Evening star., 1949-02-23

and that nationally, at least, th'
ployed this year than in Janu'
ary, 194S.
According to DR.. Edwin G
. Nourse, chairman of the Presi'
| dents Council Of Economic Ad'
/ visers, the figures did not mean {
showdown in the Nations economy
However, in Washington. wher'
wartime expansion poses some spe
, cial problems so far as unemploy
ment is concerned, officials saw thu
, makings of definite trend towart
/ increasing unemployment.
Job Openings Decline.
In contrast to the remainder O.
the country, there were fewer peo'
pie working in January than a
the same time last year. Jol
,, openings and placements, listee
with the local branch of Gh'
United States Employment Serv
lice, showed similar declines.
In Washington. as in the rest o.
the Nation, the seasonal factor. o.
. course, played its part. The un'
: employment figures for January
. contrasted with those for Decem'
ber, showed a jump of 3,65(
!; workers.
With. the coming Of spring, ex.
sperts predicted that the downward
employment trend would level OF
with the revival of the building in
Idustry playing a major part.
The building industry is one o
the biggest sources of employment
here. At the peak Of last sum
mer's activity it gave jobs to NOR
than 10000 persons. According
to figures of the Bureau of Labol
Statistics, these workmen startet
construction on $1,000 new dwell
ings in the Washington area dur
ing the year.
Danger Signals.
The building industry in Wash
ington and the rest Of the countr!
is doing we'll, but some danger sig,
mails are apparent. Nationally
there were more houses startet
last year than in 1947, but ther'
was a decided drop before the ent
of the year.
A special statement prepared b.
the Commerce and Labor Depart
ment concludes as follows:
THE Slackening in activity dur
ing the last half Of 194s indi
Gates that even the anticipated
lower production of $4,000 ney
units in 1949 is attainable only b,
a broadening of the market to pro
vide more homes at lower cost ant
more rental units within tn
means of the majority OF Amer1
can families"
Washington got going early OF
it's building boom.
The peak was reached and th'
decline started year ahead o.
the rest Of the country. There
were 1910 houses started In l947
less last year, and Labor Depart
ment officials predict the figure
will be somewhat lower this year
if the economy house program get
going. If it doesn't, the number
of houses built will drop sharply
they say.
i Imnasse Reached,
The future of the industry, II
fact, is tied very firmly to tn,
success of the economy house pro-
gram to provide housing for thu
lower-income groups. Accordint
to a spokesman for the Washing
ton Building Trades Council. "th'
limit has been reached for build
ing houses that the average citi'
zen can't possibly afford to buy
The industry has reached an i'm
passe, where it must economic Of
fold up"
Whether the economy program
can be ironed out in time for thu
1949 building season Is q matter
of concern to many builders. It /.
also the subject Of hurried meet.
ings between builders and Gov.
ernment officials all over the coun'
try.
Many are frankly skeptical oI
the possibility of building ade.
quate homes for less than $4,000
They have pointed out at meeting.
here that building method.
haven't changed appreciably ir
years. The price Of labor ha.
nearly doubled, and the prices o1
some materials have more thar
tripled since prewar years, they
say.
Those who think the program
can succeed say it must be don,
through greater efficiency in build
ing techniques, streamlining o.
production steps and better plan
ming. Building Trades Council
officials do not doubt that thi
will mean a cut In the number o
employees.
IF they are going to economic,
they predict, you can be sur
that men who have been workin,
in the industry in the past viii
be out of work next summer"
Congress a Factor.
i Since more than one-half of tn,
total labor force here is FEDERAL,
employed, the action Of Congress
also could be a decisive factor IL
the number Of people looking TO
Jobs. Congress could do thi
directly by authorizing reduction
in the number of employees il
Government agencies or indirect
ly by the effect of its decisions OF
the attitude of employers.
Few persons believe, at thi
point, that efforts to streamlin
the Federal Government will lea,
to mass firing Of personnel. 8
far, the trend has been toward
} continuously growing payroll an
cutbacks in one agency are alrnos
invariably absorbed by another.