the Report of the Industrial Commission is that it will gradually impress upon the more intelligent portion of the American community the importance of those distinctions which the economist so well understands, but which are too apt to be dismissed by the daily press as merely academic exercises. It is pointed out that the movement of wages is slower than the movement of prices, as a consequence of which, in time of general prosperity, the wages do not rise so rapidly as the commodities which the wage-earner must purchase; whereas, it is affirmed, that in time of depression the wageearner suffers from lack of employment, and does not enjoy the fruit of low prices. There does not seem to be sufficient support in any part of the Report of the Industrial Commission for this broad statement, and the facts in the case have not received anywhere, so far as the present writer is aware, scientific treatment. Elsewhere in the report it is shown that unemployment is not so great as many have supposed, and probably a good deal of support could be adduced for the thesis that ordinarily the wage-earner is most prosperous under a régime of low prices. Wages, however, have risen since 1869, according to the statistics presented, which are based upon a careful examination of a variety of sources. Wholesale prices,

however, have fallen in marked degree. The conclusions reached in this particular are of especial interest on account of the fact that we may take it for granted that those who prepared the final re

port were not seeking to make out a case for existing conditions.

Attention is called, however, to the fact that we must consider not merely or chiefly daily wages, but rather yearly wages; to the further fact that the average wages must be higher, on account of the increasing relative proportion of wage-earners living in cities, if the wage-earner is to be equally well off in his economic well-being; and furthermore, mention is made of the increasing intensity of exertion, on account of the introduction of machinery and the division of labor, which must be considered when passing judgment upon relative

wages.

Finally, a distinction is made between the earnings of organized men and those unorganized. And it is a difference of importance. It is shown by various illustrations that the organized workingmen have been able to secure a greater relative increase in wages than the unorganized. These conclusions are summed up in the following words, "Taking into account these observations, it must be concluded that the daily rate of wages is not a safe measure of the changing conditions of labor, and that, in a discussion of the progress of the working population, account must be taken of the amount of annual employment, depending on general conditions of prosperity and depression, the life earnings of the worker, depending upon the increasing intensity of exertion and overwork, and the increased necessary expenses of city life."

After a fairly satisfactory treatment of the "payment of wages," with respect to time and piece payment, cash payments vs. payments in kind, etc., the sweating system is examined. The most satisfactory results of legislative efforts aimed against sweat shops are found in Massachusetts, and that, not because the legislation itself is most advanced, but because such legislation as there is is rendered effective by excellence of administration, on account of the high grade of inspectors employed, and the civil service laws which give continuity in office and protection to the inspectors. This is only one of several places where the importance of administration as distinguished from legislation is emphasized. In the treatment of child labor it is shown that, in addition to good laws, there must be a sufficient body of inspectors to enforce the laws effectively. The importance of compulsory school attendance for children is something recognized by the experts employed by the Commission, and almost, if not quite, unanimously, by the members of the Commission themselves. But the District of Columbia offers an illustration of the fact that a compulsory attendance law has little significance unless it is the duty of some specific person to enforce it. It is well that this importance of administration receives emphasis, inasmuch as in the administration of law we Americans have been weak, whereas we have been too inclined to think that mere legislation in itself could accomplish beneficent results.

Unemployment receives especially full treatment, as might be expected from the personnel of the experts who prepared the final report. Again we find that careful analysis which has been so frequently mentioned. The causes of unemployment are divided into three main classes, namely, personal, climatic, and industrial. Reports of charity organization societies serve as a basis of the treatment of personal causes of unemployment, and this section of the work suggests the admirable treatment upon the same subject found in the late Professor Amos G. Warner's book, "American Charities."

The climatic causes of unemployment are due either to weather or to changes in consumption on account of the succession of the seasons. Some kinds of seasonal unemployment could, perhaps, without impropriety, be placed under the heading of vacation. The teacher cannot be regarded as unemployed during vacation, and there are seasonal trades which have periods of idleness, which could possibly be treated as rest periods. At the same time, it is interesting to note that with the progress of industries greater regularity in employment is secured. One kind of employment in the summer is followed by another sort in the winter, and certain trades have to a greater extent than heretofore conquered nature. Building is carried on more extensively in winter than formerly. However, after all allowances are made, it is still true that seasonal irregularities are an

evil which is keenly felt by large numbers of wage

earners.

Under industrial causes of unemployment we find a treatment of strikes, machinery, and employment agencies. The loss of employment through strikes is a serious one, but not so great as we are frequently led to infer by statistical statements. In many cases, the strike means simply a transfer of a period of unemployment from one time to another, and there must be cases where a period of unemployment would, to some extent, coincide with a strike period. The ordinary opinion of experts concerning machinery as a cause of unemployment is in the main confirmed. An illustration is found in the increasing number of railway employees in the United States, notwithstanding all the improvements and economies of labor which have been introduced. The imperfect and insufficient character, however, of the statistics of unemployment is mentioned, and the conclusion suggests itself that there is an opportunity for various labor bureaus to render service in increasing our knowledge of the facts of the case. More has been done by the New York Bureau of Labor Statistics than by any other, but the researches even of this bureau embrace only organized labor in the state of New York since 1897. The work of the free employment bureaus is described, but they are evidently considered simply a palliative and no real remedy for the evils of unemployment.

The longest section of Part I, dealing with