Evening star., 1939-08-13

This is the last OF a series of
Jour articles on WdShingtOn'S eco
nonic gro1uth in recent years.
The author, L. Seth Schnitmdn,
is consulting economist 1Dho has
made a study OF business condi-
tions in the Capital and the
Metropolitan area. In his final
discussion OF the situation, he in
cludeS some pertinent forecasts.
The Editor.
BY L. SETH SCHNITMAN.
There is a story abroad that
there is no manufacturing in the
District of Columbia. Nevertheless,
local manufacturing activity, which
will total this year not far from
$40 600, exclusive of manufac-
tured gas and work performed in
railroad shops, forms an integral
part of the life of this community.
Washington differs from other
cities in that the Capital has only
light industries which are permitted
by Congress. Heavy industries are
barred from the District of Colum-
bia by law.
More than in any other COM
parable city what manufacturing is
done here is essentially of products
for consumption in the metropoli-
tan area. And being so, it is singu-
larly free from the WITNESSES of
famine and feast that characterize
American industrial activity as a
whole.
From 1929 to 1888, the value of
manufacturing output for the Ma
ton as whole had shrunk from
the $4,000, 100000 level by some SIS
per cent Compare this perform
ance with loss in the value of
local manufacturing output of only
81 per cent over the same period.
The depression that visited the
Nation brought with it a decline
OF one-third in the number of gain
fully employed factory wage earners,
but a drop of only 18 per cent in
Washington. The loss of wages for
the Nation between 1929 and 1888
exceeded 54 per cent, yet the re-
trenchment in the Capital was only
half as great.
Because of the special character
OF manufacturing here the average
annual wage received is higher by
almost SO per cent than is true in
manufacturing lines in the country
at large. We may we'll ask what
are the products of local manufac-
ture that make this true.
Printing Leads d. C. Industry.
One-third of the value of all prod
ucts produced in the District of
Columbia is in the printing and
publishing of newspapers and pc
riodicals, manufacturing pursuit
that requires high degree of skill
and perfection. Other printing es-
tablishments, chiefly book and job,
account for an additional per cent
of the total value of local manufac-
lures.
Taken together, about AZ per cent
OF the total value and even of the
total wage payments in manufac-
turing here is accounted for by less
than "a per cent of all local manu-
featuring wage-earners. Thus the
average annual wage in the printing
and publishing lines, approximating
$l,750, is even higher than the rela-
lively high average for all local
manufacturing employees.
Second in Importance only to
printing and publishing is the manu-
facture of bread and other bakery
products.
This, too, is highly mechanized
industry requiring a high degree
of training and skill. In value of
products the industry accounts for
bit more than IS per cent of the
local manufacturing total, while its
1900 or so wage-earners, repre-
senting less than 20 per cent of the
total number in all manufacturing,
receive almost % per cent of the
aggregate wage payments.
Ice Cream in Third Place.
Ice cream takes third place in
Washington manufactures, account
ing for little more than ger
cent of the total value, 3 per cent
of the total wage payments and
less than per cent of the aggregate
number of all manufacturing wage
earners locally.
Other manufacturers here range
all the way from an inconsequential
amount of jewelry and electroplat-
ing to non alcoholic beverages, which
hold fourth nlace in the citY'S