Better Work, More Goods

Every real gain in the U.S. standard of living comes from greater productivity--the ability of each U.S. worker to boost his man-hour output of goods. Normally, the U.S. manages to achieve a yearly gain of 2% in productivity.

Last week the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that, on the basis of early estimates, the productivity gain in 1950 was 6%, the biggest rise since the war. This not only meant that workers were producing more efficiently, but that the U.S. was reaping the benefits from industry's huge postwar expenditure on new, improved plants and equipment.

Many industries far outstripped the average gain. Of 26 industries sampled by BLS, nine (including lead, zinc and copper mining, the synthetic fiber industry) showed a rise in man-hour output of 10% or more. Productivity in the anthracite coal industry was off 4%, but for all the mining industry, it was up 6%, equal to the total rise scored during the eleven preceding year's. Manufacturers' productivity rose 8%, compared with the normal 3%.

It is doubtful that such gains can be repeated this year, because of the disruption of switching to defense production. But after the still newer plants now being built go into operation, man-hour output should go up faster than ever.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.