of the problem and of our conclusions. It would indeed be a 
grave outlook for the industrial future of this country if no com- 
pensating advance could be discerned to offset the economic diffi- 
culties of some of the big industries. And that this compensation 
is a reality may be seen from numerous pieces of evidence, such 
as the general steadiness of revenue, the increase in the savings 
of small investors and other financial returns. We select as 
particularly relevant to the consideration of our problem and as 
helping to correct a too pessimistic generalisation about the extent 
of unemployment, the figures published in the Ministry of Labour 
Gazette in February, 1928, showing that over a period of 2% years 
from. October, 1923, to April, 1926—years that were by no means 
free from serious hindrance to industry, both internally and ex- 
ternally—out of 11} million workpeople insured under the Un- 
employment Insurance Acts, nearly 8 million drew no unemploy- 
ment benefit at all, and of the remaining 3} million, the benefit 
drawn by 24 millon in no single case exceeded 100 days in all. 
These figures indicate how regular employment was for the 
majority of workpeople, and that continuous unemployment was 
restricted to a comparatively small proportion of the industrial 
population. 
5. But in sketching in this background of the employment 
market, we do not wish to put into false perspective the fore- 
ground, that although successive Governments and Parliaments, 
from the years 1921 to 1927, have taken a number of 
remedial measures, there are.at present over 1,100,000 persons 
recorded as unemployed on the Ministry of Labour registers. 
These figures are themselves sufficient to dispel any illusion that 
the problem is of small dimensions or is amenable to solution by 
any single remedy or universal panacea. 
6. The material already in the possession of the various Govern- 
ment Departments has provided a convenient starting-point for 
a survey of the problem and for a consideration of possible 
remedies. In particular the Ministry of Labour and the Oversea 
Settlement Department of the Dominions Office have afforded us 
specially useful help. In the course of a wide range of investiga- 
tion and consultation we have visited South Wales, the North 
East Coast and Scotland, and have met there representatives of 
coalowners and workers and of other local industries; we have 
inspected employment exchanges, juvenile unemployment centres 
and training centres for young men and have endeavoured to form 
some idea of the human aspect of the task which has been set 
for us. 
7. We were not appointed to supersede existing Departments or 
agencies, nor were we given executive power or responsibility