The sun., 1919-03-11
DOMINION'S TRADE
BECOMING ACTIVE
Wholesale Business is Fair,
With Dealers Showing
Warranted Caution.


MoNTREAL. March 10 -- Business
throughout Canada In the winter now
drawing to a close has been a good deal
better than vas looked for when trade
authorities we're INDUCING in prophe-
cies last November There has been
some unemployment in the larger indus
trail centres as a result OF the clos
ing Of munitiOn factories, but on the
whole It has been small factor In the
general situation. Labor troubles have
been Insignificant.
Now. with spring at hand, there are
signs that some of what little slack there
Is will be taken up by seasonal activi-
ties The opening Of the ST. Lawrence
River ports OF Quebec and Montreal
releases a lot OF export and import busi-
ness in all years. good or bad.
Trade reviews continue to refer 10
fair volume OF wholesale business. al
though noting a csutiousness on the
part OF buyers This caution OF itself
is a favorable factor in the situation.
Stocks OF merchandise in retail hands
are being kept at low level. They were
low during the war period because OF the
difficulty of securing goods. They re-
main low now because OF merchants
fears that free buying at present prices
would invite disaster In the event OF a
serious slump in commodity prices.
Commodity prices, however, are cas-
ing off but slowly. There Is a vacuum
in business to be filled, and indications
seem TO multiply that trade interests
are becoming convinced that the price
structure will undergo but slight down
ward revision through the remainder
Of the year, and that come upward re-
vision may be in order When merchants
are forced into the market to Ill the
bare necessities of their trade.
Two announcements indicative Of
further progress to normal conditions In
business were made last week. The
British Board * Trades decision to re-
move restrictions on the importation OF
paper and paper making materials en-
largss the British market for Canadian
pulp and paper products. The packing
interests will be placed in a position TO
liquidate the large stocks on hand by
the further decision of the British au-
thorities to permit the importation OF
bacon, hams and lard arriving on or af-
ter March 10. Consignments under this
order will not be allowed TO be sold un-
III after March 81.
In the meantime, however. shipments
will 20 forward. sa>sHt advantage may
be taken OF the freedom from restriction
after the enu r the mOntn.
The order for Canadian -four recently
placed by the British Government has
been disappointinEly small, according to
trade data on the allotments among the
various mills, but on the principle that
half loaf is better than none, the
change from the recent condition OF
stagnatlon In the export -four trade is
welcome enough.
Senator Robertson. Minister Of Labor
In the Federal Government. estimated
In an address here the other day that
with the opening OF spring. work TO be
undertaken in connection with Cana
dian railway improvements Will give
employment to about 10000 men, while
the adoption Of the eight hour day will
put about 10000 more at work. His
estimate of Government expenditure on
the national railways Ia about $4,000
900, including expenditure on new con-
struction. chiefly small branch lines in
the west, rolling stock and maintenance
As In the United States the railroads
are suffering from a rundown condition
, because OF the unwillingness OF the COM
panies TO buy at war time prices and
the difficulty of obtaining men and ma
terial, II they had been willing