Federal Conciliator Works for Strike Settlement

The shipping strike on the Pacific Coast ordergd by 9e1en maritime unions on Qctober 29 affecting 4O,000 dock and ship workers has tied up all coastal ports, and as we go to piess there is little prospect of an early settlement in lignt.' E. F. McGrady, Alsistiant Secretary of Labor, is in Sin Francisco and is working towards a resumption. of negotiations between the shipowners and the striking unlons.

With lumber cargo shipping paralyzed, the strike is already having a far reaching effect, Many of the tidewater milli and logging camps in the Northwest have closed or curtailed opeiatibns and at the present time more than 10,000 men have been laid off. If the strike extends over a long period, it is thought that about 30,000 of the 50,000 men employed in the Fir region will be out of work.

In anticipation of the strike, the California retail dealers bought heivily. Building in California is very active and the lumber demand is good. Rail shipments are increasing and coming into all sections of the State.

Building activity in the West reached i1s greatest momentum since the depression commenced with building permits from 92 of. the largest cities in the ten Western states and British Columbia recording a llo/o increase in October 1936 over October 1935, according to the Western Monthly Building Survey prepared by H.R. Baker & Co., California investment banking firm.

These reporting cities revealed 13,903 permits were issued in Oclober 1936, totaling $24,@1,481, against 11,115 permits totaling $11,2169,416 in the year previous.

The twenty-five cities reporting the largest volume of permits during the past month showed a total ol $N,?67,538, an increase of.124.53/o over the W,O27,O26 reported for the same group in October 1935, and a gain ol 24.93/o over the $L6,272,961 for September 1936.

While Los Angeles maintained first rank among the 25 leading Pacific Coast cities, with a total of $8,@2,068, San Francisco-recorded the greatest dollar and percentage gain of the principal cities, and followed in second position. Oakland was in third place with Portland, Long Beach, San Diego, Denver, Glendale and Seattle following in consecutive order.

Increases among these twenty-five leading cities in October over the previous month and corresponding month last year were made by the folowing: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, San Diego, Denver, Glendale, Seattle, Spokane, Berkeley, Beverly Hills, Vancouver, B. C., Inglewood, Tacoma, Pasadena, Fresno, San Diego, and San Mateo.

The following were added to the group of 25 reporting largest volume of permits during the past month: Denver, Seattle, Spokane, Inglewood, Tacoma, Tucson and San Jose.

F. G. HANSON BACK FROM SOUTHWEST

F. G. Hanson, of the West Coast Screen Co., Los Angeles, makers of the Hollywood combination screen and metal sash door, returned recently from a business trip to Oklahoma City, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston.

While in Dallas Mr. Hanson took time out to visit the Texas Centennial Exposition.

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