Evening star., 1946-04-28
March Production Hi
Postwar Peak Before
Slump Due 10 Strikes
BY the Associated Press

''~ N'SoSioieu TfeSS
Industry in March made its
greatest gains since VI day
the Civilian Production Admin
lstration reported last night, but
April will show a slump because
OF the coal strike.
March progress showed up not
only In goods but in Jobs. said the
monthly report of CPA Administra-
tor John D. Small. The report
added that civilian employment
moved sharply upward for the first
time since the end of the war;
Some 55,700,OOO Americans were
working, a gain of 100000 over
FEBRUARY. Despite the cuts in manu-
iacture OF war goods, civilian en-
ployment is about 100000 higher
than year ago, Mr. Small reported
This is an extremely significant
indication Of the high level of pro-
ductlon activity in the country at the
present time" he observed.
Although 100000 veterans were
released into the labor market in
March, unemployment rose onlv
$4,000 to a total of 2,7lO,oO0, by
Census figures. The seasonal m
turn in farm work absorbed manv
workers.
Building Material Output Rises.
Under the spur of Housing Ad-
ministrator Wilson w. Wyatt's vet
erans' housing program, production
OF building materials increased dur
ing March to levels relatively so
nigh, in some cases, as to be de-
scribed as truly phenomenal" Mr..
Small said.
production of bricks expanded 22.8
per cept; clay sewer pipe, 1877 per
cent, cast iron soil pipe, 9.4 Der
cent, and gypsum board and lath,
Is per Gent.
output of gypsum board and lath
totaled 240,0000O0 square feet for
the month, and thus reached the
highest point since 1941.
Production of 100000 900 board
feet OF lumber in February, the civ
lilan production chief said, makes
probable for the first time since VI
day the attainment of the housing
programs 30,OOO.0OO board feet
requirement for this year.
UNIV Strike to Be Felt
Mr.. Small predicted that the
strike of the United Mine Workers
would be felt throughout the coun-
try as plant after plant runs out
OF fuel. He termed the steel out
look very discouraging."
Coming as it did shortly after the
Nationwide steel strike, the coal
shutdown will make it impossible
to meet all demands" for steel in
1946, Mr.. Small said, with the result
that CPA and steel makers must
plan jointly to apportion steel sup
piled equitably among users. VOL
untary means of spreading the sup
ply now are being studied, he said.
Automobile producers hit new
postwar high of 90,045 cars in March,
almost double February's output, the
CPA report said, but the coal strike
and other continuing labor disputes
will hurt future production.
Textiles Are Best Recovery. ..
The best recovery to date has
been in textiles, building materials
and-until the coal strike-iron and
steel, Mr.. Small said.
While the output of civilian goods
and services was running at a rec
ord-breaking sl54 900 100000 annual
rate compared with $4,000 900 900
in the first quarter of 1945-Mr.
Small noted that the gain may be
surprising to those who are disap-
pointed at the slow temperance
of autos and other durable goods.
Nearly half this increase. he ex-
planned, was in food, tobacco, wom-
ems clothing, gasoline and other
nondurable items which had no
great reconversion problems.
Demand Limits Inventories.
80 eagerly has the public snapped
up the increased supply of goods
that distributors inventories could
not be built up, choice is still linn
tied, and to the casual eve it NAV
we'll appear that the situation shows
little improvement over a year ago."
Mr.. Small commented.
But March brought to the con-
struction industry its biggest gain
In history the production director
noted, while consumer incomes hit
a peak since the war, and retail
trade continued to expand.
Item by item summaries were
given for major 'reconversion goods"
They included:
Radios-One million shipped in
March, a 33 per cent gain over
February and close to the prewar
1940-4D peak of 100000 monthly.
, Most are small table models. be-
cause of the shortage of wood for
consoles.
Vacuum cleanerS-About 100000
shipped in March, II per cent over
January and February. The l94O-4l
rate was 10000 monthly.
Electric ranges-Some $1,000 left
the factory in February, only IS per
cent of the preWar volume. Improve
ment seen for March, but reports
not available.
Electric irons-Shipments of 3O8,-
600 were per cent better in Feb
ruary than in January; March fig
ures not yet available.
Washing machines and ironers-
March shipments. 1T 1000, we'll below
the 171,000 reported for January.
The March total is IA per cent of
prewar output.
Refrigerators- Shipments increas-