The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-09-20
Trends
State Employment,
Pay Rolls Higher
During August.
by VINCENT LYONS
Times Financial Editor

M AloAtu4a~eN4iAi 5 "NNt'4'J
Il throughout Indiana is at a
good rate is indicated By statistics
e. the Indiana State Employment
Service showing that more than
seasonal increases we're made in
employment and pay rolls in man
ufaeturing industries during Au-
gust. Employment was 5 per cent
above the preceding month and
pay rolls expanded by III per cent
according to the report.
These percentage changes are
significant, according to J. Bradley
Haight. statistician for the service,
when compared to a 16-year aver
age increase for the United States
of IT per cent in employment and
3.3 per cent in pay rolls. The in
creases in the durable goods group
were approximately four times as
great as the average increase for
the last IS years in the United
States, while in the non-durable
goods industries the gains were
substantially greater than sea-
sonal.
In view of the fact that so much
has been said of the slowness OF
the durable goods industries, the
record OF these particular lines in
Indiana is definitely bright spot
in the economic outlook. ANY &C
celeration in the durable goods
field should in due time be COM
municated to other divisions.
A STRIKING situation is dis
IA closed by a comparison Of en-
ployment and pay rolls last month
with the responding month last
year. In August employment IN
the manufacturing industries was
virtually the same as in the 1884
month. but pay rolls were l4.7 per
cent in excess OF the total for the
same month last year.
On the basis of this showing, to-
eether with the III per cent eX-
pansion in pay rolls from July to
August this year, it would seem
that the abolition of the NRA by
the Supreme Court has not in
duccd a wave of wage reductions
throughout the state. This fear
had been widely expressed soon
after the highest tribunal handed
down its momentOus decision.
Still another instance that In
diana manufacturers have not
kicked over the traces since the
NRA ruling is afforded by looking
into a breakdown of weekly earn
ings. Average hours worked per
week in August increased to 1863,
a gain Of ST. per cent. Per capita
weekly earnings rose So per cent
to $50. gain of ST per cent. Per
capita weekly earnings rose So per
cent to S20.9I There was a slight
decrease in average hourly wage
rates from ST. cents to 81 cents.
TT business intended to reduce its
i costs by acting against workers
it would have been reflected III
either Of two ways. First. average
hours worked a week would have
been raised without a compromising
rise in weekly earnings. or second,
average hourly wage rates would
have been dropped. The actual re-
port for Indiana. however. shows
that weekly earnings kept pace
with hours worked a week and
that there was an insignificant
drop of less than cent in hourly
earnings.
OF the Is major groups of man
ufacturing industries studied, 10
showed increases in employment,
and of the remaining five with de-
creased employment. three had in
creased pay rolls. The most pro-
nounced increase was in the food
and kindred products group where,
due to a 1885 per cent increase IN
canning activities, employment rose
1873 per cent.
Insofar as Indianapolis alone is
concerned the service reports that
155 manufacturing establishments
in the city, employing 19,303 per-
sons, reported a 68 per cent in
crease in employment. a 10 per
cent in pay rolls and 8.5 per cent
increase in man hours worked from
July to August.