Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-30
CONFIDENCE HELD
NEED OF INDUSTRY
Manufacturers Head Says
Morale That Won War
Is Vital Now.
b. the Assoclated Press.

NEW YORK, October 30-John
e. Edgerton, president of the National
Association of Manufacturers. said to-
day that morale. which won the World
War. Is the first essential for victory
over adverse economic conditions.
Faith and courage. he said, at the
annual meeting of the association, are
1.-THE only things that can thaw out
our national material resources. which.
have been frozen in an iceberg of fear.
Sees Many Problems.
AS this takes place people in general
will begin again living normal economic
lives" he said, thereby stimulating
sluggish existing markets and creating
new ones. Appetites for goods will ex-
pand with the feeding of them.
That, of course. wal mean the TAX
ing up of the employment slack and the
eventual creation of new opportunities
out OF new materials to be uncovered
by the quickened march of progress"
Yet that procesa he added, will mot
alone take care of such defects in our
economic system as appear to have been
revealed by the depression. They say,
and it is quite apparent, that our sys-
tenn needs overhauling."
Shuns Jobless Question.
He said he had no panacea for such
ills as unemployment. He was concern
ed for the moment only with the gen
orally admitted fact that. notwithstand-
ing the stimulating evidences of an in
creaSing improvement in our common
economic status we have before us.
particularly in industry, multitude of
problems" involving the national well
fare.
Talking about them won't solve them.
he declared. and government can't
solve them" But unless progress to-
ward solution is made by voluntary
action on the part of the most respon-
sible, government is going to keep at
tempting to solve them. however big q
| mess 1t may make of the Job"
Increased production in eight groups
of merchandise during the current year,
| ported in answer 70 q QUESTIONABLE
| sent out by the association.
| The answers to the QUESTIONABLE
which was sent TO members of the as
| ISOLATION III IS major industrial groups,
kwere given out at the meeting here,
Auto Accessories Gain.
Automobile accessories had a IA per
| cent increase chemicals, II per cent,
| electrical goods, Is per cent. leather.
| 81 per cent. paper and pulp. IA per
| cent. rubber, IS per cent. stationery
and printing. per cent. textiles, II
| per cent, and miscellaneous, Q per cent.
L. Lewis Benton, general secretary
| quoted figures and percentages the
| general trend Of which was toward bet
ter production and employment condi-
| tions among members Of the aSsocia-
/ ton than a year ago.
| Employment shows a slight improve
| ment over this time last year, he said
IS per cent Of the reporting companies
| having increased their forces as against
5 per cent last year; 81 per cent have
held their same personnelS as against
| % per cent last year, and "a per cent
have reduced forces as against 6S per
cent last year.
| Wage Cuts Revealed.
Better business than last year was
| reported by per cent of the COM
panies as against per cent last year; ;
Is per cent held the same business as
| against IL per cent las, year and ~
per cent showed a lower business level
as against 80 per cent q year ago
He said that in 81 per cent Of the
companies reporting. wages had held
their own or been slightly bettered In
the A6 per cent which were compelled
to reduce wages. the general average
reduction has been Is per cent.