Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-01

Charles S. Calwell president of the Corn
Exchange Bank and prominent in Chamber
of Commerce activities, who early this year
advised business men to "go slow" and the
manufacturers to be careful in their pur-
chases of supplies of raw material today
told the EVENING LEDGER he had faith
that American business would stabilize
quickly and accustom itself to war con-
ditions.
1t is Mr.. Calwells belief, after broad in
vestigations in the United States, Canada
and Great Britain, that tine changes the
war will naturally bring will simply be
absorbed by the bigness of our business and
that no ra1i,al changes of conditions and
forms Of doing business will be necessary
1t Is his belief, and his strong belief
however, that the business people of the
country will make a big mistake if they
undertake imitation. He is a firm believer
in allowing business TO come to "A natural
basis, which it must reach some time in
the near future. This he said. will be
necessary, owing to the great overnhaton
of prices.
The fact has not long been known Mr.
Cawell said, but there has been a decided
falling of in retail trade throughout the
ing to its former high levels, this fact is
becoming known II was known that there
had been decrease of buying in some sec
tions, but it was not known that the falling
off had been general
Il am not In favor or forcing business"
said Mr.. Calwell Business should be let
alone without 50 much artificial initiation.
The situation will straighten itself out.
Plans to force business only attract atten-
ton and suggest that there is something
mi
was little hesitancy in the retail trade
and considerable on the part of the wealthy
to buy along their usual lines"
When the question of the wealthy shows
ing a hesitancy to buy in the retail market
was discussed further Mr.. Cawell sug-
ges:ed that this was due to the fact that
people so far have no indication of how
long the war will last or how high taxes
will go. He predicted that there would
be a very active retail trade from now on
even II there is a falling off in the class of
goods bought in ordinary times by the
wealthy.
OPTIMISTIC ON LIBERTY LOAN
Mr. Calwell predicted that the Liberty
Loan will be fully subscribed by the time
set for closing, June 15 And he further
predicted that a great majority of it will
be subscribed by the working man and the
middle class man, the class the Govern
meI.t is anxious to have take up the bonds.
He said he considered the Liberty Loan the
most liberal proposition the Government had
ever made the people for two reasons. One
was that bonds could be bought at $50 when
they have usually been sold for 500. The
other was that whatever interest future
loans may demand this will be the interest
of the Liberty Loan. Then, too they are
free of tax.
Commenting on forced business a second
time. Mr. Caldwell said the people are
always better OF when business is run
ming along in normal lines. Now, he SAID,
price are $50 to 200 per cent of normal, all
due to forcing. And he limited that IL
might vet be possible for business men to
increase this price percentage to 300, but
it will not be for the good Of any class
of people, even for the business people
themselves. -
THE CROP SITUATION
The crop question is one in which Mr..
Caldwell and his bank have taken a keen
and helpful interest The Corn Exchange
has done some advertising relative to corn
already and it is probable that more will
follow though Mr. Calwell would not say
what are his intentions along this line.
Corn" lie said. lis capable of relieving
the demand for wheat. While the wheat
crop is short and it is too late to plant for
this season, there is still time to plant corn.
The State College has advised us that corn
can be planted as late as June 10 in this
locality with reasonable assurances Of
good. paying crop.
People should plant corn not only be-
cause it will help to make up the shortage
in the wheat crop, but also because the
great amount of small planting Of vegeta-
bles, ETC. will tend to ease the demand for
summer crops. The summer crops will be
greatly increased by this individual plant
ing"
Mr.. CalwelI the other officials and their
assistants at the bank have collected some
unusually interesting data on business con-
dtions in England and Canada one fact
brought out shows plainly the tendency of
man to buy the thing which lie has wanted
for a long time in spite of world conditions
or what may happen to him afterward
CHEAP PIANOS AND AUTOS
In England, for instance, the women
have been working long hours and getting
much better pay than ever before The
principal result-and II is proved to be
| direct result-has been a great sale of
cheap pianos. The piano is popular I'm Eng