The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-10-15
HENRY CLEWS
WEEKLY Letter

tinued another week with but slight
inter1nission. Explanations are pro-
fuse; all, or nearly all. having their
origin In the war and it's effects De-
rangement OF the money market is the
Inevitable and most conspicuous In
fluence 1t is almost superfluous to
remark that billions of money cannot
be diverted from productive channels
to destructive purposes without seri-
GUS disturbance and extensive read
5untment. The latter process is now
going on at rapid pace, although
much confused by innumerable con-
Hicting currents. The placing of the
second Liberty Loan is now the all
absorbing task of the day The sue
co1s Of the American army and navy
- dependent upon the success of rails
tng these enormous sums Of money.
Patriotism and self-interest alike
make this the subject OF first consid-
srat1on until success is attained The
entire country, including all classes of
workers and producers, should devote
liberal portion Of their savings to
this purpose The Liberty Loan as
ari Investment is the safest and the
h6nt In the world, and within a rela-
lively short time after the war Is sure
10 sell at q considerable premium.
Hvery citizen should subscribe gener-
ou11Y IA proportion to his ability. 1t is
an opportunity for patriotic service;
and involves no such sacrifice as is
made BY those who have freely offer
VA position, home and life for their
The stock market Is rapidly dis
counting peace. which foreshadows
diminishing war profits as well as
change in the direction of many in
duntrial activities Nevertheless, an
immediate end of the war Is not in
+. prospect and much of the peace talk
Sn11nAtfng from the various sources
should mot begtaken too seriously Our
Eovernnient is still making extraor-
dinaxy efforts for pushing the war to
a Vlctorlous conclusion, and these ac-
tiv1t1es necessarily are having a mark
id ntfmulus upon war industry and
finance. In order to secure greater
efficiency our government continues
extending its activities and strength
en1n6 its control over Industrial pur-
suits Its price fixing plans are al
uost finished and are already under
uorkiff a oBeratf66n. AS rule, the
; cisi6ns as to maximum prices, and
! Will allow producers satisfactory
; Gains. at the same time checking ex-
ploitation or profiteering at public ex-
uenes. It is difficult to realize the
enormous expansion OF government
control over industry which has taken
place aimee the war began. Needless
to say that these arrangements are
accepted In patriotic spirit as nee
gently during the present emergency;
hut the uncertainty as to how far
/. these nrranaemenfs will he cancelled
;. when the war ends. and the present
F; difficulty In securing capital for new
8u<erprises are effectually impeding
\ tl1e usual industrial growth. This fact
n Adj strikingiy illustrated in the latest
statements OF Industrial corporations,
which for September axorerated onIy
+; fzB6. oa2. 600. cornnarsed WITH sas0'.
/; 0sI. 500 = month ago. The arno,,nt az
| new capital going into war fr,du.tries
/! bha probably reached It's maxf,,,1,n,.
&nd n the future q decline in this re-
sbsof u to be rcasonably antfcfpated
Ansong the fnf1uances encouraaina
4 1I6u1dafion have been foreign sefIina
81 kuoerfcan aecr,1ftiees The saIa al
conrldsrable British coiIateraI axafnsi
/ loans made In this country. t3,e caIl
I {or fnureased rnaretns. an unsatfsfac.
X {ory rnilroad sffsastfon dsspfte the In
/. &raI falns in gross earnings shown By
ne Last monthly report OF the Inter
state Commerce Cornn4fssion; and the
I 1l4uida<lon by firid holders and many
1 others who for patriotic reasons de-
G<<od TO shift some OF their INVEST
I 49, Into the Ldberty Loan. There
<16 ax&0 connlderabIs selling Of pub
16 whites on the ground that these
to<pc<a&f0ns might have difficulty n
coraDeahst4ng thsrnselvcs for increas.
+, "a costs ~ higher rates for their ser.
f: vice, whether gas. electricity or trans.
portafion. Public service oorporationi
I ere obliged to pay more for everything
4 they use. but are not allowed Il
4 charge more for what they have Il
sell. a manifest and serious injustice
( Professional selling aided the decline
but this was a small factor compared
with those just mentioned.
On the other hand, there are 4
4 number of ENCOURAGING Influence,
\ which Tor the time being are disre.
(! kard0d Our magnificent and extra
\ ordinary profitable harvest is strik
Ing Instance The country has beer
/; favored with bumper crop of corn
! Of 3.210s0o0,o coo bushels, which com
I 'pareg with the previous high record
4 Of t,1z4, 900, 600 bushels. Our whea
4 crop was 65G 900, 900 bushels. or 90
N INA nm ,.,-t,rI~. - ~ - z Us U !,