1938: Ohio

Area and Population.

Ohio, 'the Buckeye state,' was admitted to statehood, Mar. 1, 1803. With an area of 41,040 sq. mi., it ranks 35th in size among the states. In population it ranks 4th, numbering 6,646,697 according to the census of 1930: 6,733,000 on July 1, 1937, according to a Federal estimate. The largest cities are Cleveland, 900,429; Cincinnati, 451,160; Toledo, 290,718; Columbus, the capital, 290,564; Akron, 255,040; Dayton, 200,982.

The urban population in 1930 was 67.7 per cent of the total, rural 32.7 per cent. The figures included 5,997,477 native-born and 649,220 foreign-born. By race there were 6,331,136 whites, 309,304 Negroes and 6,257 others.

Agriculture.

Agricultural income declined in 1938, but not by a large amount. Some commodities, such as grains and poultry, dropped off sharply while livestock gained.

Mineral Products.

Coal occupies the first place among Ohio's native mineral products. Production in 1937 remained fairly stationary, amounting to about 24,500,000 tons, compared with 24,110,078 tons in 1936, valued at $38,838,000. Natural gas comes next in importance, the amount in 1936 totaling 46,994,000 M cu. ft., with a value of $22,153,000. Petroleum was slightly less in amount than in 1936, the flow yielding 3,559,000 bbl. in 1937. Cement shipments of 5,501,769 bbl. had a value of $7,771,268.

Among manufactured products, pig iron took high rank, with 7,724,882 tons, Ohio standing second among the states in this industry. The value, at substantially increased prices in 1937, was $167,076,855, compared with $125,087,158 in 1936. Ohio also ranks second in manufacture of open-hearth steel, the amount in 1937 being 9,067,944 tons as against 9,789,985 in 1936. Clay products totaled $46,115,626 in 1936.

Business Conditions.

Business in Ohio in 1938 was substantially below that of 1937, although an upward trend was noticeable in many indices during the last half of 1938. Employment was over 80 per cent in every field but construction, which was under 40 per cent of 1926. Retail trade was on the upturn at the close of the year, but still below the average for 1923-1925. Bank loans remained about stationary, while deposits increased. Manufacturing was on the increase at the end of the year, the upturn occurring about August. Food products, paper and printing and chemicals were at or above 1926 norms. Stone, clay and glass, metal products, machinery and textiles were slightly below 1926 figures. Vehicles, lumber and rubber products were below 65 per cent of normal in 1938.

Education.

Student enrollments in institutions of higher education in Ohio showed a substantial increase in September 1938 over September 1937. High school enrollments were also up, while the lower elementary grades showed a decline, reflecting lowered birth rates from 1930 to 1932. Declining receipts from the sales tax caused a large shortage in the funds needed for the operation of the public schools. The Dayton city schools closed on Oct. 28 until funds were available.

Legislation and Politics.

There were two special sessions of the General Assembly in 1938. The first of these opened in November 1937 and adjourned February 28, 1938. The second met on May 16, 1938, and adjourned on July 8. The principal purpose of these sessions was to enact legislation to enable the state to comply with the provisions of the national Social Security Act, to levy taxes and to authorize cities to borrow for relief expenditures. There were also some deficiency appropriations for current operation of state agencies, necessitated by vetoes or by increasing cost of commodities, and appropriations to match Federal WPA funds for construction of buildings at state institutions.

Political events included a grand jury investigation of alleged pressure on classified civil servants for campaign funds; refusal by Governor Martin L. Davey to comply with orders of the Social Security Board to alter administrative practices in the Division of Old Age Assistance, thus forfeiting Federal matching grants for this purpose for November; the defeat of Governor Davey for nomination in the primary, and the comeback of the Republican party in the November election. A constitutional amendment providing for the appointment of judges of courts of appeals and the state Supreme Court was defeated by a vote of 2 to 1. It was opposed mainly by organized labor.

Finance.

Unemployment in the industrial cities caused heavy expenditures for relief. The end of the year found municipal resources for this purpose almost exhausted. A decline in liquor profits caused a shortage in funds for old age assistance. The problem of state and local finance is now one of the most pressing before the general assembly.

State Officers.

The November elections in 1938 resulted in an almost complete reversal of party control. In consequence, the chief officers of the state are as follows: Governor, John W. Bricker; Lieutenant Governor, Paul M. Herbert; Secretary of State, Earl Griffith; Treasurer, Don H. Ebright; Attorney General, Thomas H. Herbert. All of these men are Republicans. The Auditor is Joseph T. Ferguson, elected in 1936 for a four-year term.

United States Senators:

Vic Donahey, Robert A. Taft.

Perry's Victory and Industrial Peace Memorial Monument.

See NATIONAL PARKS AND MONUMENTS.