Evening star., 1950-12-05
Of Labor
In D. T.. Ranked
Among 1ightest
USES. Notes Job Rise
In Major Industrial,
Commercial Fields

The Washington area is now
one of the "tightest" employment
areas in the country, with less
than 3 per cent of it's working
force unemployed. according to
the United States Employment
Service.
Fred z. Hetzel, director of the
USES Washington office, said yes
terday the change from a "B," or
Slight labor surplus area, to an
"a" a tight or balanced labor
supply area, came within the last
reported month.
A rise in employment of less
than half of / per cent in October
over the September, 1850, employ
ment figures has brought about
the changed status, Mr.. Hetzel
said.
The latest report released by
Mr.. Hetzel gives the employment
picture for October. 1t does not
include construction workers
owing to the difficulty of getting
accurate figures in this field. The
November report has not been
completed. Mr.. Hetzel said the
latter report would not be a good
guide for this area, because of
the temporary effect of seasonal
employment.
Some Exceptions in Rise.
Increases occurred in all major
industrial and commercial activ-
tiles. except wholesale trade, eat
ing and drinking establishments,
finance, insurance and real estate
and service industries, the report
said. 1t attributed the decrease
in eating and drinking firm en-
ployment to some reduction in
winter stating.
During the last three months,
the report said. the number of
persons seeking employment
through the USES was about II
per cent under the corresponding
months a year ago.
About half of the employer de-
mandS for workers came from
hotel and restaurant firms. About
one-fourth were for professional.
clerical and sales workers, the re-
port said. The remaining one
fourth were for domestic and in
dustrial women.
Shortage Categories.
Shortages have developed in the
supply of automobile body repair
men and mechanics, carpenters,
bricklayers, plasterers, cement f1n-
ishers. typists, stenographers and
engineers.
/ Government employment in
creased almost one-half of l per
cent over last September's figure
and u per cent over the October.
1949, total. The report attributed
these increases to the Defense
Department expansion.
Mr.. Hetzel said veterans make
up smaller part of the job-seek-
ing market this year and that
more women are coming into the
labor market.
He pointed out that the pres
ent emergency is different from
that at the beginning of World
War II, because at that time the
country had substantial labor
market from which to draw its
defense workers. Now, he said,
even though full mobilization has
not begun, the labor market over ,
most of the country is tight.
Other Cities Tighten Up.
AS an example, Mr.. Hetzel said
that, in September, 1949 there
were 33 cities listed as C." areas.
where there was a very Substan-
tial labor surplus. In September
of this year, he said. only II cities
are still listed in this category.
He said good working conditions
over most of the country will af-
feet Washington. since it will be
more difficult for the defense
agencies to hire workers, from
other cities.
Mr.. HetZel said his Office would
be able to do the same job it did
during World War II with a
smaller staff. We said this is pos
sible because of lessons learned
from the war and elimination of
some of the "red tape"