BUREAU OF LABOR.

STATEMENT OF MR. G. W. W. HANGER, CHIEF STATISTICIAN.

Mr. HANGER. Mr. Chairman, I am sorry Commissioner Neill is not here, because this is the first time in 10 or 15 years we have asked for an increase in the appropriation, and we have asked for an increase approximately of $47,000 this year.

INCREASE. OF CLERICAL FORCE.

Mr. JOHNSON. In the first item there is an increase of $32,000, which I suppose is for personal services.

Mr. HANGER. The $32,000 increase is, as you say, for personal services. During the last four or five years, since Commissioner Neill has been the head of the bureau, we have from time to time taken up new lines of investigation, sometimes because of a call from the labor people or from the public, and sometimes in compliance with a congressional resolution, and these new lines have seemed so important that we have, to a certain extent, established them as lines of investigation. Now, we are unable to continue all the lines. of investigation we have taken up, even for a part of each year, unless we have an additional appropriation. We have managed during the last five years-the period of this gradual increase in work--to meet our added burden partly by the introduction of computing machines, but we have now gone as far in that direction as would appear profitable. We have also had a reorganization in the bureau, quite a thorough one, which has helped to make cur force more efficient. So that there seems to be now no other expedient we can devise to do more work without more employees. The commissioner was unwilling to ask for an additional appropriation until he had developed these lines of work.

Mr. GILLETT. What are the new lines of work?

Mr. HANGER. I have a brief statement here, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, which I would like to have inserted in the hearings. It goes more fully into the matters just mentioned, and also explains the various lines of work upon which we are engaged. However, I will be glad to answer your question. Our largest regular line of work now, which we have been compelled to defer for four or five years mainly because of special investigations which have been requested by Congress, such as the investigation into the conditions. of employment in the iron and steel industry, is wages and prices or cost of living. We have kept up an index of wages and cost of living since 1890, and we are bringing that up to date at the present time, and have already published bulletins containing the index of cost of living up to July of the present year. That work is requiring an increased force because we have extended it somewhat in order to make it more representative in character. In addition to the work just mentioned, we have within the last three or four years established a woman's division. The women of the country have demanded of the labor bureau a division which shall devote itself to investigations regarding women, especially with reference to their wages, hours of work, and working conditions. We have been able to put not more than two or three agents on that work,

and we have been able to do comparatively little for that reason. We want to increase that work. We should at least double it if

we can.

Mr. GILLETT. That work consists of securing statistics?

Mr. HANGER. Yes, sir; and making studies of their working conditions in various sections of the country, especially with regard to wages and hours of labor. Then we have taken up work in the line of industrial hygiene or occupational diseases. We have published several reports of this character, one on phosphorus poisoning in the match industry and another on lead poisoning in the manufacture of white lead, pottery, etc. I believe as a result of our phosphorus study a law was passed at the last session of Congress for the purpose of relieving the dangerous conditions in the match industry Upon that line of work we have had very few men engaged-probably an average of only one. We should have at least three wellqualified experts working along that line, because the field is very broad, and we have been able to take up so far not more than two or three industries.

Mr. GILLETT. Are those experts physicians?

Mr. HANGER. Yes, sir; for some of the lines of work they should be qualified as physicians, I think.

Another line of investigation is that of industrial accidents and accident prevention. We have done something along that line in connection with several investigations we have conducted, the largest one being in connection with the investigation of conditions of employment in the iron and steel industry, which was ordered by a Senate resolution. We are endeavoring to continue that work and extend it into other industries with only one man. We ought to have half a dozen, but we are providing in this increase for only two more men on that particular work.

Mr. GILLETT. If you do not get the increase asked for, can you tell us just what you would be deprived of? Perhaps you have told us that by telling us what you are trying to do.

Mr. HANGER. Some of these investigations we would without doubt be compelled to discontinue entirely, because the price and wage work has increased to such an extent that we would find it necessary to take men away from some of these other important investigations in order to carry that on. Another line of work upon which we have been engaged is workmen's compensation. There are 18 States which have workmen's compensation commissions, and there is also a Federal commission, and these commissions are asking us to collect statistics of accidents and other data to serve as a basis for their work. There is a very important call for that class of information. Upon the specific subject of workmen's insurance and compensation we have published several large reports within the last five years, because of the interest being taken in the subject throughout the country and the consequent demand for information. Another line of work is labor legislation. We have been publishing annually the labor legislation of the United States for a number of years, and now we want to publish and we have made a beginning in their preparation-reports on labor legislation of foreign countries. We have requests from many quarters that digests of the labor legislation of the more important foreign countries be collected and published in our bulletins.

Mr. GILLETT. Have you published the labor legislation of all the States in this country?

Mr. HANGER. Yes, sir. The laws are reprinted in full in case of our own States, but in the case of foreign countries we would publish only a digest of the labor laws, because there would be a number of laws relating to unimportant matters that would not be of interest. to our own people. Another branch of work which we have carried on for a number of years is the digest of current foreign reports relating to labor matters. These are particularly timely and are of assistance in studying problems in this country. We have begun within the last year or two a study of the various methods of conciliation and arbitration in this country, and we have already published several reports in regard to that subject. We also examine and adjust the claims and do the clerical work in connection with the administration of the Government workmen's compensation act, for which no appropriation has been made in the past and which has taken the time of two of our men. The appropriation of $3,000 in the last section of the bill to enable the Secretary of Commerce and Labor to provide and pay for the medical examination of employees of the United States receiving compensation for injuries under the act of May 30, 1908, is more than necessary to pay the physicians' fees for examinations under that act, and if the rest of it could be made available for the payment of clerical services and traveling expenses when necessary to investigate these cases, it would help out very materially.

Then, another class of work we have from time to time is in the nature of special investigations requested by resolutions of Congress. We had such a request last session, one for a report in regard to the increased cost of anthracite coal, but no appropriation for the work was made. We are carrying on that investigation now with an insufficient force, which we have secured by robbing some other lines of work.

Mr. GILLETT. You also had some work in connection with the Lawrence strike?

Mr. HANGER. Yes, sir; and also the Westmoreland strike, all of which required the services of special agents and clerks as well, because there is a great deal of computing necessary in the preparation of those reports. We would like to be in a position to take up promptly any request that comes from Congress, put well qualified men on such work, and report promptly; but we have not been able to report very promptly so far, simply because of a lack of force. In other words, our work has outgrown us. We have always been compelled to do the special work at the sacrifice of the regular work. Our regular work, wages, prices, etc., has been laid aside for four years, and we were not able to take that up until a year ago in an endeavor to bring it up to date.

Mr. JOHNSON. You may insert in the hearings the memorandum which you have prepared.

[Memorandum.]

The estimates for the Bureau of Labor for the fiscal year 1914, approved by the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, provide for an increase of $47,940 over the appropriations for the fiscal year 1913, $31,940 of this amount being for an increase in our force and the remainder, $16,000, being for a consequent neces

sary increase in the appropriation available for per diem and subsistence of employees engaged in the work of investigation in the field.

It will be noted that in the last 10 years, and indeed for even a longer period, there has been no increase but in fact a slight decrease in the regular appropriations of the bureau, both for salaries and for miscellaneous expenses, and this in spite of the fact that our work has increased very materially. At this time, however, we are confronted with the necessity of either securing additional appropriations or of relinquishing certain important lines of work upon which the bureau is engaged.

In' past years it has been possible to take care of the increase in the volume of our work by the use of various expedients. We have now, we believe, reached the limit at which we can profitably use mechanical appliances; we have gained as much in added efficiency as is possible at this time by rearrangement and reorganization, so that we have now reached the point where we feel that a permanent addition to our force is necessary if we are to continue the lines of work which are now being carried on and meet with promptness the requests which are made by Congress from time to time for special investigations.

Much of the investigative work of the bureau requires thoroughly trained employees, and we have been seriously handicapped by the loss from time to time of experienced and expert employees who have left us to accept more remunerative positions elsewhere. The Bureau of Labor has lost in this manne alone more than 10 per cent of its employees during the last two years; and, when we consider that these were among the most expert and efficient of our force, the seriousness of the loss will be appreciated.

It should also be stated that it has been impossible to fill the places of those who have left with equally competent employees at the salaries available. For this reason it has seemed necessary in the estimate submitted for the fiscal year 1914 to request a number of additional employees at the higher salaries in order that we may be able to secure additional experts and to strengthen our present force.

SCOPE OF WORK.

For the information of the committee in passing upon the merits of the request for an increased appropriation for the Bureau of Labor at this time, the following brief statement of the various lines of work now being carried on by the bureau is submitted:

Retail prices.-Formerly the bureau published annually retail prices of the principal articles of food in important industrial localities. Within the past two years plans have been developed which provide for the collection of retail prices of food in the principal cities throughout the United States every month, and for the publication practically currently of retail prices of food and also of coal. These current prices as they are now being published have been of the greatest assistance in the adjustment of differences between employers and employees in which wages are involved, and there is a wide demand that this work be enlarged to include many more articles than those now carried. No subject is at the present time demanding more attention throughout the country than retail prices, and it is important that the work now being done by the bureau should be continued and enlarged. Any enlargement of the work will require an increase in the force.

The significance of recent changes in retail prices can only be thoroughly understood by comparison with the income and expenditures of workingmen's families. A study of this subject is urgently demanded but can not be taken up without an increase in force.

Wholesale prices.-For a number of years the bureau has collected annually wholesale prices of principal commodities. In order to meet a demand for current information on wholesale prices, the bureau is anxious to arrange for the publication of a summary of such prices every second month instead of annually.

Special price studies.-The bureau has been engaged during the past year in intensive studies of prices of certain principal commodities step by step from the producer to the consumer. Such studies involve a great amount of detailed work, but it is believed that they are of particular value at this time. There is an insistent demand that this work be enlarged to include a considerable number of articles. This can not be done without a material addition to the number of experts employed on this work.

Rates of wages.-For a number of years the bureau collected and compiled data showing rates of wages and hours of work in the principal manufacturing

and mechanical industries in the United States. The plan now being followed provides for a considerable enlargement of this work in order that the figures may be entirely representative. A great amount of field work is required in collecting the data and also a large amount of clerical work in compiling the report. The present force is not adequate to continue the plan now being followed.

In connection with the data now being compiled concerning rates of wages and hours of labor there is an insistent demand for data relative to amount of work available and unemployment. The collection and compilation of such data would require considerable work and can not be undertaken with the force now available.

Union rates of wages. For more than a year the bureau has been engaged in collecting data showing the rates of wages and hours of work provided in the scales in force between employees and employers in a number of industries in the principal cities throughout the United States. There has been a great demand for the information collected, and it is hoped to continue this work and to enlarge it from year to year. This will require one or two additional employees.

Women in industry. During the past two years a few employees of the bureau have been engaged in studying women in industry. This includes a study of wages, hours of work, and working conditions of women, including provisions for the protection of health and safety in the industries in which large numbers are employed. Investigations and reports have been made coyering a number of industries and localities, and urgent demands are being made on the bureau for additional investigations. It has not been possible up to the present time to assign more than a few employees regularly to this work, but the urgent demands from various parts of the country for accurate information concerning the conditions surrounding women's work and the relation of such work to health and safety indicate that this branch of the bureau's activities should be measurably increased.

Industrial hygiene.-Several of the larger investigations and reports of the bureau have contained some material in regard to industrial hygiene, but recent attempts at legislation in this field have called for accurate detailed information, which can only be secured by specialized studies. Within the past three or four years the bureau has published several studies in this field, such as Phosphorus Poisoning in the Match Industry, The White Lead Industry in the United States, and Lead Poisoning in Potteries, Tile Works, and Porcelain Enameled Sanitary Ware Factories. These studies, however, touch but a small portion of this field. It is especially desirable that they be extended to cover other important occupations and industries and that studies also should be made of the laws and regulations of various States and countries for bettering industrial hygiene and safeguarding the health of workers. The methods which have been adopted for the protection of the health of workers, if ascertained and placed at the disposal of employers and employees, would be of great value. Such investigations call for specially trained expert agents. At least two additional agents should be available for permanent assignment to such lines of study.

Industrial accidents and accident prevention.-Recent legislation concerning workmen's insurance and compensation has led to many inquiries from State commissions and employers concerning accident experience and means of accident prevention. The bureau in recent years has made several studies in this field, one in the cotton textile industry, a second in the metal trades, and a third in the iron and steel industry. These studies, however, represent only a beginning, as from every State where systems of workmen's insurance bave been considered statistics of accidents are desired covering a wide range of industries. It is now possible to assign only one person regularly to this line of work, and it is highly desirable that several others should be put upon such studies. This work is quite as important to the employer as to the employee. It should be understood that this subject includes not only the collection of accident statistics, but also the study of methods of safeguarding and preventing accidents and the study of legislation and regulations for the prevention of accidents.

Workmen's insurance and compensation.-The bureau has from time to time published numerous articles and reports in regard to this subject, but the rapid growth of the movement in recent years has led to demands upon the bureau which it has been impossible to more than partly satisfy. The bureau should have a sufficient force assigned to this work to follow the movement