The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-08-19
THE BROOKINGs REGISTER, BOOKINGS, s. D., THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1920

single Office room to rent for as high
as a thousand dollars a year. In
Washington Offices are double what
they were before the war. This con
dition holds good in most of the large
cities. Apparently there are not
enough people to man the industries,
to take are of farm production, and
to build new houses and building
, structures within the nation. The
United States census now being
taken, shows that the population is in
creasing, but it does not indicate what
has become Of the laboring people,
who evidently are becoming scarcer
and scarcer as the years roll by. II
America could analyze her true eco
nomic condition she would likely find
out hat the country is several years
behind in the affairs of it's shops and
households.
Whatever the idealists and theorists
could figure out from the above facts
is uncertain. In any event. conditions
all show that the people who predict
panics are sadly misguided, as there
are Of necessity, continued good times
ahead, and these likely will improve
as more people are compelled to turn
to the ranks of industry after dissi-
pating the small fortunes that they
accumulated during war times. Doubt
less prices are slowly coming down,
I,,, 10 Tho gapt that h,,cino,, ,r,G.,ar,
and labor proiteers are being forced
to subscribe to saner business Condi-
tons demanded by a country at peace
with the world.
The railroad problem which holds
public attention, and is of constant
moment at Washington, does not stand
by itself. 1t is a part of the entire
industrial problem Of the country and
is tied up with it in every detail.
Hence it cannot be solved by itself.
Any disturbance affecting any indus
try reacts upon railroad ~transpOrta-
ton. 1t may keep cars empty and idle
that should be full and running. Then
upon the abatement of such a disturb
ance the demand for products delayed
by it becomes abnormally strong for
the time being. There is, so to speak,
a rush hour demand, creating a
temporary need for more than a nor
NAL supply of cars.
The coal strike of last fall had long
extended effects. All production in
which iron and steel enter was cOmpli-
Gated by the steel strike. Building
has been hampered by numerous local
strikes Of craftsmen and the long
shoremen's strikes have rendered it
difficult to get many materials. Traf-
fc for export has been complicated by
maritime strikes, both of longshore-
men and tugsmen. Teamsters' and
truckmen's strikes have added to these
difficulties. Capital has faced uncer-
tainties and particularly has been un-
able to make stable contracts at
known prices. Commodities have nei-
Their been produced nor transported
with the ~forseeable and dependable
regularity of normal times, and this
has interfered with the normal flow
Of commodities.
The ~exigencies of the war period
has resulted, unavoidable, it is true,
in deterioration Of equipment and ia
cilities which takes time to overcome
The competition for labor has lost to
the railroads many skilled men. The
lowered efficiency of labor has affected
the railroads, just as it has other in
dustries. This, together with the