Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-12
PRIVATE PAY ROLLS
IN D. c. 81 PER CENT
LARGER THAN j. s.
c. of C. Secretary Bases Cal.
CuIationS on Census and
Other Data.
HOLDS ONLY 80 PER CENT
WORK FOR GOVERNMENT
Survey Also Reveals That 81
Per Cent of Residents Are
Native Born.

From extensive calculations on
mass Of census statistics and other data.
Dorsey w. Hyde jr, secretary Of the
local Chamber of Commerce. has ar
rived at several conclusions which he
declares are gems OF good advertising
copy about Washington.
They are:
That, while Washington receives tire
mendous benefit economically from
huge and dependable Government pay
roll, which has consistently stimulated
the level of trade here. the pay roll OF
private employers in Greater Washing
ton is about 30 per cent larger.
That while the Government provides
employment here for thousands Of local
residents, only 80 per cent Of the gain
fully employed residents of the metro
politan area are actually at work Tor
the Government.
And that Washington is the most
typically American city of the country
for the reason this city stands at the
top of the larger cities Of the Nation
in the percentage Of local residents
who were born here.
Based on Government Figures.
These studies by the chamber secre-
tary were based principally on Govern
ment figures. including latest available
census reports. General acceptance of
the findings, it is pointed out, will serve
to scotch a pair of popular suggestions
about the District of Columbia. These
have pictured Washington as a city pre-
eminently dependent on the Federal
Government for its wages and work,
and as a city made up largely OF a
transient" class of residents, here to
work for time for Uncle Sam, and
then leaving for other locations.
Study Of latest figures in the case,
Mr.. Hyde finds, disproves such beliefs.
1t is frequently stated" Mr.. Hyde
declares, that Washington'S population
consists largely Of persons from various
States who have been drawn to the
District by the lure Of Government en-
ployment. Study Of the facts reveals a
different story.
Only 30 Per Cent Of Workers.
While the Government employment
Is factor of the greatest Importance
IN the growth Of cur city, 1t Is by no
means the major source Of local income.
According to our best figures, there are
$4,000 Government employees In Greater
Washington, which Is 80 per cent of the
100000 gainfully employed. Local bust
ness supplies 70 per cent Of all employ
ment opportunities in the Greater
washington metropolitan area.
But refutatfon of the population
lnnux theory Is even more readily obtain
ca by scrutiny OF population statistics
computed by the Census Bureau. From
tIS source we learn that the number
OF Washingtonians actually born in
the District is 81 per cent of the entire
populations figure higher than that
OF any one of the II largest cities in
the United States.
81 Per Cent Native Born.
"The actual figures show that the
percentage of 'native-born' citizens
runs from low of 20 per cent for New
York City. to a high of 81 per cent for
Washington, as compared with a gen.
eral average Of 35 per cent"
The figures were taken from the 1920
census, the 1880 totals not yet being
available for the cities in this group.
From his calculations, Mr. Hyde finds
a total annual Government pay roll
here of $3.50. 900, 900, as compared with
total of $500 900, 900 for those in
private employment. The total of both
Government and private business there
fore would amount to the huge sum of
$3.50, 0o0, 900.
These figures, Mr.. Hyde emphasizes.
are not exact estimates, as they are
based, in part, on the average salaries
paid to comparatively large numbers of
workers in certain lines of private and
Government activity But he believes
the general conclusions reached are
borne out even by such estimates, due
to the wide difference in figures cited.