Speech #700080933

It must be used in the estimate of the number of unemployed. but does not represent the number of unemployed. It is obvious that at least four large groups are omitted. First. the growth of population. second. immigration. third. drift from the farm to the city. and. fourth. the number of unemployed in 1925. Each of these groups adds thousands to the number of those who are now in idleness. They must be added if we are to secure an adequate picture of how large an army of. unemployed we have now mobilized. It is absurd to omit them from calculation. We can not close our books as of 1925 and make no additions to our working population. The young men and women who grow up into working age. the farm boy who goes to the city in search of Industrial employment. the immigrant who comes to this country from a foreign land. they all must find work. and if they do not. they go to swell the ranks of the unemployed. How many must we add to the number reported by the department in order to turn that report into an estimate of unemployment? According to Mr. Daviss figures immigration in 1927 alone added 252.023 to the population. The farms. according to the Secretary of Agriculture. contributed to the city between 1920 and 1927 over 3.000.000 persons. and. in addition. 2.000.000 boys and girls annually reach the working age. How many of these actually join the lines of those who are seeking employment? I have had an estimate made up on the basis of the figures reported by the Secretary of Labor and by the same methods. It is as follows: Shrinkage between 1925 and 1928. as reported by the Secretary of Labor -------------------------------------- 1. 870. 050 On the basis of the same formula there was a shrinkage between 1923 and 1925 of ------------------------------1. 230. 870 And between 1924 and 1927 farm workers who moved to the city in search of urban employment ---------------------500. 000 Increase in population by natural growth and immigration-- 2. 196. 000 Total ------------------------- ----- 79. 920 Even if we accept Doctor Kleins assertion that one and onehalf millions were absorbed in other industries. there are still over 4.000.000 unemployed. No account is taken in this calculation of those who are voluntarily idle. Only those have been counted who. in the words of the Commissioner of Labor Statistics. "are usually employed. but at present out of employment and hunting for work." In other words. this number embraces persons who aire ready. willing. and able to work. but who have not been able to find employment.