The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-12-30

end industry have been under strin gent public control for purpose of winning the war. By means of price fixing, licensing and other methods the government assumed supervision of nearly all forms of production, dis tributiCn, transportation and finance. Upon many occasions such rules pressed hard upon all branches of in dividual and corporate enterprise, and business men naturally grew restive under the ldelays and uncertainties thus incurred; not to speak of the friction and trouble caused by mex perienced and arbitrary officials. All such draw cks were, however, cheer fully endured for patriotic reasons, and now our manufacturers, bankers and merchants, after real experience aS to what it means to have the gov ernment in business, are rejoicing over the prompt approach to normal conditions. At the close of the year the railroads, shipping, telegraphs and telephons remain under government control; and @. measure of regulation over foreign exchange, gold and bank credits is still in existence. The gov ernment also holds immense quanti- | ties of merchandise Which must be sold, and still exercises more or less control over wheat and meat prices. In other respects, however public regulation has almost completely dis appeared.
 i Our most pressing domestic prob lens during the coming year will be grouped under finance, foreign trade, labor, shipping, railroads, and com modity markets. American finances are in better shape than those of any belligerent because the strain has been less, and resources. relatively greater. Great Britain has assumed a huge lead, which, through slilful handling and the varied resources ot her great empire, she is ai5undantly able to sustain. France, too, is equal to the heavy burden thrust, upon her; but both Germany and, Russia are overwhelmed with repudiation and bankruptcy. There has, of course been considerable inhation in this country, az is always the case in way; but thanks to OUT Federal reserve system and the rigid conservatism ot our bankers we have never crossed IAAS AoIlTS SI illlC | @iC tlLCAIS 1OI IdIS-
 ing such immense sums for ourselves
 and our Allies have been titantic, nat
 urally absorbing the country's savings so completely that little or no capita
 was available for ordinary enter.
 prises This scarcity of money anG
 capital must be endured for somC
 months longer, owing to the urgency
 of after-war requirements, which vii
 necessitate a further postponement O. new ventures. When war demand.
 do cease, a heavy rush for capita
 must be expected; and the only
 check upon inordinate develoDmen
 will be high interest rates and higl
 commodity prices; conditions whicl
 are not likely to disappear at yer!
 early date.
 The labor outlook has caused mucl
 uneasiness, the ursettlement induced
 by high costs of living, war wages be ing the chief cause. Probably the sit
 nation will clear itself. There is ever,
 likelihood Of plenty of employment a
 good wages, and a shortage of Iabo
 will be greatly relieved by return 0
 men from the front. Employers, rec
 ognizing the situation, are general, willing to make reasonable conces
 sions. The movement to reach a bet ter understanding on both side
 through discussion, getting together
 considering the other point of view and bearing in mind the humanitie
 of the situation also promises to al the solution of an otherwise threat ening situation. Certainly if a fai
 and friendly spirit can be establishe between capital and labor, 1ncludin
 recognition of their common tnteres
 and cooperation to such ends, ther will be no serious trouble.
 For business men the outlook ]