The sun., 1918-08-10
HEAT WAVE SLOWS
DOWN BUSINESS
Civilian Concerns Move at Less
Speed Than War Industries
During Week.
NoN-ESsENTIALS CRIMPED
Banks Opposed to Granting
Large Credits to These Firms,
Says "Bradstrect's."

Commerce and business throughout
ne United States was severely affected
BY the extreme heat, according TO re-
ports reaching trade authorities. whose
weekly reviews are published to-day.
Tho slowing down Of all industries was
noticeable, though those classed as the
less essential felt the reaction more
than the so-cailed war lines.
Trade and industry are auieter this
week" says Brddstreefs in Its busi-
ness report. Extremely hot weather
has acted as n deterrent to industry,
and though war essential lines are
crowded with orders civilian business
IN many lines tends to reflect mora
conservatism. This relative reaction
proceeds from high temperatures, which
have discouraged indoor and outdoor
work. besides buying at retail, from the
continuous induction Of men into mill
tant life, which Is telling on purchases
OF civilian attire. and from the fact
that corn and cotton crop news is de-
cidedly less favorable.
The hot wave has Of course cut down
production of manufactured articles.
and recorders are light. while kss es-
Fential industries are being ~erimped
more and more, either by Governmental
banks to advance large credits to the
eo-calied non-essential lines, Besides
this wholesale as we'll as jobbing trade
give of indications Of midsummer dull
ness. and because of uncertainty about
prices and future demand retail deal
ers seem more content to buy frequently
rather than in large volume at one time.
OF course the situation, marked as 1t is
by scarcity Of gooda irregular deliv.
ota1v iCh is
such that !ull can be stood with
grace"
The writer in Dun & Co.'S trade review
also notes the effect of hot weather OF
the country's business and says: "A
heat wave of exceptional severity this
week, extending over n wide area and
FOR several days remaining unbroken.
affected agriculture and business ad-
Sersely. causing further impairment Of
crop prospects and repression Of trade
and Industrial activities. Yet the Gov
ernment's grain estimates, while unfor-
tunately falling appreciably short OF pre-
vious calculations, still give promise or
large harvests, and the patriotic spirit
OF many employees in continuing at war
work in spite of the extreme tempera-
lures has tended TO minimize the check
TO manufacturing Of the most essential
character.
tive Efforts stimulated by the special and
extraordinary demands OF the period. are
seen In phenomenal outputs at time
when general and marked curtailment Of
operations Is usually witnessed. and even
more noteworthy achievements in this
direction would be possible but for the
labor shortage and other handicaps.
with the more complete conccntra-
tion each week OF the country's indus
tries on Government business strictly
civilian wants are OF necessity being
brought under still tighter restrictions
and there is a growing disinclinaton
among manufacturers and dealers alike
TO incur obligations running into the far
future. This condition not alone re-
fleets the restraints imposed on regular
trading by the ever increasing pressure
OF war requirements hut is also due in
a measure to doubts about the influence
OF present and prospective price regula-
ton, and the slow progress made ir
fixing quotations of some commodities
demonstrates anew that official contro
Of markets presents many difficulties"
Canadian trade Is running fair fol
midsummer. though falling of in somt
Wholesale lines Is reported. Scarcity
Of this or that article. paucity Of labor
steadily ascending prices and diminished
crop prospects tend to superinduce con
servatism." says Brodstreets. '.Fal
shipments are heavy. the Government
having urged that supplies be sent for
ward before the crop moving season set
in. when cars probably will be scarce
Though the weather has become NOR,
favorable frosts. nevertheless. had dam
aged wheat in northern Saskatchewan
ana Alberta. and In consequence croI
estimates for western Canada have beer
reduced"