Evening star., 1943-04-04
801 Businesses Here
Shut Down This Year
Due 10 Shortages
622 New Enterprises
Opened in Some Period;
More Closines Feared
BY LEWIS F. ATCHISON.

men, unwavering last year In the
fire of priorities, depleted man.
power and other complexities Of
war, is beginning to sag. a check
Of District Unemployment Com
pensation Board records reveals.
In the first three months of 1943
total Of 80l firms closed down,
while only e22 new establishments
opened their doors. This compares
unfavorably with the record for the
last quarter Of 1942 when the
launching Of 522 new ventures
virtually Offset the shutdown Of 52e.
New enterprises include two
farms and run the gamut Of en-
ployment from personal services to
places Of amusement and recreation.
Lanier P. McLachlen, president
OF the Board Of Trade, admitted the
outlook for l943 is far from
promising.
Further Closings Anticipated.
There is probably no question
but that curtailments OF merchan-
disc and manpower shortages will
cause an increasing number of mer-
chants to close their doors during
the balance OF 1943," he said.
Many products already are un-
ohtainable and fresh supplies will
not be available, he pointed out.
"A lot Of men are out of business
and don't know It," he said.
Clarence Arata, executive secre-
tary Of the board, said, however,
he thought the situation here was
very good compared with conditions
throughout the country.
George Walker, secretary Of the
Laundry Owners and Managers As
sociation, said no laundry plants
had been closed although all had
found 1t necessary to consolidate
routes and close some branch stores.
"Our volume of business probably
Is IS or 20 per cent ahead of last
year." he reported, but this prob
ably is offset in production by our
help, which is not as efficient as it
used to be-"
Laundries Split Up Routes.
To meet the manpower problem
most laundries are taking estab-
lished routes, as the drivers are
called to the colors. and dividing
them among those left in service.
The added commissions give the
drivers more money without adding
a back-breaking load to their work.
District records showed that losses
IN some businesses were offset by
the opening Of new stores, but most
showed losses Fifty-six retail food
stores closed, but So replaced them.
Forty-slX real estate agencies closed
and Sc new offices entered the held.
General contracting was hard hit
with SO losses and only IS new firms
to plug the gap in building con-
struction. Mrs. Ida Brown, statisti-
cal analysist In the unemployment
Office, pointed out, however, that
these figures included firms merged
with others, closed because of in
ability to obtain materials on the
priority list, firms which had COM
pleted projects and others shut down
by lack of manpower.
Contractors Hard Hit.
Special trade contractors, plumb
ers. plasterers, etc, showed loss
of IS firms with only 81 new estab-
lishments and the closing of many
of these was because of reasons listed
above. Another business to feel the
paralyzing force Of wars demands
was auto repair garages and gaso-
line service stations. Fifty-three
closed, while 81 new places were
opened.
Figures for the total loss of man
power and Of replacements through
new business are not available, but
all firms listed in the survey en-
ployed one or more men in addi-
ton to the owner or manager.
Among gains registered were those
In retail apparel, trucking, rooming
houses and hotels, insurance car
riers and medical and group health
or veterinarian services
Non-profit membership organiza-
tions, such as trade unions, trade as
sociations and eating and drinking
houses balanced their losses exactly.
Table Reflects Changes.
A table of business changes re-
fiecting the trend in the first three
months of this year, compiled by
the D. G. Unemployment Office, Is
rs follows:
General contracting and building
construction, 80 closed; Is opened.
General contracting other than
building. 4 closed; 2 opened
Special trade contractors, IS
closed; 81 opened.
Food manufacturing, nfanufac-
tured Ice, animal foods, 4 closed; I
opened.
Finished lumber products. /
closed; , opened.
Printing. publishing and allied
industries, 10 closed; 8 opened.
Chemicals, 1 closed; 1 opened.
Electrical machinery. including
radios. refrigerators, closed; 1
opened.
Miscells neous manufacturing, l
closed; o opened.
Trucking and or warehousing for
hire, 8 closed; IL opened.
Service allied to transportation,
2. closed: !, opened.
Wholesale merchants, 16, closed;
-. opened.
Wholesale distributors other than
merchants. ~, closed: Il, opened.
Wholesale and retail combined
8, closed: !. opened.
Retail general merchandising, 8.
closed; /, opened.
Retail foods, Sc. closed; SO, opened
Retail automotives. l3. closed; 4,
orened.
Retail apparel (men and women)
20, closed; ~. opened.
Retail trade not elsewhere class
flied, 81, closed; 26. opened.
Banks and trust companies, !.
A1NeAN. AS,A~AA