, 1920-09-23
NATION MAKES GREAT STRIDES.
Survey Of United States by Franklin
X. Lane Shows Progress in
Many Branches.

Franklin X. Lane, former Secretary
of the Interior. on Tuesday issued a
statement making public a summary of
what he calls THE first comprehensive,
carefully made and approximately ac-
curate picture of industrial, agricul-
tural- financial and political conditions
throughout the United States" 1t dis
covers i'll the foreground, he says, that
both major political parties have over
looked the greatest issue in the public
mind, which is the cost of living. 1t
Ilso shows. he states, that the country
is on Il sound economic basis, with the
wave of extravaganza subsiding. say
ing increasing, wholesalers and retail
ers optimistic over the winter out
look. IL "A growing disposition for hard
work. although the individual produc-
tivity of labor is not yet showing much
evidence of increase.
Mr.. Lanes statement summarizes a
survey made through o field repre-
sentatives of the Fidelity and Deposit
Company of Maryland and covers every
section of the country. Manufacturers.
merchants. Chambers of Commerce.
bankers. lawyers. businessmen and far
mers We're questioned in the effort to
mirror the immediate economic and po-
litical situation and obtain Il %concensus
of representative opinion as to the fu-
ture. The replies from all localities
..r-.n ,..I, ..- -.
In a preface to his analysis of the
survey. Mr.. Lane says: with the
presidential election but six weeks
away and the winter rapidly approach
ing, many thoughtful people stand
hesitant and undecided, having diff
Guilty because Of the general lack of
knowledge of business conditions out
side their own locality or interests.
The general tendency has been to see
what the next man thinks. with the
uncomfortable feeling that his guess
is no better than another's. believe.
for this reason. the picture presented
in the tabulated analysis is of great
interest to every business man and
voter. While it is not, of course. per
feet in detail and exact in prophecy it
is as clear and valuable IL conspectus
of present conditions as can be gath
cred"
Under the heading of industrial con-
ditions. Mr.. Lane says: Economical
ly. the United States is shown to be
better off than any other country in
the world. There is no evidence of
idleness. Our people have the oppor-
tunity to work and are at work.
There is no shortage of raw ma
terials sufficient to curtail production,
reported from any of the nine geo
graphical districts into which the
country was divided for h purpose of
GLIDING Minnesota. the Dakotas. Iowa,
Kansas. Nebraska and Wisconsin. is
there evidence of lack of orders. New
England industries report II number of
cancellations. hut there. as elsewhere,
manufacturers are well filled with calls
for their product.
Transportation conditions are i'm
proving everywhere and a substantial
reduction i'm the freight car shortage is
reported in every district except in the
Rocky Mountain States. in the South
west and in the district including Ken
lucky. Tennessee. Alabama and Missis-
sippi. although an Improvement is lot
ed in the latter district.
u shortage of coal and the failure
of labor to increase individual produc-
tivity appear to he the only two un-
favorable aspects in the immediate in
dustrial situation. The Rocky Noun
tain and Pacific States report a suffi-
cient supply of fuel. All other sec
tions of the country are feeling the
shortage but it is apparently least felt
by the South Atlantic states.
although labor is costing stin more
than it did last year, it apparently is
producing no more. Wages have ads
vanced from 10 to 80 per cent, in the
last twelve months and yet nowhere is
there reported increase i'll productivity