The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-12-31
The Meddler
Ifths cost fits you, put it on

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One does not have to go away from
BrattlebOro to get evidence in support
of the claim that it is comparatively
free from the effects of the business de-
preston now SO general throughout the
country. The newspapers are contin-
ually telling of conditions in other towns
good fortune of this community, where
industrial and mercantile operations are
so slightly below normal as to be scarcely
noticeable. Reports from local mer-
chants in various lines indicate that the
volume of holiday trade was unex-
pectedly large-in some cases more than
the record of 1919-and while radical
price establishments are likely to be the
rule for the next month or two there is
no. reason for doubling that local re
tailers, especially those who are alert
to the need of keeping abreast of condi-
tions, will find themselves in excellent
shape to take advantage of the expected
revival of busy times next spring.
So far as local industrial plants are
concerned things are not likely to be
any quieter than they are at present, and
if that likelihood proves to be a fact
certainly townspeople can have no cause
for complaint. From inquiry among 10
cal manufacturers The Meddler gathers
the impression that business is pretty
certain to continue on its present basis
throughout the winter. Both toy plants
and the chair factory intend to keep their
full forces going on full time for the
next few months at least, and in the case
of the Smith Manufacturing company
even the usual shutdown for inventory
is to be omitted this year. In other
plants now in operation the outlook is
about the same, the chances of curtail |
ment being remote. On the question |
of wages there is no unanimity of sent |
iment, and the Investigation of the |
any attempt at united action among en- |
ployers. The fact that wages here never |
reached the level of the so-callcd war |
industry towns makes it unlikely that |
there will be any such reductions as have |
taken place in some of them. OF the |
numerous employers with whom The |
NIeddler has talked recently the major
ity say they would prefer increased eff
cheney land therefore increased produc-
tom on the present scale to any reduc-
ton, although in the labor market as in
all others the old law of supply and de-
mand is bound to have its effect.
Taking it all in all, Brattleboro has
every reason to be thankful that its
business is of a sort to be affected 50
slightly by the ups and downs of these
fervid days. In the hcyday of war pro-
duction with its attendant high wages
many good folk chafed at what they con-
share of war prosperity. Events have
proven, however, that a good deal of
hat prosperity went as easily as it
came, and one wouldn't have to go very
many miles away to find instances of
hat fact among employers as well as
employees.
l.
For the most part sportsmen in this
ocality will approve of the recommended {
ions which Commissioner Leavens
makes in his biennial report for the
tate fish and game department. There
$ no doubt that sentiment in this part
# the state favors changing the deer /
easOn from December to November and !
the shooting of does. Little
opposition will be made to an increase
n fishing and hunting licenses as it is 5
low generally understood that more t
money must be spent every year if the :
tate's stock of fish and game is to be
ept up, and the departments sole source
f income is from license receipts. Mr..
Ieaven's recommendation to close the
pen season on trout Aug. / instead Of
ept. 1 is doubtless a compromise be-