European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 13, 1981, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 20 the stars and stripes february mixed signals on a key Issue by William Serrin new York times in each american farm worker supplied enough food products for in each Farmer supplied by the beginning of the each Farmer supplied More than 65 this growth in food production is generally hailed As a Clear example of the Genius of americas Farmers and of agricultural but it seems to have led to an Overly optimistic impression of the output of the nations work Force As a according to the department of farm productivity increased about twice As fast As productivity in manufacturing for much of this As a the Economys Overall growth in productivity during the period is somewhat because lagging Industrial productivity was masked by Agri cultures dramatic that the figures were accepted uncritically for years by economic policymakers indicates How poorly the subject of productivity was productivity is being discussed today As never before it was an Issue in the 1980 presidential dozens of productivity centers have been established around the country and seminars Are being conducted to see what America can do to increase its the Standard Way to measure productivity is to deter mine the amount of goods and services produced per hour of by this private business productivity in the United including declined through most of last dropping three tenths of 1 percent and three tenths of 1 percent in the first three Only once in the late 1970s in when productivity Rose percent has productivity reached the Levels of the 1950s and some of the nations bellwether manufacturing such As steel and were among those suffering most from lagging Many economists argue that declining productivity contributes to they say that wage increases in excess of productivity gains tend to be inflationary be cause they increase demand without a proportionate in crease in Many factors Are blamed for the productivity problem government Lack of research investment by Lazy inept manag a tax system fostering consumption and discouraging but much of that is Sar director of the Center for social policy studies at George Washington he argues that the nations Economy has matured and is continuing a 30year change from an Industrial to a service productivity gains Are now much harder to achieve or to he and estimates Are not proposals abound for improving but their effect has been a National productivity coun cil was created in but it has met Only four times and has had no meetings since january a 14month government the Domestic policy review of Industrial issued in called at my there Are few things that excite me laundry that smells fresh Doest do Nei ther does unclogging my nasal passages or checking out the mens underwear ads at but when i read about a tour of Swiss chocolate Facto Ries scheduled to leave new York March 21 and return on March became quite dizzy and had to sit you Are either a chocolate disciple or youre if you you Are shameless in your lust for when a stranger unwraps a Candy bar and throws a wrapper in a trash you will snatch the Bury you face in it lagging gains in productivity data based on average yearly in percent farm 19661970 19711975 19761980 through nonfarm 19601965 19661970 19711975 i 19761980 through source Bureau of labor statistics for establishment of four programs to Spur but Only and that on a Small is in Herbert director of the Center for policy alternatives at the Massachusetts Institute of tech nolo has proposed the creation of a series of government supported productivity centers around the country to advise companies on ways to improve much around the turn of the helped Farmers achieve greater in the efforts to increase productivity by providing increased capital formation to Spur invest ment in new machines and factories seem Likely to be endorsed by the new but much of the Effort already under Way to increase productivity involves expanded use of and that Means More displacement of workers and the accompanying social the cheap computer is and its going to put a lot of people out of said Robert a Ford foundation work other people studying computer technology believe that during the rest of the As the nation introduces new machines and fundamental and sometimes difficult problems will be encountered by Many displaced particularly in the old Indus tries like and believes that ultimately displaced workers will be either through retire ment or by finding new in the computer and related industries Are expected to provide vast num Bers of new jobs for future but increased productivity involves far More than machines and we know that productivity is a function of technology and said Jerome president of the work in America Institute a private work study but we must continually Bear in mind that nothing happens until people that labor and management make it As for labors unions have generally accepted the introduction of new machines and meth ods As Long As jobs of present workers were Guaran teed or workers were financially compensated for lost work or retrained for other that sort of Trade off is endorsed by of the nation must learn to anticipate technological he and workers displaced by innovation must be we must be More he and lick like something wild until there is nothing you will forget your station at parties and run an unwashed Finger around the Bottom of the cake plate to get to the excess you will lie to your children and Tell them you washed the pan you made the fudge in when in fact you have hidden it in the oven to eat you will pilfer bits of chocolate that you have no intention of sharing with on a vacation i hid a piece chocolate in the lining of my purse and when the kids saw me chewing on i told them it was a you Are basically quite As far As i can the chocolate tour is a real break through in i have Felt for a Long time that people have had it with fat Angels on Cathedral ceilings and statues White from Pigeon its not too crazy to assume that soon there will be pub crawling Tours of win tasting Tours of and pasta Tours of be my beating heart but the Cadillac of Tours is bound to be that elite group of pacesetters the chocolate that rare Breed of connoisseurs who leave new York each year As a single occupancy and end up nine Days later As those Gutsy tourists who can finally come out of the closet where Treyve been eating cupcakes behind the storage Bafs and go those unloving pilgrims who will bring elastic waistbands Back into who save their Money All year to make the Pil Grimage to our lady of bad and those when someone How did you find the Alps will it needs More c Field enter rests