The Employment Figures The Ministry of„ Labour's employment figures for
September, were made .up while the Lancashire weavers were on strike or about to strike, but that* 1:10 consoh- tion, and hardly even an excuse, for the decline of 48,000 in the numbers at work, as compared with August, or of 94,000 as compared with September, 1931. Seasonal influences, benefiting some trades like coal and wool, and injuring others like shipping and building, probably Cancel one another, so that the general effect is un- favourable. Roughly a quarter of the working population is out of work. Against the 9,232,000 employed, there are 2,858,000 unemployed-33,000 more than a year ago. Only half of this vast unemployed army were really insured—that is, had not exhausted their right to benefit- No fewer than 39 per cent. were applying for the " tran. sitional payment " which is usually called the " dole," and 11 per cent. were not entitled to either benefit or dole. The extent to which the unemployment insurance scheme has broken down is thus manifest. No help is apparently to be expected from the Royal Commission, so that the Government will have to grapple with this stupendous question in its own way.
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