Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-04-18

Sctttciuoilt ny ECuCEdl nONcInHlCut Vi
claims for payment under informal war
contracts; (lD partial shutting off of i'm
portant European markets due to import
trade embargoes by Great Britain, France
and Italy.
The digest thus summarizes the opin-
ions of the association members as to
what is needed to promote national pros
perity and return to normal business
conditions:
stop wartime extravagance return
the railroads and the wires TO the owners
modify taxes on industry; let the Govern
ment bear the losses on wheat-the foun-
dation of good prices; abolish war-period
regulation agencies let increased produc-
ton justify high wages; have the Gov
eminent pay its war bills; inaueurate pub
lie works, educate the public in the ele-
ments of economics"
The digest does not give very optim-
istic outlook in respect to improved bust
ness conditions for this year. After re-
marking that the production of iron and
steel is universally regarded in business
circles as the most reliable trade barome-
ter, 1t says that the replies from this in
dustry show trade in a state of comparative
lethargy, while 81 per cent. of the steel
and iron manufacturing plants do not re-
gard trade prospects for 1919 as bright.
The widely spread belief that the cessation
of war would bring great volume of Or
ders from the war-devastated countries of
Europe receives little support.
The one notable exception in regard to
this question was afforded by the brewing
and distilling group, which, in the face Of
pending prohibition, bases its hope of dis.
posing of its stocks on the foreign buyer.
One of the questions asked was whether
retailers or jobbers were buying on an i'm
portant scale. Brewers and distillers gave
100 per cent. affirmative. The only other
groups in which the alternatives were
above SO per cent. were finished drugs
jewelry and silverware, musical instru-
ments. tobacco and vehicles.
In respect to this latter feature the di-
eest brought out the curious fact that the re
is regular boom all over the country ir
monographs, automobiles and jewelry
especially in the big industrial regions
Mr.. Hickey, basing his opinion on letters
received from the manufacturers. gave
this explanation:
THE high wages paid during the wal
have started the workers on regular orgy
of spending. They are not saving theil
money but are indulging in all kinds Of
luxuries that they would hardly have
thought about before the war. This is par
ticularly true in the case Of jewelry. pho
nOgraphs and automobiles. Musical in.
strument makers and retailers everywhere
report numberless instances of people
wanting to buy monographs with Liberty
Bonds. and the same is true in regard t
automobiles. They do not want cheaI
instruments. but the expensive mahogany
finished kind"
An overwhelming percentage of the mem
bers, 100 per cent. in seven groups ant
about 95 per cent. in the remainder. de
clared themselves in opposition to an!
form Of Government ownership. and urget
the return of the railroads to their private
owners. Government regulation was ap
proved in 80 per cent. of the total replies
received.
The labor problem was dealt with il
three questions:
DO you favor or oppose legally con
stituted national board for the adjudica
ton of labor disputes"
Are you in favor of legislation impos
ing legal responsibility on trade unionsH"
DO you favor or oppose the repeal Of tn,
LaFollette seaman's act2"
The vote on the first question showed
81 per cent. in favor of a national adjudi
cation board, but some important qualifi
cations were made. The digest declares
that the comments showed general dissat
isfaction with the present National Wa
Labor Board on the ground that II con
coded too much to the labor side in dis
putes and that many manufacturers di
rectly charged that the Board had failed
to be impartial, judicial or conciliatory."
The greatest unanimity shown on any
question was in regard to the placing o.
statutory responsibility on trade unions FOL
their contracts and the acts Of their agents
Less than one-half of per cent. of the
replies were negative and the opposition
was almost entirely based on feeling o.
uncertainty as to what extent the manu-
facturers might be willing to deal witt
labor organizations outside of their plants
The opposition to the repeal of the La
Toilette seamen's law was also very small
being less than l-2 per cent.