Evening star., 1926-09-18
NATIONS PAY ROLL
GROWING LARGER
Public Has Money to Spend
as Result of High Level
of Employment.
BY J. e. ROYI.E.
a. Tia Gt~r

spectral uApdFn LIE Stdf.
NEW YORK. September 1s.-The
surest guarantee Of continued bust
ness prosperity now in evidence lies
in the general volume Of employ
ment. Workers are more generally
engaged than at any time in years
| and at high wage levels. This means
that the public has money to spend
and, barring unforeseen contingencies,
will spend II.
The automobile industry and the
markers OF parts and accessories are
gradually adding to their pay rolls.
The steel industry is not taking on
many men, but it Ia not laying off
workers and has held many that
normally 60 to road construction jobs
at this season. The highway i'm
provement projects are taking on
every available man IN many sec
t$ons. employing not only unskflled
workers but rock and concrete men.
Twenty five of the largest indus
trial concerns in the Cleveland dis
trict have increased forces this
month. or are prepa airing to do SO.
and employment in northern Ohio is
at higher point than at any time
since 1928. Wages for common labor
there are the highest since 1920.
WIN All dNSFdke Ol f4.5 Genus all
hour.
Construction Contracts Large.
Actual construction contracts let
throughout the country are far above
those Of this tine last year. and the
producers Of building materials are
well engaged. although the peak OF
lumber demand seems past. Winter
logging operations, however, have
cto o,.t>
cha nges have been few and within a
narrow range.
While another new Engla nd textile
concern. the Connecticut Mills Co.,
which employed 1900 at it's plants at
Taunton, Fall River and Danielson.
has announced 1t will move it's ma
chinery South. the New Engla nd tex
tile situa ton undoubtedly Is improv-
ing. Orders OF Pacific mills are run
ming over 100000 pieces a week. 1t Is
reported. the highest rate, with one
exception since 1922. Advances in
goods prices do not seem to have
slowed up sales. The southern mills
are well engaged.
Reports from 19 leading factories in
Lansing. Mich. show 1908 men en-
ployed as compared with 12,s43 a year
ago. The Philadelphia Fall building
SdiiS tDl O
some $25 900, 900. much Of which will
be paid for labor Metal manufac-
turers in the Philadelphia district
have made large employment gains,
as have hosiery mills.
Notwithstanding the ia avorable fac
tors now apparent. such as the Brit :
lsh coal strike and the approa ch OF
the Winter retail-sales season the
s1tua tion in many OF the soft-coa
fields still is unsatisfaCtory Oil is
In splendid position. and as re-
suit exploration activity Is on the
increase.
Shoe Trade Quickens Pace.
The shoe industry, which had cur
| tailed operate for q time. has put
on more time and increased output
to keep pace with sharp Fall dema nd
Thousands of workers are finding
jobs In the canneries OF the Middle
west. The influx OF returning har-
vest hands, which flows into Chica 60
each year. is being DELAYED by the
lateness Of threshing opera tons. but
workers who have come in are being
silly distributed and absorbed.
The South is extremely active with
industrial plants throughout Mary
land. Virginia. the CaroIinas and
NTCVI oDcI dtIHS al HlEn rates In
most lines. Preparations for the
Winter season have resulted in re.
| newed activity, especially in construc.
| tion lines In Florida. Mississippi
louisa ma. Alabama and Texas These
States. with oklahoma. will furnish
| employment to thousa nds Of cotton
pickers this month. Mining opera
tions in Colorado. Utah. Montana and
other intermountain States have join.
ed with agricultural products to pro-
duce high per capita buying power
Peak activities are prevailing in
many Of the fruit packing plants OF
California. while the cotton, hon and
grape crops will require thousa nds Of
pickers. There is little surplus of
labor reported in Oregon and Wash.
ington, where sea sonal agricultural
numbering canning and mining opera
tions are in full blast