Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-13

III UsINEss in the United states
| X much of it under federal pat
- ronage and spur. is more ac-
tive and prosperous than ever
| before. All lines of business are re-
| ceiving orders for all the product they
| can possibly turn out under existing
war conditions. Those that are non
| essential for war work are being ad-
; vised and assisted to convert their es-
Establishments for the handling of ma
terials for which there is an I'M
perative demand.
| In spite of temporary complications.
most of which are comparatively in
significant. business as a whole is en-.
joying an era of unprecedented pros
perity. and the outlook for the next Few
months is for the largest possible
turnover of stocks and raw materials
! The forecast for the future. including
! the reconstruction period after tEe
war, is that there are no bounds to
the business that the United States
must do-to meet domestic needs and
the demands of the world afar.
To carry the load and to ease the
strain that a national and interna-
tional crisis has placed upon industry
and commerce, the business machin-
cry is being readjusted, keyed up to
economic efficiency along all lines of
ton.
Business Being Reorganized.
Although many of the leaders in
| individual enterprises do not realize
the fact as yet, the entire business
system of the country is being reor-
ganized under government supervision
and the V9rinns branches being
co-ordinated so that there may be the
utmost production, with minimum
of wasted effort and a careful guard
ing of natural resources for the fu-
ture. This is being done through
war service committees representing
the various industries in conferences
with the War Industries Board, which
outlines how particular industry
should fit in with the general pro-
gram and recommends trade reforms
which the war service committee in
augurates.
There is one great problem that the
government officials in cooperation
with the biggest trade leaders of the
country are working out. That prob
lem has three terms-tranSportati
labor and fuel. On the way in which
this problem is worked out depends
the business future of this country
for the next century.
1t is being worked out with vision
for the future, but with domino ting
regard for the immediate war neces-
stiles of the nation. Some very un-
economic practices are now necessary.
which will be corrected later. as soon
as the adoption of a far-sighted policy
will not endanger the war program.
To win the war is, of course, of first
and all-surpassing Importance.
at Work on the Problem.
Cabinet members, chiefs in the War
Industries Board, members of the war
service committees representing the
various industries, labor leaders, and
those men who, as executives of great
railroads. have helped to develop GER
! tain sections of the country and to
centralize manufacturing and COIN
merce are focusing their attention on
! this tremendous problem. They are
| feeling confident that they see the
solution, and it is equivalent to a
business revolution. The radical and
! startling experiences of the last year
have shown them that the efficient
coordination of transportation, labor
and fuel is absolutely essential to the
future welfare of the country, espe-
cially during the days of reconstruc-
ton. when more than 100000 men
trained in war will be returning to
productive enterprise.
Leaders in both houses of CONGRESS
have been in conferences upon the
proposed solution and have Endorsed
the opinion that comprehensive and
| co-ordinated program must be adopt
| ed. Just what form of legislation will
be recommended has not been decided,
but senators>and representatives have
said that they will be ready to in
troduce and support such a scheme
for business readjustment. Prelim-
mary measures have already bean
passed.
The man in the street and in his
home is thinking and talking along
! the same line. as he reads in the daily
papers how business here and there is
unable to cope with the situation un-
/, der the existing system
Railroad Situation Improved.
Last year the country had to wrestle
with an unbalanced railroad situa-
ton; this year the railroad situation
has been very materially relieved
under government direction, but the
unbalanced industrial situation COM
plicates the business problem. AS the
draft to meet the imperative war de-
| mands calls the sturdiest men of the
nation by the hundreds of thousands
from the farms and industries the
problem grows more and more worthy
of the ablest minds and of govern
mental solution by adoption of an
efficient and comprehensive program
Congestion of manufacturing and
transportation in one small district
in the northeast of the United States
is responsible for the biggest part OF
the business difficulties thus far ex-
perienced. Here, on the Atlantic sea-
board, close to the big ports of New
York and Boston, has been showered
a predominant percentage of war
contracts. Clothing and shoes for the
increasing United States Army. manu-
featured in that section, although
the orders placed have been enormous,
are but a very small item when COM
pared with the contracts for mum
lions. The result has been that "the
neck of the bottle" has been clogged
up.
when the United states went to war
with Germany troops were sent over
seas from New York and Boston alone.
Because they were more advantage
ously located near those seaports the
were let in that territory. AS these
contracts have been filled the fac
tories have been given larger con-
tracts. This has meant the enlarge
ment of existing plants and ofttimes
the building of new ones. To turn
thousands have been drawn into this
territory by attractive ealaries.
Rest of Country Suffers.
The net result has been that hauling
| in the raw materialS for these plants
bringing in the soldiers to go over
| seas and the industrial workers to
keep them supplied with war orders
demanding priority of shipments
| have so congested the railroads serv-
| ing this section with one-way haul
! that the<est of the country has suf-
| fered.
! Draw a line between New York and
! Vermont, through Schenectady and
Binghamton, through Williamsport
| Do A1foopa ond the Rutherford wards