Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-07
Period Of Prosperity
Coming in Wake Of War,
Statesmen Are Told

That the world Is on the verge of
the greatest era OF prosperity in his-
tory Is the belief Of C. C. Parlin. head
OF the department of commercial re-
search OF the Curtis Publishing Com
pany. In an address before the
guests at the recent banquet OF the
Moorhead Knitting Company he dis
cussed the general business condi-
tions to prevail during the coming
earnings of the people which We're
reflected in their buying power. he
said in part = "ttlt. a new situation
which have expanded through the de-
structive demands of war must now
seek other outlets. They must change
and as they change from making
there to absorb the merchandise?
We are likely to have very great
construction period. The building OF
roads, extension of public improve
ments. extension OF motor truck lines
on highways. motor passenger traffic
will be extended and enlarged: ia
short. the mechanization of America
Will be undertaken to the exclusion
in the greater part of hand labor The
building program is one which will
absorb a great portion of labor. Dur
ing the war period the building of
schoolhouses. homes, public improve
ments of all sorts, was greatly re-
stricted in part due to shortage OF
materials and labor and from a pa
triotic standpoint. Nevertheless. the
population has been increasing at the
normal rate and schoolhouses. etc.
must certainly be provided to take
care of this increase. The mechant-
2ation of American life will take up
a very considerable part of the man
ufacturers who will be set free by
the conclusion of the war. The auto
mobile manufacturers will find
market, waiting for them. The agri-
will find a wider market for their
product. both at home and abroad.
The textile manufacturers, previous
ly engaged in war work. will sup
These industries will find the tranls-
ton period easy. Munition manufac-
turers will find the period harder to
pass over. Those which have been
sstructive materials OF warfare sure
ly will not find a market for their
supplies OF merchandise.
"On the whole. We may look for a
the reconstruction period. There
never was a time when money was
more plentiful. More people have
been working, saving, and investing
may look for increased buying. since
buying depends upon the money
available in the hands of the people
and on their attitude toward the mar
ket IhlS ATTITUDE is splendid dt the
present time solely on account of the
war ending satisfactorily. Had it.
ended in a compromise in a lf-way
victory, the what's the-use spirit
would have been placed in the peo-
pies mind with the thought that
repitition of the struggle would oc-
cur in ten OF fifteen years. In at
tempting to prophesy as to general
conditions for the ensuing eighteen
months to two years. which is gem
orally accepted as the length of time
necessary for reconstruction. let us
take into account the agricultural in
dustry, the basic industry of America,
whose output value per year averages
sixteen billions of dollars. We say
1t is the basic industry of America
and for good reasons. Capital in
vested in farming is equal to the COM
bined capital invested in the manu-
featuring Industries, railways. and
mines and quarries OF the United
States"