The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-08-21
ShutdoWns Fucinq
Small Ohio Plants
Defense Contracts Needed
To Procure Needed Raw
Materials

Columbus, O., Aug. 15.-Informa-
tion from the Office Of Production
Management clearly forecasts further
shutdowns or curtailment of produc-
ton in Ohio, unless it's hundreds of
smaller plants obtain defense con-
tracts or sub-contracts, Herschel c.
Atkinson, administrator of the Ohio
Bureau of Unemployment Compensa
ton, today informed Governor John
w. Bricker in reporting that the op-
Grafton of priorities already had af-
fected more than three hundred Ohio
concerns.
In few cases small plants have
been forced to shut down completely,
while in other plants the growing
shortage of materials such as alumi-
mum, steel, nickel, copper, zinc, and
raw rubber, has necessitated layoffs
in certain departments. The principal
shortages developing are in metals.
Most of the Ohio plants so far af-
fected are engaged in non-defense
production, the Governor was in
formed.
OPM sources are preparing the re-
lease of heavy wave OF additional
defense contracts, and the problem OF
the manufacturer who is not geared
to produce for defense will become
> increasingly difficult, the administra-
| tor said.
at will be necessary either to take
defense contracts to workers in estab-
lished plants. or work out transfer
of the more highly skilled men to the
plants holding contracts" the report
to the Governor declared.
"Where the plant is forced to shut
down, due to lack of materials, both
workers and manufacturers suffer"
said Atkinson. effort is being made
by the BUGS employment service
division to hold the migration OF
workers and their families to mini
mum by stimulation of broader
placement of defense contracts"
There was a decrease of II per
cent in the number Of persons regis
tered for employment in selected de-
Tense occupations in Ohio, from June
to July, the summary further
showed.
There were available in July 22,3SO
persons registered for employment in
selected d efense occupations as
against anticipated hirings of 11,l57
workers in July and August by key
defense employers. An important per-
centage of those persons registered,
however, have not been acceptable to
employers because of slight physical
handicap, age or alien status. Many
employers are gradually relaxing
workers specifications and are in
creasingly absorbing older persons
and those with minor physical i'm
pairment.
Current employment requirements
for machinists, tool makers, die sink
ers and settlers, and workers in ma
chine shops and related occupations,
stand at more than twice the avail
able registered supply. Surpluses of
tnsmiths, sheet metal workers, weld
ers, blacksmiths, electricians, mill
wrights, moldcrs and foundry work
ers, and skilled building trades work
ers were reported however
Cincinnati reported the greatest de-
crease in the supply of workers regis
tered in selected defense occupations
with a drop from 1851 to 1886, OF
: 18 per cent. Cleveland and Toledo
. were second in the rate of decrease
with Ia per cent loss in registrants
| through employment absorption
Youngstown and Canton reported al
= increased registration in the defense
occupations. Reports from other large
: employment offices showed the fol
: lowing gains or losses in defense oc-
cupation registrants from June te
July: Akron, 1,043 to OIL, 13 per cent
r loss; Dayton, 1,15O to 995, l3 pei
cent loss; Columbus, 2,lS9 to 2,lOS
per cent loss.