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P H I L A D E L P H I A
A M E R I C A N

C H A P T E R

S T A T I S T I C A L

OF

T H E

A S S O C I A T I O N

The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Statistical Associ­
ation will hold a meeting in the Christian Association Building,
36th and Locust Streets, on Friday, May 19, 19^4 at 6:30 p.m.
Our topic for the evening is:
’’POST-WAR INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY AND EMPLOY? *ENT"
Introductory speaker: (if calendar will permit)
Mr. C. A. Sienkiewicz, Vice-President
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Principal Speaker:
Dr. Karl Bopp, Director of Research
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
This timely and increasingly important topic is a fitting
one for our final meeting this year.

Both speakers are eminently

qualified to present this topic as they are currently engaged in
research work covering the above subject for this area with Mr.
Sienkiewicz as Chairman and Mr. Bopp as Vice-Chairman of the
Research Committee, Committee for Economic Development.
Mr. Leonard A. Drake, Regional Business Consultant, U. S.
Department of Commerce, will lead off in the discussion with some
observations and questions directed to the principal speaker.
The final meeting will include the installation of new
officers.
The price of the dinner is $1.50.

Non-members are cordially

invited to attend.
Your prompt reply on the enclosed notification card will be
sincerely appreciated,




Benedict Saurino, Manager
Statistical Research Division
Sun Oil Company

POST-WAR INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY

EMPLOYMENT

by
Karl R. Bopp

Address aelivered before
Philadelphia Chapter
American Statistical Association

Christian Association Building
36th and Locust Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Friday, May 19, 1944
6;30 p.m.




POST-WAR INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY AND EMPLOYMENT

.
Leo*. *o<M sA»*«*

Introduction
1*

Promised Leon Henderson

2.

Promised CAS

3»

Newsman but the same topic - would not have
chosen voluntarily

4*

"In 1943 they rationed gas. They rationed
shoes, too, ana butter and jam and jelly.
Hens' eggs were scarcer than hens' teeth.
And lots of men with shaving mugs couldn't
find brushes to shave them with."

^

^

^

_ £_<~_

No rationing on post-war planning.
Zero in arithmetic
100 in post-war planning
5»

Endless variety of plans, programs, and
predictions
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

C.E.D. goal - not over If mil. unemployed
War Manpower Commission - 8 mil.
Julius Hirsch - 10-12 mil.
Leon Henderson - 16 mil.
Senate Mji&tary Affairs Subcom. - 19 mil.
Some labor leaders - 30 mil.

6.

National and local conditions

7*

Long-run and transitional periods




Functioning of the national economy
A.

General statement
1.
2.
3*

B.

Gross production and gross income
Income - consumption and saving
Saving, offset to saving, and hoarding

The magnitude involved
1.

Wartime expansion
a.
b.

2.

Labor force
National production - lEEse inflation

Post-war problem - long run
Maintaining high level of employment
(552 mil.) + 2 mil. unemployed + 1.9 mil*
armed forces and high level of gross
national product - say,$175 bil. (1943 $)•
How to fill the gap resulting from reduc­
tion in military expenditures from $81 bil.
to $6 bil. with consumption already at a
high level.
And with constant technological advance.
How to expand consumption and/or investment.
a.

Consumption - usually considered
intractable
Income and retail sales
Durable goods up, My, $20 billion




Is consumption intractable?
Automobile industry - travel and
vacations
Price reductions
Income increases
b.

Investment - offsets to saving
Estimate of $30 bil. savings with
national income of $150 bil. - 20%
Greatest net new capital formation hot
over 12 per cent *of national income.

Policies to increase investment and consumption
1«

Fiscal and monetary policies
To maintain demand at appropriate level
a.

Budget
(1) Taxation
(a) Progressive income and
inheritance taxation
(b) Simple» so can adjust rates only
(c) Current collection
(2) Expenditures




(a) Ordinary outlays regular

"Let the surplus public works serve
as monuments to our lack of imagination
and the low level of our public morals I"

b.

Monetary policies
Coordination of all agencies having
monetary policies *****
General instruments
Selective instruments

2«

Flexibility in qf price-wage structure
a.

3*

Control of monopoly in all areas

Appropriate climate
a.

Incentives to expand

Transitional aspects
1.

A time pattern - aspects merge into each
other
a.

To the end of the European war - 1944

b.

From then to end of Pacific war - 1945

c.

Retooling and reconversion - 1946

d*

Restocking or catching up - 1947-48




-5
e.
2.

-

The long pull - 1948 on

Characteristics of these periods

i.
^

II.

The local situation
A.

The local C*E»D.

B*

The labor force report




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