D 9 *'~,BUSINESS & FINANCE  
For the first time since Americans conceded in the 1800s that Washington was, indeed, the nationÛªs capital and federal agencies became the major source of employment, the United States government has been replaced as the areaÛªs top provider of jobs.</br></br>As of the end of 1978, the federal government was edged out among em-1 ployment sectors in metropolitan Washington by jobs in the service industryÛÓa broad category of people, many of whom spend their time try-</br></br>In January, according to the D.C. Department of Labor, metropolitan service industry employment totaled 360,300 compared with 359,700 persons working for the federal government. A year earlier, there were 353,100 federal workers and 344,100 in the services industries.</br></br>That represents a one-year increase of some 16,000 jobs in services while the federal payroll increased only 6,600 with most new jobs in both sectors located in the suburbs of Washington.</br></br>government remains far ahead with a January payroll of 227,600 workers compared with 225,800 a year earlier. D.C. services employment rose more rapidly, however, to 159,600 from 152,-800.