San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-28
CENSUS BUREAU.
CHECK REVEALS
OUTPUT ABILITY
Grand Total Of Production
Possibility. Is s74,-
123,930,736.
FIGURES NOT COMPLETE
Tell Accurate Story Of
Damage Done by Re-
adjustment Storm.
FIGURES NOT COMPLETE
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

Copyright by The San Antonio Light.
Washington, ID. C., Oct ga
measure OF the nations ability to pro-
duce manufactured goods has just been
completed by the census bureau after
two years of work. The grand total
of possible output during a single year
is set down by the bureau at $I4, 49,
930.736. The returns used in making
I'm this total came from 104.19f man.
ufacturing plants throughout the coun-
try. In addition 1914 plants with a
known output of about 81 ,00O.OoO
annually failed to submit maximum
OUTPUT figures.
1t ia reasonably certain that had the
figures from these plan been avail
able. the grand total of American fac
tories to produce would have been writ
ten in figures topping the $I6OOO,OO0,-
600 mark. This means that under
ideal conditions of labor, transporta-
ton ard raw material supply. our fac
tories are capable of turning cut an
nually finished products to the value
of about 500 for every man, woman
and child in the country.
The surves, was made in connection
with the 1921 census of manufacturers
showing what the plants actually
turned ont in finished products during
that year of business depression. The
totals show that Amer IN factories
nroduced in 1921 goods to the value OF
about S43 SOC. 100000. That was
drop of more than $4,000 or
about 20 pcr cent from the banner year
of 1919, when mills and factories were
whirring under the stimulus OF post
war initiation and prosperity.
These figures, never before an
nounced. tell an accurate story OF the
extent Of the damage done by the
storm of reimbursement as well as the
CAPACITY of the nations gigantic manu-
featuring machinery. They are replete
. with detail They cover $50 separate
notwithstanding industries which gave
employment during the height OF ~ IN
derrcssion to more than 6,Wm,oW
workers. They tell the story Of each
industry. showing the extent to VIC
II was affected by the economic
change.
Tbev shaw that in 1921 the manu-
featuring industries were operating Il
nbout 10 per cent Of the 1919 volume
1measured in dollar valuesl. and 4
56,S per cent of capacity. They lndl
cate that the country's manuf ;turln'
nIants. working at the maximum. arr
capable of furnishing employment Il
marc than twelve million workers.
The measure of possible production
;s an innovation in census bureau
work. 1t was embodied in the. l92l re
turns upon the recommendation OF
committee conference of trade organi
cations held in Washington Angus
is. 1921, at the instane of the Nationa
Association of Manufacturers. Secre
tary Hoover approved the proposal am
directed the inclusion of the survey II
the census bureaus wor k.
As a result of the work, the bushes
mon of the country will soon be &C
nnainted in detail, for the first time
~ tbc copacity of each of the manufac!
trrinp industries under most favorabl
cnndit;ors. The federal go-1rnmeh
also is placed in possession OF detaiie
;nformotion of almost vital value II
time of war. Heretofore it has bee
;mnossiblc to measure accurately VIVA
sny industry could accomplish IN even
&c a sudden call to service. The gov
or,ncnt knows now just what it ca
cxncct from every factory in the coun
FRY