Evening star., 1934-01-28
TRADE AGREEMENT
AIDS WASHINGTON
Import Duty Reduction by
France to Bring $2,000,.
600 to Northwest.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
SEATTLE. January a.. - Apple
growers and exporters in the Pacific
Northwest will benefit to the extent of
about 100000 by the recent decision
of the French government to reduce
drastically import duties on American
apples and pears.
Plans are now completed for dis
patching Immediately to France 10
refrigerator shiploads of Northwest
apples, increasing the activities on the
water front, and stimulating the apple
market at time when It needed help.
thirds reduction, or from So to $2.55 .
quintal or 220 pounds.
The reopening of this market to the
1888 apple crop will tend to pave the
way for the growers in financing their
operations for 1884.
The lumber interests in the State
registered an increase of 1873 per cent
in water-borne shipments during 1888
over that Of 1882, with the domestic
trade up 1876 per cent. the Pacific
Lumber Inspection Bureau reports.
Employment Up.
This lumber revival has been a
rather important factor in the in
creasing number Of persons returning
to permanent employment. and is
found reflected in the reports of the
State Department of Labor and In
d,lstries, which finds employment in
the industry much greater than dur
ing the same period In 1882
The c. w. A. program in the State
was curtailed by the removal of 10000
workers during the last week owing
to a dwindling of the available Federal
funds. King County was the hardest
hit. 5000 being dropped from the rolls
The State has been keeping $4,000
at work under the c. w. A., but this
number has been reduced to $4,000,
with the expectation, however, the
10000 will be restored later In the
Winter when more funds are made
available.
Washington industrial leaders and
contractors have been finding it in
creasingly difficult to get workers or
to hold them under prevailing wage
scales, because the c. w. A. paid higher
per hour without requiring any large
degree OF performance.
Steadies Employment.
Complaints have been filed with the
State and local supervisors over these
conditions, but before any action could
be taken, orders to reduce the number
employed came, with q resultant dis
missal Of thousands Of workers. These
dismissals have had the effect of
steadying those remaining on the job
and has also started those dismissed
out looking for permanent steady en-
ployment. something they refused to
do as long as the C. w. A. was oper-
ating for their benefit.
Now that the special session Of the
Legislature has completed its work,
serious attention is being paid to the
various municipal campaigns through
out the State, forerunners of the COM
ing elections next Winter, when Wash
ington will elect United States Sem
ator. all county officials, % State Sen
ators and SO members of the House,
as well as six members Of Congress.
Senator c. c. Dill must ask for re-
nomination and election. The senior
Senator is known to be rather re-
luctant to enter upon a new cam
paign, and there Is feeling in Demo-
cratic ranks that he might possibly
not seek denomination or election. In
this event it is expected that Repre-
sentative Sam B. Hill of the fifth dis
trict will be the choice of the Demo-
cratic chieftains for the nomination.