Evening star., 1914-08-15
COUNTRY SHOWS NO
ALARM OVER WAR
Business as a Whole Is on
Solid Basis Except at
Few Seaports.
OPTIMISTIC CONDITIONS
PREVAIL IN THE WEST
All Important Cities, However, Re-
port Unjustiied Rise in Price
of Retail Foodstufs.

Dispatches from most of the CONNER
cial centers of the country show that
so far the European conflict has not
materially affected business. except at
some eastern seaports. Reports from
southern and western cities are opti-
mistic. Colorado and other western
states have not felt any i'll effects be-
cause of the war and do not expect
any.
All the important cities report, how
ever. that dealers in foodstuffs have
substantially advanced retail prices
without any apparent reason for doing
so.
Secretary Houston Of the Department
Of Agriculture points out that the
United States is practically the only
food producing country undis ebed
and that there will be a great demand
for our foodstuffs. particularly If Eng
land, France and Russia control the
seas. as those countries receive the
bulk of our exports.
Philadelphia Wool Market Strong.
PHILADELPHIA. Pa. August Is
Manufacturers in this city and terri
tory report a falling off in trade, due
to inadequate shipping facilities. war
risks and higher rates of exchange.
Improvement in freight traffic is
shown in the slightly heavier move
ment of coal. manufacturers taking
larger quantities in proportion for in
creased activity. which. 1t is predicted,
will shortly materialiZe.
The dullness in the textile trades,
knitting, hosiery, underwear and all
allied Industries. is chiefly due, manu-
facturers say. to the slump in cotton
Food prices of July 81, before the war
had affected the markets, when COM
pared with prices obtained today from
representative dealers, showed startling
fGpcreases, particularly in beef and
pork.
Wool is very strong in spots in this
market. The tendency is toward higher
prices and manufacturers are buying
more freely.
Baltimore Retailers Raise Prices.
BALTIMORE. Md, August Is. - The
wars effect upon commerce, mercantile
| trade and business generally in Balti-
more is becoming apparent. The only
business improved the past week is the
coal traffic. Southern merchants are
curtailing their orders for goods for fall
delivery, particularly in the dry goods,
notions and shoe lines There appears to
Baltimore grain elevators.
The food price situation is becoming
| serious. The advance in the price of
! groceries and other staples and in meats
increases generally. and seems to be un-
warranted.
Chicago Domestic Trading Good.
| CHICAGO, August 15-Effects of the
European war in and around Chicago are
l 70 nf n a
rious large industrial plants, notably the
international Harvester and Western
Electric. Companies, have been laid off
business report increase.
| Business Of the large Chicago mail
order concerns is good. julius Rosen-
wald. president of Sears, Roebuck & Co.
said today that general sales are ahead
of those in August last year. a large
gain being shown in the grocery business
An officer of Montgomery Ward & Co
said:
1.-The European war has affected our
business very little American consump-
tion has kept up very well. and We have
(, scarcely felt any influence of the war
upon our home trade
Wholesale dry goods houses and other
houses report an unusual number of new
buyers arriving in the Chicago market
| to make purchases. In the group are
| buyers tioul HoW Aoi NJ DetoiS <aiiu Svei
from the Pacific coast, who. in othel
years, have not come here.
Atlanta Not Affected So Far,
ATLANTA. Ga. August 15. Genera.
trade in the Atlanta district SO far has
not been affected by the war. in. Europe
save for increases in the price Of certain
foodstuffs. A major portion of the nava
stores output j Georgia and Florida /.
sent abroad and the sudden embargo
placed on exports by the war has result
ed in complete stagnation in Savannah
and Jacksonville.
The cotton mills in this district have
not been affected by the war, and will no
be, as they export none Of their output
II the embargo on shipping continues
however, 1t will hurt cotton growers. &
some plan Is devised whereby the crol