Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-01
1927 EMPLOYMENT
SURPLUS LOOMING
Cut in Government Forces
Leaves Many Idle
in Capital.

EMPLOYMENT in the District o.
Columbia in 1927 has mot altogether
satisfactory" outlook, as there is
general surplus of labor apparent
which may increase. the Federal EN-
alignment director for Washington de
elared today in a forecast of conditions
for, the year.
The reduction of Government per
sonnet carried out through 1876 mas
left many men and women, principally
clerical workers, without employment
and II is not regarded as likely that
there will be enough employment op
portunities during 1927 to absorb these
unemployed.
washington not being an industrial
city, the labor demand comes neces
sarily from the bakeries, laundries,
ice cream factories, railroad terminals
and retail establishments" the direc'
tor said.
From all reports, no increase In
the demand for these workers is eX-
pected in 1927 over that which existed
in 1926. 1t is predicted that the
volume of building will not be as large,
which will make it harder for un-
skilled labor to secure work. The pro-
posed erection of public buildings Will
do much to relieve unemployment
among skilled and unskilled construc-
ton workers. Street work and other
city improvements will offer employ
ment to a large number of men
throughout the year"
6O,OOO, 900 for Building.
Private building operations in
Washington in the first IL months of
the year involved the expenditure of
more than 100000, 900, according to
Commerce Department figures.
Industrial prospects for 1927 in
Maryland indicate a slight decrease in
some lines of manufacture, according
to the Maryland director. The de-
mand for skilled labor, however,
should be as great as in 1926, or al
most to the saturation point. Plenty
of work for unskilled labor is fore
cast, with indications pointing to
building program quite as large as
that of 1926, and full employment of
the building tradesmen during the
greater part of 1927 is forecast. An
increase in expenditures for public
works is thought probable.
Virginia employment prospects dur
Ing 1927 are regarded by the State
director as somewhat better than dur
ing 1926. Opening of new silk mills,
knitting mills, additions to furniture
factories and to fruit and preserving
plants will give employment to many
skilled and unSkilled workers. While
there may be a decline in soft coal
production, an increase in the devel-
opment and production of Virginia
anthracite is anticipated. A large
amount of public Improvement work
is planned, and the State Highway
Department will have about $8,000,0 900
available for road construction work.
The West Virginia director declared
that prolonged activity in steel manu-
facture, coal mining and volume of
for the State.
Conditions Good Nationally.
In a foreword to the reports of
State directors, Francis 1. Jones, en-
ployment director general, said the
business outlook for the year now
beginning indicates a healthy con-
dition throughout the country.
He said:
'The year that has just passed
into history was remarkable for it's
Industrial activity; its building con-
struction, which almost eQua1ed the
phenomenal record of 1925; the soil
producing bumper crops; railroads
scoring new high records; the auto
mobile and truck industry with the
banner year to its credit, and road
construction on a large scale, all re-
hecting in tremendous volume of
employment.
1.-THE business outlook for the year
now beginning, according to our sur
vey, indicates a healthy condition
throughout the country. Optimism
and confidence prevail; capital and
labor have a better understanding,
and with no apparent dark spots on
the industrial horizon, the volume of
employment should equal, If not
surpass, the year Just closed"