Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-15

QUESTION asked very frequently today, when
~ ever people in any branch of the paper line
meet, is this: ''What do you think of the pres
ent paper situahonq"
The answers are manifold and varied One man pre-
diets that prices going to drop the next feels
sure that they not and that they liable to go
up again in the fall.
One man feels that prices are too high already and
the next is satisfied there are good reasons for
their being at their present level.
One thing is very sure: We would all like to know
what the future holds for the paper buyer and the
paper seller.
Very much has been written about the paper situa-
ton and very much that has been written about paper
might just as readily have been written about many
another staple article of commerce
Out of all that might be said written, it would
seem that three things may be agreed upon:
First that at this stage the facts may be known
to why paper is at the present price.
Second that some little prognostication prophecy
or forecast may be made to the future, based on
present conditions.
Third, that the present prices are not where they
are except definite result of the law of supply and
demand and in sense due to the cooperation of
any class of manufacturers or merchants
WHY PAPER PRICES ARE HIGH
Dealing with the question as to why prices are where
they today certain facts stand out very evidently
This is country of high prices, and always will be-
In the first place, large element in this fact is the
high wages paid our workingmen everywhere
This element since the first day of January 1916,
has been extremely active in the putting up
of the price of papers Most of the paper mills in the
country have had to go three shifts if not previ-
ousy working. This has meant an advance of fifty
per cent in their pay roll covering those engaged,
because the reduction of hours never includes any
duction in the weekly pay roll.
Practically all the day help in the paper mills have
had, having, their hours reduced from fy-four
to fifty per week. This involves increase in their
pay per hour Add to this the necessary increases all
along the line, owing to the tremendous demand for
labor the decrease in the supply because of the falling
off in immigration and the exodus of much of our
labor to European armies. This is further materially
aggravated by the fact that the muniton plants have
been willing to pay very much higher wages than the
ordinary SCALE and such increases have amounted to
about ten per cent.
Right here then we have one reason for the advance
of paper cost and it be forgotten that such
reason operates only in the productive labor but
through the nonproductive labor which increases the
expense of operation from top to bottom
Will any one who is dissatisfied with the increase in
the price Of paper ook around his plant and count
up the ordinary supplies which have not been in
creased in price in the last three four months The
paper manufacturers certainly find very few of such
items. All hardware all building materials, repair
materials felts, wires all replacement parts, in fact
all supplies have advanced from five to one hundred
and more Fer cent.
People who are considering the price of paper must
realize that all of these supplies-so-caed expense
supplies-go into the cost of making paper, just as
surely as do rags, pulp, or whatever material paper
consists Of
Consider next certain elements that enter into the
making of paper which do not appear the surface
alum, bleach starch sizing, etc. If the market is
tested these items it will be discovered that they
have advanced from sixty to hundred per cent and
The very wrappers in which paper is wrapped
have gone up over hundred per cent
1t very plain therefore that if the material out of
which paper made had not advanced particle al
of these increases of labor expense supplies, etc.
would have compelled very definite increase in the
cost of paper.