Evening star., 1938-10-16
Californians Worry as Costs
Rise and Incomes Dwindle
Conditions, Both Economic and Political, Force
Growing Awareness by Voters of
Personalities and Issues.
By Floyd J. Healey.

| State measure. Nevertheless he is the
Democratic nominee, and If the Senate
doesn't get him to add to its confusion it
will get Republican Philip Bancroft, who
campaigned in opposition to everything the
New Deal stands for, even if it's good.
With these conditions facing them, re-
manning Californians are taking stock to
find out why this Commonwealth is becom-
ing known as 1.-The greatest crackpot State
in the Union"
Inventory is Illuminating.
San Franciscans particularly, ever tol-
Grant and still loyal. by numerical demon
stration, to the Roosevelt personality, thank
administration policies for the five-day week
and wage increase of 10 per cent or better
achieved directly or indirectly by unioniza-
ton, but they still find themselves some
what short of the gates to Utopia.
Perhaps there is clue in general busi-
ness barometer standing 90 points less than
| it did in 1929 and which breaks down into
| such items as the following:
| Value of manufactured goods dropped
| from $483, ,7l2 296 in 1929 to S3ll O33, 900 in
| 1887, by which time pay rolls were 66 per
| cent and employment 70 per cent of the
| 1925 base.
Retail trade receded from $499 060,416 in
| 1929 to 1897 100000 in 1887: bank debts
went from sic, ,987 47s,oOO to s1O,9s2,9 $50 900,
car loadings slipped from 250,737 to 219,-
| 944, water r-borne imports from 47076,540
tons with a value of $2488, 748010 to %,
| 389,118 tons with value of $l,136, 6,136,652,
| building permits from s37,766,731 to s2o,-
| 245, ,440 and real estate sales from $124,-
| 276,027 to $685. TOT.
| In the same period population rose from
625,048 to 739, TAG and now is estimated at
| 754,352 and the cost of living has gone up
| l27 in the last four years uhe figures are
| the United States Labor Bureau's). although
| San Francisco enjoyed the minimum in
| crease among Pacific Coast cities and was
more fortunate than the average of 80 rep
resentative urban centers throughout the
| country.
With Federal payments included, Cali
| fornia farm income rose per cent from
| 1886 to 1887. but the latter figure was $780,
| 100000 less than that enjoyed in 1929.
Basic Production Income Drops,
Basic income from production, reduced
to per capita realization in terms of cur
rent money, slipped from SAT- in 1929 to
1924 in 1885 and is proportionately less
at the present time.
The general public may not absorb mass
figures as such, but it can feel the retarda-
| jnSicatpI in taJ oho ~
figures explain as clearly as any indices,
why there is broadspread feeling of unrest
and uncertainty Citizens are beginning
| to assay the truth in oratory and state
ments assuring them they are the bene-
flciarieS of millennium that began in 1888
This feeling of uncertainty was more
than minor factor in the unionization of
| $4,000 San Franciscans in 1887 1t ap-
| peared the only way to attain a shorter
work week, increased pay and the better
working conditions which, in truth most
of them enjoy in existing contracts. On
the other hand. they have assumed dues
and assessments and many of them either
| have been on strike or have aided finan-
cially the strikes Of others. They have
estimated from S5OO,OO0, 900 to ST 900, ,OOO,-
900 in stoppages of trade wheels such as
the general strike of 1884, the 1OO-day
maritime strike of 1867, the 89-day hotel
| strike at the height of last years tourist
season, and are currently embroiled in dis
| putes which have closed more than 100
warehouses and put 35 mercantile estab-
| 1icbpopntS under strike conditions
| These Interruptions to commerce are by
no means local in effect. San Francisco is
the focal point of a trading area containing
55 per cent of CALIFORNIA; total resources;
an area in which every nine persons have
a normal purchasing power equal to l3
average" Americans elsewhere.
Heaviest Poll Likely in November.
The gauging process to date indicates the
heaviest vote in the States history at the
general election on November and the
results may have repercussions in official
Washington
If, for instance, the $50 every Thursday
scheme-which is in reality not $50 at all
but an intricate, unfathomable conglom-
crate of cash and paper warrants-should
be approved, it seems inevitable that the
Federal Government will have to come to
the aid of the State or run the risk of chaos
in the entire national monetary structure.
Within this problem is another, CENTER
ing in the gubernatorial race Democrats
have their best chance in SO years to elect
the Governor, their registration being al
most double that of Republicans. However,
the so-called middle of -the-road and con-
servative Democrats are by no means sold
on the efficacy of electing their nominee,
Senator Olson. Too many fear his prospec-
tive policies
This has prompted Republican strategists
to map an anti" campaign against him,
but again there is an internal flaw. Just
such a campaign was conducted in 1884
against Novelist Upton Sinclair, who was
pictured as an impractical and visionary
theorist who threatened with his EPIC
(end poverty in California; plan of produc-
| ton for use to turn California into a So
cialist or Communist State. The strategy
worked then, but there is evidence at hand
today that it may not work again-enough
to cause uneasiness in the G. O. P. high
command.
More than 100000 Republicans, and a
like number of Democrats, pointed the
warning in the primary by voting for Ray
mond Haight, former corporation COM
| ,,,icc am ocl,