1942: New York

Area and Population.

New York State has a total land and water area of 49,576 sq. mi. The population in 1940 was 13,479,142, of whom 2,853,530 were foreign born, including 584,075 Italians, 436,028 Russians, and 316,844 Germans. Racial groups of importance were 571,221 Negroes, 13,731 Chinese, 8,651 American Indians, and 2,538 Japanese.

The capital of the state is Albany, with a population of 130,577. The largest cities are New York, with a population of 7,454,995; Buffalo, 575,901; Rochester, 324,975; Syracuse, 205,967; Yonkers, 142,598 and Utica, 100,518. New York City and Albany are ports for ocean-going vessels.

Education.

The number of inhabitants of school age (5 to 18 years) in 1940-1941 was 3,463,794. The enrollment in the elementary grades was 1,461,383; in the secondary grades, 749,318. Four types of public schools prevail in New York State: elementary, of which there are 7,169; four-year high schools, 851; junior high schools (grades 7-9) 121; and central schools, grades 1-12, 269. The central schools are usually in rural districts, and had in 1940-41 an enrollment of approximately 158,275, of whom 87,000 were transported by bus. The average salary of teachers in cities is $3,000, in villages, $1,500, and in supervisory districts, $1,400.

State aid for the support of common schools in 1940-41 was $119,602,953.92, including the 2 per cent reduction enacted by the 1941 Legislature, which was restored in 1942. The amount expended for the support of state educational institutions was $6,633,960.

The Education Department has made a definite effort to coordinate the school curriculum with the war effort, aided in one instance by the passage of a legislative act, providing for pre-flight training courses in junior aviation in the secondary schools of the state.

Agriculture.

About 17,170,337 acres, or 56 per cent of the land area of New York, are included in the 153,238 farms of the state. Classified according to the major source of production, 40.8 per cent of these are dairy farms.

In order to keep milk prices within the OPA ceiling and give the farmers a fair price for milk, a subsidy plan was operated in New York City during November and December 1942, by the United States Agricultural Marketing Administration, whereby it buys the milk for $3.50 a hundred pounds and sells it back to dealers for $3.10. This, in effect, is a subsidy to consumers, the taxpayers' money making up the difference. The subsidy amounts to about $15,000 a day.

An attempt to alleviate the labor shortage caused by the draft and a movement of farm labor to defense factories, was made in a new law which permits boys 14 years old and over to be excused from school for farm work, on not more than 30 days during the year without loss of public money to the district. The Board of Regents implemented this law by a ruling to the effect that boys may be released from school for not more than 15 days during any 3-months period.

Industry.

The index of factory employment of the State Department of Labor showed an approximate doubling of employment in 1942 in the areas including Buffalo and Schenectady, an increase of one half for the state as a whole, but only one third for New York City, based on the average employment of 1935-39. The southern part of the state, around Binghamton, had the lowest increase.

The State Division of Commerce, created in 1941 to promote industry and commerce in the state, has found that, because of the war program, most of its activities have been directed to the promotion of war production. For this purpose an office of the Division has been set up in Washington.

Legislation.

The 1942 legislative session began January 7 and ended April 24. Most of the important laws of this session dealt with adjustment to the war program. Notable laws on other subjects were those which authorized the establishment of rural electric cooperative corporations; fixed the date of Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November; dispensed with the 24-hour waiting period between the application for marriage license and the marriage ceremony, for members of the United States armed forces; authorized the issue of only one license plate for motor vehicles, to be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. No change was made in the nine-year old mortgage moratorium law which now provides that 1 per cent amortization must begin July 1, 1942, with the moratorium ending in 1943.

Election.

For twenty consecutive years New York State has had a Democratic Governor and a Republican Legislature. In November 1942 the Republican candidate for Governor, Thomas E. Dewey, was elected. Even with the Labor Party's 404,368 vote (cast this year for the Party candidate, Dean Alfange), which was instrumental in reelecting the Democratic candidate four years ago, the Democrats could not have won, since Dewey received 2,145,831 votes to 1,492,011 for John J. Bennett, Democrat, and Attorney General under Governor Lehman.

War Activities.

The New York State Merchant Marine Academy, at Fort Schuyler in the Bronx, has rapidly expanded its program of training cadets to man our nation's ships. To replace the National Guard, a New York Guard has been enlisted, outfitted and trained. The state's housing program, including the Fort Greene houses near the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and two projects (one for Negroes) in Schenectady, is playing an important part in housing defense workers. At the Academy of Aeronautics at La Guardia Field, New York City, the training of aviation mechanics has been intensified.

New York's War Emergency Act (1942) gave the state and local war councils vast powers for the protection of civilians. Directors were appointed for offices of Civilian Protection and Civilian Mobilization, subordinate to the State War Council.

Local war councils also cooperate with the State War Council on problems involving war production, transportation facilities, agriculture, vocational training for war industries, housing, health and sanitation, salvage and any other necessary activities. Absentee voting by persons in the armed forces was provided for in the laws of 1942.

Public Finance.

The total revenue received by New York State, for the fiscal year 1941-42, was $421,265,940.07. The accumulated surplus as of June 30, 1942, was $54,127,419. During 1942 the emergency state income tax of 1 per cent was repealed, and a general deduction of 25 per cent was allowed on the regular income tax.

The cost of servicing the public debt of approximately $530,000,000 was $46,778,650. Principal payments on serial bonds amounted to $31,243,450, leaving a net public debt of $508,311,995.90 as of June 30, 1942.

The appropriation for the support of the state government for 1942-43 was $332,354,970.15.

Social Welfare.

New York State aided the localities in caring for their home relief cases, in the 1940-41 fiscal year, to the extent of $41,343,202, and for assistance to the aged, dependent children, and blind, $15,718,851.

The number of persons receiving some type of public assistance fell from 1,080,096 in July 1941, to 740,865 in July 1942. In July 1942 there were still 53,709 persons on WPA projects.

Banking.

New York State banks and trust companies as at the close of business Sept. 24, 1941, reported deposits at another all-time high of $13,168,000,000. Cash was no longer the principal asset, being replaced by investments, which represented 43 per cent of the total assets, or $6,292,000,000. Of these investments 82 per cent were in United States government obligations.

The Banking Board has cooperated with the Federal Government by passing resolutions allowing banks to participate in financing war plants; in the production, acquisition, and carrying of strategic and critical materials by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and its subsidiaries; and in defense housing projects.

In the case of savings banks, for the first time since 1934, withdrawals exceeded the aggregate of funds deposited and the amount of dividends credited. The excess of cash withdrawals over deposits during the first ten months of the year was approximately $205,000,000, occurring mostly in New York City. The trend toward lower dividend rates continued, 22 banks reducing rates from 2 per cent to 1½ per cent, while 4 others made such reductions applicable to that part of a deposit balance in excess of $1,000.

The growth of savings-bank life insurance in New York State exceeded all expectations. The amount increased 60 per cent from that issued in 1940, totalling $17,822,268. The number of banks authorized to sell life-insurance policies is now 43, of which 25 issue policies. The limit to the amount of insurance which one person may obtain was raised in 1942 to $3,000.

State Officers.

Governor, Thomas E. Dewey; Lieutenant-Governor, Thomas Wallace; Attorney-General, Nathaniel L. Goldstein; Comptroller, Frank C. Moore; Secretary of State, Thomas J. Curran; Commissioner of Education, Dr. George D. Stoddard.

United States Senators:

Robert F. Wagner, James M. Mead.

1941: New York

Area and Population.

New York, one of the thirteen original states, ranks 29th in size among the states, with an area of 49,576 sq. mi., including 1,647 sq. mi. of inland water surface, according to remeasurements of the United States undertaken for the 16th census in 1940. In population it ranks first, numbering 13,479,142 according to the 1940 census. The principal cities are New York, 7,454,995; Buffalo, 575,901; Rochester, 324,975; Syracuse, 205,967; Yonkers, 142,598; Albany, the capital, 130,577; Utica, 100,518; Schenectady, 87,549; and Binghamton, 78,309.

Agriculture.

The milk situation is still the greatest unsolved problem in the agricultural field. A milk strike of a few days duration was ended by the offer of Owen D. Young, as a dairy farmer of Van Hornesville, to attempt further negotiations to amend the Federal marketing order which fixed prices too low. As the plan now operates, fluid milk prices go up or down upon a schedule regulated by the wholesale quotations of butter. Under this system, by the time readjustment has been effected through the necessarily slow process of public hearing and producer referenda, the adjusted price itself may need further adjustment to meet further changed conditions.

Industry.

Analysis of the factory inspection records made by the former State Planning Board, now the Division of Commerce, indicates that in 1940 there were close to 47,000 manufacturing establishments in New York State, employing over 1,260,000 persons. More than 78 per cent of the manufacturing plants, employing over 56 per cent of the workers were located in the New York metropolitan district. Firms in this section averaged smaller in size than those in other areas. Clothing, printing, and food products manufacture predominated in New York City; upstate, the most important industries were the manufacture of iron and steel, electrical apparatus, and photographic apparatus.

In September 1941, the New York State Employment Service reported a registration of 384,444, which was about 23 per cent less than at the same time in 1940. However, the new registrations of that month were 151,827, compared with 63,007 placements. Benefit payments decreased by 25 per cent. The Unemployment Insurance Fund balance as of September 30, 1941, was $258,720,097, with total payments for September amounting to $3,779,069, the lowest disbursement except for April 1941.

The grants of the Federal Government for unemployment insurance are used solely to finance the administrative costs of the state agency, which amounted to $8,588,358.62 for the fiscal year ending June 1, 1941.

Mineral Products.

Production of pig iron again ranked first in value among the industrial mineral resources of New York, and reflected the widespread expansion of activity because of defense needs. The amount for 1940 was 3,206,162 tons valued at $54,150,107, compared with 2,475,450 tons in 1939 with a value of $45,275,450. Coke manufacture was also increased to 5,080,400 tons; and cement shipments totaled 8,251,038 bbl. valued at $11,687,089. Of the native minerals of the state, petroleum and stone were fairly stationary, at 4,999,000 bbl. for the former, and 9,782,120 tons for the latter. Salt, in which New York ranks second to Michigan, amounted to 2,117,671 tons valued at $6,523,775; and gypsum, in which the state ranks first, totaled 798,229 tons valued at over $1,000,000.

Education.

The consolidation of school districts was impeded this year by the problem of the cost of school building. A legislative committee was appointed to investigate this problem and as a result an amendment was made to the Education Law restricting the expenditure to $450 per pupil as a cost unit, and requiring 6 per cent of the actual value of taxable property to be contributed for the purpose by the district and the remainder by the state. If the computed building cost is exceeded the increase shall be borne by the locality alone. No new consolidations were affected in 1939-1940, the number remaining at 269.

There are still 5,670 school districts with one or two small schools, the enrollment ranging from 5 to 50. Besides these small elementary schools, the cities have 1,299 elementary school buildings, and the villages, 253. In the 1940-1941 school year the number of pupils enrolled in the elementary grades, 1-8, was 1,469,913; in the secondary grades, 8-12, 705,042. State aid for schools for 1939-1940, which was reduced 2 per cent, amounted to $112,047,478,81.

The average teacher's salary in the elementary schools is $1,500; in high schools, $2,500; these range about $1,000 higher in New York city and vicinity.

The Coudert legislative committee investigating subversive activities in the schools confined its activities to New York City. As a result of its findings several of the members of the faculty of the College of the City of New York were dismissed.

Public Finance.

The total revenue received by New York State for the fiscal year 1940-1941 was $427,309,207.31. State aid to localities for relief, education, and highways is the largest single item in the state's budget, amounting to $194,589,043.52. The second largest item, $54,857,706.78, is for the support of the 79 state institutions. Expenses for the administration of the state government were $38,863,768.79. The cost of servicing the state debt amounted to $52,210,586.49.

The State Civil Service Employees' Retirement Fund, which is administered by the Comptroller, now holds in excess of $150,000,000 of investments. With its 95,000 members, and annual receipts of $44,392,900.20, it constitutes one of the largest concerns of the kind in the United States.

State appropriations for 1941-1942 amounted to $402,813,743.37. The comptroller's report showed a surplus of $7,029,256.67 in the state treasury for 1940-1941.

Banking.

New York State banks and trust companies reported deposits at the close of business Oct. 2, 1940, at an all-time high of $12,147,000,000. Total investments also reached a new high of $5,367,000,000. Most of this rise was made up of increased holdings of government bonds. Cash was the principal asset, representing 39.7 per cent of resources which totaled $13,605,000,000.

One hundred and eighteen state banks and trust companies are authorized to conduct personal loan departments. At the close of business Dec. 31, 1939, 94 of these banks had reported average funds employed in their personal loan departments of $15,600,000 at a net return on funds employed of 4.18 per cent.

The administration of savings-bank life insurance was transferred from the insurance to the banking department in 1940 as a Savings Bank Life Insurance Fund with seven trustees. As of Nov. 30, 1940, there were outstanding insurance contracts with a face value of $11,475,925. Insurance is now issued by nine savings banks: five in New York city, and one each in Rochester, Syracuse, Troy, and Albany. In addition there are ten savings banks which act as agency banks. The average amount of the policies outstanding is approximately $800. Sixty per cent of the policies are for straight life.

Social Welfare.

In response to the cumulative effect of improved business conditions and defense activities, the volume and cost of public assistance has steadily decreased, until in June 1941 the various agencies were rendering the following reduced aid: Home relief granted, $7,532,027 to 210,314 cases; WPA had 101,919 employees earning $7,144,000; NYA employed 73,455 at $1,086,000; CCC's 7,965 employees earned $528,000; old-age assistance grants totaled $3,149,622 to 121,496 recipients; $1,528,743 was given as aid to dependent children, and $75,516 was received by 2,845 blind persons.

Legislative Matters.

The Legislature, in session from Jan. 8 to April 3, passed 1,333 bills; 378 of these were vetoed by Governor Lehman, leaving 955 new laws passed for 1941.

Among the new laws of importance the following are outstanding: Chapter 872 requires that any motorist involved in an accident resulting in personal injury, whether he is innocent or guilty, must, within 10 days, post security covering property damage to the extent of $1,000, if the accident involves property damage of $25 or more, and covering personal injuries up to $5,000 for one person and $10,000 for two or more, otherwise his license may be revoked or suspended; Chapter 625 extends to July 1, 1943, the emergency mortgage moratorium, however, Chapter 665 permits trust companies holding bonds or mortgages as fiduciaries to waive or modify, prior to April 1, 1942, any terms and conditions thereof and to extend them for not more than five years by agreement with the property owners, and Chapter 782 provides that, regardless of the extension of the moratorium, foreclosure action may be commenced unless the owner of the mortgaged premises pays at least 1 per cent annually on the unpaid principal; Chapter 695 disqualifies for unemployment benefits any employee, who, without good cause, leaves his present employment; Chapter 305 requires that the proprietor or manager of tourist cabins shall keep a register with the name, residence, date of arrival and departure of guests.

Three of the four constitutional amendments submitted to the voters at the November election were approved, namely; (1) authorizing the Legislature to construct ski trails on Whiteface mountain; (2) clarifying the provision for submitting amendments for the approval of the attorney-general; and (3) allocating $60,000,000 from the authorized grade-crossing elimination bond issue to parkway and highway construction. The other amendment, to extend the term of state senators from two to four years, was defeated.

National Defense.

The Legislature passed 55 laws pertaining to defense. Sixteen of these laws protect the civil, educational, occupational and property rights of men in service. Other laws provide for more airports, for mobilization of police forces, firemen, and health resources of the state, and for the creation of a commission to inventory transportation facilities; permit interstate compacts for conservation of oil; and provide for defense housing.

The number of men inducted into the army from New York State up to June 1, 1941, was 12,275 in the National Guard, and 78,223 draftees. The number registered for the draft was 1,719,649.

Up to July 12, 1941, there were set up 118 county and city defense councils. The State Director of Civilian Defense, Major General John F. O'Ryan, issued directions and forms for the enlistment of persons for civil defense duty.

The State Division of Commerce held several meetings, called clinics, to bring together representatives of large concerns with government contracts and small business men wishing to take subcontracts. These clinics have resulted, as of Aug. 11, 1941, in the letting of 55 contracts, with 236 more under consideration. This division has compiled an 'Industrial Directory of New York State' at the request of the Governor, giving the industrial resources of the state as a part of the defense program.

An inventory of idle plants in the state has also been completed by the inspection division of the Labor Department.

State Officers.

Governor, Herbert H. Lehman; Lieutenant Governor, Charles Poletti; Attorney-General, John J. Bennett, Jr.; Secretary of State, Michael F. Walsh; Commissioner of Education, Dr. Ernest E. Cole (to be succeeded on his retirement, July 1, 1942, by Dr. George D. Stoddard). The other elective position, that of Comptroller, is at present filled by Joseph V. O'Leary, appointed by the Governor to fill the unexpired term of Morris S. Tremaine, who died Oct. 12, 1941. A court decision based on technicalities barred the election of a new Comptroller in the November elections.

United States Senators:

Robert F. Wagner, James M. Mead.

1940: New York

Area and Population.

New York, the Empire State, has a land and water area of 49,204 sq. mi. It is the leading state in the Union in population, which, according to the 1940 census, is 13,479,142. Of these, more than half live in New York City. The state increase is 7.1 per cent, or 891,076, since 1930, when the population was 12,588,066. More than half of the increase, or 449,813 persons are residents of New York City.

The capital of the state is Albany, with a population of 130,577. The largest cities are New York, 7,454,995; Buffalo, 575,901; Rochester, 324,975; Syracuse, 205,967; Yonkers, 142,598; Utica, 100,518; Schenectady, 87,549, and Binghamton, 78,242. New York City and Albany are ports for ocean-going vessels.

Agriculture.

The greatest agricultural problem in the state is still the distribution of milk. Hearings have been conducted since Oct. 7, 1940, by the State Department of Agriculture, on the principle of $2.82 per hundred-weight for class 1 (drinking) milk as a base price paid to dairy farmers.

Meanwhile the Department of Agriculture awarded contracts to eight New York City handlers for supplying milk to 39 schools and low-income areas, and to the New York City Welfare Department for distribution at 596 free school-lunch centers. Milk supplied to schools will be made available to pupils at one cent for a half-pint, and free at centers where free school lunches are served. Handlers will receive a subsidy from the United States Surplus Marketing Administration averaging 5.67 cents a quart for quantities delivered in half-pint packages and 3.9 cents a quart for milk delivered in 40-quart cans.

On Nov. 20, 1940, the State Health Commissioner announced an amendment to the State Sanitary Code to be effective April 1, 1941, providing that only one grade of milk will be sold in upstate New York. Such a ruling was already in effect in New York City.

Industry.

New York's three leading manufacturing industries have to do with: (1) textiles and their products, including men's and women's clothing, knit goods, and millinery; (2) printing and publishing; and (3) food and kindred products. These three industries employ about 50 per cent of the total number of wage earners in the state. Approximately 75 per cent of the state's manufacturing plants are located in New York City.

Weekly earnings of all New York State factory employees, both office and shop, averaged $27.29 a week in 1939, as against $26.29 in 1938. In 1929 the average weekly earnings were $29.99.

From April 1, 1939, to December 31, 1939, there were 968,986 claims filed for unemployment insurance. Of these, 793,375 were found eligible. At the beginning of the year funds on hand for employment insurance totalled $138,189,795, and a net total of $80,019,224 was paid out during 1939. Persons registered with the state employment service as actively seeking work at the end of 1939 numbered 566,292.

Mineral Products.

Production of the state's most important minerals compared favorably in 1939 with the figures for 1938. Petroleum amounted to 5,098,000 bbl.; building stone had a value of $10,111,032, and cement added $9,866,102 to the state's resources. Gypsum, in which New York leads, amounted to 709,495 tons; and salt, in which the state stands second, totalled 2,041,492 tons. Production of pig iron and of coke were substantially increased over that of 1938, with 2,210,223 tons of the former and 4,468,437 tons of the latter.

Education.

During the 1938-39 school year, 2,244,134 pupils were enrolled in the public schools of the state, 1,513,303 in the elementary grades and 730,831 in the secondary. This was a decrease of 40,096 pupils in the elementary and an increase of 29,578 in the secondary schools from the 1937-38 figures. There were approximately 9,000 elementary schools in the state; 854 four-year high schools, 126 junior high schools, and 269 centralized schools. Private schools reporting to the Education Department for the 1938-39 school year enrolled 93,945 pupils from 287 academies.

The number of teachers in the public high schools was 25,999, their average salary being $2,400 in cities and $1,500 in rural districts; teachers in the public elementary schools numbered 56,393, their average salary being $2,100 in cities and $1,300 in rural districts. The cost of maintaining the public schools in 1938-39 was $347,775,704.30 of which the state contributed $123,885,607.96. The amount of state aid appropriated for the 1939-40 school year was $116,780,809, which represented a 2 per cent reduction authorized by law.

A law passed in 1940 requires the State Commissioner of Education to allow absences from school for religious education and observances. In New York City this requirement has been met by allowing such absence during the last school hour on Wednesday for attendance at approved religious centers of the three denominations: Catholic, Jewish and Protestant.

Public Finances.

The total revenue receipts paid into the state treasury for the fiscal year 1939-1940 amounted to $393,542,188.97. This was $33,766,140.95 more than the previous year. The increased revenue was due almost entirely to increased alcoholic beverage and beer taxes, and the cigarette tax. The cigarette tax yielded $20,436,776.60. Although the racing season had hardly begun at the end of the fiscal year 1939-1940, the pari-mutuel tax had already yielded $2,056,560.06.

Social Welfare.

Home-relief expenditures in the state for the fiscal year 1938-1939 totalled $146,757,240, or $97,191,441 in New York City and $49,565,799 upstate. Old-age assistance amounted to $32,951,197: $16,023,540 for New York City and $16,927,657 upstate. Aid to dependent children totalled $21,003,834: $15,097,023 for New York City, $5,906,811 upstate. Assistance to the blind amounted to $800,539: $466,253 for New York City and $334,286 upstate.

Legislation.

The Legislature was in regular session from January 3 to April 29, 1940. On October 22 a special session was held, to provide for absentee voting for the National Guard in training camps, and to extend the voting hours in the state until 9 P.M. for the 1940 general election.

The greatest problem which confronted the Legislature in 1940 was the establishment of a system of pari-mutuel betting on horse racing. This was authorized by Section 9, Article I, of the Constitution, as adopted by the voters in 1939. The bill became law on March 31, 1940. Pari-mutuel betting was legally inaugurated on April 15th. As estimated by the racing associations, the total tax revenue from this system, received by the state at the end of the 1940 racing season, which lasted only 174 days on 5 tracks, amounted to $5,572,727.

Other important legislation enacted at the regular session included authority for credit unions to establish a central credit union insurance fund; the establishment of a savings-bank life-insurance fund in the state banking department; laws prohibiting unlicensed resale of theater and other amusement tickets, and permission to charge fees from visitors at historic sites, except that children under 16 are to be admitted free. Among other new and increased fees were the following: $3 for certificates for librarians' and teachers' licenses; professional license fees increased from $1 to $2.25; license fee for private trade schools raised from $25 to $50, annual renewal from $10 to $20; renewal of correspondence school license increased from $10 to $20.

The sale of fireworks is now prohibited except for public display purposes.

The state was authorized to acquire the Bear Mountain Bridge across the Hudson, near West Point, at a price not exceeding $2,300,000, to be collected in tolls. The sum of $100,000 to the Conservation Department was appropriated for a program of information and publicity to induce more travel over New York state routes and for general advertising of the attractions and advantages of the state. An amendment to the State Constitution was adopted by the Legislature authorizing a 'lump-sum' budget, the subject of much controversy in 1939. This amendment will have to be passed again in 1941 before it is submitted to the people. (See also MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.)

National Defense.

The subject of greatest interest to Governor Lehman in 1940 was the state's part in the national defense program. New York's strategic position and important resources in industry would make it one of the key states for attack. In order to speed up production, increase the manufacturing of war material in the state, and bring to the national defense all the agencies available, the Governor created on Aug. 1, 1940, a State Council of National Defense. Charles Poletti, the Lieutenant-Governor, was appointed vice-chairman and Thomas L. J. Corcoran, secretary.

In connection with defense preparations the Governor has inaugurated: (1) a census of important manufacturing establishments in the state; (2) the organization of the police as a home defense unit; (3) a survey of available medical service; and (4) an investigation of subversive activities.

State Officers.

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, Dr. Ernest E. Cole.

United States Senators:

Robert F. Wagner, James M. Mead.

1939: New York

Area and Population.

New York state has a total land and water area of 49,204 sq. mi. The population, according to the latest Federal estimate, July 1, 1937, was 12,959,000. Over 7,500,000 live in New York City. The native white population according to the last Federal census (1930) was 8,958,744; foreign-born whites, 3,191,549; Negroes, 412,814; other races 24,959. The greatest numbers of foreign-born whites were Italians, 629,322; Russians, 481,306; Poles, 350,383; Germans, 349,196; and Irish, 251,704. In 1930 the urban population was 10,521,952 to 2,066,114 rural.

The capital of the state is Albany, with a population of 127,412. The largest cities are New York, 6,930,446 (1930); Buffalo, 573,076; Rochester, 328,132; and Syracuse, 209,326. Other important cities are Yonkers, 134,646; Utica, 101,740; Schenectady, 95,692 and Binghamton, 76,662. New York City and Albany are ports for ocean-going vessels. Buffalo is an important Great Lakes port.

Agriculture.

In 1939 milk control was still, as in 1938, the important agricultural problem of the state. On February 21, 1939, the Rogers-Allen milk-control bill was declared unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court, and the Legislature proceeded to correct the unconstitutional defects pointed out by the Court. The dairy farmers at a mass meeting in Albany overwhelmingly demanded regulation substantially as provided in the law. On June 5, 1939, the United States Supreme Court reversed the decision of the State Court. However, on June 7 the Nunan bill making the changes was signed by the Governor.

Mineral Products.

Production of petroleum, which has recently led in value among the state's native mineral resources, compared favorably in 1938, at an estimated 5,045,000 bbl., with that of the preceding year when the figures were 5,478,000 bbl. valued at about $14,140,000. Next in value was stone, the amount shipped in 1938 totaling 10,061,250 tons, worth $10,527,452. Marketed production of natural gas was estimated from preliminary figures to have fallen in 1938 somewhat below the all-time peak of 1937 when it amounted to 21,325,000 M. cu. ft. valued at $12,388,000. There was, however, continued activity and further development in the rich Oriskany fields. The output of salt, in which New York ranks second among the states, was close to that of 1937, at 1,717,064 tons. Sand and gravel were also fairly stationary in amount and value, with 13,566,370 tons valued at $6,493,099. Production of gypsum, a product in which New York leads, was slightly below that of 1937 and amounted to 601,394 tons. Shipments of Portland cement in 1938 were 5,720,922 bbl.

In accordance with the general industrial recession of the year 1938, shipments of pig iron and coke were both below the figures for 1937. The former was down more than fifty per cent, with a total of 1,222,832 tons valued at $25,450,764 in 1938, compared with 2,702,072 tons valued at $55,789,609 in the preceding year; coke was reduced from 4,946,964 tons to 3,948,833 tons.

Industry.

New York state ranks first in manufacturing, having according to the 1937 biennial census of manufactures 29,749 factories, employing 995,658 wage earners. The average weekly earnings, including all employees in both office and shop, in 1938, were $26.29.

The Unemployment Insurance Fund amounted to $138,189,795 on December 31, 1938. The sum of over $87,330,639 has been paid out to 1,289,204 unemployed beneficiaries during the past year.

Education.

During the 1938-39 school year 2,260,652 pupils were enrolled in the public schools of the state, which include 1,553,399 elementary, and 707,253 secondary schools. There are about 10,000 elementary school districts in the state, 761 high schools, 125 registered junior high schools, and 199 operating centralized schools. Reporting private schools enrolled 91,378 pupils, but it is estimated that there are about 275,000 others in elementary schools which do not report to the Education Department. The number of teachers in public high schools in the state was 25,200, their average salary being $2400 in cities, and $1500 in rural districts; in public elementary schools the number was 57,254, their average salary being $2100 in cities, $1300 in rural districts. The approximate cost for maintaining the public schools in 1937-38 was $354,109,166.20, of which the state contributed $122,221,102.36. This makes the average cost per pupil $148.32.

The 1939 Legislature provided for free bus transportation and health services to children attending parochial and other private schools, in addition to those in the public schools. It is estimated that this will add more than $1,000,000 to the cost of education.

Legislation.

The most important legislation enacted during the 1939 session of the Legislature, which lasted from January 4th through May 20th, with an extraordinary session from June 23 through July 10, included the levying of a cigarette tax of 2 cents a package, or one cent on every ten or a fraction sold at retail; an increase in the liquor tax of 50 cents a gallon; levying of income tax on salaries of Federal employees; laws effectuating the new constitutional provision reducing from 50 per cent to 15 per cent the cost to be assessed on railroads for grade-crossing elimination. Laws were also passed barring from civil service and teaching positions persons advocating the overthrow of the government; prohibiting alien organizations from wearing uniforms resembling those of foreign countries; permitting banks to close Saturdays during July and August; empowering recodification of the insurance law; permitting osteopaths to perform minor surgical operations and administer drugs upon satisfactory proof of qualifications; providing for equal representation of the sexes on political party committees; reducing the waiting period between issuance of a marriage license and the performance of the ceremony to 24 hours, with the proviso, however, that 3 days must elapse between the serological test and the performance of the ceremony.

One of the important Constitutional Amendments acted upon exempted from the Constitutional prohibition against gambling such pari-mutuel betting on horse races as may be prescribed by the Legislature, the revenue to be used for the support of the government; this law was approved by the people in November 1939. Another Constitutional amendment, increasing the term of state senators from 2 to 4 years. must be referred to the Legislature again in 1941.

The total number of bills passed was 927. The Governor vetoed 306 other bills which had passed both houses of the Legislature. (See UNITED STATES: Politics; Supreme Court Decisions.)

Finance.

The greatest financial problem which confronted the state in 1939 was the reduction of the budget. The Governor's executive budget for 1939-40 called for an appropriation of $415,019,541.82, which was reduced by the sum of $23,289,300.44 to $391,730,241.38. The reduction affected most severely the Department of Correction, and state aid for education and highways.

The Governor's budget was submitted in 'line-by-line items,' that is, each salary and expenditure was listed. When the Legislature reduced this budget it changed the form to 'lump sum' appropriations, allotting a certain amount to each department to be expended as the department heads planned. The Governor questioned the constitutionality of this form of appropriation, obtained an opinion from the Attorney-General that it was unconstitutional, and finally, after the Legislature persisted in passing the budget bill in its 'lump sum' form, took the matter to the courts. There it was declared unconstitutional by both the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. Therefore, on June 23 the Governor recalled the Legislature to pass his constitutional budget. This litigation and the consequent extra session of the Legislature cost the state over $90,000.

The total revenue receipts paid into the New York state treasury for the fiscal year 1938-39 amounted to $359,776,048.02. This was $28,208,077.42 less than the preceding year. The largest decrease in revenue was in the personal income tax. The deficit for 1938-39 was $28,862,403.35.

Public Welfare, and Correction.

Some of the services rendered by New York's million dollars-a-day government include the support of 64 institutions, grouped by state departments, as follows: Health Department, 5 institutions, including the State Hospital for the Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis at Raybrook; Department of Social Welfare, 4 institutions, including the State Training School for Girls at Hudson, and the New York State Agricultural and Industrial School at Industry; Department of Mental Hygiene, 24 institutions, including State Hospitals at Binghamton, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Central Islip, Creedmoor, Marcy, Middletown, Rochester, Utica, and Willard, and Craig Colony at Sonyea for epileptics; Department of Correction, 14 institutions, including Matteawan State Hospital at Beacon for insane criminals, Dannemora State Hospital for male felons who have become insane, Albion State Training School for mentally defective female prisoners, Elmira Reformatory for first offender male felons between the ages of 16 and 30, and New York State Vocational Institution at West Coxsackie for male prisoners 16 to 18 years old; Education Department, 17 institutions, including State Colleges of Agriculture, Home Economics and Veterinary Medicine at Ithaca, operated in cooperation with Cornell University, and State College of Forestry operated in cooperation with Syracuse University; as well as 2 State Colleges for Teachers at Albany and Buffalo, and 9 Normal Schools.

Social Welfare.

During 1938, it is estimated that a daily average of 1,081,000 persons in New York State received public assistance. The amount spent included $31,009,110 for old-age assistance, $17,448,016 for aid to dependent children, $709,703 for aid to the blind, and $149,192,939 for home relief.

Housing.

The 1939 New York law, which in effect sets up a 'Little USHA' for the state, makes available annually a total of $150,000,000 in state loans and $1,000,000 in state subsidies for dwellings for low-income families. For the 1939-40 fiscal year, about one-third of this amount will be available.

Under the Act, municipalities and local housing authorities may borrow from the state, and the state may grant to localities annual subsidies which must be matched dollar for dollar, either in cash or tax exemptions. Municipalities also are empowered to make loans to housing authorities, to limited-dividend companies, and to owners of multiple dwellings who plan remodeling and rehabilitation in accordance with authority regulations.

Municipalities are allowed to go into debt up to 2 per cent of their assessed valuation for the furtherance of low-rent housing. They are permitted to levy any of six specific kinds of taxes, not including real estate, to pay this debt.

Housing authorities may issue their own bonds to cover the cost of a project or they may borrow funds from the Federal, state and municipal governments, but may not mingle Federal and state aid in financing the same project.

State Officers.

Elected state officers, as of 1939-40: Governor, Herbert H. Lehman; Lieutenant Governor, Charles Poletti; Comptroller, Morris S. Tremaine; and Attorney-General, John J. Bennett, Jr. The Secretary of State is Michael F. Walsh; and the Commissioner of Education, Dr. Frank P. Graves. In November 1939 Judge Irving Lehman was elected Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals.

United States Senators.

Robert Wagner, James M. Mead.

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).