Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-05-20
Payro||s in U. 5. Set
AII-Time Record
During March
Employment Gain Lifts
Total Earning Wages
To 1913, 900
BY the Associated Press.

by INT ASSoClated Press.
NEW YORK, May 20.-Increasing
payrolls, more hours of work, de-
clining unemployment and q man.
moth backlog of war orders told the
story of America today IN three sur
veys of the National Industrial Con-
ference Board.
High lights included.
Total payrolls the largest in his
tory in March in Is plus representa-
tive manufacturing industries.
Real weekly earnings OF workers
in effect, purchasing power-set
a new record in those same in
dustries.
Total man-hours worked in March
we're greater than ever before at
tanned.
Unemployment dropped $4,000,
pushing the total number Of wage
earners in the United States to ST.
613 1000 in March.
And: The conversion problem
that lies ahead in the remaining
months of this year is as great, if
not greater, than the changes in
PRODUCED in industry from Pearl
Harbor to date"
Payrolls Set Record.
Even after allowing for the in
creased cost of living. the board
found earnings and payrolls and
hours worked all at record highs,
on the average. in such industries
as automobile. iron and steel. chemt-
cal furniture, printing, foundry,
etc
Real" wages-77 per cent above
March, 1941. and 39.1 per cent
higher than the average for 1929.
Man-hours-20 per cent above
March, 1941, and 1873 per cent above
the 1929 level
Pay rolls-3S.S per cent higher
than March, 1941, and u per cent
larger than for 1929.
Weekly dollar earnings-at 1914
in March were 1873 per cent higher
than in March, 1871. and 1876 per
cent higher than in 1929.
Weekly earnings ranged from an
average of $685. in the automo-
bile industry down through $48.80 in
machines and machine tools, $4l.28
in hardware and small parts and
$23 20 in hosiery and knit goods.
The board estimated that by the
end of March completed war pro-
duction amounted to $1,000, 900 900,
or less than Is per cent Of the ex-
listing orders.
Huge Untitled Orders.
War commitments were further
increased by SIG 900 900 900 in April,
while the total amount of produc-
ton completed in April as meas
ured by payments on contracts
was about $4,000 100000" the board
reported.
Eat the April rate of production,
untitled orders are equivalent to a
21h-year production load"
Even if monthly production rose
to a rate of $4,000 900 900, the board
figured, untitled orders would equal
years work.
BY the end of the year. the survey
found, the Nation win have 17,500,-
000 worker fighters and 400 900
armed fighters.
War will have reduced civilian
employment to 26,5oo 900 compared
to "a 200 900 at the end of 1941
In manufacturing, almost 10 per
cent of the workers will be turning
out war products, as against less
than 80 per cent at the end of last
year.
To reach the goal of 1880 900 war
producers, an additional 1880 900
must be hired by war industries,
7,SOO, 900 from civilian tasks, per-
haps 1000, 900 from the unemployed,
and 2,o00. 900 upward must be newly
trained.
Leaders to Speak.
The convention program included
six round table conferences and ad-
dresses by present and former Gov
eminent officials.
The speakers for tonight were
Herbert Hoover. Paul v. AcNutt,
Federal Security administrator and
chairman of the War Man Power
Commission. and Robert p. Patter.
son, Undersecretary Of War.