1938: New York

Area and Population.

One of the thirteen original states, New York ranks twenty-ninth in size among the states, with an area of 49,204 sq. mi. In population it ranks first, numbering 12,588,066 according to the Census of 1930; 12,959,000 on July 1, 1937, according to a Federal estimate. The largest cities are New York, with 6,930,446 (1930 census); Buffalo, 573,076; Rochester, 328,132; Syracuse, 209,326; Yonkers, 134,646; Albany, the capital, 127,412; Utica, 101,740; Schenectady, 95,692. New York City and Albany are ports for ocean-going vessels.

According to the 1930 census, the native white population totaled 8,958,744; foreign-born whites, 3,191,549; Negroes, 412,814; other races, 24,959. The greatest number of foreign-born whites were Italians, 629,322; Russians, 481,306; Polish, 350,383; Germans, 349,196; and Irish, 251,704. In 1930 the urban population was 10,521,952.

Agriculture.

During 1937 New York State ranked 7th among all the states in acres of vegetables, while measured in sales values of such products at the farm, it was 3rd. The state ranks 4th in the sale of fruits, 3rd in the production of milk, 12th in the number of poultry on farms, and 9th in the estimated sales value of all farm products. The average size of a New York State farm is 106 acres. During 1937, 96 cooperative marketing corporations were created. Seventy of these new groups were set up by producers, 57 of which were organized to market milk and dairy products, 11 to purchase farm supplies, including gas and oil.

Mineral Products.

Among the mineral products of New York, stone ranks highest in value, production in 1937 amounting to 10,882,980 tons, with a value of $11,244,495, a slight increase over 1936. Shipments of cement amounted to 6,106,083 bbl. (value, $8,825,785); sand and gravel, 12,501,388 tons (value, $6,487,234). Production of Petroleum in 1937 was the highest in fifty years, amounting to 5,478,000 bbl. Gypsum, in the production of which New York stands first, also showed a substantial increase over 1936, with 700,357 tons as against 609,204 the previous year. Salt, a product in which New York ranks second in the Union, amounted to 2,084,867 tons.

Industry.

New York State ranks first in manufacturing. In 1937 it had in 44,866 factories, 110,536 salaried employees, and 1,044,374 wage earners.

Meeting the unemployment problem is a huge task in New York. Employers have contributed to the Unemployment Insurance Fund approximately $180,000,000 since 1936. From January 29, 1938, when payments began, to Aug. 1, 1938, about $62,000,000 have been paid out in benefits to over 850,000 unemployed beneficiaries.

The State Labor Relations Board reported on July 2, 1938, that it has been instrumental in settling 75 strikes, involving 6,120 employees, during its first year of activity. A total of 165 A. F. of L. organizations filed 897 cases, while 90 C.I.O. unions submitted 471. Sixty independent unions were petitioners in 240 cases, individual workers filed 105 petitions, and employers 47.

Finance.

New York State is the richest in the Union. During the nine months, January 1 to September 1, 1938, bank clearances in New York City aggregated $119,046,324,899, this amount being greater than that of all the cities combined in all other Federal Reserve Districts in the United States.

Federal income tax paid by New York State residents for the year ending June 30, 1938 amounted to $691,503,834.90. The total sum of taxes, including income tax, received by the Federal Government from New York State during this period was $1,244,298,641.03.

The total revenue receipts paid into the New York State treasury for the fiscal year 1937-1938 amounted to $388,973,184.36, the largest items being the corporation tax contributing $46,417,621.58; motor fuel tax $59,256,011.59; registration and licensing of motor vehicles $37,340,056.02; personal income tax, $107,175,964.55; licenses for the sale and manufacture of alcoholic beverages, $8,859,464.66; and the estate and inheritance tax $33,972,092.53. For the first time in years New York State ended its fiscal year in 1938 with a surplus of $6,469,322.28, instead of showing a deficit.

Education.

The educational system of New York State is one of the most progressive in the world. During the 1936-37 school year 2,281,409 pupils were enrolled in the public schools, with 81,657 teachers. The approximate cost for maintaining the public schools was $335,000,000, of which the state contributed about one-third. The cost per pupil is $74.28, just below California's rate of $74.67, the highest in the United States.

In accordance with a law passed in 1930, 226 school districts have been consolidated. With the opening of the fall semester of 1938, 27 new central school districts began to function, and from 75 to 100 more are in the process of being worked out. These formerly functioned as 433 separate units.

The 'Regents' Inquiry into the Character and Cost of Public Education in the State of New York,' begun in 1935, was completed in November 1938. The report consists of 10 studies, a summary or general report, and an atlas of the school districts. These compilations are to be the basis for a comprehensive reconsideration of the educational needs and policies of the state.

Social Welfare.

The State of New York does not administer home relief directly to the recipients. That is the function of local relief boards, supervised by the State Department of Social Welfare. The state, however, reimburses the localities to the extent of 40 per cent of their relief expenditures. The state gives direct aid to the aged, dependent children, and the blind.

New York State received during the fiscal year 1937-38 a total of $250,154,874.06 of Federal funds for PWA, WPA, CCC, NYA (National Youth Administration) and other purposes.

By 1938 five cities had set up Municipal Housing Authorities, in accordance with a state law passed in 1934. They are Buffalo, Lackawanna, New York, Schenectady, and Syracuse. The projects in Buffalo and Schenectady and four in New York are operating. A constitutional amendment authorizing the state to aid in such projects was adopted in November 1938.

Legislation.

The principal legislation enacted during the 1938 session of the Legislature, which lasted from Jan. 5 through March 18, included laws permitting the establishment of life insurance departments in Savings Banks; extending the mortgage moratorium to 1940, and reducing from 20 to 6 years the period for actions on bonds and mortgages under the statute of limitations; reducing from 6 to 5 per cent the interest that life insurance companies may charge for policy loans on new policies; providing for blood tests as a pre-marital requisite and for pregnant women; providing for licensing of registered and practical nurses; making bonds of housing authorities legal investments for the state; permitting New York City to levy an occupancy tax of from $1.00 to $6.00, to pay interest on non-Federal housing projects; appropriating $1,350,000 for the Constitutional Convention. The total number of laws passed was 741. The Governor vetoed 319 other bills passed by the Legislature.

The Constitutional Convention.

The outstanding political event of the year was the State Constitutional Convention, which convened in Albany on April 5 and adjourned August 26. In November 1937, 168 delegates had been elected, 15 at large and three from each of the 51 Senate districts. They included 92 Republicans, 75 Democrats, and 1 American Labor delegate. The Convention submitted nine amendments for the voters to pass on in November 1938. The first amendment proposed 49 changes in the general structure of the Constitution and was accepted by the voters. Of the other 8 proposals, 5 were accepted and 3 rejected. Those accepted provided for the elimination of grade crossings, for slum clearance and low-cost housing with a state subsidy, the right of labor to bargain collectively, social welfare legislation including health insurance, and the purchase by New York City of its transit facilities. The three amendments rejected provided for reapportionment and lengthening the term of state Senators, a new judiciary article, and the prohibition of proportional representation.

Election.

The 1938 election in New York State aroused unusual interest because of the close contest between the incumbent Democratic Governor, Herbert H. Lehman, and his Republican opponent, Thomas E. Dewey, District Attorney of New York County. Governor Lehman, desiring to retire at the end of his third term, was persuaded through party loyalty to accept the nomination after having refused it. The District Attorney, elected in 1937 to serve for four years, was nominated by the Republicans because of the wide popularity achieved by him through his fearless and able prosecution of racketeers. Following upon Governor Lehman's victory, after a hard-fought campaign and with a greatly reduced plurality, the District Attorney continued to serve the city in his own office.

New York World's Fair.

Since 1936 the state has been progressively interested in the World's Fair to be held in New York City in 1939. To date the Legislature has appropriated $2,460,000 and authorized New York City to issue not exceeding $7,000,000 of corporate stock and serial bonds for financing the Fair. Grover Whalen is President of the World's Fair Corporation.

Civil Engineering Projects.

See CIVIL ENGINEERING.

State Officers.

In November 1937, by constitutional amendment, the term of the Governor was increased to 4 years and of assemblymen to 2 years. A constitutional amendment to increase the term of state Senators to 4 years was defeated in November 1938.

As the result of the 1938 election, the chief officers of the state are as follows: Governor, Herbert H. Lehman; Lieutenant Governor, Charles Poletti; Comptroller, Morris S. Tremaine; Attorney General, John J. Bennett, Jr.; Secretary of State, Michael F. Walsh; Commissioner of Education, Frank P. Graves.

United States Senators:

Robert F. Wagner, James M. Mead (filling the unexpired term of the late Royal S. Copeland).