It is interesting to note that of the 59,592 male proprietors enumerated 97 per cent served apprenticeships. Of those who served apprenticeships, 3.4 per cent served one year or under, 12.5 per cent over one year but not more than two years, 58.8 per cent over two but not more than three years, 19.5 per cent over three but not more than four years, 3.9 per cent over four but not more than five years, 0.7 per cent over five but not more than six years, and 0.4 per cent over six years. In the case of 0.8 per cent the time was not reported. Drucksachen der Kommission für Arbeiterstatistik: Hefte I, III.-Erhebung über die Arbeitszeit in Bäckereien und Konditoreien (I Theil, 1892; II Theil, 1893). Hefte II, V, VII.—Erhebung über Arbeitszeit, Kündigungsfristen und Lehrlings-Verhältnisse im Handelsgewerbe (I Theil, 1893; II Theil, 1894; III Theil, 1894). Hefte IV, VIII.— Erhebung über die Arbeitszeit in Getreidemühlen (I Theil, 1894; II Theil, 1895). Hefte VI, IX.-Erhebung über die Arbeits- und Gehalts-Verhältnisse der Kellner und Kellnerinnen (I Theil, 1894; II Theil, 1895). The foregoing investigations were conducted by the commission on labor statistics of the German Empire. The duties of the commission, as defined in the official decree, are (1) to undertake the collection and preparation of statistics of labor, and to give an opinion on the results whenever requested by the imperial council or the chancellor of the Empire; (2) to make recommendations to the chancellor regarding the best means of carrying out this object. In pursuance of these duties, the commission has thus far issued the nine reports above enumerated. The first and third reports (Vols. I, III) are the results of an investigation concerning the hours of labor in bakeries and confectioneries, conducted by means of schedules of inquiry. The information collected relates chiefly to hours of labor for a regular day's work, and at extra time, in all bakeries and confectioneries; conditions of apprenticeship, contract of employment, tuition, length of service, education, and hours of labor of apprentices; housing conditions of employees; application of machinery in the bakery industries. The second part of the inquiry relates to an analysis of replies received from master-bakers' and journeymen's associations in reference to the introduction of the twelve-hour working day, the regulation of the hours of labor of apprentices and children, and Sunday rest. It also contains opinions in reference to the influence of the work of bakers upon their health. The second, fifth, and seventh reports (Vols. II, V, VII) of the commission contain the results of an investigation covering inquiries regarding the hours of labor, notice given in case of discontinuance of employment, and conditions of apprenticeship of employees in the mercantile industries. The first part contains a series of statistical tables showing the number of employers and employees in each locality enumerated, the sex and standing of the latter (whether apprentices or journeymen), hours of opening and of closing the establishments, actual working hours at regular and at extra time for each sex, length required of notice of discontinuance of employment, and the number of employees boarding or lodging with their employers, or living in dwellings rented of the latter. The inquiry covers 8,235 establishments in 389 localities, and employing 23,725 persons. The second and third parts of this inquiry contain a presentation and discussion of replies to inquiries sent to mercantile associations throughout Germany regarding the extent to which the existing hours of labor may be regarded as detrimental to the physical and intellectual condition of employees; in what manner, under existing conditions, the time of labor may be reduced without being harmful to the business interests and to the public; the reasons for or against the enactment of a law fixing a minimum period of notice to be required for the severance of the relations of employers and their employees; and, finally, the advisability and practicability of adopting a uniform hour for closing establishments. The fourth and eighth reports (Vols. IV, VIII) relate to similar inquiries regarding the hours of labor in flour mills. Statistics cover chiefly the hours of labor and Sunday rest in steam, water power, and wind mills. The sixth and ninth reports (Vols. VI, IX) contain the results of inquiries regarding the labor and wage conditions of waiters and waitresses, the influence of the present working day upon the health, education, and domestic life of employees, the regulation of working hours for adults and children, Sunday rest, gratuities, fines, and employment agencies. The replies were received from hotel and restaurant proprietors' associations and waiters' and cooks' unions. Statistics of sickness and mortality collated from local sick funds are also presented. Die Belegschaft der Bergwerke und Salinen im Oberbergamtsbezirk Dortmund, nach der Zählung vom 16. Dezember 1893. Zusammengestellt von O. Taeglichsbeck, königlichen Berghauptmann und Oberbergamtsdirektor zu Dortmund. Erster Theil, 1895, xxxi, 461 pp.: Zweiter Theil, 1896, lxii, 663 pp. This report is the result of a census enumeration taken by the cen tral mining office of Dortmund with the cooperation of the Mine Operators' Association at Essen, on December 16, 1893. It relates to the economic and social conditions of the officials and employees at the mines and salt works within the jurisdiction of the central mining office (Oberbergamtsbezirk) at Dortmund. The territory covered by the report includes the provinces of Westphalia and Hanover, the principality of Siegen, the districts of Osnabrück and Aurich, the counties of Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein and Wittgenstein-Berleburg, the towns of Burbach and Neunkirchen, and in Rhenish Prussia, the subdivisions of Rees, Duisburg, Essen, and parts of Dusseldorf and Elberfeld. Within this territory are found deposits of coal, iron, zinc, lead, sulphur, and salt. The chief mining industry is that of coal, over one-half of the total output of Germany coming from this section. According to the enumeration of December 16, 1893, the total number of persons engaged in the mines, salt works, and mineral baths of the Dortmund district was 158,368. These were distributed as follows: 155,934, or 98.46 per cent, in 164 coal mines; 2,147, or 1.36 per cent, in 24 ore mines; 225, or 0.14 per cent, in 5 salt works; 62, or 0.04 per cent, at the Government mineral baths at Oeynhausen. As the number of persons employed in other than coal-mining industries is comparatively insignificant, about 1 per cent of the whole, the information is chiefly valuable as regards coal-mine workers. Concerning female labor, the enumeration shows that of the total employees of all the industries treated, only 27 were females. These were engaged at various mineral mines. There were no women engaged in any capac ity at the coal mines and salt works. The two volumes comprising this report consist mainly of statistical tables, but 93 out of a total of 1,217 pages being devoted to text. The figures are given in the greatest detail, each establishment being separately treated. A review of the more important facts is presented. below. 3687-No. 46 In the establishments considered the ages of employees and officials vary from 14 to over 60 years, as shown in the following table: The age of 19 years, which immediately precedes entry upon military service, is best represented, there being a much smaller number of employees of each age from 20 to 23 years, which are the ages of military service. After the period of military service, the age of 27 years is best represented. From that age onward there is an almost steady decrease in number for each succeeding year, especially in the case of mine workers. The number of married employees is comparatively large when it is considered that over one-half of all employees were under 30 years of age. Of the 158,368 persons reported 91,648, or 57.87 per cent, were married; 2,466, or 1.56 per cent, were widowed and divorced, and 64,254, or but 40.57 per cent, were single. STABILITY OF OCCUPATIONS.-This subject receives more attention than any other, and is illustrated by tables showing the number of officials and employees who follow the occupations of their fathers, the length of service in the same occupation of all officials and employees, and the number remaining in the same establishment during their entire period of service. It is shown that 59,256, or 37.42 per cent, of the officials and employees in all the industries considered followed the same occupation as their fathers. In coal mining the per cent was greatest, being 37.60; in other mines it was 27.11 per cent, and in the salt works it was 16.89 per cent. The percentage was greatest in sections where the industries were of longest duration. Thus, for instance, the percentage of coal mine employees whose fathers were also miners was, in South Dortmund, 47.17; in Hattingen, 52.06; and in Werden, 55.69, while in Gelsenkirchen, Recklinghausen, and Herne, districts in which coal mining is of more recent development, the percentages were, respectively, 28.36, 27.34, and 27.12. The following table shows the length of service of officials and employees at their present occupations, and the number of these who remained in the same establishments during the entire period specified in each case: YEARS OF SERVICE OF OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES AT THE SAME OCCUPATIONS AND IN THE SAME ESTABLISHMENTS. осси lish- осси- lish- осси- lish- осси lish- occu- lish- осси- lishpation. ment. pation. ment. pation. ment. pation. ment. pation. ment. pation. ment. At same In same At same In same At In same same |