The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-11-12
SIX TMELNE

A Sk TWELVE men Of your acquaintance for
~ au oppression OF opinion ~ 10 the outlook for
business IA the period of early readlustment
now upon t>. and The chances are Won will get about
au equal division between two views SiX of the
men Will tell you that We are about To plunge
hoadfirst into a period of prosperity such "a, this
nation has never known before. that there viii be-
au immediate access of development activity. that
cash will be ample and credits wide and thar. IN
eject. we viii 20 rolling along ia wealth. That ~ the
optimistic view. The other SIX probably viii not
go INTO an eXtrcmc %pcsStmiSm, but they will tell
sou that we don Z know where we RE- going. but
are ON our way and that the outlook is dubious. not
20 say alarming. These are the pc,simists.
Probably the Developments, OF the next twelve
months Will show that neither view has been a cor
rect estimate Of the months immediately following
The close of the war. The end of actual fighting has
rome much sooner than any one expected. Even the
most optimistic observers Of events in Europe did
not believe that Nh, break down in Germany would
occur this year. They knew II was coming. but
they did not know how completely the Prussian
military machine had been undermined. Some war
industries will be- cut off much earlier than had
been looked for, but many others, particularly in
the conmiSSary department. must continue for an
indefinite period: tor six months or more AZ least.
Forward looking munitions manufacturers have
been laying their plans against the conclusion of
war and cessation of demand Tor machine guns and
rifles. These viii be- ready almost Immediately to
turn their great plants 10 manufacture of the nipple.
lnentS of reconstruction, for which the demand Mt
home and abroad viii be- enormous. The adjust.
incnt of industry To peace conditions will not be
% sudden jolt that will wreck IN even injurc the
mechanism. Is will be spread over a considerable
period of time ample in which 10 permit the neccs-
sary adjustments 10 take place by easy stages.
There will be no upset ia prices either ia goods
markets or tOOd-stufs. Al home and abroad we
have an ARMY Of nearly four million men who must
he fed aud clothed and generally cared for; and
half OF those men, the half now on the other side of
the Atlantic, are not likely 10 be returned home
within six months many Of them will not return
for a year or more. The demands of the armies for
food and clothing will continue for an indefinite
period. Moreover we have had fair warning and
now have amp, proof that we mast feed Europe.
II not FOR the next eight wears, as Mr.. Hoover fore
casts, at least for some time 10 come. Wherefore the
present conditions in the food markets are not like
~ to be greatly altered and the adjustment when it
comes will be gradual.
The fact is that there is not likely 10 be any
early change in the business conditions Of today.
that IS for the worse, There is likely TO be a steady
Improvement IN business. II may, ia It little time
develop into u wide expansion. We have won the
greatest war IN history. We know we are the vie
tors, we know that our future is secure. Men and
interests whose plans have been held up for more
than four years are going to begin TO figure on
putting those plans into execution. The machinery
Of development will presently begin to turn. The
development itself will not come with any rush or