Show Problems of Unemployment Worries French Cabinet I PARIS No Nov 20 The O.-The The number of former former for- for mer mei workers now unemployed In France is according to official statistics The total is increasing by daily dismissals in the inI industry in industry in- in I leather trade textile and clothing clothing cloth cloth- ing manufacturing industries and the problem is attracting the attention of the gov government During the war the plea of manufacturers manufacturers manufacturers was that speedy delivery of goods was Impossible owing to the lack lacle I of labor Now available labor far ex exceeds ex- ex coeds the demand There are numerous reasons for this surplus prominent among which are given ghen lack o of raw material rate of exchange against France Trance In most Importing Importing importing im Im- Im- Im porting countries and high freight rates It is believed however that there theren n hi another reason of purely internal order Speculators have held back stocks iri iii order to be able to release them when prices were highest and consequently do Io not need to manufacture manufacture manufacture ture at present Others are said to deliberately restrict production in order that prices may be kept to present present I abnormal level The high prices have lessened consumption and the public limits its purchases to articles of absolute absolute lute necessity with the result that re retailers reI retailers re- re I are not sending Rending such large or orI orders orders or- or ders to wholesalers as formerly I The leather industry Is suffering most mt t nearly e r half the ordina ordina- I. I n workers rily bein gout of work Pari- Pari pari-I pari ians In general have refused to pay francs for a very ordinary pair pall of I shots At Limoges alone shoemakers shoemakers shoe shoe- I makers are without employment The clothing industry is also reported report report- ed to be in a bad way Forty per pei cent of the worl workers ers are idle at a time when ordinarily the factories are at their busiest The rhe textile industry on which the towns of Roubaix and Tourcoing de dep depend depend de- de pend p nd is going through a period of the greatest difficulty and the fur industry is also affected owing to the excessive price of furs especially of the more or ordinary ordinary ordinary or- or kinds such as rabbit and goat Thirty per cent of the automobile i workers are idle some or skilled workmen Considerable numbers numbers num num- bers of men employed In the devastated reg regin ons have also left their work some voluntarily rily hesitating to spend the winter in draughty shacks s without comfort and amusements others dismissed dismissed dis dis- missed Jd by contractors who have not yet been paid by the state and who hesitate hesi hesi- tate tato to retain worl workmen men whose wages I they may be unable to pay The question was discussed at a re reCent recent re- re I cent cabinet meeting industrial groups are occupied in formulating possible solutions so- so anI and a mass meeting of unemployed unemployed I is to be held at the Jl libor bor bureau The principal difficulty ty is not so much much in in finding work fo tot all concerned but rather the difficulty or of finding suitable suitable suitable suit suit- able work for the many skilled Workmen Workmen work workmen Work Work- men who are at present without em employment em em- There are p plenty Penty enty of openings open open- ings for unskilled labor in the devastated T deva-T devas devas- regions and the leveling of th the Paris fortifications but laborers are scarce while skilled workmen are plentiful plea plen- but their employment at such work as is available would be bo nothing nothIng less than wasting tho the s a resources re- re rr V cr sources r p j |