Evening star., 1952-02-05
lsixth Of 4 Series.l

jeWelry Is concentrated IN the
Providence R. II area. stretching
north to Attleboro. Mass. There.
ii hundreds Of plants. most OF
them quite small, are made scores
Of items, such as watch bands.
fraternity pins, cuh links, belt
buckles, ear rings.
Rhode Island has 81. 900 persons
unemployed. about 10 per cent OF
the work force and double the
number Of q year ago. The State
is paying out $4,000 q week
in unemployment compensation
claims.
Nearly all Of this heavy unenl-
is caused By q slump IN
woolen and cotton textiles, Rhode
Islands largest industry, and cut
backs Of scarce metals usage for
jewelry manufacture. Because OF
the critical shortage Of copper for
military production the industry
has been reduced to IS per cent
of normal use Of the metal which
is the chief ingredient OF Its
products.
Unemployment Increasing.
A few miles north Of Providence
are the cities Of Attleboro and
North Attleboro, where jewelry
manufacture comprises over halt
of the total business enterprise.
An estimated 5000 Of Attleboro's
"a. 900 people normally work in the
jeweiry factories. Unemploymen
is heavy and increasing. although
precise figures were not available.
.Jewelry manufacture was shut
down tight in World War II and
about 10 per cent Of the plant
capacity was converted TO war
work. This time the Government
has decided to give non-essentlal
enterprises enough materials to
stay alive, even if only barely alive.
d George Frankovich Of the New
England Manufacturing jewelers.
and Silversmiths' Association said
the industry has tried hard to get
defense contracts, and only 5 per
cent of the companies have sue
|ceeded.
But let's get the story first hand
from Raymond Wells. one Of At
|tleboro's jewelry manufacturers.
Mr., Wells normally employs
about ITS people. most OF them
highly skilled in metalworking
trades. His force now numbers
| l25. although his plant Is oper-
ating at half Of capacity. He has
retained workers Of the highest
skills because he doesn't want to
lose them. "a >e@ EFSSs'
Converted for Last War.
In the last war, the Wells fac
tory was converted entirely to
war work and employed 500
people. Mr.. Wells completed 50
million in prime contracts and
subcontracts for big firms like
General Motors, International
Harvester and Westinghouse.
The Wells plant hummed along
at q fast rate, turning out ball
bearings, steering gears for tor
pedoes, electronic and other high
precision parts and even COM
ponents Of A-bombs.
This time, try as he viii, Mr..
Wells said he has been able to
get only $25. 900 worth Of defense
work. Here is his story:
"The Ordnance Department
was letting negotiated contract
flor primers or detonators for ar
Itillery shells-1 ,850, 900 of them
and we were interested in it. 1t
looked like something we could do.
I'VE figured 1t would cost $780,
900 to convert the plant. Then,
we figured it would cost II cents
apiece to make the primers. We
couldn't make any money at that
price ct first. but we thought we
could make some profit after we
lgot our production UP. So we
lput In our bid. Well, the low
man bid 81 cents. He had been
doing that type Of work for long
time and didn't have the expense
lof converting.
ssVVn have triad sincerelv IN get