of what to do with the unemployed, who are unemployed because they don't want employment. But I have thought out the question of what we can do to direct the steps of those who are coming to us, who have been encouraged to come to us and who will continue to come to us, until laws are passed preventing an unnecessary number coming, to congest the labor market and keep the workingman down to perhaps a worse condition than he is at present. If the cost of living has increased, the cost of labor must increase or else hardship ensues. Now to be brief, I have thought of several ideas, and I discussed them with the Com- mission of Immigration of which I was a member last winter, and one result of that Com- mission was the proposition to establish a bureau of immigration and industries in this State. To carry out that work to its logical conclusion would mean the establishment of such a bureau broad enough in its scope to embrace the needs of every employer of labor in the State of New York and to keep the record of possibly every laborer who wanted a job. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. Would that mean practically a free public employment bureau? A. Yes, it would be a free public employment bureau. It would be free in so far as the State would neces- sarily make an appropriation for it to carry on its work, but would have an income as proposed by that bill in the form of a license upon the employment agencies of the cities. Q. Taking the place of the employment agencies of the cities? A. No. I would allow them to go on just as they are, but controlling, regulating them, and seeing that they were run on a fair and Square basis, they to report to this Central Bureau frequently with all the names of the men for whom they have found employment, in order to prevent peonage, and sending such men in a place where the environment was not good. They would be licensed. I have forgotten just how that provision was. There was a nominal fee of $50 for each one. There are 750 in the City and perhaps nearly 1,000 in the State, which would bring in a lot of money. The different divisions of the Public Labor Bureau could be located, for instance — in ten divisions of the State — the main office in New York, one in Albany, perhaps one in Watertown, one in Utica, and one in Syracuse, in Binghamton, Elmira, Buffalo and Rochester. In that way the wants of the labor market could be easily supplied, and if there was a surplus of labor in any one district it could be easily sent to another, and the manufacturers and agriculture could be brought up to their highest efficiency by furnish- ing an adequate supply of labor. This Bill provides an investigation, as you remember, along the lines of the welfare and industrial opportunities of aliens. Not to let the alien when he arrives here drift Vol. III.-25 I94 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY into an occupation which would throw some other men out of employment, but place him out in another field of endeavor. Sixty or seventy-five per cent of the immigrants coming understand something of agriculture in their own countries. There is wonderful need of increased agricultural production in this country and it is going to continue. The prices here, price of meat, price of ninety odd different articles, largely of agricultural productions, are almost luxuries. Now, in order to further meet that requirement I would establish, not a penal agri- cultural colony, but I would establish farm homes, placed in the hands of competent foreigners who have been in this country long enough to understand English and to under- stand the methods of cultivation of our soil and crops, and to them send the young foreigners or any other man who came with a good reputation and let them be taught something of the methods and a little of the language, so that when a man is employed, say by a neighbor in that vicinity, he would know how to be of use to him at once, and assist in increased production. And further, when out of employment he would have a home in which to go instead of drifting back to the city and further congesting the ranks of the unemployed. He would have some one that was interested in him. If he was sick he would have a place to go. Farmers could go there and get their help, both domestic and out of doors. And then further, in that vicinity you would find soon many families. You would have a circle there that would form a social circle in itself to which friends from the old country would go and escape the snares and wiles of the City. Now, those ideas could be carried out, I think, without any great expense, if a sufficient appropriation was made by the Legislature. And I believe then that united labor organizations can do a wonderful amount of good in that, and help their own members at the same time through institutions which could relieve largely the necessities of the unemployed. Then the other people, who will not work, can be turned over to the tender mercies of some institution that would compel them to work. Cut out the drones. Why, up in our State I took Secretary Wilson, Chief Whitney, of the Bureau of Soils, Mr. Powderly, and we went for a five days' trip. Secretary Wilson was astounded at the low price of lands in this State as compared with any other section of the country. He says, here is the opportunity for anyone who wants to start in agriculture, with good main roads, lots of good roads to draw their produce to market, lots of railroads everywhere, and good land. Professor Whitney said: “I know from actual tests in passing through, that this land is not exhausted, it is all right; and in the hands of a foreigner who has learned intensive cultivation in years past, it would produce three or four times the amount now produced.” Mr. Powderly said: “I have seen room in five days for a million good people of Europe who are infesting our cities.” Commissioner MITCHELL.- If the soil is not exhausted why are large numbers leav- ing the United States and going to Canada? A. They are running there, always looking for Something free, and they are coming back. Commissioner Clarke sent me a list the other day showing that in five months nearly 7,ooo who had proved up their homesteads, and who had to remain there five years, are now coming back. By Commissioner MITCHELL: Q. How many of these immigrants that went on the farm, farm hands, were farmers? A. Why, it is difficult to tell. There are so many different agencies at work in that line. We got a good many from the Federal Bureau at 17 Pearl Street and we got them from other agencies. Thousands come in who at a glance one can tell are no use to send out. Farmers don't want them, because they know nothing of agriculture and don't want to learn. They simply want to get out and get a ride. Q. Do you think these small farmers of Continental Europe can do the work on the ordinary farms? We are machine farmers, they are not. A. I know they are to a great extent, but they will very soon learn. I know what the conditions were when the great Irish immigration was coming into the country. There was no direction whatever or State control. Those who landed at New York took their packs on their shoulders and Went up the State and went to work for somebody. Along in the seventies that continued. They settled down, brought over a family, worked a piece of land on shares. That is Something they have to get down to now. It is more of a tenantry class now. You find only rare instances where the family settled in a tenement house and worked. They Solved the labor question in those days. Q. Isn't it a practical objection to the European farm laborer that he does not speak English? A. Certainly. Nine out of ten farmers who send orders to the Department ask that the mem be able to speak some English. But that is the point that I am trying to obviate by establishing these farm homes to which these people can be sent and educated and taught the English for horses and wagon and harness and plow, and so on, and taught APPENDIX NO. II — HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I95 Some of the rudiments of farming, so they will be of use to the employer when the farmer employs them. Miss EASTMAN.— Would they earn their keep while they are there? THE WITNESS.– Certainly. Q. How would you sell the produce for them? A. The farmer who is in charge of the farm, who may own it, you can make an arrangement with him. Let him ch rge them a nominal sum for board, and he can teach them how to work. Q. Would you have that farmer have an arrangement with the State? A. Have the State assist him in doing this, and have him act as an agency for labor practically in that section, and to take care of that laborer, until the farmers needed him. Then the laborer would have a home; he would learn quickly what was to be done on the farms, how to plow, how to milk, how to trim up the trees and a thousand different things that would be useful to him throughout his life. It would be an education to him, and yet the farmer would have the proceeds of that farm. Commissioner MITCHELL.- If you get German immigrants, that would be better. A. Well, put a Polish farmer on the next farm, in the next township a Scandinavian. You can get them there scattered through the country. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. If our farm lands have to be developed again, it is your opinion that they must be developed by foreign labor? A. Not necessarily. Our colleges are teaching farm labor. The trip I took with Secretary Wilson and his friends, we visited in Tompkins County a farm adjoining one of 132 acres that sold last spring for $150–practically an abandoned farm, although somebody owned it. We saw 320 bushels of potatoes dug without fertilizer, because the owner of that farm had followed the instructions of the instructor of agriculture in the handling of land. We saw a field of corn illustrated in the same way. He got some good seed that would mature at that elevation — 2,000 feet – got the farmer to plow deep, cultivate his soil, pulverize it, and he had a good crop of corn on land that you can buy to-day for five dollars an acre. And there was potatoes, of 320 bushels an acre. But these foreigners know how to do that. Q. Do you believe that Mr. Earl in his statement that the foreign laborer who is sent to the farm is better physically able to work than the native, was correct? A. Well, I think possibly on general principles that that is true. Q. Have you found that so in the labor that you sent up the State? A. The labor that we send up State is largely foreign. There is one fault now — a great fault. A man goes up the State, a perfectly good and satisfactory man, who works eight months, then he goes back to the City and is sent out again, and that round goes right on. He will come back and spend three or four months in the city, spend his salary, wages, and go out again. If there were some place in the country where he could find companionship, he would stay, and just as soon as the people found he was a good man and determined to stay in the country he would find employment the year round. I think the whole situation can be very much improved in that way by preventing as far as possible any new recruits to the unemployed by finding places for them. Then another thing, shut off this great horde of people coming in here whose services are not needed. Regulate that some way to the wants of the country. I had some little experience at Ellis Island in watching things there for a good many months at intervals, and it seemed to me there was too great a freedom of admission. I know the Commissioner had a soft spot in his heart for anybody that came to this country, and the gates of Castle Garden, as it used to be called, swung inward, and they were all allowed to come in and were welcomed. I am glad to note that there is a little different spirit over there at present, and I am greatly in hopes that it will relieve the numbers of the unemployed in the future. HARRY W. HoOT. I have been the secretary for seven years of the Bowery Branch of the Young Men's Christian Association of New York, and for three years in charge of the work of the Young Men's Christian Association at Ellis Island, for aliens. Mr. Chairman, I have been inter- ested in this subject of unemployment for several years, and the work which I am engaged in has brought the thing very conspicuously to my notice in dealing with men who are not, as Mr. Earl said this morning, those that are physically unable to work, but never- theless down and out, without any visible means of support. Something like Io, ooo men a year are interviewed in our office, and owing to our limited capacity we are able to provide only for a few in the building, where we provide meals, lodging, clothing, etc., everything to enable a man to become as quickly as possible self-supporting. I96 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY I take exceptions, however, to what Mr. Earl said this morning about inquiring into the man's pedigree, because we know really more about the man's pedigree than he does. It is usual in our work to inquire who a man is, what he has done and what he will do. What he has done is incidential, but what he wants to do is of paramount import- ance. Most of these men are from outside of New York city, from up-State and all the cities and towns in this State and other States as well, and about 25 per cent. from Europe, representing something like thirty nationalities. These men are, 75 per cent. of them, under twenty-five years of age. More than 60 per cent. Of them are single and 50 per cent. of them represent skilled labor. Some 3oo different occupations are classified in our list every year. Not any considerable number, however, are what we recognize as union men, that is, that now belong to the union themselves. We attempt to get them employment, and our policy is to adjust the thing by putting them in the line of work which they are best adapted for mentally and physically as well as industrially. Therefore, it is necessary for us to hold a man, as we call it, by providing him lodging and meals and clothing, whatever may be necessary to keep up his appearance, particularly encouragement, sympathy, and a whole lot of good sound horse sense, competent to hold him longer than we otherwise might do or would want to do until we can get him that for which he is best adapted. Instead of doing what is done so frequently and I think in too many cases, providing a temporary job and let him shift for himself, our policy is, so far as possible, to put him where he belongs and not say good bye to him, but hold out that encouragement which will enable him to readjust himself so much as is necessary in order to become quickly self-supporting. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. Many of these men you have found employment for, have you sent them on the farms? A. Very few of them. We have the greatest difficulty getting men to go on the farms. It is not a question of transportation but a question of ability and aptitude. We find that but few of these men care to go on a farm, they don’t know how to work on a farm, and it is a question, with a man twenty-five years of age, of starting all over. It is not an easy matter. I have learned from the interesting discussion this morning that which tends to confirm my already well formed convictions about it, that we are passing through a period of great transition. It is not so much what we want to do as what has to be done in the readjustment of things. We are in a complicated state both in this country and Europe. Conditions are decidedly different from what they were three or four decades ago. The old stable status that used to obtain in our early days, in the days of our fathers, is now a thing of the past, and we are now passing through a very serious crisis in our experience, in my judgment. It is not local to this country, however, because the same conditions prevail in Europe. A careful survey of the entire field would disclose that men are arbitrarily being thrown out of work in a great many cases without any consent on their part. In our experience with the Bowery Branch, the statistics will show that a large proportion of the men whom we are trying to help to help themselves, are thrown out of work from various causes, due to conditions of trade, and the changing character of industry, improving of machinery and other causes, such as have been mentioned already. Most of these men I speak of, I refer to our own work with which I am more familiar, most of these men already employed for a period of six months before they come to New York. About 8o or 90 per cent. of them have been in New York the rest of the week when they come to us. Their limited amount of money is soon used up and they are obliged to ask for charity. There are many of these men that have recommendations which are Sent to us. We have them on file, some of exceptionally good character. We thoroughly investigate So far as we can every man, both his moral character, his ability and his experience, and the references we receive justify us in believing that men are not discharged because they are incompetent. It is not an easy matter in our great city to secure employment for a man that has been working for a number of years for one corporation or firm and thrown out, either because of business depression or other causes. One of the difficulties we have in getting men work in this city is that altogether too frequently we can not secure from their previous employers proper credentials or references. We are constantly confronted with the fact, that employers, large employers, who have thousands of men in their employ, either refuse or neglect altogether to give us any references, without which it is practically impossible to get a man a place in a permanent position. By Assemblyman Voss: Q. What proportion of these men are married and have families? Do you keep a record of that? A. Yes, we have that. APPENDIX NO. II – HEARING ON UNEMPLOYMENT I97 Q. What is the proportion? A. Well, 75 per cent. are single men — from 60 to 75 percent. So far as we can, we try to send a man home, if possible. That is the best thing to do. We use our best judgment as to what to do with him. Q. Have you any suggestion to offer as to a remedy? A. I have two which I have been thinking over for a number of years and trying to develop them in my own mind, and trying to Secure corroborative evidence from others, in regard to literature and work. It is a rather complex problem and involves so many other things than work, that it is not So easy of Solution as might be thought on first examination of the subject. My first con- tention is that the State owes it to its laboring men to provide them with the least possible expense and quickest and best means of communication with the employer, wherever it may be in the Commonwealth, and I am heartily in favor and thoroughly recommend the in- auguration of a policy, I think mentioned two or three times here today, of the organization of a labor exchange, something after the order of the National Employment Exchange, recently organized by Mr. Schiff. They now have two offices, and their purpose is to secure employment anywhere in the country. And I understand, also, to send men there without any expense to them, protecting themselves, of course, so far as they may be able to. I do not think it is the function of the State to impose on a workingman the burden of securing outside of his own community employment, entailing expense, difficulties of various kinds and frequently separation from his family, with the hope that he can secure workin some other city or town, which altogether becomes too frequently his becoming habituated to the road. We talk a great deal about men becoming tramps and hoboes. In my experience Over a great many years, and particularly in my connection with the Bowery Branch, with which I have been connected for ten years and the active secretary for seven, I will give it as my unqualified opinion that a great many of these men are becoming encouraged in becoming disciples of the road because of their earnest efforts to find employment, and continually seeking it from one town to another. I have very many cases which I could cite of men, intelligent, capable fellows, who have become virtually tramps because of their continued search for work, and trying to readapt or readjust themselves to changed con- ditions. And I therefore think it is entirely wrong for the State to impose that burden on the man, when the State can more adequately and thoroughly and more successfully render the service by putting in his reach information, facilities which will enable him quickly to adjust himself to the conditions in which he finds himself. And I therefore heartily advocate the enactment of such a law. Second, I am just as heartily in favor, and can not speak too strongly in favor of a scheme which will provide for custodial care of those who have not the disposition to work. When we realize what it means for this Commonwealth, and this Nation of ours, to support an already increasing number of men and women who are living without any effort on their part but that which is bad, it is high time that we take such steps, and make it as Severe as the conditions make it necessary, to compel them to work to support themselves at least. I can cite cases by the score right in this town where men are making more than ten dollars a day by their wits, which is about as much I can make with what intelligence I have, in my present capacity at least, and that means fifteen or sixteen hours a day work at that. Mr. MITCHELL-That is, beggars? A. Professional panhandlers and so on. Some one spoke of the amount of money taken back to Europe by returning immigrants. My observation is that those who go back for a temporary period, but come back here and stay here. But the amount of money, in my judgment, and I have followed it very closely the amount of money taken to Europe by returning immigrants is a very insignificant sum compared with the amount which is gotten by these means of which I have spoken by our altogether too gullible public who hand out money. And I could give you the name of a most distinguished man who handed out to a man whose name I have at this moment, ten dollars at a time. But this matter of tramps, vagrancy, Some one said that it was not germane to the subject of unemployment. I think it is one of the most fundamental things in the whole business. When we realize that the development of tramp life in this country is costing the railroads say $25,000,ooo annually in depredations and other crimes of a petty character, and of a general loss to the railroad world, lives destroyed, men killed accidents of various kinds, men deprived of earning a living, it becomes an enormous thing, and it is largely because of disastrous neglect in looking after these young men who have easily been led in that life and will not so easily be taken from it, without most serious effort on our part, and doubtless the expenditure of a great deal of money and perhaps a great deal of time. And I therefore strongly advocate perhaps with some radical changes in that bill presented by Doctor Lewis this morning, the organization or development of that plan for a farm or colony, which means custody different from what would be a penal insti- tution, but the colonizing of these men who are infesting our community in large numbers, 1983 COMMISSION ON EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY and women too, who are making a living without working and I believe that the State of New York could do no better service than to apprehend every man or woman who could not give an intelligent account of himself, and by showing the proper credentials prove that they were entitled to the consideration of the State, and put them where they can be kept under supervision; but that kind of supervision only which has as its ultimate object the restoration of these people to industrial and economic self-respect. Commissioner MItchELL.- Do you believe that there is work to do and jobs for the workingmen in the United States? A. Do you mean to say anywhere in the United States? Q. Yes. A. I think so. * Q. Take the whole of the United States, all the people in it. A. Yes sir. Q. That there are jobs for them all? A. I think so. My experience is, which is con- firmed by the correspondence I have and the evidence submitted here to-day by other gentlemen, that the call is so great from other Sections of the country for men that we can not supply them, the kind of men they want. But I do believe that there is sufficient work in this country for every man who wants to work anywhere, if we can get him where the work is. We are trying to send men out to any place where we feel it proper to do it. We would just as leave pay a man's transportation as any other charge. It is no more difficult to do that than to board and lodge him two or three days. I paid a man's way to Bridgeport, Conn. the other day, and he got a job with an automobile company as a mechanic. To keep that man away from that job would be a hardship to him, and all it cost us was the railroad fare. s Q. Is it a part of your method when application is made for a laborer to ascertain the conditions under which he is going to labor? A. Decidedly. Q. Do you make any inquiry as to whether or not he is to take another man's job? A. So far as we can, we want to know all about it. Q. Do you make any independent inquiry outside of the proposed employer? A. If it is within our reach, we do, so far as we can, with our limited resources. Q. Will you describe, the process by which you do sometimes make inquiry of the independent sources as to whether there is a job, a vacancy for a man you send on the application of an employer? A. We had a call the other day from a gentleman who would not tell who he was or where he came from, except he wanted men to go to work as con- ductors and brakemen in New England. I said to him, “people don't ask for conductors and brakemen, they make them.” “And for a man to ask for conductors and brakemen suggests several things.’” And the gentleman would not disclose anything further. He wanted these men and would pay their fare and take them along with him. My investi- gation disclosed that it was the extension of a line where they wanted additional men, and wanted experienced men. It was not a strike. Without this knowledge I would not agree to send any men to him at all, because Some of our men often on their own initiative go out to distant places and often have their heads broke. I never give my consent for a man to go out if I don't know where he is going, and if we can, we give him a card to our local Secretary so he can be looked after there the same as we are doing here. V IT A WILLIAM MORRIS LEISERSON was born in Reval, Russia, April 15, I883. He arrived in America at the age of seven, and received his early education in the New York public schools. He entered the University Of Wisconsin in 1904 where he received the degree of A. B. in 1908. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He was one of the investigators on the Pittsburgh Survey conducted by the Russell Sage Foundation in 1907–1908. During the academic year 1908–1909 he was Assistant in Political Economy at the University of Wisconsin. During the summer of 1909 he assisted in the preparation of volumes VII and VIII of the “ Documentary History of American Industrial Society''. He held a Junior Fellowship in the New York School of Philanthropy during 1909–1910 and attended lectures and seminars at Columbia University. He held an Honorary Fellowship in Economics at Columbia University in 1910–191 I. He was employed in 1910 by the New York State Commission on Employers' Liability and Unemployment to investigate the problem of unemployment. In addition to his study of conditions in America, he made a special study of the agencies and methods of dealing with unem- ployment in European countries. He was sent as a delegate to represent the New York Commission at the International Congress on Unemploy- ment, held in Paris in September, IQIo, and there presented a paper on “The Struggle against Unemployment in the United States ''. * The results of his investigations at home and abroad on the subject of Unemployment constitute his doctoral dissertation which goes to press in April, 191 I, as the Third Report of the above named Commission. [199] ● §§§ iſſil 80286274 iii. OF 3 9015 O ========== ！--*--sae *=======*=== *-*=-（=）=== * ============= |--------- =-（=）=）=） *==）=）=） ſ-，-，-，-， *****:）*3！ººººº！！！--***¿¿.**-- : §: ºãº wº X- º # §