Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-06
GENERAL BUSINESS SHOWS
HIGH DECREE OF ACTIVITY
American National Bank, OF Rich
mond, Reviews Trade Condi-
tiOns in Detail.
EXPORTS NOW UNDER CONTROL
Wage Increases Continue Numerous.
Improved Crop Prospects and
Other Favorable Factors Make
Business Outlook Good.

practically all factors underlying
general business show large volume
! and a high degree of activity and In
several cases n noteworthy advance
has been made in the past month,
says the general letter on trade con-
ditionS and business forecast OF the
American National Bank for the month
of August. which has just been issued
Less favorable conditions. wherever
found. are apparently the result either
of temporary shortages of labor or
materials. or of rcadjustmcnt to some
condition created by the war.
I'm connection with the recently in
Stituted control of exports to neutral
nations. 1t will be noted that our ex-
ports to the five countries principally
afectcd-Dcnmark. Norway, Sweden.
Switzerland and the Ncthcrlands-in
the ten months ending with April of
this year totalcd 64.000.o 900 compared
with s22i.000,000 for the same period
last year and S303, 100000 for the same
period in 1915. In the ten months end
ing with April, 1914, however. exports
TO the countries named totaled only
Sl2I. 100000. so that such shipments
are still considerably larger than in
times of peace. although they have
fallen of since the early months of
the war. Shipments to these nations
form only a small part Of our foreign
trade. amounting to s per cent Of our
total exports during the ten months
ending with April of this year COM
pared with I per cent for the CORE
spending period in 1916, IA per cent
In 1918 and 6 per cent in 1914. Ship
mcnts from this country to Europe arc
going principally to our allies. who
received 30 per cent Of all our exports
to Europe in the ten months ending in
April of this year.
MAY EXPORTS SHOW
INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR
totaled s55l.ooo.0OO compared with
s53O.oOo.ooO in April and s475. ooO. 900
in May. 1916. May imports amounted
TO S2Sl. 100000 compared with $751;
100000 in April and s229.O00.oOO in
May year ago, leaving n favorable
balance Of trade in May of s270,ooO.OOO
compared with s2T6,OO0.oo0 the prcvi-
Gus month and s246,0o0.o00 dollars in
May Of last year. May exports COM
pare with s613,000.0o0 in January of
this year. the high record month.
Bank clearinGs in June ut one hun
drcd and sevcnty-siS cities totaled
S27, 600. 100000 in June of last year.
June clearings were the largest for
any month in 1917. and were second
only to December, 1916. In one hundred
and siXty-three Of the one hundred and
seventy-siX cities. clearings were
larger than in June. 1916. Excluding
New York City. June clearings totaled
nearly s11,ooO.o 100000 compared with
SS.0OO.000.000 n year ago.
After discussing practically every
line of business and quoting compar-
alive figures the letter closes with tho
following statement:
several large strikes have occurred
In the past few weeks. some Of which
are still unsettled. Wage increases
| continue SO numerous as to occasion
iittle comment. With improved crou
prospects now added to other favorable
factors. the business outlook for the
next Few months seems good"