Chicago, New York, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. The report deals with the conditions of the workrooms, the character of the work by occupations, the hours of labor, and the effect of the work of the various occupations upon the health of the woman workers. The "Relation between occupation and criminality of women," which is the subject of Volume XV, is the result of an attempt to ascertain how far the wage-earning employment of women may be accountable for cases of criminality. The study is based upon records of penal institutions, with the addition of probation records where adult probation prevails, supplemented by interviews with superintendents, matrons, prison doctors, probation officers, prison visitors, and the prisoners themselves. Volume XVI, entitled "Family budgets of typical cotton-mill workers," is a study of the prevailing standards of living among such families in Fall River, Mass., and in various southern cottonmill communities. The report deals with the actual income of typical families week by week through a year, and the items of food, clothing, rent, and other expenditures in detail. Of the foregoing, Volumes IX, X, XI, and XII have been issued between the end of the fiscal year (June 30) and this date. Four other volumes relating to various special aspects of the employment of women and children will soon be ready for the printer. Twenty-fifth Annual Report of the Commissioner of Labor.-This report, relating to Industrial Education in the United States, was transmitted just before the close of the fiscal year, but has since been completed and distributed. This report is the result of an investigation the purpose of which was to secure detailed information concerning the organization, courses of instruction, methods, etc., of the schools that seek to furnish training for the skilled and unskilled trades and occupations. Report on Conditions of Employment in the Iron and Steel Industry.— A large part of the force of the Bureau has been engaged throughout almost the entire year upon an investigation of the iron and steel industry, in compliance with a resolution of the Senate. Two volumes of the report of the investigation, which are devoted to wages, hours of labor, and days worked, were transmitted to the Senate during July, 1911, and are now in press. These volumes cover conditions in practically every important plant in the industry in the United States. Other volumes which are in preparation will relate to conditions of work and to accidents and accident prevention. Miscellaneous. An investigation is in progress in regard to retail prices of food and in regard to wages in the principal industries in the United States, the results to be presented as the Twentysixth Annual Report of the Bureau. The information will cover the period 1890 to the end of 1911, in continuation of the previous studies of the Bureau on wages and prices. Work is also going on in preparation of a comprehensive study of the labor laws of all the principal industrial countries. Other lines of special investigation now being carried on will be continued through the coming year, and the results will be published from time to time in the Bulletin. One of these involves a series of special studies relating to the employment of women and girls, while another is a study of industrial diseases as related to various employments and industries, and still another will cover in a comprehensive way the subject of collective agreements and conciliation and arbitration in this and other countries. GOVERNMENT WORKINGMEN'S COMPENSATION ACT. For the 12 months ended June 30, 1911, the number of claims received under the act of May 30, 1908, which grants to certain employees of the United States the right to receive compensation for injuries sustained in the course of their employment, was 2,895; there were, besides these, 16 cases pending July 1, 1910. Of the 2,911 cases thus under consideration, 136 were based on the death of the injured workman, and of these 106, or 77.9 per cent, were approved as entitled to compensation under the law, while 28, or 20.6 per cent, were found not so entitled, and 2, or 1.5 per cent, remained pending at the close of the fiscal year. The number of claims based on nonfatal injuries was 2,775, and of these 2,611, or 94.1 per cent, were found to come within the provisions of the law; 152 cases, or 5.5 per cent, were not found to be entitled to compensation, and 12 cases, or 0.4 per cent, remained undecided. Reporting of accidents causing disability for one day or longer or resulting in immediate death is requested for all classes of employees of the Government, without reference to the application of the compensation act. The total number of accidents reported, including those for which compensation might be granted, as well as those not covered by the act, was 5,201. None of the totals given above includes cases of injury to employees of the Isthmian Canal Commission causing disability of less than 15 days' duration. On account of an amendment to the law taking effect March 3, 1911, there are also excluded from the data given all accidents, both fatal and nonfatal, which have occurred since that date to employees of the Isthmian Canal Commission, regardless of the duration of the disability caused. The subject of amendments to the law received some attention in Congress, several being proposed, of which but one was adopted. This was the amendment above referred to relating to employees of the Isthmian Canal Commission, and by it the entire administration of the law, in so far as it affects such employees, is in the hands of that body, instead of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, since March 3, 1911. The period for filing claims for compensation on account of death, which was found to be difficult of observance on account of the number of persons having nonresident dependents, was extended to one year instead of being restricted to 90 days, as heretofore. The law was also made applicable to all employees under the Isthmian Canal Commission when injured in the course of their employment, instead of only to those engaged in "hazardous employment." Reports of accidents occurring on the Zone, whether subject to compensation under this act or not, will be made by the Commission as heretofore, so that the entire operation of the law will be known. CHAS. P. NEILL, Respectfully, To Hon. CHARLES NAGEL, Secretary of Commerce and Labor. Commissioner. REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF MANUFACTURES. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR, BUREAU OF MANUFACTURES, SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the work of the Bureau of Manufactures for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911. It should be stated that this report covers a period of one month of the incumbency of the former Chief of the Bureau, Maj. John M. Carson, now commercial agent of the Department. The record of the year indicates a wholesome growth in the volume of the work accomplished by the Bureau. In the correspondence which has been received in the office, there is ample evidence of a disposition by commercial organizations and business firms to note approvingly the activities of the Federal Government in the field of trade promotion, and it is apparent that the attitude of indifference which it has been necessary to combat and overcome in the efforts of the Bureau to give efficient help to our national commerce is being abandoned rapidly. Moreover, general trade conditions in the United States have been strong factors in directing attention to the practical value of the work of trade promotion carried on by the Bureau of Manufactures, and by other similar branches of the Government service. Our foreign trade in manufactured articles amounted in this fiscal year to about $1,000,000,000, and it has now practically overtaken in value the exports of foodstuffs and raw materials. It is certain that the United States must maintain and extend this branch of its export commerce if satisfactory trade conditions are to be continued. A stable and expanding foreign market for our manufactured products is becoming every day more important to the manufacturers of the nation, and none of the legitimate Government facilities for fostering and promoting such a market may be safely neglected or ignored. PUBLICITY. As the essential function of the Bureau is to give publicity to the valuable trade information received from American consular officers and from other sources, a special effort has been made to distribute as widely as possible information in regard to the various activities. of the office, to make known the character of its work and its publications, and the extent of the field which awaits development. Our |