The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-06
Normal Business Not Possible at
War Prices.

! In peace this country cannot do
business on basis OF war prices.
| When our Government and all tho
Governments Of Europe were paying
whatever they had to pay for steel,
for coal, for copper, for leather, for
foodstuffs; when they we're draining
the markets of all commodities. ordi-
nary industry and ordinary business,
! buying In the same markets, were
compelled to pay the same prices or
even higher. They could do this and
get out alive. They could do it be-
cause nobody else was going to under
buy them and therefore undersell and
ruin them.
With the war over. with all Inflated
prices due to come down to n dead
certainty, industry and business are
not going to buy at the top. They
don't Iced TO be warned, they know,
that II they do stock up with material
| and goods at two. three and four
times normal values, the concerns
that como along after them and buy
| much lower down wiltesFiRive them
, out OF their selling market unless they
are willing to clean up at whatever
loss they must take to meet competi-
ton and get rid of their stocks.
Consider specifically wool. In 1914
this country imported upward of $50
100000 pounds of wool The value
! was q little more than 20 cents n
pound. AS late as 1916 our own pro-
duction OF wool. some 244,OO0O0o
pounds. had an average value IN
August Of some % cents a pound In
1917 we imported some $4,000. O0O
pounds of wool. Its value was some
33 cents n pound. In the same year
( our own wool crop was some 245 900
600 pounds. Its average price in
August of last year was 54.S cents Il
pound.
At present the United States Gov.
eminent is credited with having q
reserve supply of wool amounting to
several hundred million pounds. At
the same time the Government has
for Its army and navy an enormous
surplus of woollen garments-clothes,
| underwear. shirts. socks and blankets
as well. If 1t does not buy or make
another pound of anything II can keeu
! our men In the service warm and
comfortable for many months, per
haps even years.
What Is the Government going &c
do with its great store of wool? With
peace at hand II cannot sell it to In
dustry and business at anything like
the average price of wool either this
year or last year. Industry and bust
ness will not pay, cannot pay, those
inflated prices for wool when they
must manufacture and sell theIr
goods in competition with manufnc
turers and merchants who will buy
later at lower prices from the Ameri
can producer AMI from the Ameri
can importer.
Outside Of the Government current
and reserve supplies there are M
great stocks of woollcn clothes in thi:
country. Shops will soon have theil
shelves bare. Manufacturers are
ready to begin TO supply the future
needs of the merchants when they
can get wool and can manufacture Il
Mt prices that will enable the mer
chants to do business next spring m
all next year. But II the Government
or any other agency holds those price
at the top notch nobody will star
anything.
Get back to ordinary business. [
is the only way. The Governmen
can begin by releasing its surplu
wool at such prices that manufactur
ers cnn take, and merchants can give
orders now. Let supply and demand
regulate the price just ms II there haC
never been any war. Let the Govern
ment charge up the difference t
the war. There will be plenty o
business for everybody on that basis
On the war imitation basis there can
not be. Let the Government lea'
the way.
Winged SeFpents Of Florida.