Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-12-06

NV ever mlSglVlnR may nOIQ IN some
W quarters in regard to the future of
American industry, it is not shared by the
experts of the war industries board and the
United States department of labor, who say
that the country is about to- enter into the
greatest commercial era in its history.
There will be no financial depressiOn-the
federal reserve banking law has put panic
out of the question. If there is any indus
! trial depression, and consequent unemploy-
ment, due to the difficulties of change from a
war basis to one of peace, it will be OF very
narrow scope and of very short duration. By
spring the experts look for the greatest in
dustrial boom the country has ever known.
1t will be greater than the waf boom, be-
cause less artificial and less nervous. By the
same token it will be entirely constructive
or recOnstructive
Both wages and prices will remain at their
present high standards. For some time to
come materials will be as scarce and expen-
sive as now; but, gradually, with the reor-
ganizatiOn of shipping, and the elimination
of Moloch War an Unsuitable devOurer of
materials of all kinds, and with war eff
iciency methods turned toward peacetime
production, the cost of living will go down.
Possibly, the reduction will not be percep-
tible for severa. years, and it seems unlike
ly that the cost of living will ever drop to
its preWar level But this is balanced by
the fact that wages will also remain high.
There are hundreds of munitions facto-
ries in this country confronted with the
knowledge that the market for their output
has vanished, as it were, overnight. But
the lathes which have been turning Shells
can be made to turn car wheels and the
tools used for adjusting fuses can be used
for adjusting parts of agricultural machin-
cry. Many munitions factories were prepar-
ed for peace, and ready to change their out
puts on short notice. To the Few manu-
facturers who were not prepared, the gov
eminent is now pointing out the way to
make the change
The railroads alone can keep factories
busy. When the government took over the
railroads, both the road beds and rolling
stock were in comparatively poor condition.
During the months which the government
has operated the roads conditions have un-
avoidably grown worse. There was no
skilled labor to be had for the round houses
and hardly any unskilled labor for the sec
ton gangs. With the evergrOwing demand
for more locomotives and cars, the rolling
stock could not be spared from the rails
long enough to give it the overhaulings
needed. Instances have been cited where
parts of locomotive have been bound to-
gether with bits of Irvine because there were
neither the materials nor the men to make
adequate repairs. Wooden passenger cars
have been pressed into service because steel
cars could not be spared. An immense
number of locomotives will have to be scrap
ped, road beds must be fixed, bridges must
be built and new rails laid. There will be
need of all the steel this country can pro-
duce for years to come.
Agricultural machinery furnishes an
other big opportunity for American industry.
In all of the war-ridden countries it has
been necessary to replace the shortage OF
labor with machinery. AS a result American
agricultural implements have found their
way into hundred new markets, and from
now on these markets will be permanently
open to them. This is particularly true of
France, where the great devastated area is
now awaiting the pillow.
For the shipyards the course is even
clearer. .... ..
For once in the history of the country"
said an industrial expert recently, 1--WE have
enough shipyards. Only comparatively
insignificant number of ships have been
built up to the present time. but one 1mpor-
tant thing has been accomplished; we have
established a regular and systematized out
put, there is no reason why, in few years,
this output of tonnage should not make us
the greatest maritime nation of the world.
The tonnage of the world is estimated at
$4,000 900, and a tonnage of 2O,OOO,0OO
would give us a third of all. Adequately to
carry on our coastwise trade alone requires
from eight to ten million tons"
1t is possible that the shipyards may re-
vert for time to single shifts, but the pros
pect is that the double shift will be restored
before long.
For the garment manufacturers the prob
lem of readjustment has been so simple as
to be scarcely problem at all 1t has been
announced that discharged soldiers will have
three months in which to find themselves
civilian clothing. 1t goes without saying
that the manufacturers will not lose any
time in helping them meet this require
ment.
The price of clothing probably will not
drop for some time. The drop will come
when American shipping is in position to
relieve the wool shortage by reinforcing our
supply with wool from Australia and the
Argentine.