LABORS NEW STATUS 
279 
The general average of annual, average earnings for all 
classes of employees was approximately $1,500. 
A study made by the National Industrial Conference 
Board of about 750,000 employees in all branches of manu- 
facturing disclosed for the year 1927 actual weekly earn- 
ings of slightly less than $27.00 in round figures. If such 
employees had worked full time for the entire year, their 
average annual income would have been approximately 
only $1,400. The reports of the New York Department of 
Labor, covering 400,000 wage-earners employed in the fac- 
tories of the State, indicate for the year 1927 average 
annual earnings of only $1,400 to $1,500. 
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 
on July 1, 1927, that the average hourly entrance rate of 
unskilled labor for the country as a whole on construction 
work, on public utilities, and in representative branches 
of manufacturing, ranged from 39 to 61 cents per hour, the 
general average being only 42 cents per hour. It also 
showed that the average weekly wage of railway track 
laborers (about 200,000 in number), was only $17.00. The 
Bureau of Agricultural Economics of the Department of 
Agriculture also reported that the average monthly wages 
of farm laborers in October, 1927, were only $35.68 with 
board, and only $48.77 without board. It may be conserva- 
tively estimated in general that all farm laborers, at least 
one-half of the mine workers, employees in manufacturing 
and mechanical industries, and clerical workers, and one- 
third of the manual workers in transportation, trade, and 
public service, do not earn more than $25.00 per week or 
$1,200 per annum. 
The following comparative statement shows the yearly 
cost in 1926 of minimum budgets for an average family of 
clerical or industrial workers, according to the standards 
and inquiries of the best authorities *