New-York tribune., 1919-10-14

manufacturers from small towns re-
port labor conditions as fairly satls-
factory. Not a few of these told me
that they had their old steady workmen
who had been with them for twenty
years or more. Where this was the
case the manufacturer had no COM
plant to make, and was spondingly
inclined to optimism regarding the gen
eral business situation.
But in the larger cities. where polltl-
cal radicalism has stronger hold upon
the laboring classes, conditions are far
more irving. The Burgomaster OF
Leipsic told me that there are some
5000 women among the unemployed
people regularly assisted with money
by the city, yet it is almost impossible
to hire a cook or girl for general
housework here. Leipsic has some lig
mite mines, which are almost outcrop
deposits and are mined by the surface
process, yet unemployed men on Leip-
sics gratis wage list refuse to work
in this easy form of mining.
Fuel Scarcity Serious
The scarcity of raw materials is much
complained of in some branches of
business. but less so than | had ex-
pected The shortage of fuel is the
first difficulty, and this is evidently
growing more and more serious. In
some eases manufacturers from towns
around the fringes of coal districts
told me that they solved the coal PROB
lem by sending their own auto trucks
to the mines, but the vast majority
cannot do ihAt. In some branches, too,
other fuel is resorted to. One porce
lain manufacturer told me that he was
using wood in his baking ovens.
Tboro ic also rrnat scarcity in cot
ton wool, flax, leather, copper--in fact,
nearly all raw materials. But arrivals
from abroad are already materially re-
lievng the situation in some lines. A
mar ufacturer of aluminium goods, for
which there is now an enormous de-
mand, told me that he was now get
ting his raw materials chiefly from
France, to a less extent from England
A number of the German manufact-
urers of crude alrmilunl have had to
shut down owing tc lack of coal.
A Silcsian manufacturer of cotton
laces told me that he was using French
yarns chiefly in his factory. The
French, he said. gave him credit for
twelve months, and under the spur of
that example the English had consent
ed to extend their credits in some
cases to six months. The Americans,
on the other hand, would not give
credit beyond ninety days, and so were
getting no business.
Flax Prices Enormous
Linen manufacturers also complain
of the shortage of flax, missing the big
stocks that formerly came in from
Russia and Poland. Owing to this
shortage Of fax prices are tenfold
higher than pre-war figures, and there
nd fO
This also describes conditions in the
shoe trade-scarcty of leather nd
huge demand for shoes. 1t was in the
shoe department that I saw the only
American exhibit A Chicago export
firm was operating through q Swiss
agent, who said that he had taken
large orders, particularly for Vienna.
These contracts were taken in dollars,
and each shoe on exhibition had its
price in dollars imprinted upon it..
The exporter agreed to fill contracts IN
three months.
On the other hand, an Anne rican shoe
dealer who formerly had retail stores
in several German cities has recently
over the situation he reached the con-
clusion that the time had not yet ar
rived for resuming business in Ger
many, chiefly owing to the high prices
that he would have to demand.
Not few Of the manufacturers told
me that they were getting foreign or
ders. 1t is also a noteworthy fact that
buyers are present here in quite unusual
numbers from Switzerland, Holland,
Scandinavia, Poland, Czecho-Slovakia,
Austria and several other countries. The
general verdict among these merchants
is one of wonder at seeing what Ger
man manufacturers have been accom-
plishng. Very few buyers were present
from countries recently at war with Ger
many. heard of one lonely American,
but did not see him. In fact, this Messe
is growing to be more of an interna-
tional institution, despite the check
given to that development by. the war.
1t was just announced that the city of
Zurich will erect Messe Palace here
especially for Swiss exhibits.