The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-08
VIEWING WITH ALARM.

One of the strongest features in our
system of government is seen in the
fact that political upheavaI such as
occurred November 2 is followed by
no bitterness of feeling or disturbance
of any sort. The business of the coun-
try moves along just as it would have
done had the party in control been re-
tanned in power. There has been no.
ticeable no effect on industry or mar
ket values.
Yet there are among us many who
always fear the worst. If a law be
under consideration, it is going to be
passed in it's most radical form and
bring a host of economic evils in its
train. If strike be threatened it is
going tothrottle industries and throw
millions out of employment.
Commenting on this tendency to ;ex-
list in a constant state of alarm the
Wollman Review says:
Recently we have been greatly at
flicted by the fear of famines. Owing
to the low production during the war
and the scarcity of many commodities,
we have come to fear shortage in this
line or that as the most dreadful of
Ills. In this country, we have had
about half dozen famines that ex-
listed only as phantoms in the imagi-
nations of prophets of disaster We
were going to have a famine in ships,
freight cars, shoes, clothing, sugar,
houses and coal.
Only a few short months ago It
looked as if we were faced by a gem
eral famine in sugar. Every country
in the world that could produce sugar
sent If m t1G and xyo f1nnIa1
sugar Nations which were running
on the shortest possible allowance of
sugar, dipped into their scanty sup
plies and made shipments to us be-
cause we were willing to pay high
prices. There is no longer any talk of
a famine in sugar.
People now are in great dread of a
coal famine. We believe that it will
fail to materialize. Industry is Slow
ing down. There is less demand for
coal for that reason. We have had an
ideal autumn, and many a furnace,
usually lighted during the latter part
of September were not set going per-
manently until the first of November.
Our weekly coal output is running
above 12,000,00O tons for bituminous
coal. 1t is our guess that some of
those who are now profiteering in coal
will have about the same experience
that befell the profiteers in sugar.
Much anxiety has been expressed
over the housing situation. It was ex-
pected that thousands of families in
Greater New York and vicinity would
be homeless on account of the scarcity
of accommodations. Here again it has
developed that the profiteer has been
largely responsible for the situation
that has arisen. A New York real
estate authority has been quoted as
estimating the number of unrented
apartments in this city at more than
5000, and one firm has admitted that
it has on its books more than 1000
small apartments for rental.
The reason for these vacancies may
be found in the extraordinary de-
mands made by landlords who are
asking twice as much for an apartment
of two rooms and bath as was charged
for a six-room apartment less than
four years ago. These extortionists
viii find out before long that a bust
ness reaction has struck the country,
and that people have not the money to
meet such demands. Then if we can
get after the labor grafters and the
building grafters. we probably shall
find that another one of our famines
will disappear as quickly as the 9TH
ers.