The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-18
CARSON SEES GREAT
 PROSPERITY AHEAD
 FOR UNITED STATES
Bridgeport Man, Visiting Birmingham, Talks on Industrial Conditions
 in America

James B. Carson of Bridgeport is at
 the Florence. In speaking of the inn
 proved conditions in the United States
 and especially in the New England
 states he said:
 At the present time this country is
 having one of the greatest eras of
 prosperity 1t has ever konwn. The
 prosperity has reached out all over the
 country, although it is more pro-
 nounced in some sections than others
 In the New England states the fac
 tories and industries of all sorts are
 doing a capacity business and some
 of them are so far behind on orders
 that they are refusing to take any
 additional ones.
 Much of the business is being done
 on account of the immense orders of
 the allies for war materials. The Ste vens Arms company recently landed an order for $60,000,000 worth of high powered rifles which are being built according to specifications of the Rus sian government. To fill this order it has been necessary for the company to enlarge it's plant and add thousands of worllmen to it's list. The case of the Stevens Arms company is only one of many Practically every manufacturer of ammunition, arms, steel and other commodities of war is booked to the 1 limit with war orders.
 1 Huge placards are posted in front or all these plants stating they need so
 many men to work, The ordinary ana = chinist, who is not an adept at his | trade, can now make from $4 to S6 of aiOht ic eri,y m a bonus at the conclusion of each 90 days. In Pittsburg the same thing applies. The large plants are exper- fencing all sorts of trouble in getting labor to aid in the manufacturing of the orders in hand. The strets in every town in New England and in fact all over the east and middle west are crowded each night with throngs of workers seeking diversion. The result is that the merchants, amusement man. agers. restaurants and all other lines of business are reaping a golden har- vest.
 Many people say that the minute peace is declared the United States will be in as bad condition as it was at the outbreak of the war In my opinion this is not true Most all of the orders for materials are not bound by any clause or contingency based on the sudden termination of the war. The contracts are for the materials as soon as possible and payment is guaranteed upon delivery.
 Even if the war would end tomor- row and all orders for war munitions were cancelled instanter, the United States would not long suffer from the sudden inactivity caused by the blow to the manufacturers. Europe will need this country more after the war than it does at the present time. Millions of dollars worth of damage has been done over there and all of it must be repaired at the conclusion of the struggle. Even the foodstuffs will be exported in greater volume than ever before Farming machinery, supplies of all sorts and those things necessary l for the rebuilding of the war-torn | countries will be essential and no oth- | CT nation in the world is fitted to sup | ply this demand as well as the United l States.
 Prosperity is here for long While and good times are in order. No one need fear the future. It holds forth more charm than any other future that I has ever dawned on the land of the 1 free"