The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-11-25
HENRY CLEWS'
 WEEKLY LETTER

| The situation abroad is improving In Germany public feeling is quieting down and those in control are endeav- bring to maintain order with apparent success. There is still the probability of serious disturbances following the return of large masses of soldiers who will have difficulty in finding needed employment. The great scarcity of food is of itself sufficient to create a crisis, but the German people are es- sentially orderly in their habits and accustomed to submit to anything, so there is little fear of a repetition of the anarchy that exists in Russia. In the latter country there is a ray of hope in the assumption of a dictator ship by Admiral Kolchak, who pos seSses a strong personality and may be able to check the reign of terror and restore some sembIance of order in that distracted region. Austria seems relatively quiet and the threats of uprising in Holland and other coun- tries are subsiding. After such an up- heaval the world cannot be expected to return to sanity immediately, but there are signs that Bolshevikism is on the Wane and that more normal conditions are approaching. What the world most needs is the increased production of necessities. It is idle to expect political quiet or social ad- Vancement until food and shelter are within reach of the millions of needy over in Europe. It is our duty as well as our interest to help the starving people of Europe, for there can be no lasting peace while such bitter pcv- erty remains.
 ] Generalization of business has fair ly begun. As peace came earlier than expected, neither the government nor the country at large has any definite plans regulating this new movement, such as Great Britain made months ago. As a result, we are slowly grop- ing along, and there is some danger !, of temporary dislocation in industry which might have been prevented had earlier foresight been exercised. Our government, however, will probably relax it's control over industry very gradually, and thus avert serious con sequences. It has been the principal
 
 | food, copper, wool and many other ar , tIcles. Some of its contracts will Toe , completed; others will be reduced and in many instances long deferred domestic orders will be used to fill the |, gap. Priority orders,z except for rail- F roads, ships and the navy, have beer . cancelled; likewise heavy orders fol ) shell-steel and wire. Recently order. for 1,500 locomotives, 10000 cars anG : 3OO,O00 tons of rails for the American army in France were placed witt , home producers These orders have
 been cancelled, and it remains to bt
 seen whether domestic orders will de y iVelop sufficiently to fiH this void, es
 pec1aIly as the government is hoIdins : back orders for home railroads unti
 steel prices reach a lower level, Yer . fortunately some relief will be fount :, rom the removal of war restriction
 upon building, which will in trun re y lease many pigeonhoIed enterprises
 giving employment to labor whfcl
 otherwise might be thrown into idle y ness.
 It is quite evident that the era O
 war profits is ended. Some decline 1,
 certain commodities may, therefore
 be expected. A few lines of cottol | goods are already lower, and there 1 }, a general belief that commoditie r have reached their high point an, e should hereafter decline to more nor < nal levels, which if not to rapid wouL oo stimulate consumption and aid in ore r serving more natural and suIbstan $ t1al degree of prosperity than was tn }, case during the war. Commodities.
 Is realized, are much inflated. an d bankers are alive to this situation am
 seeking to prevent dangerous specu , lat1on by careful discrimination O
 credit. In one direction, however
 there is little prospect of lowe d prices, and that is in food. MI e Hoover has already predicted hig1 7, prices in this direction. We ar