The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-01

week before the holidays. somewhere
between 100000 and 100000 men
aere idle. which would be approxi
mately or per cent of the men
| employed in the country. The entire
number of the employed includes the
presidents of the railroads as well as
the conductors of the trains, the Of
feers of the steel companies as well as
the mill employees and. in fact, in
cludes all men who devote their time
10 any business, receiving a remune-
ration therefor. As from l to 8 per
cent of the country's male adult popu-
lation is always idle. the added number
idle month ago was not so unusual as
was generally supposed. Even an ex-
ira 100000 idle men. however, affects
he whole business fabric and no one
factor is doing more to create an op-
tnistic feeling among business peo-
pie generally than the returning to
work of thousands of these men.
Within six days about $4,000 men re-
turned to work in the iron and steel
industries. This means living in
come for 10000 more people depend
ont on these men. Every time another
thousands men are added to the pay
rolls, business generally is given a
| boost and If the present rate of re-
| employment continues. the number of
Idle men on February / will not be
greater. If as great, as the average
number idle on that date for the past
10 years
| "fhe Presidents pronouncement of
the attitude of the government toward
| big business has been wei received.
The following extract from the mes
sage which he read to Congress on
January 20, indicates that business
will be allowed to adjust itself to the
laws and changing conditions without
being seriously disturbed. What we
lare purposing to do, therefore, is, hap
PLY, not to hamper or interfere with
business as enlightened bushes men
prefer to do 1t, or in any sense to put
Il under the ban. The antagonism
between business and government is
over. We are now about to give ex-
preston to the best business Judgment
of America. to what we know to be
the business conscience and honor of
the land. The government and busi-
ness men are ready to meet each other
halfway In a common effort to square
business methods with both public
opinion and the law The only ex-
preston in the message which seems
to have been misunderstood is the
phrase referring to honorable sur
with these words. even though they
ray have been unhappily chosen, if
he will carefully read the entire text
of the Presidents message 1t is quite
apparent that honorable surrender
was meant to mean in this instance
not the surrender of our business nor
Yet the surrender of our rights. but
the laying down of our arms and the
cessation of hostile discussion and ac-
ton. Peace is desired by all and ap-
parently business peace is nearer ours
I han 1t has been for some years past
The war between the government and
big business has been at least a seven
year war. which has benefited no one.
1t is. therefore, to be hoped that the
President is right in saying that. we
are now about to write the additional
articles of our constitution of peace. the
! peace that is honor and freedom and
pros perity.'
Business failures for December num-
| bered 1914. compared with 1911 for the
/ same month of 1912 and total liabilities
were $S1 100000, compared with $4,000 900
| IN the same month of the previous year
| Busines failures We're heavy during the
entire year of 1918 and the first few weeks
of 1914 will probably show a similar con-
dition. The atmosphere is clearing and
failures should be less as the season ad-
vances.
In the iron and steel trade, the great
est changes have taken place since our
last report. A month ago the entire iron
and steel industry was operating at prob
! ably not more than 80 per cent of ca
| pacity. Since the first of the year output
/ has been increased materially and a ma
! jority of the men who We're idle are
! either already at work or will be on the
payrolls again before February 1. Add-
tional furnaces are being put in opera
| ton almost daily and the booking of Or
ders so far for the month has been most
! satisfactory.
1.-The bitumnous coal market is active
| but weak. Both labor and cars are plen-
tiful but as stocks are heavy at the
ports, production, if not decreased by
labor troubles, will have to be curtailed
! soon.
Gold production for last year in the