Grand Forks herald., 1919-12-27
Bank. and the rate Situation general-

Bank. and the rate Situation general
Ely has stinened somewhat.
serious shortage of skilled labor
is reported by practically all Of the
industrial centers. Federal and state
labor agencies. report a considerable
number of men out Of work who.
have a sufficient supply of money to
take care of their needs for the inn
mediate future. Individual efficiency
Of labor is not up to normal. and
there is considerable radical agitation
throughout the district
Farm labor Is scarce and the short
age of experienced and capable help
is keenly felt in all sections.
The stock situation is unfavorable,
because of the early snowfall, severe
cold weather, and shortage of feed.
In the Black Hills region, in western
North Dakota. and throughout Mon
tana, these conditions. together with
the difficulty in obtaining cars for
shipment, are producing heavy losses
usual on stock in transit. There
were heavy shipmenB of sheep to
market during both November and
December, and the years records at
the South Saint Paul market will
show notable increases in the receipts
of hogs as we'll.
Manufacturing enterprises are very
~.SSN'S'
far behind on their orders. Textile
and clothing manufacturers are un.
able to secure sufficient women oper-
ators, although they are Offering SUBJ
stantial advances in wages. Furni-
ture lines are in good condition, and
iron and steel concerns are booking
orders readily.
Since the close Of lake transborta-
ton November "a, the milling indus
try has been hampered by shortage
of cars, and by the withdrawal of
equipment, generally used for hand
ling wheat and -four, for fuel trans
portation.
Wholesalers report satisfactory
sales. Some lines, especially the
usual lull before Christmas.
Retail trade reports from the out
lying districts show some slowing up
! in merchandise sales and a tendency
on the part of buyers to hesitate be-
cause of high prices. The credit stu
alton is good. Retailers report that
poor accounts are much below nor
NAL.
In the iron mining districts Of nor
thern Michigan and northern Min
nesota. winter operatios are under
way with no labor trouble of seri-
Gus nature. The gold mining indus
try in the Black Hills reports very
4 quiet conditions: the condition Ill
the copper mining industry is about
the same as it has been since the ar
mistice. The copper price situation
at the present time is very unsettled,
and unless there is a decided foreign
: demand soon, it will be necessary to
) either curtail production or the conf
J, panies operating at the highest cost
! will have to close down for period.
) The buying wave which prevailed
during midsummer has subsidized and
| available, surplus copper on Decem.
: Der J. reached the highest point since
' the close of the war Buying orders
1 have not come in in. the volume that
: was expected. The present outlook il
: uncertain.
e In the lumber industry. there is M
weakening in the demand. The out
: put is limited only by the number o
men available. Wages in the wood
are very high and camp cpndition
are better than they ever have been
but labor is not attracted to any ex
tent even by these conditions. Opcr
ators in Minnesota deny that there
any serious trouble on account of ]
w. w. agitation, and express conf