The 134 areas have been selected to include all areas with a central city or cities of 75,000 population; and, in addition, a number of smaller areas were included in erder to insure reasonable geographic and industrial coverage for all sections of the country. These areas accounted for more than 80 percent of all the employ. ment in munitions industries prior to the Japanese surrender and for about 70,000,000 of the Nation's 127,000,000 civilian population.

The distribution of lay-offs, by areas, has changed considerably from the preceding week. Whereas the Seattle-Bremerton, Wash., area reported last week a release of 23,700 workers, the largest of any area, only 4,500 were reported for the preceding week. Other areas with lay-offs in excess of 10,000 are Los Angeles, Calif., 18,900 as against 14,000 in the preceding week; Detroit, Mich. 21,000 as compared with 15,000; New York area, 22,000 as against 30,000. Releases this week have been relatively greater in the large metropolitan areas, Of the total lay-offs, three-fourths occurred in areas with a population of 500,000 or more, whereas last week these areas accounted for about two-thirds. These areas represent about two-thirds of the population in the 134 areas.

Both relatively and absolutely the New England States had the smallest number of workers released, with only 4,200 being displaced, or about one-half of the preceding week's figure, with most of the lay-offs occurring in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In the Mid-Atlantic States, 47,000 workers were displaced, or a reduction of 15,000 from the preceding week's total; 8 areas in New York State accounted for 27,000 of this total; 8 areas in Pennsylvania and 5 areas in New Jersey for 10,000 and 11,000, respectively.

The East-North-Central States released 53,400 workers, or approximately the same number as in the preceding week, with 7 areas in Michigan displacing 24,300; 0 areas in Illinois, 8,000; 7 areas in Indiana, 7,200; 8 areas in Ohio, 11,600; and 3 areas in Wisconsin, 2,200. Lay-offs in the West-North-Central States totaled 14,400, or about 3,500 less than in the preceding week, with 3 areas in Missouri releasing 4,900; 2 in Minnesota, 3,900; and 1 in Kansas (Wichita), 3,500.

The releases in the Southern States dropped by about 12,500 to 40,800, with 1 area in Kentucky (Louisville) releasing 4,900; the District of Columbia, 4,500; 2 areas in Virginia, 4,000; 4 areas in West Virginia, 3,500; 4 areas in Tennessee, 3,900; and 7 areas in Texas, 4,700.

Only in the Western States did the number of workers released last week exceed the previous week's figure. As a group, these States released 65.000 workers, the largest number of any region and an increase of 27,000 over the preceding week's total. Of these lay-offs, due mainly to releases in the shipbuilding and aircraft industries, about 24,600 occurred in 3 Washington areas, nearly all in Seattle-Bremerton; 31,000 in 6 California areas, with the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas accounting for 18,900 and 7,500, respectively; and 1 area in Oregon (Portland-Vancouver), 8,200.

The United States Employment Service continued to report a substantial number of job openings listed with the local employment office, principally in wholesale and retail trade, service activities, construction, and such other manufac turing as food processing, textiles, and apparel. It should be noted, however. that many of the job openings are at wage rates which do not compare favorably with war industry wage rates or the rates normally found in the heavy manufac turing industries now undergoing reconversion. Nationally, approximately 60 percent of job openings listed with the United States Employment Service offices are at hourly wage rates below 75 cents, with a significant number below 50 cents. Moreover, in States such as Michigan, which experienced extremely large releases of workers since the Japanese surrender, the United States Employment Service local office unfilled openings are relatively few.

There is attached a brief narrative description of the impact of lay-offs from September 1 through September 7 upon each of the 134 areas.