The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-25
TRADE IS SHOWING D
UNUSUAL ACTIVITY
Important Projects, Howov.,
Are Being Deferred DuriD,
Labor Unrest.
PRICES AS A RULE STEADY
Buying Of Wearing Apparel
Is Excellent, Especially
of High Grades.

Business as registered by the I'M,
and Bradstreet trade barometers -.
! tinues to reflect exceptional actIvi,,
practically every line In their revi,,,
to-day. but emphasis is given to via
spread unrest Of labor and to tbo a.,
that some important projects are bs,,.
deferred until the outlook shall beco,.
clearer.
BrGdstreets says OF the stuann,
Two APPARENTLY diverse views o, N,
trade and Industrial situation pres4,,
themselves according as the immedis,.
situation or the more distant futuro 1,
regarded. Current buying is active
never more so in many lines, and m.
only complaint Is inadequacy OF mat..
rails or Of finished products to SUNNI
demand. Buying OF wearing appars
much of II of high grade, is excelsnt
and luxuries, Jewelry, automobiles and
kindred articles apparently never sola
better. II any hesitation is visible II |,
In some lines of goods In which pric.
weakness Is predicted or feared Prics,
AZ whole. however, are steady. and
official and other price comparisons
while rejecting a fair lowering of food
price levels at wholesale since Augur
1. point to only a slight net reduction
In the entire list, with retail prices slow
to follow wholesale quotations down.
ward Manufacturing, though crippled
by strikes or labor inefficlency, ranges
from fatr n .x-Itl
reports indicating efforts being made IA
I'LL piled up orders The above refers
to what might be termed present de-
mand.
The future seems to present rather
different picture, mainly because of III,
increasingly arbitrary attitude Of o.
ganized labor. The hopes for a truce
expressed in the late summer hay,
faded, the representatives OF labor n
the Industrial Conference have walked
out, there are rumors of a reopening Of
the railroad mems demands OF Auruz
and the bituminous coal strike set tor
November holds possibilities OF menace
to industry and trade which should not
be underestimated. Meeting this att.
tude of organized labor and threats Of
direct action by the unions Is an I'd.
deniable stiffening of the attitude Of en-.
ployers In nearly every line which make,
the future industrial outlook an IN.
usually clouded one Reflection Of thl
Is as yet mainly found In the unsettled
stock market, which has witnessed
startling reversals of form in the indus
trial groups being bulled early on eS.
cellent earnings reports. but depressed
In turn by the Industrial uncertainty
especially the prospect of strike In
soft coal. upon which all but the East.
ern seaboard is dependent alike for
winter fuel and Industrial power.
Duf's Reufeto says to-day: "Satstac.
ton over the many evidences Of business
activity Is lessened by the continuance
or strikes In various parts OF the cour.
try and by apprehensions Of further
troubles to follow.
Developments at the Industrial Con.
ference in Washington, which it was
hoped would promote more settled con.
ditions, have not been reassuring and
the uncertainties OF the labor situation
nearly everywhere prompt hesitation
and act as a check on new enterprises
Vigorous efforts to relieve the ship.
ping congestion In New York harb0-
have been partially successful, but b0h
overseas and rail movements are still
considerably retarded, and delays in de-
liveries accentuate tho shortages o.
goods and impart increased strength q
prices that are already at aTormalE
high levels.
"A similar effect, moreover, results
from the loss of production at man
manufacturing establishments and com I
petition among buyers for urgently /
needed supplies Is bringing offers q
sharp premiumsS over regular marks' /
quotations. With outputs unequal |
requirements in many instances It Is nt
conspicuous exception where stocks o.
merchandise have accumulated, and moi |
little domestic and foreign businessh
being held in allegiance because all de- !
mands cannot be satisfied.
'While the diminution Of purchasing
power that has been caused by pro
tracted strikes in some sections Is no.
without adverse influence on TeAA
trade and mercantile collections, y@
distribution to consumers continues ID
noteworthy volume in spite OF the OK
treme prices. and the commercial NOR
tally remains unusually moderate