1942: New Jersey

Area and Population.

Although one of the smallest states, ranking forty-fifth in area, with 8,224 sq. mi., New Jersey for over a century has been one of the leading industrial states in the Union, standing sixth in the value of its manufactured products. It is also known as 'The Garden State' due to the many fine small farms that dot the landscape everywhere, and which furnish produce for the metropolitan markets of New York and Philadelphia. In population, New Jersey ranks ninth in the nation with a total of 4,160,165. Of these 3,394,773 live in urban communities and 765,392 in rural areas. There are 3,931,087 whites in the state, and according to the 1940 census, 226,973 Negroes and 2,105 others including 211 Indians and 1,200 Chinese. Of the total population, 699,356 are foreign-born. Newark is the largest city with a population of 429,760. Jersey City has 301,173; Paterson, 139,656; Trenton, the capital, 124,697; Camden, 117,536; and Elizabeth, 109,912.

Education.

In the school year, 1941-42, the state operated 1,657 elementary schools with an attendance of 513,222, and 299 high schools with an enrollment of 206,401. The average teacher's salary for the year was $2,123, and total expenditures for the schools amounted to $108,697,744 including a debt service of $15,674,483.12. The main school legislation, passed during the year, permitted Boards of Freeholders, in second-class counties, to establish county vocational schools to be known as 'Emergency Schools.'

Industrial.

New Jersey has held the rank of sixth among the states of the Union in the value of its annual production of manufactured goods in each census since 1850. In diversity of industry, New Jersey is not outranked by any other state in the Union. The smelting and refining of copper is the leading industry. During 1942 New Jersey industry turned to war production and became one of the leading states in the amount of war contracts. The last biennial census of manufactures (1939) showed that 436,475 wage earners were employed in 7,064 plants. Estimates reveal that some 75,000 more were employed by the end of 1942. At the end of the fiscal year June 30, 1942, the total had reached 452,715. A report at that time revealed that 1,795 plans for new industrial plants, additions and alterations were approved during the fiscal year of 1941-42, and 749 new plants began functioning, giving employment to 5,658 additional male and 4,856 female wage-earners.

Agriculture.

In 1942 New Jersey farmers responded to the Government's call for more production by planting 793,200 acres with standard crops. This is approximately five per cent above 1941 and seven per cent better than the 10-year average from 1930 to 1939. Staple crops such as corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye, hay, potatoes and soybeans showed a five per cent acreage increase with an estimated value of crops produced set at $33,328,000. Milk production showed an increase of two per cent over 1940, with a production goal of 1,030,000,000 lb. assured. Commercial truck crops averaged five per cent above 1941, with a white potato harvest of 10,136,000 bu. New records were set in hog production, 158,000 pigs having been raised. This is 23 per cent more than in 1941. During the Revolution, New Jersey was actually the 'breadbasket of the Revolution.' Today, despite the handicaps of insufficient labor, the farmers are rallying to the Government's appeal to provide more vegetables, especially in South Jersey, for the dehydration plants which are to be operated at enlarged capacity.

Agriculture in New Jersey is highly intensified and the state holds first place in the nation in gross income per acre (about $52), although production costs are high.

Legislation.

During the year a Director of Civilian Defense was appointed by the Governor to head the Defense Council, and more than twenty other measures relating to defense were enacted into law, including those providing funds for the Defense Council and State Guard and fixing adequate penalties for violators of the rationing laws. The necessary legal machinery was also set up to make possible the swift apprehension and conviction of saboteurs. In addition, $25,000 was set aside for the physical rehabilitation of rejected draftees. Bills were passed providing for the interconnection of the state's available water-supply system and provision made for emergency bus lines to various defense areas. Another war measure was a bill which will allow school children to volunteer for work on the farms to prevent a labor shortage because of the induction of young men into the armed forces.

Political.

Election of Albert W. Hawkes, Republican, as United States Senator, over Senator William H. Smathers, Democrat, featured the November election in New Jersey. In the 1943 Congress, New Jersey is represented by two Republican Senators; 11 Republican and 3 Democratic Congressmen. Senator George H. Stanger of Vineland presides as President of the State Senate, and will act as Governor in the absence of the chief executive, Charles Edison. During the year, State Treasurer William H. Albright died and the Legislature elected in his place State Senator Robert C. Hendrickson of Woodbury.

Finance.

Operating under wartime conditions, New Jersey has anticipated losses in revenue from gasoline taxes and automobile license fees, but was aided greatly by the netting of $1,035,467 through the holding of a 49-day racing meet at Camden, the first in many years with pari-mutuel betting allowed. The 1942-43 state budget provides an expenditure of $36,397,668.12, while the highway budget amounts to $36,297,250. The state ended the fiscal year on June 30, 1942, with a bonded debt of $60,850,000 and a cash balance of more than $4,000,000. Adequate funds were provided for emergency relief through an appropriation of $4,000,000. Relief costs, however, have declined greatly during the year due to both men and women finding employment in the war effort. In fact, an all-time record for plant employment was set in September when the Labor Department reported 698,000 engaged in industrial work. Unemployment compensations declined in 1942 but the laying off of some 11,750 people engaged in WPA activities in the early part of December 1942 may cause an unexpected drain.

Commercial banks of the state have deposits of more than $700,000,000, with 108 trust companies, 25 state banks, 23 savings banks, and 2 savings associations operating.

State Officers:

Governor, Charles Edison; Secretary of State, Joseph A. Brophy; Comptroller, Homer C. Zink; Treasurer, Robert C. Hendrickson; Auditor, Frank Durand; Attorney General, David T. Wilentz.

United States Senators.

W. Warren Barbour, Albert W. Hawkes.