South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-12-22
NEW WORKERS TO
ENJOY CHRISTMAS
Plenty of Money There Now
and Everybody Seems to
Have a Good Job.

NEW YORK. Dec 22-This is "A
Merry Christmas indeed for New
York. One year ago 10000 work
ers Of the big city were out OF jobs.
There was suffering in many homes.
Public and private philanthropy
was taxed The l. " W. found a
fertile field for demonstrations. The
business man was chary of his gifts
and the average father Of a family
shut his lips firmly when approach
ed on the subject OF Yuletide allow
ances.
What change Take "a walk
through the great department stores.
You will walk indeed. and walk very
slowly. too. The crowds are like the
throngs about the free side show at
the circus. Purchasers from the
beautiful things piled high on the
tables find il difficult 10 get a clerk
10 wait on them without a long de-
lay.
Prices OF everything are high. an
other sign Of good times. No need
OF bargain sales when the difdculty
Is only in handling the business. In
stead Of details Of comparative
prices. some Of the stores simply
print full page and double truck"
ornamental advertisements in the
newspapers. an artistic poster-ike
advertisement with never a dollar
sign 10 mar the word Of good cheer.
Newspapers Are Bulky.
The newspapers in some cases are
printing the largest issue Of their
careers. one daily has just printed
the largest regular evening edition
ever published in the United States.
Buy. buy. buy, say the news
stands and the bnlbOards. but the
hurrying mob is too busy doing just
tEat thing to notice.
The postOfices are performing
herculean tasks. The parcel post
departments are graphing with a
vast problem. The money order
clerks are dispatching tens of mill
lions Of dollars in Christmas gifts
to the "old folks back across the
Atlantic in war-saddened Europe.
In the big hotels rooms are scarce
and the dining halls are agIow with
a spirit Of affuence Leadership in
the spending is claimed by the nu-
merous army Of war babies" This
name was first given TO kiting mu-
milton stocks nd has now been con-
ferred on their favorites, the tens
of thousands who have grown rich
through speculation in the war Sc
cUrities.
Their name is legion and they are
stock market winners. The public
Is a bull. This time the public was
right. again.. and again right. For
tunes were made by the lambs
who had never won anything before
and were always considered the Ie-
climate prey of the professional
wolves Of Wall st.
Young clerks who started last
summer with $500 of their earnings
now prance through the onyx lob
bies with women friends on their
arms, intent on burning up i'm bub-
bling yellow water a part Of that
$50,000 or perhaps $500 600 which
their bank book now shows.
Everybody is Spending.
Liberality IN spending is to be
noted, too, in the more conservative
classes. the solid business men who
have made profits in war stocks or
have simply shared in the general
boom reelected in bank clearances
for the country so per cent above
those OF the same period last year.
Old time Christmas bonuses are
the rule in the princely offices that
crowd the skyscraper district below
city hall. Two weeks extra salary
as a token of good wishes from the
boss" Is common and some stock
exchange firms will recognize the
strenuous days and nights when
their employees slept at times on
cots in the office by paying a half
years compensation I'm a lump.
Even the figuring father-without
n certificate OF war stock. without
even "a hundred dollars wherewith
to speculate, living from hand to
mouth in the good old-fashioned
American manner realizing the full
meaning OF the Yankee custom Of
spending the savings OF a quarter of
year each December on useless
Swings inclined TO smile as he
opens the worn old wallet.
For the spirit of optimism is here.
A reaction from the forebodings of
last winter has come. America has
weathered one stoTm-others may
be coming, but today we forget our
troubles, we turn our eyes from the
CHASTITY scene across the water, for
the moment we leave preparedness
IN the hands OF congress. and enjoy
our Christmas tree I'm the warm
front parlor OF our Uncle sam