Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-06-04
THE BUSINESS FIELD.

win the additional stimulus import
ed by the extensive and increasing
government demands, manufacturing
in most branches throughout the coun.
try continue under high pressure
whereas in about all sections lessenins
of ordinary distributive trade has he.
come more conspicuous feature. The
diminished retail transactions largely
reflect the backwardness of the sea
son, and the extreme costs of necessi-
ties are also influential in causing cur
tailed purchasing by consumer. That
the restricted movement of commodit-
les has in some cases affected collec-
stocks of staple goods have not under
gone normal depletion. special sales
special sales have been tnaugurated to
reduce the accumulations
With the recent perceptible lull in
regular buying, reports are heard of
cancellations Of orders and some ma
chinery not engaged on federal work Is
now idle. Yet such instances remain the
exception. while sentiment, especially
in the mercantile field. is clearly more
conservative 1t IS recognized that some
abatement Of activity is naturally after
many months Of remarkable expansion,
and leading interests display no loss of
confidence. arrangement Of business
during the present period of economic
readjustment has been less pronounc-
ed than might have been expected. tho
complaints of labor shortage increase
as men are withdrawn from productive
enterprise and the difficulty of main
tainng outputs is intensified by the
scarcity Of raw materials.
That transportation facilities are still
overtaxed is evidenced by the continu-
ed delays in deliveries and railroad
earnings reflect the enormous volume
of traffic, gross revenues of systems
reporting for three weeks Of May being
100 per cent in excess of the then
record figures Of 1915. Similarly, bank
clering are uneoualed for this period
but declines in both exports and i'm
ports are disclosed by oversee COM
merce statistics.
Absence OF conspicuous unsettlement
in trade and industry continues a graf
flying feature, and the inherent
strength Of the situation is emphasized
by the latest insolvency statistics
While more commercial failures occur
red last month than in April 1926
against 1868, eleven of the preceding
twenty-five years disclosed a similar
tendency, and the present figures re-
fleet substantial reductions from those
of May in both 1915 and 1915. The
the economic readjustments occasioned
by the war are considered, and with
other year the possibilities of financial
embarrassment are obviously greater
Yet in the last two months fewer de-
faults have been reported than for a
like period since 1911, and it is neces-
sary to go back a decade TO find sc
moderate an Indebtedness, the May liza
bilities, with large life insurance re-
ownership, being less than s12,O00,O0O
Dun's report from leading trade CEN
ters:
Boston-Reports from textile centers
say that mills are occupied to capacit,
in practically all instances, the great.
est difficulty of manufacturers being
to cope successfully with the growing
scarcity of labor. Resumption Of activ.
tiles in the shoe manufacturing indus.
try are not promising; many factorie!
are shut down and promise to continue
so, manufacturers seeing little prospec
| Of improvement in demand.
Philadelphia-Con and whole
salers of dry goods report local bust
! :c::: 90 rather quiet. which is attribute
ed largely to the backward weather
but exports are steadily increasing ant
reach quite substantial aggregate
Jobbers of hosiery and underwear hav,
had an excellent season, and tho pres
ent sales show some falling off from
a few weeks ago, prices remain ex
tremely firm, and the outlook Is con
| sidered excellent. Wholesale grocers
state that business continues satisfac
tory in volume
| omaha-Wholesaier in dry goods
groceries, hats, and hardware repor
! business as holding up we'll and col