The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-03
MAPLE LEAF STOCKS
REFLECT STRUGGLE
Labor Situation Creates Ner-
vousness in Finance and
Industry.
ANXIETY OVER STRIKES
Prices on Toronto Exchange
for Week Showed Down.
ward Tendency.
ANXIETY OVER STRIKES
Special Correspondence TO TIE Sur.

Special Correspondence TO The Sur.
TORONTO, June canada Is passin,
through q testing time, and that is re
Elected In the stock market records To-
the past week. At this writing there ar
indications that the strikes now pre-
vailing in Winnipeg. Toronto and othei
cities may have an early termination oil
may not take on aspects Of violence, bu
the situation has created good deal Of
| nervousness in finance and industry
Conversation everywhere with captains
Of industry Inevitably turns on the labor
question. for there have been so many
broken agreements and instances of in
dependence and hotheadedness that
there is scarcely an employer but feels
that his turn for a shutdown may come
tomorrow.
This may be all a temporary condi-
ton, which will end in a few days, but
at present It would be difficult to exag-
gerate the feeling of uncertainty, espe-
cially among men Of nervous tempera-
ment There are few who see through
the veil. and who are confident Of an
early return to contentment and reason T;
but, at best, II will be several days be-
fore confidence can be restored. Talk
OF striking. as we'll as strikes them
selves. comes from so many quarters
throughout the Dominion that h seems
as X an uncomfortable germ OF unrest
were possessing the country Optimists
take the view that very few people can
afford to remain without employment
and wages for more than two or three
weeks and that, as In the case Of Win
nipeg, there will soon be a desire to go
back to their work. On the other hand,
men who recently have seen the West
ern situation at close range think that
there is an undercurrent OF revolution
AIRY sentiment which cannot be satisfied
short OF some radical changes
The West has been the centre of radi-
cal sentiment for years. and the Legis-
latures there have led the Dominion IN
this regard. AS wealth increased, how
ever, II was thought that danger OF
any serious movement would pass, and
the sentiments OF the East and the Yves,
would be more in harmony Perhaps O
few days or weeks will show that the
present outbreak Is more like a sprins
| fever. or a vacation after strenuous wal
years of labor. and that then we shall
settle down to the production so much
needed to meet the country's future OBJ
legations.
Question of Employment.
At present the Unemployment situa.
ton IN ontario. apart from the men and
women who are on strike, has been az.
gravated because. for every striker
there are several others who in a short
time will be forced to quit work be.
cause OF lack of team play in providine
materials from one craft to another
Throughout Ontario. where there are nc
strikes. there Is as yet very little un-
employment, while IN cities affected BY
strikes the situation is worse than IL la:
been for some months; and yet, only 8
rev days ago. scout" OF the Employ.
ment Bureau who went through Toronto
in search Of work for the unemployed
found applications for eighty people ir
| one day. This was, of course, excep
tional. but It shows that there are place.
for many workers, and a vast amount
| Of work to be done. II only things would
settle down. The Repatriation Leagu,
Is doing much to place returned soldier,
| In employment and II Is a significant
part OF the strike dispatches from az
over the country that the places OF man,
| OF the strikers. particularly in work of {
| semi-public nature, have been taken ~
| returned men.
Prices on the Toronto Stock Exchanr,
during the week, with number of ex
| ceptions, showed a downward tendency
though there was not enough reaction II
| prices to indicate panic or depression
There was certain amount Of nervou.
selling, but 1t was not great in volume
| and, as rule. stock that was Offered
| was fairly we'll absorbed. In no cas-,
was there a large drop In price, anC
usually the difference between the high
and the low for the week was only on,
or two points. A remarkable exception
| to the general record was the case o.
Nova Scotia Steel common, which go
Its first impetus for an upward move FOL
| some time in the advances In New YDrl
about three weeks ago. There has beer
gain OF over 20 points since the dd
vance began. and the week closed at 81
| with rise OF 1-2 points on the las
! day. There has been persistent talk o
| a possible merger between Nova Scotia
and Dominion Steel, but officials OF III,
former company will not admit that ther,
Is anything in It, and say that IL the stool
| advances II Is because ii has been too
| low anyway, and that the Nova Scotia
| future IL bound to be good. as they hav,
extensions in contemplation as soon al
| business settles down.
| Canada Steamships Active.
Canada Steamships issues, both com
mon and preferred, have been again OF
the active list, and the recessions at tn,
| end OF the week were extremely slight
In fact, the tone Of the market through
out has been one OF confidence in a SAT,
outcome OF the period of unrest. Their,
has been some unloading of Bell Tele
! phone Rights in connection with the nov
issue of stock, the price dropping from
45-S to 3 l-2, 'and ending the week a
1914. Bell Telephone stock was a,sc
weaker, dropping to 124. after touching