The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-09-25
West Coast Fights To Hold War-7 Time Industrial Coins
By DOUGLAS LARSEN NEA Staff Correspondent

Los Angeles, Sept. 25.-With Western optimism, the Pacific Coast states are determined to con- aolidate and improve their wartime Industrial gains.
 A tour of California, Washing ton and Oregon reveals robust con- sidence in the prosperous future of the West, from the common laborer who migrated here to state officials and industrial leaders.
 Some eastern circles had feared widespread unemployment which would occur in California, espe- cially, when its fabulous airplane plants and shipyards closed Probably more workers migrated here for war jobs than to any other state. But the unemployment prob lem so far is not serious.
 Thousands of workers laid off when Government contracts were cancelled are being gobbled up by Snan-hungry agriculture, mining, and other peace peace-time indus tries. In fact these employers aren't getting the discharged workers fast enough. Many workers are taking vacation, living on their savings, looking for an attractive permanent Hob. Only a trickle is flowing back eastward to their home states.
 A riveter from the Douglas plant rn Santa Monica who had just re- ceived his last pay check put 1t this way:
 .Ieaye California? Not me I've eaved enough to keep me going for a year. I'll look around til l And something I want to do and Everything is back on Its feet. There are plenty of possibilities here. More khan going back to farming in Okla homa."
 SEE SHIFT IN TRADE
 An owner of a drug store in Beverly Hills said: we've seen khe end of domination by the East Coast. With Europe in ruins and the Japs licked once and for al- rays, trade will shift to the Pacific. were prepared to take It."
 In 1914 California led all states of the nation in cash farm income. with the advances in air cargo Transportation which are expected, Farmers here will find an expanding market for their fruits and vegeta- bles.
 But the big businessmen of the west are counting most on indus krial expansion. And what Henry Kaiser will do in the postwar period seems to be the answer to many of their problems. Their first hope is that he can keep steel pro- duction going in the west and eX- pand it. They think if this basic Industry can be begged here, indus try will continue its wartime vest nrn trend. Kaiser is doing all he can to keep his big steel plants op- erating.
 Kaiser is still operating the plants as Uncle Sam's agent but ahe and the Reconstruction Fi- nance Corp. are quite a distance apart on a fair basis for financing tH1e manufacturers purchase of kale massive works. Jesse Jones' first proposal made Kaiser gasp for breath but he Is reported op- tamistlc that he may be able to chisel the price down to something he thinks he can finance without loo much pain. NO ATOM THREAT SEEN
 In Washington and Oregon, leaders are expecting hydro-elec- tEdc power to attract many new peace-time industries. They aren't | worried yet about the threat of ! ntomic energy as Q competitor.
 Lumber in the Pacific North west is still the big thing. All | the lumber industry needs here to set production records Is man. power. Never before in history has the nation needed wood more | chan 1t does right now. Indus trial demands for business and | home construction for the next | 70 years are expected to keep the | lumber industry operating at peak. |
 Pacific ports are thinking in terms of expanded trade with the Far East and Russia. Seattle Is an ideal | Denter for global aviation.
 Mining is expected to expand | when the war ends. Mining of war