drawal of a large number of men from industry to engage in military pursuits and the re-organization of industry so as to provide for the manufacture of munitions of war. A further comparison of the curves for the United Kingdom and Germany shows that prior to the close of 1912 the curve for the United Kingdom maintained a decidedly higher level than that for Germany, but on that date it actually crossed the German curve and has since been continuously lower.

The Massachusetts curve representing unemployment for all causes shows, in general, a downward inclination from the high point in 1908 until the Fall of 1912, interrupted, however, by upward fluctuations during the winter period of each year, but since the close of 1912 the curve has shown, in general, an upward trend until, at the close of December, 1914, it had reached the highest point recorded during the entire seven-year period.

It will be observed that the Massachusetts curve representing unemployment for lack of work follows closely the trend of the curve for all causes, above described, and at a fairly constant distance below the former curve. A marked exception to this rule is found in the high point reached at the close of March in 1912 by the curve for all causes, due to the unemployment directly and indirectly resulting from the series of important textile strikes which occurred early in the year 1912.

While no comparison of the general level of the several curves can be safely made, owing to the varying nature of the returns on which they have been based, it may be proper to add that the generally high level of the two curves for New York State has been attributed to the relatively large representation in the returns for that State of certain trades in which usually there is apt to be considerable unemployment, as, for example, in the garment trades in New York City.

4. SUMMARY OF QUARTERLY REPORTS RECEIVED FROM LABOR ORGANIZATIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS DURING THE YEARS 1908

1914.

A. INTRODUCTORY.

In this report are presented statistics relative to the state of employment in the organized industries' in the Commonwealth for the sevenyear period, 1908-1914. The quarterly returns have already been published in detail in quarterly reports 2 issued by this Bureau. During this

1 The statistics of unemployment presented in this section of the report were obtained wholly from labor organizations. There is no scurce from which comprehensive information as to the state of employment of unorganized workingmen can be obtained short of a census, and the results of the latter method are always extremely unsatisfactory for reasons inherent in the circumstances under which censuses must necessarily be taken. 2 See Note 1 on page 32.

entire period an endeavor has been made to follow identical methods in the collection and tabulation of the returns in order that the reports for the successive quarters might be strictly comparable in every respect. The returns on which these statistics are based were submitted voluntarily by officers of local labor organizations on inquiry blanks which were mailed to them at the end of each quarter.

The following comparative statement shows the number and membership of the organizations reporting at the close of each quarter since the collection of these returns was inaugurated, also the number of members unemployed and the corresponding percentages:

Number and Membership of Organizations Reporting at the Close of Each Quarter since the Collection of Returns was Inaugurated, and Number of Members Unemployed, with Corresponding Percentages.

on Sunday, the date chosen for the returns in each case was the day preceding.

2 In explanation of this unusually high percentage unemployed for all causes it should be stated that over 9,000 organized textile workers in Lowell who were involved in a strike pending on March 30 were included in the aggregate number reported as unemployed on that date.

On reference to the percentages unemployed for all causes, as shown in the preceding table, it will be observed that the percentage, 18.3, for the close of December, 1914, was the highest recorded during the entire seven-year period 1908-1914, even exceeding slightly the percentage, 17.9, for the close of March in 1908, when was experienced the severest stress of the period of industrial depression which began in the Fall of 1907. The high point reached at the close of March, 1912, was due principally to the unemployment of a large number of textile workers who were on strike in Lawrence, Lowell, and other textile centers. The usual high percentages at the close of December and March represent seasonal inactivity which is confined largely to the building trades.

B. CAUSES OF UNEMPLOYMENT.

The following table shows, comparatively, by quarters, for the period 1908 to 1914, the percentages of membership unemployed for the several causes specified.

Percentage Unemployed, 1908-1914: By Causes.

1 Including vacations, temporary shut-downs for repairs, stock-taking, etc.

2 Less than 0.05 per cent.

Owing to the fact that the respective dates - December 31, 1911, March 31, 1912, and June 30, 1912 - fell on Sunday, the date chosen for the returns in each case was the day preceding.

The principal cause of unemployment at the close of each quarter, as shown in the table, was lack of work or material. As the percentages unemployed on account of lack of work indicate primarily the condition. of the labor market, special significance may be attached to the fluctuations observed in these percentages. The highest percentage for this cause was 16.2 for the close of the first quarter, 1908, while the percentage at the close of December, 1914, was 14.9. The lowest percentage was 3.0 for the close of the third quarter in 1912. It will be noted that the percentages unemployed for lack of work or material are usually less, by a fairly constant difference of not over three points, than the corresponding percentages unemployed for all causes. A marked exception to this rule is found in the high point reached at the close of March, 1912, when the percentage unemployed for all causes was unusually high, owing to the fact that the number unemployed included a very large number of striking textile workers who were not included among those unemployed on account of lack of work or material.

The percentages unemployed for the several other causes specified are more constant factors, the variations of which are not determined by the degree of industrial prosperity which may prevail. The percentages unemployed on account of weather usually show but little fluctuation except at the end of the last quarter of each year. The highest percentage unemployed on account of weather was 2.4 on December 31, 1909. In none of the seven years specified has the percentage unemployed on account of weather been higher on either June 30 or September 30 than 0.5 per cent.

Except for a high percentage (6.3) idle on account of strikes on March 30, 1912, there were no considerable fluctuations in the percentages unemployed on account of strikes and lockouts, disability, or other causes during the seven-year period under consideration. The percentages unemployed on account of strikes or lockouts ranged between 0.1 per cent and 6.3 per cent;1 on account of disability (sickness, accident, or old age) from 0.7 per cent to 1.6 per cent; and for other causes (including vacations, temporary shut-downs for repairs, stock-taking, etc.) from 0.1 per cent to 0.8 per cent.

C. UNEMPLOYMENT IN MUNICIPALITIES.

From an examination of the percentages unemployed for all causes in the leading cities 2 it appears that in Boston, which city included more

1 This unusually high percentage was due to a succession of strikes of textile workers early in 1912. In only one other instance during the period 1908-1914 did the percentage unemployed on account of strikes or lockouts exceed 0.7.

2 See Table 9 on pages 58 and 59.

than one-third of the total membership reporting each quarter and in which there was a fairly general representation of all organized industries and occupations in the State, the percentages unemployed correspond rather closely with the percentages unemployed for the State as a whole. In only two out of 28 quarterly comparisons did the percentage for Boston vary more than three points from that for the State as a whole. The highest percentages unemployed in Boston were 16.9 on March 31, 1908, 16.1 on June 30, 1908 and 15.7 on December 31, 1914, and the lowest percentages were 3.9 on September 30, 1912, and 4.1 on September 30, 1909. The usual increase in unemployment during the winter months, which has been observed in considering the percentages for the State as a whole, is true of the Boston percentages also. Nearly all other cities showed no uniform correspondence of this nature; in fact, in those cities which were industrially more specialized, practically no uniformity whatever was observed, the percentages unemployed in any such specialized city rising and falling usually with the rise and fall of the percentages of unemployment in the major industry of that city.

A wide range of unemployment during the period is apparent in the various municipalities. The maximum percentage for the State fell on December 31, 1914, but in only four of the 14 principal cities (Haverhill, Holyoke, Springfield, and Worcester) did the maximum percentage unemployed fall on this date, while in only four of the cities (Boston, Fall River, Holyoke, and Quincy) did the minimum fall on the same date (September 30, 1912) as the minimum for the State as a whole. In five of the 14 cities the highest percentages fell in 1908; in five cities, in 1914; in three cities, in 1911; and in one city, in 1912. With the exception of Fall River, Lynn, and Salem, the highest percentages were for the close either of March or December. The lowest percentages were at the close either of June or September in all of the cities except Lowell and Lynn. In nine of the 14 cities the lowest percentages during the period fell in 1912.

D. UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE VARIOUS INDUSTRIES.

The percentages of unemployment in the several industries do not closely correspond with the percentages for all industries, except in the case of the building trades, which include each quarter a fairly large proportion of the aggregate membership represented by the returns; and for most of the industries there may be noted a wide range of unemployment. In the following table are shown for the seven-year period, 1908-1914, the percentages unemployed in the six leading industries at the close of the quarters specified.