The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08


ing parts of southern New England
have. prospered in tremendous meas
ture during the past year. The profits
Fhave been the greatest for many
Years, and have been large enough tC
more than offset the increased cost
of raw materials and of manufacture
But the manufacturers anticipate AND
are preparing to meet reversals Of
conditions when peace is declared.
There can be no doubt that when
the war ends, some of the industries
of southern New England will suffer
But on the other hand, large num-
Der Of them are fully protected on or
(ders sufficient in volume to enable
them to continue activities for several
months The furry caused by the
German peace proposals afforded in
dications of the readiness of, buyers
to hedge and adopt conservative
tactics in placing of orders for future
deliveries. But even the most op-
timistic among the operators OF in
dustrial concerns admit that with the
| close Of the war there must be rad
ical readjustment of the cost of pro-
duction. It cannot be expected that
this will be affected without upheav-
ais in practically all lines of Industrial
and commercial activity.
Some Of the manufacturers figure
that while there must be period OF
disturbance and unsettled conditions
in the transition from the abnormal
war wages and prices of commodities
to meet the conditions produced by
return to peace, there is firm founda-
ton for reasonably quick recovery,
because there are no great surplus
stocks piled up against the coming OF
peace times On the other hand, IT
the war continues another year, it is
believed that the present activity,
limited only by the supply Of labor
available, will continue in large
measure in all the Industries in this
section.
After the War
New England manufacturers. as a
rule, are ardent advocates of protec-
tive tariff, and in discussing business
! prospects after the close of the Euro
pean war they insist that the greatest
menace to continued prosperity in
this country will be, flooding of Am
erican markets with foreign-made
goods, with which they profess to be-
lieve all the European countries have
been stocking up in anticipation OF
pouring them into this country at the
close Of the war, because the present
administration will not provide tar
If system to keep them out. They
point out that the Allies have adopt
ed trade agreements, that the Entente
Allies will supply Russia when peace
Is declared, that Russia formerly de-
pended in a great measure Non Ger
many for manufactured goods, and
that Germany will be forced to unload
on the United States and South Amer
lea. But meanwhile they are going
! ahead with production limited only
by the difficulty experienced in pro-
! curing help to man their machines
regardless of normally high wage
scales.
They look forward to continuance
Of prosperous business in the coming
year, with prices fully as high as al
present, If and as long as the war
lasts. But they also talk of the GER
tainty of prices breaking as soon az
! the end Of the war becomes Ger.
tainty and of the necessity Of radica
reimbursement downward Of wages an6
| everything that enters into production
costs. They do not, however, appear
TO have real dread Of violent reaction
because of the fact which many OF
them refer to-; that with all the
| drive" in production there has beer
no great surplus accumulation Of sta.
| pie goods to meet the needs of the
world when the change from war tt
! peace conditions shall eventually
transpire.
Origin Of This Years Business
Much Of the business that has come
ITO the mills and factories Of Rhode
Island has been due to the Europear
| war. and manufacturers have beer
forced to great increases in wages tt
avoid interruption in production. A
part or the business that has beer
taken by the mills of New England
will never go back to European com
petttors, according to those who arr
conversant with the conditions, thi.
being especially true Of the lace fac
tories. Some Of the cotton-m1lls men
are confident that a good share Of the
new business can be held against for
eign competition, with such readjust
ment Of cost of production as mus
be made with return to normal con
ditions Of peace times
The machine-tool, smal1-tool ant
other manufacturers Of iron and stee
look forward to continuance Of gooc
business, even II the war should come
to close within short time. Or.
ders on hand are sufficient in man,
establishments to carry them through
the Whole of next year. The Fedora
Government is looking about fol
plants that can supply war munitions
and large orders are expected from
this source.
) The iron and steel manufacturers
continue to lead the industrial process.
sion. so far as demand for goods and
general rush are concerned. Many OF
the plants have enough orders to car.
ry them for months to come, and are
operating at least a portion of the
machinery at night. Help is scarce
but some OF the factories that have
been turning out munitions are let.
ting some Of their men go, and this
Is helping the other plants.
Orders Ahead
The cotton mills are reported to be
behind in their orders, and buyer.
have been making all sorts of de.
mands for shipments Of goods tina
are needed by the stores OF the coun.
try. There has been only a little