Evening star., 1919-03-30
BY L A. FLEMING.

!, Business men generally want Con-
;gress to go on record in the matter
of"policy regarding the Sherman and
know IL the methods which have come
into vogue since the war broke out
and which have been in direct con-
travention to these laws, are Ito be
countenanced.
1t is generally believed that some
ef the members of the. cabinet would
like to see these laws revised in the
interest of an early resumption of
business, permitting combinations in
the interest of foreign trade and a
also.
: The government and business seem
to be working hand in glove to re-
move uncertainty and bring prosper
ity.
The newly formed industrial board
of the Commerce Department, having
established lower prices for steel and
the by-products, have in. mind max
ing the same regulations with regard
10 lumber. brick, cement and other
materials, a technical, if not an
actual, violation of the Sherman law.
British Industrial Armistice.
Herbert N. Casson of the Wall Street
Journal tells of a wonderful indus
trial conference held in London. where
there were 500 delegates equally di-
vided between workers and capital
lists. 1t developed into a case OF
throwing the cards on the table. face
up: all books demanded by either
side to be produced.
! AT Belfast and Glasgow. where the
fule. they failed; in London. where
they were less revolutionary, they
obtained their main demand. with
every show of industrial peace.
Some Favorable Signs.
Structural steel activities are said
to be noticeable as furnishing the
flearest example of reawakening
activity. Purchases by the railroad
poration. which are promised, might
be expected to give real stimulous
to the movement. industrially. The
Iron Age says that the steel cor
poration's Chicago plants are now
running on an so per cent basis. while
Independents are averaging around so
Per cent.
Some Big Corporation.
An army of 26s,71o men, with some
good business getters as officers. is
on the pay roll of the United States
steel Corporation. and in 1913 they
received S452,660,000 in wages. an
average of $1.22 increase per man
over 1917 wages.
Total undivided surnlus s41ae
e71. Cash total about S44,000.o00 and
? like amount in liberty bonds and
certificates.
Local Securities.
Friday there was what appeared to
be a genuine awakening Of the local
security market. the transactions
during the five others. But there was
no evidence of any betterment in
saturdays trading. with the-only i'm
1rovement in prices during the week
IN Graphophone common and AIneri-
gan Security and Trust Company
The street railway companies and
The Potomac Electric Company are
9eeking further relief, in common
With other utilities the country over
What Big Railway Men Indorse.
The committee on readjustment Of
the American Electric Railway As
eeciation recently reporter as fUf-r
lows:
Ffrst-The electric RAILWAYS of the
country are breaking down under
present conditions of operation. AS
a result the public is facing loss
throNgh .depreci iatfon OF -rAtues- OF.
electyic: 6schEIfjks held ! BIZ, SaTinga
panikS. '''+s
Secoad- this condition is
prinarsy due to economic error Of
establishing an inflexible fare. re-.
gardless Of the cost Of the service
rendered or the distance hauled,
ThtrdEThat to correct this diff
cultyss dexible fares must be estab-
lished which Will be automatically
adjusted to the cost Of the service