Evening star., 1937-03-16
BUSINESS HEARS
RESPONSIBILITIES
LABOR DEMANDED
Industrial Council Session
Speaker Injects
Issue.
PERSONS OVER 70
INCREASING IN u. S.
Population Steadily Growing
Older, Census Bureau OFF,
cial Reports.

Protests against organized labor
cropped out today among a group of
business leaders from all over the
country, meeting here in secret ses-
sions as the American Industrial De-
velopment Council.
The 48 engineers and chamber Of
commerce promoters considered a re-
mark made to them at their confer
ence in the United States Chamber of
Commerce Building by Mark S. James,
manager of the Pittsburgh, Pa, Com
mission for Industrial Expansion:
This is the proper time to pass a
resolution to make labor responsible
for its part of the employer -employe
contracts"
James departed from the subject
under discussion, industrial activities
of the New England council, to turn
his guns on labor yesterday.
Lives Growing Longer.
A steady increase from census Pc
riod to census period of the number
of persons 10 years old, an age popu-
lar in current political discussion, was
reported this morning to the business
men by DR.. Vergil D. Reed, assistant
director of the Census Bureau, who
related the increase to its effect on
merchandising
"As a single example" he said,
consider what the changing age of
our population and its more conserva-
tive preferences may do in the field
of fashion.
After ALL changes of fashion
mean the discarding of machines, the
scrapping of tools, the waxing or
waning of demands for certain raw
materials and fabricated goods, and
even the restraining of employees to
conform to consumer preferences and
changed tastes"
In 1900, Dr. Reed said, the total
number of persons in this country
over 10 was 1,777,572. In 1895 esti-
mates showed 4.34e 900 over TO- The
figures represent respectively "a and
"a per cent of the total population.
In 1900" DR.. Reed continued,
children under 10 accounted for 237
per cent Of our population, while in
1885, it is estimated, only IT'S per
cent were under 10 years.
There are fewer children in pro-
| portion to adults. The school popula-
tlon has begun to shrink This will
affect the number in kindergarten.
elementary schools, high schools and
colleges. A continuing increase in
both the number and proportions of
the population entitled to old-age
benefits should be expected"
Legislation Outlined.
Pending legislation of interest to
industry was outlined by Chester
Leasure, manager of the resolutions
and referenda department of the
United States Chamber of Commerce.
The council completes its meeting
| this afternoon with a discussion of
such topics as The Effect of Flood on
Plant Location" and Water Supply
for Industrial Purposes"
All the meetings are held behind
| closed doors. In its previous IL an
| nual sessions the council managed to
avoid publicity altogether.
The president of the council is c. P.
Wood of Lockwood Greene Engineers,
| Inc, New York. Louis A. Dumond,
Association of Commerce, Chicago,
Ill, and H. B. Keenleyside of the
| Toronto Industrial Commission, To-
ronto, Canada, are vice chairmen.
| Among the seven directors is Arthur
D. Smith, jr., who is connected with
the United States Chamber of Com
merce.