The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-03-29

try during the same period, ac- cording to the report. Had these industries even been able to hold their own In volume, number of employees, and amount of wages paid, New England would have shown a net gain of $775,000,O0O in volume of production, would have employed 281,000 more per- sons, and paid $265,00O,OOO more wages in 1929 than in 1919. This, the survey states, Is a fact which illustrates the vital need for cor- rective action.
 Of the 105 classifications of in- dustry mentioned, 25 declined in volume in New England while similar industries in the country as a whole increased their sales vol tune. A total of 52 lines declined in volume although the same lines for the country showed only nor nal fluctuations; and 28 lines de- clined more rapidly than did the game lines in the country as whole. This decline was due par tlally to the loss of demand for wartime products and to the fact tbat many of the industries were manufacturing products which were being supplanted in popular demand by other lines of goods, the report says. There were mary other Contributing factors, how ever.
 Nine of the 105 classifications of industry are in the 24 largest types of New England industry which account for more than 60 per cent of the manufacturing volume. Five of these nine represent the largest ub-divisions of New England's textile industry, cotton goods, woolen goods, knit goods, silk and | rayon, and textile machinery. The other four are the boot and shoe, rubber footwear, jewelry, and meat packing industries.
 In 31 of the classifications of in- dustry the census figures show higher per capita earnings for labor in New England than in the country as whole for the same industries in both 1919 and 1929. In Is classifications the figures show lower per capita earnings Of labor in 1919 and higher in 1929 than for the country as whole. In 35 classifications there werc lower earnings of labor in both | census years, and in 21 classifica- tions, the figures showed higher per capita earnings of labor in 1919 but lower in 1929 than for the country.
 In 75 of these 105 industries which have declined in rank in re- lation to the country yas whole, hA .nt to 70 tn1 ,rras An total value of products is higher for New England in 1929 than for the country as a whole, according 10 the report.
 Rroduction Decreases No better indication of the fundamental strength in New Eng lard of even these one hundred and five industries which suffered such severe declines in the decade 10l9-1929 can be obtained than their record in tho first two de- pression years, 1929-1931," the re. port says. '"The majority of these industries continued to fall off :n production, but at the same time they increased their relative im- portance to the rest of the country as whole. This indicates that New England can under certain conditions compete with other scc- tions of the country In these lines The 1029-1931 performance was test of fundamental stability. New England industries in this group declined. but similar industries in other sections of the country de- 0lined at a much more rapid rate. This would seem to indicate that New England possesses relative advantage in producing the articles of certain of these industries. This picture lends encouragement to the problem of rehabilltatlng those in. dustries which accounted for 20 much of New England's decline in the significant decade from 1913 to 1929.
 Tt Is apparent however that the permanent rehabilitation of many of these industries can be secured only through the removal of hani- pering restrictions and the creation of favorable conditions which will enable New England manufactur- CTS to compete upon an equitable basis with manufacturers in other sections of the country. Certain handicaps must be overcome or minimized and every effort made to secure protection against low wage competition In other sections of the country and from abroad" the report continues.
 The full report covers more than three hundred lines of industry ac- tive in New England. Detailed ln- formation on the survey results is available on request to the New England Council, Boston.