American Engineering Council

All of the Washington palliatives have failed so far to make any real dent in the number of unemployed, according to the May “News Letter” of A.E.C. Estimates of unemployed vary from 8 to 14 million, but the estimators, whether they are on the high side or the low side, have not changed their estimates materially in 3 years. Statistics on unemployment, of course, are notoriously inadequate, but the broad fact remains that the total number of unemployed today is approximately the same as it was 3 years ago. Outside of this simple fact, however, the employment situation is full of paradoxes. It is known that there is a definite shortage of skilled help in the building trades in some localities and if there should be any large advance in the machinery industries, there would be a dearth of skilled mechanics, toolmakers, and other trained craftsmen.