The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-12-02
LOCAL INDUSTRIES FEEL COMPETITION
 FROM ABROAD

The Manufacturers Association of
 Connections has placed in the hands
 of its members it's current monthly
 report of the condition of industry in this State. While, primarily, reRar+@! Of this association are the concern of
 its members only, consideration of the unusual conditions Of the aimeS,s to- gether with the fact that almost every business and individual in Connecti- cut has a vital in crest in the pros perity of our industries, it seems only proper that some of the facts of our industrial situation be made gener- | ally available. Our problems in Con-
 nee iout today are mutual, and if they are to find a successful solution, conl-
 mon understandings are a first essen 1 tial
 | ''Connecticut industries in October were operating at an average of 62.6 | improvement over October, when the
 average figure was 57.9, it indicates
 a general average condition far from | satisfactory. For the eleven districts
 of he state covered Tn this report, l the community averages range from
 as high as 96 per cent. of normal to
 as low as per cent of normal The 1 high percentage represents Danbury, | devoted almost exclusively to hat
 making, which industry has enjoyed l a very busy season. No other com
 within 25 points of the Danbury fig
 ure, and if Danbury was not included
 the average for the whole would be l materially lower.''
 The associations report is so dis 1 tributed. both geographically and by | industries as to be a fair index of
 our industrial conditions. 1t is based 1 on the actual state of industrial &C., 1 tivity in 275 plants normally employ | ing nearly one-haf of the total ag- gregate number of persons officially reported as engaged in industry last year The only exception which should be noted is that the report does not completely cover all of the districts where textile manufacturers that textile mills have been more ac- tive in recent months than some oth- er lines.
 In order that the report referred to may be better understood, a word 1 should be said as to how it is conl-
 piled, and especially as to what is | meant by normal" In this report normal is not based on conditions tions of wartime peak production. Instead. each plant determined for
 quired to operate all of it's present equipment and the maximum num- her of hours of work per week, any
 addition to which would be regarded as overtime. The product of these two gives the number of man-hours
 per week in normal operation of the
 plan. Against this, the product of
 the actual average number Of en-
 
 tuat number of hours worked in the
 same period, gives the actual man.
 hours.
 Among the things that remain to be done, there is doubtless to be in cluded further adjustments within many lines of industry. Moreover; 1t
 must be remembered that such con
 ditions as the present make for the
 keenest kind of competition for 9 share in the limited amount of busi-
 ness available Consequently. Con-
 necticut industry is facing a period
 when more will be required of both
 fore, if 1t is to hold its proper place
 In the nation and the world. Besides
 the keen competition with factories in other states, Connecticut indus tries are already feeling again severe competition from abroad, which, on account of the war, has been sus- pended for nearly seven years. These facts make it certain that if we are to come through successfully, every man with any stake in Con- necticut inc <-ry. whether stock holder, executive, or wage earner, must give of the very best that is in him; must maintain a mind open to the necessity of all kinds of adjust agreeable or not, to meet the situa- tion; and above all, to so conduct himself tbat his own efforts will be joined effectively with those of his associates, toward the common end of better production. at the lowest possible cost. and more effective dis tribution in the markets win hence the real income of industry is ultimately derived