SWITZERLAND (ZURICH), JANUARY TO MARCH, 1914 AND 1915. The table presented here may serve to show from a limited angle the state of employment in one of the principal industrial centers of Switzerland during the first quarter of the years 1914 and 1915. As shown, the number of applications for each 100 vacancies and for each 100 positions filled was greater in each of the three months of the first quarter of 1915 than for the same months of 1914. NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT AND OF VACANCIES REPORTED, COMPARED WITH POSITIONS FILLED, FIRST QUARTER, 1914 AND 1915, ZURICH, SWITZERLAND. [Source: Monats-Berichte des Statistischen Amtes der Stadt Zurich, Nos. 1, 2, and 3, 1915, p. 25.] STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES. FRANCE, JANUARY TO APRIL, 1915.1 Fifteen strikes and 3 lockouts were reported to the French labor office during the period from January to April, 1915. Six occurred in January, 5 in February, 2 in March, and 5 in April, and involved in all 842 employees. Ten of the disputes arose from a demand for increased wages. The industries affected were: Preparation of food, in 4 instances; weaving, 4; boots and shoes, 3; dock workers, 2; clothing, 2; and 1 in each of 3 miscellaneous occupations. The average number of days lost was 5.61 days; the longest dispute lasted 54 days, the shortest 1 day. As to results, 4 succeeded, 5 were compromised, and 9 failed. GERMANY, DURING THE WAR. Since the outbreak of the war to the end of March, 1915, according to the report of the imperial office of labor statistics there occurred 52 labor disputes directly involving 4,029 workmen; the total employed force in the establishments involved was, however, 10,218. The average duration of the disputes was 4.77 days as compared with 27.99 days, the average for all disputes occurring during the five-year period 1909-1913. The strikes occurring during the war were not largely supported by trade-unions. The question of wages was involved in 43 of the labor disputes. Of the 52 disputes, 26 were settled by conciliation. As to results obtained, the strikes were wholly successful in 11 cases, involving 41 per cent of the men affected; and partially successful in 12 instances, involving 16.6 per cent of all employees affected, while no results followed from the other 29 disputes, which involved 42.4 per cent of the total number of persons affected. GREAT BRITAIN, 1914 AND 1915. Based on returns from employers and employees, reports are published monthly by the Board of Trade in its Labor Gazette concerning trade disputes which occur in the course of each month. The following brief statement summarizes conditions as to strikes from January to May, 1915, as compared with the corresponding months of 1914. The first table shows the number of disputes arising in each particular month and the number of workpeople affected thereby, together with 1 Bulletin du Ministère du Travail, January-April, 1915, pp. 18, 19. Reichs-Arbeitsblatt. Hrsg. vom Kaiserlichen Statistischen Amte, Albteilung für Arbeiterstatistik. Berlin, 1915 (May), pp. 413–416. 2119°-15-6 81 the distribution of the strikes of each month according to their causes. During the five-month period, January to May, 1915, 185 out of a total of 258 disputes were caused by demand for increased wages. LABOR DISPUTES IN GREAT BRITAIN, JANUARY TO MAY, 1915, BY MONTHS. [Source: Board of Trade Labour Gazette, February to June, 1915.] 1 The totals do not agree with the table following, because "In making up total for several months figure3 have been amended in accordance with the latest information.” The following table presents a comparative summary statement, by trade groups, of strikes in Great Britain between January 1 and May 31, 1915, both dates inclusive, and the corresponding period in 1914, with aggregate number of persons involved and duration in working days of all disputes in progress. The number of strikes during the period in 1915 was 55 per cent of the number for a like period in 1914, and the number of persons affected in 1915 was only 35 per cent of the number in 1914, and the days of work lost because of strikes in 1915 was only 11.4 per cent of the number so lost in 1914. LABOR DISPUTES IN GREAT BRITAIN IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 1914 1 Totals for 1915 do not agree with detail table. Explanation given in note on that table. The aggregate duration in 1914 of the general dispute at Dublin (200,000 working-days), is included in the total but not in the separate groups of trades. Bureaus of labor, industrial commissions, etc., and their chief officials-Concluded. STATE BUREAUS CHARGED WITH ENFORCEMENT OF FACTORY INSPECTION LAWS, AND CHIEF INSPECTION OFFICIALS. Edgar A. Perkins. Chief inspector.... Kansas... and industry. 948 Market Street, Hartford. Ford Building, ton. Rehoboth Beach. Room 6, Baldwin Building, Jacksonville. 608 South Dearborn Street, Chicago. [Room 120, State Capitol, Indianapolis. Commissioner..... Des Moines. Department of labor P. J. McBride..... Commissioner of Topeka. labor and indus- State factory in- |