The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-01-27

sugar, butter, eggs, steel, copper, siderably below war prices and threaten to go still lower. The fall naturally causes hesitancy. since buy CTS await more settled conditions, but the movement within reason is wholesome and is surely pav1ng the way for renewed activity later vll. Thus far the decline has been mainly confined to first hands, retailers re- fUSing to surrender any of their ex- tra profits until forced by competitive conditions. But they, too, must yield to the inevitable law of supply and de- mand. Buying powers of the con- sumer have been seriously curtaiIed, supplies will soon begin to accumu- late and retail prices must follow wholesale prices ere long, thus bringing down the high cost of liv- ing, which Is at bottom of much of present discontent.
 Food, however, remains excessively high, which is difficult of explana- tion, in view of general abundance in the country. Cereal crops were large, but prices remain high, partly be- cause of Government fixing which had set values upon the high level in order to stimulate big crops. Now that the war is over, Congress should repeal the law which guaranteed the farmer $2.26 per bushel for wheat; at least on the spring crop not yet sewn. The price of meats continues high, in spite of the fact that the number of food animals is almost equal to last years supply, which was the largest on record. It Is useless to expect price to descend to any, thing approaching pre-war levels; be cause, aside from Government price fixing, the costs of production, trans portation and distribution have been so enhanced by high wages as to make decided reductions impossible
 Labor problems continue a subject of general concern. Wages are high, but reductions cannot be expected with things as they are. This places the country upon high cost basis; a serious obstacle to export trade which the country needs if it's mills and new merchant fleet are to find lucrative occupation. Our soldiers are pouring back in thousands daily; only to find industry slowing down and jobs difficult to get. Discomfort is natural, especially on part of those who have suffered and sacrificed for their countrys sake, but have lost their jobs and cannot find others. Add to this the prevailing distemper bred by war and impending changes, and it is easy to syTnpathize with, if not always agree with, the present attitude of labor. Fortunately the rank and file of American labor is too Intelligent to seriously consider the anarchistic doctrines of Bolshe- visnl which have thrown Russia and parts of Europe into anarchy. Under present conditions labor and capital are so absolutely essential to each ether, that warfare between them is folly. Neither can prosper without working together and reaching q common ground and better under standing of each others difficulties.
 Toward the end of the week there was a slight recovery in Stock Ex- change values, apparently on the theory that present drawbacks had been pretty well discounted. There was also a better feeling in the money market, the banking situation being sound and 1oanable funds being more abundant. The placing of British short term per cent. loan was an incident confirming the idea that our Victory Loan would be is- sued on moro attractive terms than previous Liberty Loans.