Evening star., 1914-11-21
General Business Iuprovement.

Fro-7 ever~ side ccre reports of busi-
ness revival. Ncs: ro:ecs among the
.-ace announcements S-e :ho9e that
tell of large cr5s-s -ecs:-sd for war
materials CT -ar.o:s ls.2ds. II is evi-
dent that during ne 1sz; .sT months
American mills s-t. <ac:oT,ss viii be
vail occupied n re s-rTl- OF these
r-quis:lions. which -a2ge IL me way
rom korssshoes g s:ssi .rsots for
the making CT pro.ec:.le=. from foot
war Tor the soldiers 20 special foods.
n large part of ne neeT~ var cost OF
the beii-gerenr nations LII be spent in
America IN Il.is -s:- forming mate
rIai compensation IoZ IIe loss OF Amer
ican trade through ne closing OF ports
and The partial susPeas;o- oI sea traf-
fic
b. more gratifying tGa, these for
eigp war orders are me Indications
fro al sides CT general revival CT
bus ness activity due 20 sacrea sed do
mestiC prosperity, There has been no
single paramount reason Tor the de-
pre- IS .oa from which rne country has
suffered during rhe past few months
Perhaps the chief factor n this slack
cuing OF trade has been the uncertainty
as TO legislation under which American
business has been conducted of late
That uncertainty is now resolved into
certainty. The Administrations legis-
lative program has been practically
completed. Business is adjus1iug it
self now 10 the conditions that il is we'll
assured will prevail during the next
three years at least. However certain
lines may have been affected by these
'enactments. it is virtually guaranteed
that there will be no further disturb
ance, and the present revival OF industry
is to be accepted as n token that tusi-
ness is rapidly adjusting itself to the
new political and international condi-
ticns
This change in the situation comes
most opportunely. Had the Legislative
program been in allegiance or in process
of enactment with the war in Europe
ra sing and with no immediate prospect
of 4 settlement on either account
American business conditions would
probably have been most deplorable
and the winter would have found a
great army of Americans out of em-
ployInent and with no prospect Of re-
lief. As 1t is. the virtual completion of
the administration lawmaking with
respect to business came just in sea-
son with respect to the favorable de-
velopment of the foreign influences
upon our trade.
The situation in the south. which
few weeks ago was most discouraging,
is now greatly improved through the
organization of 4 cotton loan pool by
the bankers of large northern cities,
under the auspices and with the ap-
proval Of the Treasury. With this
money available the south can meet
the emergency caused by the failure
of foreign demand for raw cotton and
thereby tide over the emergency which
at one time menaced the entire cotton
growing section OF the country with
disaster. simultaneously comes the
operation Of the reserve currency sys-
TEN, loosine an abundance of funds
for legitimate business purposes in all
parts of the country. Foreign trade.
irrespective Of the war, is improving
as American goods are finding their
way TO markets hitherto dominated
chiefly by the countries now engaged in
conflict
There is. in short, every prospect of
good times Immediately at hand.
whereas a month ago the outlook for
the winter was gloomy even to the
optimistic.