Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices in November, 1931 Tu Lindex Statistics of the United States Department of Labor HE index number of wholesale prices as computed by the Bureau of shows a minor decrease for November. This index number, which includes 550 commodities or price series weighted according to the importance of each article and based on the average prices for 1926 as 100.0, was 68.3 for November as compared with 68.4 for October, showing only a fractional per cent of decrease between the two months. When compared with November, 1930, with an index number of 80.4, decrease of 15 per cent has been recorded. In the group of farm products decreases in the average price of calves, hogs, lambs, live poultry, lemons, oranges, hay, and tobacco DEC. JAN. FEB MAR APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT NOV. DEC. were about offset by increases in all grains, cotton, eggs, seeds, onions, and sweetpotatoes. The group as a whole decreased less than onefourth of 1 per cent. Among foods price decreases were reported for butter, cheese, lamb, fresh pork, bacon, ham, veal, canned salmon, lard, raw and granulated sugar, and canned corn, peas, peaches, and pineapple, resulting in a net decrease of about 2% per cent for the group as a whole. Fresh and cured beef, coffee, oleomargarine, rye and wheat flour, prunes, and corn meal averaged higher than in October. Decreases in the average prices for goatskins and sheepskins, sole leather, and several types of shoes caused the hides and leather products group to decline 1 per cent. No change occurred in other leather products. In the group of textile products, cotton goods and woolen and Worsted goods recorded further price decreases from October to November. Silk and rayon show no general change, while there was an upward tendency in other textile products. The textile group as a whole declined about 14 per cent. Advancing prices of mid-continent crude petroleum, gasoline, and kerosene forced the index for the fuel and lighting group to advance 2 per cent. Anthracite and bituminous coal and coke showed little or no change between October and November. Up and down fluctuations in the prices of the items composing the metals and metal products group produced little change on the group as a whole, but with a downward tendency. Iron and steel products showed slight change and nonferrous metals, agricultural implements, and automobiles decreased, while other metal products showed no change. Lumber, brick, cement, and other building materials continued their downward movement in November. No change was shown for structural steel while a minor increase was reported for paint materials. The group as a whole showed a decrease of less than one-half of 1 per cent. Minor price recessions during November occurred in drugs and pharmaceuticals and fertilizer materials, while chemicals and mixed fertilizers advanced slightly. An increase of nearly 1 per cent was shown for the chemicals and drug group. Both furniture and furnishings in the group of house-furnishing goods continued to decline in the month. Prices of cattle feed rose sharply during the month and paper and pulp advanced slightly. Crude rubber and other miscellaneous articles showed minor decreases, with no change reported in the price of automobile tires. The group as a whole showed an increase of over 1 per cent. Raw materials as a whole averaged higher than in October while semimanufactured articles and finished products averaged lower. In the large group of nonagricultural commodities, including all articles other than farm products, the November prices showed a downward movement from those of the month before, while the group of all commodities other than farm products and foods showed an upward tendency. Between October and November decreases took place in 119 instances, increases in 151 instances, while in 280 instances no change occurred. IMMIGRATION AND EMIGRATION Statistics of Immigration for October, 1931 By J. J. KUNNA, CHIEF STATISTICIAN, UNITED STATES BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION URING October 3,913 immigrant aliens were admitted to the compared with the preceding month, and of 10,029, or 71.9 per cent, as compared with the number for October, 1930. The nonimmigrant aliens admitted also showed a decline since a year ago, the number for this class dropping from 23,304 to 17,096, or 26.6 per cent. Most of the decrease is accounted for by a falling off, for the immigrants, in the number of arriving quota aliens from 9,075 to 1,462; and for the nonimmigrants, in the number of returning residents, from 14,053 to 9,601, and of manifested visitors from 5,802 to 4,101. Immigration during the first four months of the current fiscal year (July to October) showed a decline of 43,679, or 73 per cent, from that for the same months of last year, the number dropping from 59,873 to 16,194. The decrease for Europe was 28,164, or 76.3 per cent, while that from Canada was 10,904, or 72.4 per cent, and from Mexico 1,008, or 57.4 per cent. In direct contrast to last year, seven alien residents of the United States are now leaving for intended future permanent residence in Europe for every three newcomers from that continent coming here for permanent residence, whereas a year ago the departures and arrivals were in the ratio of 3 to 7. From July to October last, 19,194 emigrant aliens departed to and 8,741 immigrants were admitted from Europe, as against 12,978 departures and 36,905 admissions in the same period last year. The women continue to outnumber the men among the new arrivals, about eight females now entering the country for every five males. In the four months from July to October, 1931, the female immigrant aliens admitted numbered 9,839 and the male 6,355. The admitted immigrants of the most productive years, from 16 to 44 years, were in the majority, as has long been the case, with a total of 10,416. There were 2,715 in the group ranging in age from 16 to 21; 4,103 ranging from 22 to 29; 2,460 from 30 to 37; and 1,138 from 38 to 44; while the remainder included 3,172 under 16 years of age and 2,606 over 44 years. The single immigrants numbered 8,153 and the married 7,049, while 932 were widowed and 60 divorced. During the corresponding months a year ago, 33,758 of the immigrants were females and 26,115 males, a ratio of 9 to 7; 43,244 ranged in age from 16 to 44 years, 9,811 were under 16, and 6,818 were 45 years of age and over; 38,032 were single, 19,308 married, and 2,533 widowed or divorced. The vast majority of immigrants were admitted at Atlantic seaports, the number totaling 10,099 for the four months from July to October, 1931. New York accounts for 9,201 of this total, mostly arrivals from Europe, and, with the exception of 425 arriving at Boston and 204 at Providence, the various other Atlantic ports show nominal figures. At Gulf of Mexico ports only 308 immigrants were admitted; at San Francisco and other Pacific ports the respective figures were 561 and 458. Over the Canadian border 4,087 immigrants were admitted, and over the southern land border the number was 681. Of the 16,194 immigrants admitted in the four months ended October 31 last, 2,434 were English, 2,228 were Italian, 1,779 were German, 134 were French, 1,020 were Scotch, and 1,006 were Hebrews. These six groups comprised about three-fifths of the total. INWARD AND OUTWARD PASSENGER MOVEMENT, JULY TO OCTOBER, 1931 Total 16, 194 66, 977 83, 171 185, 324 268, 495 2,908 36, 559 80, 377 116, 936 190, 119 307, 055 6,374 1 These aliens are not included among arrivals, as they were not permitted to enter the United States. These aliens are included among aliens departed, they having entered the United States, legally or illegally, and later being deported. |