The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-01-26
ElktOn Faces
Far-Reaching
Economic Change
U. S. Department Of La.
Dor Warns Industry
Will DwindIe

Eklton-the county seat of Cecil
County, Md.-is due for far-reach-
ing change in it's economic pattern
after the war, so much so that the
leaders in the community are warned
to watch developments closely and
to prepare solutions now for prob
lens THAT are likely to arise when
peace comes.
This is the conclusion of u. S.
Department of Labor study made of
the impact of the war on the Elkton
area-one of a series of similar sur
veys throughout the country
The Elkton civic and business
leaders are warned also that when
peace comes, the explosives industry
that caused such a phenomenal rise
in population, will dwindle to almost
nothing, despite research and labora-
tory experiments that are being car
ried on now by the industry in Elk
ton.
"The speed of conversion" the re-
port states, land the extent of the
production after conversion and the
actual number of people to be en-
ployed, are all impossible to estimate
at present. The consensus in Elkton
seems to be that the local explosives
industry will be almost entirely shut
down and that employment in manu-
featuring in the postwar period will
be only a fraction of it's wartime
peak.
ie, oil
dence," the study continues. Gin the
spring of 1914, all but few workers
were dismissed fsom National Fire
works, second largest explosives
plant in the area
"Althugh agriculture in the Elk
ton area has been materially handi-
capped during the war by a shortage
of farm hands, in the postwar period
it should regain it's ranking position
in the economy of the area, because
of the rich soil, variety of crops,
close metropolitan markets, and mod
erh transportation facilities fac
tors which made this area the center
of an important truck farming and
dairy industry.
But, at best, agriculture cannot
be expected to absorb large number
of displaced war workers." the study
warns.
90 Per Cent In Ordnance
In May, 1914, employment in the
Elkton area was 1900 compared to
400 workers employed there in
1910.
Out of 10,700 estimated to have
been in manufacturing in May, 1914,
80 per cent were in explosives and
ordnance production. TIE reports
state:
During the postwar period there
will be various shifts in employment.
When war production is cut down, a
small number of workers will return
to the farms in Cecil County.
A few will be reabsorbed in local
trade, service and non-war manufac-
turing. Further, it is generally ex-
pected in Elkton that large proper
ton, perhaps 90 per cent, of the in
migrant war workers in the explo-
sives plants, will return to their
homes outside of Cecil County.
"The comparatively few jobs avail
able will presumably go first to resi-
dents of Cecil County, including TIE
1000 men who will be returning
from the armed forces.
Even though the vast majority of
the war workers now in Elkton
should leave the area after the war,
it is likely that there will be sur
plus of people lacking opportunities
elsewhere, who will remain in Elkton
even though thrown out of employ
ment. These displaced workers will
constitute a local unemployment
problem, for it seems unlikely that
the explosives plants in Elkton will
be able to convert to the manufacture
of other products requiring consider
able labor"