1942: Iowa

Area and Population.

Admitted to the Union as the twenty-ninth state, on Dec. 28, 1846, Iowa has an area of 56,147 sq. mi., ranking it twenty-fourth in size. The population in 1940 was 2,538,268, of which 1,084,231 was urban and 1,454,037 was rural population. Native whites numbered 2,403,446, foreign-born whites, 117,245, Negroes, 16,694, and those belonging to other races, 883. The capital city is Des Moines (159,819), a banking, trade, and insurance center. Other important cities are: Sioux City (82,364), Davenport (66,039), Cedar Rapids (62,120), Waterloo (51,743), Dubuque (43,892), and Council Bluffs (41,439).

Education.

During the school year 1940-41, a total of 4,865 school districts expended $46,620,948 for public education. The total number of children of school age (5 to 21 years) was 676,232, of whom 358,527 were enrolled in elementary schools, 137,737 in high schools, and 2,489 in public junior colleges. The total enrollment in the state's twenty-two colleges and universities in 1941-42 was 22,277.

There were in the state in 1941 272 public libraries supported wholly or in large part by public taxation, and 85 association or membership libraries.

Agriculture.

Iowa farms number 210,903 with a total acreage of 34,671,972; the average size of the farms being 164.4 acres. Iowa farm income amounts to approximately 8 per cent of the national farm income. The cash farm income from marketings by Iowa farmers in 1941 was estimated at $919,515,000 as compared with the 1940 income of $718,991,000.

Iowa produces more corn than any other state or any foreign nation. Much of the crop is used to feed hogs and cattle, the state producing more of these for market than any other state. In 1941 approximately 50,000,000 bu. of shelled corn were stored near railroad stations in all parts of the state. In 1940 Iowa sold over 10,000,000 lb. of wool, and 1,500,000 sheep, the income from this source being $13,000,000.

Industry.

Although Iowa is primarily an agricultural state, one-fifth of its population is supported by the manufacturing industry, the principal industry, however, being the processing of farm products. Aside from these, the chief manufactured products are gypsum, cement, washing machines, farm implements, fountain pens, and cosmetics. Publishing is also a major industry. The normal output of Iowa's factories, not including war industries, is estimated at $710,000,000. Up to June 30, 1942, war contracts totalling $407,000,000 had been awarded to Iowa companies.

Eleven great dams from which electric power is wired have been built from Iowa across the Mississippi River. The use of electric power in the state is twice the United States average, and its cost less than half the average. Iowa coal miners numbering 7,500 in 1940, mined over 3,000,000 tons of bituminous coal.

Defense.

Iowans enrolled in the nation's fighting forces, Dec. 31, 1942, numbered 140,000. The first training center of the Women's Army Auxiliary Camp was opened July 20, 1942, at Fort Des Moines, five miles south of the capital.

Governmental Affairs.

The state Legislature meets biennially in January of the odd-numbered years. The Senate consists of fifty senators representing districts composed of one to five counties. The House of Representatives consists of one representative from each of the state's ninety-nine counties, with nine additional members representing counties in which the state's larger cities are located.

In the election of Nov. 3, 1942, the state went preponderantly Republican. Governor George A. Wilson, who was elected U. S. Senator to succeed Clyde L. Herring (Democrat), was succeeded as governor by Bourke B. Hickenlooper. Republican candidates for Congress were elected in all eight districts. The entire Republican ticket for state offices was elected.

Finances.

Iowa now has no state bonded indebtedness. State income in 1941-42 from all sources totalled $270,535,413. Total disbursements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1942, were $198,058,219. The major sources of state revenue, in addition to taxation of real and personal property, are the state individual and corporation income taxes, a 2 per cent sales and use tax, and the profits of the State Liquor Commission from retail sales.

State Officers.

Governor, Bourke B. Hickenlooper; Lieutenant Governor, Robert D. Blue; Secretary of State, Wayne M. Ropes; Auditor, Chet B. Akers; Treasurer, W. G. C. Bagley; Attorney General, John M. Rankin; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jessie M. Parker.

United States Senators:

Guy M. Gillette, George A. Wilson.