New-York tribune., 1919-05-18
Editors See Prosperity
Ahead for u. S. Industry
''de OF Business Havi Turned, 1t Is Now
Running Strong in Direction of Full En-
ployment and Great Activity in Retail Trade

WAsHlNGTON, May 17.-That the
turning point in the readiust-
ment of business has been reached
and passed is the consensus Of the
OPINION OF editors of leading news
papers in the principal cities of tho
country Some insist that great ma
uonal prosperity already has arrived.
Others see it just around the cor
ner.
That the trend of business was up-
ward. after five months of poino
downhill, had been indicated bv ,b.
reports of commercial agencies: but
"here these agency reports lacked in
being satisfactory was that thew failed
to indicate the general feel" of bust
ness. In order to get at this feeling
far more important than cold sta,
tistcs in arriving at an understand
ing of the situation--"T -"The Star" askod
the editors of these newspapers to tele-
graph reports of conditions in their
sections of the country. Their re-
sponses are calculated to wipe pes
'ii"iSii' anu encouragement OH the
slate.
Rush to Buy Goods
Here is what the financial and bust
ness news editor of The New York
Tribune, taking not only local but a
national view of the outlook, has to
say:
"Prosperty on scale comparable
to the great war boom lies Just ahead
The chief reasons why it must come
are:
81. Deferred business of amazing
volume that cannot be deferred much
longer.
80. Purchasing power in this country
almost without limit, and.
3. The heavy foreign demand for
American products that viii come when
peace has been completed and salts
factory arrangements for financing the
trade, already under consideration,
have been made.
1t is unnecessary to speak in the
future tense of prosperity in many
lines. Prosperity has arrived in not a
few trades. and on such a scale that
producers are falling far behind in the
race TO keen production up to demands.
Merchants are in New York right now
trying 30 buy goods for next spring,
inohtnS ahead or the usual time for
buying such goods. The volume of
purchases by retail merchants has been
rslng steadily since early in January
and now is at a peak that has been
aqualled only once or twice before"
Cheerful View of Outlook
Though things are not in full swing
in Ohio, a cheerful view of the outlook
apparently prevails. 'The general
feeling as to the prospects of industry
in the near future is optimistic" is the
word The Plain Dealer" sends from
Cleveland "Business men state that
within three months industry will be
operating at normal capacity with
tries with the exception of automo-
biles, are reporting operating at about
90 per cent of capacity. Automobiles
are running to full capacity.
Detroit. being the centre of the au-
omoble industry, is enjoying an ex-
ceptional measure Of prosperity, in
dustries there, according to "The De-
troit News operating at practically
100 per cent capacity. Commercial
trade is excellent" says The News" "A
number of the larger stores are do
ing the best business in their history.
An extensive building programme is
under way, with more large projects
in prospect. The situation in Detroit
may be summed up in the words high
ly satisfactory
General conditions in industries are
renOrted good with prOsDects evcal-