Evening star., 1936-08-02
PRINTING TRADERS.
TOLD TO LIFT PAY.
Only Way to Balance Con-
sumptive and Productive
Ability, Analysis Shows.

Increasing wages to raise the pur-
chasing power of its employees Is the
only way the printing, publishing and
allied industries can materially aid
in balancing consumptive ability with
productive ability" according to an
analysis of that industry group by
the Council for Industrial Progress,
made public yesterday by George l..
Berry, co-ordinator for industrial CO.
operation.
This group, it was explained. has
reached a productivity level SO high
that it can contribute little toward
reducing the present large number OF
unemployed workers. The study of
production, wages and employment
disclosed that the yearly average
number Of wage earnerS in these in
dustries, which in 1914 was 2S6,254
rose to 357.988 In 1929, maintaining
steady increase for Is years, but
dropped swiftly to an average 264, LOG
in 1898. Although the industries now
are employing considerably fewer
workers than were employed 20 years
ago, the value added to products OF
this group by manufacturing was
sl,357 in 1928, compared with $67l
in 1914.
This industry. the council state
ment said, can produce so much
with so few employees that even q
large increase in production will ado
only a relatively small number to the
pay rolls
Ask Increased Wages.
"When an industry reaches this
stage in its development-and there
are q large number that have or art
rapidly approaching this condition
then the only other action that car
be taken which will materially aic
in balancing consumptive ability
with productive ability is to increase
the purchasing power of its employe.
by increasing wages" the council
held.
For the analysis, the industry groul
was divided into two parts: Print
ing and publishing and allied indus
tries. The allied industries include
engraving, lithographing, book bind
ing, stereotyping and electrotypine
and various other operations con-
nected with printing.
Products OF the group, the council
declared. may we'll be considered a!
basic essentials to the development O
modern civilization
Figures Are Analyzed.
The difference between wholesal,
value of the products of these in
dustries, and the cost of raw ma
terials, including operating costs, fue
and containers Is shown in the an
alysis as the value added by manu-
featuring, which rose from $67l II
s1.777 In 1919, and $2,404 in 1929
but dropped almost one-half to sl,S5t
In 1888.
The average yearly wage followed
the same course, starting at S726 II
1914. rising to $1,166 in 1919 ane
Sl,778 in 1929, then sliding down the
scale to S1,347 in 1888.
The percentage of value added b!
manufacturing which was represented
bv wage costs, has fallen steadily fol
the past 20 years. 1t was 81 per cen
in 1914, 29s per cent in 1919, 26.'
per cent In 1929 and 1852 per CEN
in 1888.
Dollar Productivity.
The yearly dollar productivity pei
wage Garner, which stood at S2,34s
In 1914, shot up In five years te
$500, almost doubled in the mex,
10 years to $6,714 in 1929 and drop
ped only to S5,133 in 1888.
THE wage peak for this group,
the statement continued, was at
tanned IN 1927, when an average
yearly wage of $1,784 was paid. A
very small decline took place in 1929
when the average yearly wage was
s1,778. These average yearly wages
which are practically constant, rep
resent the highest averages paid by
any industry group. They exceed the
industries by $469. or 35 per cent.
This is, in many respects, a splen-
did record for the industry, and re-
fleets q high degree of intelligent
cooperation between the employer
and employe. When the 1929 dollar
productivity and average yearly wages
are compared with those in all man.
ufacturing industries 1t will be found
the wage Garner in this industry pro-
duced 81 per cent more, for which
he received only IS per cent more
wages"
(Copyright. 1895. by