Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-30
Business Better in New
England and Northwest
BY HARDEN CoLFAx.


Old New England and the younger
Pacific Northwest are attracting con-
siderable ofacial attention In Washing
ton by their struggle to pull themselves
out Of the doldrunS of the economic
depression and lead the way back TO
something like normal conditions.
To date, oficiai facts and figures
show New England to be In the lead as
compared with the Pacific Northwest,
and that Is saying that the New Eng
land States are leading the Nation. on
the other hand, the Pacific Northwest
may not be overlooked, for moves to-
ward business recovery in that Sec
ton have been coming in pleasing
numbers, and the reports give hope OF
further rays Of sunshine through the
clouds Of depression.
*&&
It is not meant that New England is
prosperous, though some Of It's indus
tries are. Nor Is 1t meant that the Pa
cfdc Northwest Is out Of the dark woods,
for there still is quite q distance to
over the last three months aSsuredly
fetal washington Ia hopeful that the
turn in the tide Of business Is show
ing up.
While Walter g. GiHord rolls up his
sleeves to lead the Presidents organi-
cation on unemployment relief any word
or figure showing a gain In business
from anywhere means Just that much
less Of burden in caring for the des-
titute unemployed through the forth
coming Winter New England's indus
tries are taking on additional workers,
as are some in the Northwest, but they
obviously will not be able to take care
Of all their own unemployed. Whatever
number Ia employed, however, reduces
the burden.
New England, with its textile and
shoe industries, has provided the
brightest spot In the current economic
picture. Half dozen new plants in
both lines have opened in the last two
months, and as many others have
taken on additional workers. New Eng
lands business indexes show that its
commerce and manufacturing are lead
ing the rest Of the country by many
points.
Federal specialists say that the rea-
son for the start which New England
has made In business recovery probably
Is due to its traditional habit Of saving.
The figures on this, though they are
available only to June so. 1880. show
that the population as a whole had
pretty good reserve laid away. and nat
urally they became the nrst of the
country's districts to resume buying.
Thus the wheels of industry were set
in motion To that extent. The per
capita savin"s deposits of the six New
England ST Is for the year ended June
80, 1890, average up to $57s.90, SITS,
more than for any other group Of
Eastern States. Some groups Of States
showed average per capita savings Of
only $SS.S7, With an average Of S199.66
for the entire country.
y
Getting down TO cases as to what
New England has been doing, reports to
the Presidents Emergency Committee
for Employment mention such things as
full-time operation by the Cluett-Pea-
body and Wachusett Shirt Cos; the
biggest six months on record for the
shirt factories of r. J. McElwain in
Nashua and Manchester, N. H; three
eight-hour shifts Of workers in the
Willamette. and Kobe silk Cos; an
increase in looms from 1913 to 1870 Of
the recently organized ShaWmut Weav-
ing Co.; important additions to the
plants Of the saltwater Worsted Co.
and the Paragon Worsted Co. and new
factories built by the Belmont Garment
Co, Bleyle Goring, Inc: Lynncraft
SHOE TO- WeOCf q 6mlbn, tine nashua
Manufacturing Co.. Gcrevitz & McNa-
mara. Klovon Shoe Co. and the 6ter-
ling Shoe Co.
The Bray Wood Heel Co., in Yer
mont, has turned to 24-hour operation
to meet the increased demand for shoe
heels and H. c. Plun has opened q new
plant at st. Jolnsbury. VT, in the same
line. In the wooden lines there was q
noticeable expansion In June operations
and 1t was maintained In July Early
August showed q gain over July and
new orders were not decreasing in num-
bers.
Over at the other corner Of the Ma
ton, Portland, Greg mills have pur-
chased wool in an amount little more
than double that Of 1890, and the Pa
cific Cooperative Wool Growers ASso-
citation advises the Department of Com
merce that the wooden mills are now
In better shape than in more than IL
months" Low prices at retail were said
to be stimulating buying. and the re-
tailers have sought replacements in i'm
pcrtAnt quantities.
Two of the largest paper mills in the
Northwest went on 24-npur operating
basis August one Of then employing