Evening star., 1945-08-03
War Work Is Making
Minnesota Important !
Industrial Area
fStrth OF a Series.)
By JAMES Y. NEWTON.


By JAMES Y. NEWTON.
Always great producer of food
and raw materials for our economy.
Minnesota has become manufac-
turing-minded during the war, built
up as an important industrial area.
There are signs the States eco
nomy may be changing perma-
nently. In the past, the chief re-
lance for a livelihood had been
placed in agriculture, forest prod
ucts and iron ore. Minnesota has
learned to make things in a hig
way the last few years and State
leaders want to keep it that way.
War contracts are being cut back
sharply in the Safe. Production
cuts SO far have been somewhat
deeper than the Is per cent national
average.
Shortages Chief Complaint.
Principal complaint of manufsE-
turers, particularly the smaller onlss,
is that they are unable to get ttte
steel and lumber necessary to shit
to civilian production. The ste
shortage is In light gauge shect,
used in making many types Of
consumer hard goods.
Charges were made Of big indus
try boarding of sheet steel. The
War Production Board promised a
full investigation and strict en-
forcement of its order restricting a
manufacturer to 45-day inventory.
David j. Winton, who held several
important posts with WPB in Wash
ington, now is the regional director
and his work has pleased industry,
big and small, and labor.
Minnesota's big industrial areas
are the twin cities of Minneapolis
and st. Paul, Duluth and the ad-
jacent Lake Superior iron range. !.
Twin Cities war plants have
turned out a wide variety of prod
ucts, nearly every conceivable type
OF ordnance, boats, aircraft equip
ment, capital goods and clothing, to
name a few. This diversification
should serve the communities welf
in peacetime.
Duluth Becomes Problem. ::
Duluth, on the other hand, has
been very much a one industry city.
with shipbuilding the chief reliance.
With the Nations ship program
nearing completion, Duluth Is fast
becoming a problem.
AS an indication of the size Of this.
cutback, Robert Butler, president Of
Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc,,
and perhaps the States largest euI-
ployer, said that a working force of
1000 his company employed in Du-
luth and nearby Superior, Wis. had
been cut to 5000 and in a few weeks
would be completely disbanded. Mr..
Butler had not heard from a pro-
posai made to the Navy to transport
several thousands of his workers to
do battle-Zone repair work.
Minnesota's war record in produc-
ton Of raw material products has
been outstanding. With less man
power, lumber output increased l22
per cent since 1899, against a ma
tional average OF 49, Production o.
pulpwood is up 200 per cent In the
State, SO per cent nationally.
Iron Ore Production Record.
Last year Minnesota produced G.
per cent Of all the iron ore mined III
the United States, and 1t Is said that
more than half of the steel throwa-
at the Germans and Japs in the war
has come from the State. Iron ore
output reached 66,5o6 900 tons in
1914, double the 1899 total. All-out
production still is being pushed f.
the Lake Superior range and tillG.
year even more ore will be turne
out.
In an agricultural way MinneSote-.
stands first in the Nation as a DC,
ducer of butter and second In ,chees~
output. Crops are well diversitle.,;
and the Twin Cities are great mar,
ket for grain and livestock.
A large part of Minnesota's wst
production, particularly in the Twin
Cities area. has been subcontract
work, making parts and piece TO.
weapons OF war assembled elsewhere.
Industrialists of the State are
searching for ways to encourage,
peacetime subcontracting as means
OF providing jobs for the thousands
who will be turned out of war plants.
Ordnance Plant Headache. =
Two huge ordnance plants hate.
been built by the Government near
the Twin Cities and. one of them
has proved a local and national
headache. This is the Gopher Ord
nance, some Is miles out of St,
Paul. It was originally built in
early days of the war, later torn
down, then partially rebuilt when
military leaders found We had
shooting war" on our hands. Need
less to say, these experiences hate
not helped morale of war workers
in the area.
Twin Cities Ordnance Plant has
had much happier existence. It
produces small arms ammunition,
Although similar plants about the
country are being shut down, be-
~oaSS AAAhooAy 41iCti 2AS e VIC lldtE :
about all the bullets we will need,
Twin Cities has produced at such
low cost that it Is being allowed to-
continue on somewhat reduced
scale. -
Mr.. Winton reported that Minne-r
sofa labor has set record breaking
pace in the war, and that there fave
been no war plant strikes. Minne-
apolis and st. Paul not so manE
years ago were known as open shop
cities. But the area has been union-
lied in the last five years. =. =.
Signs Of Labor Unrest. y
Fullerton Fulton, regional CIOs
director, said that while labor had.
been quiet, there were increasing
signs of restiveness. The unions
want early relief from tight war;
time wage controls and better en-
forcement Of price ceilings.
Despite the recent strides labor
has made in organizing for collec-.
tive action, there appeared considI,
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