Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-25
BUSINESS FOR REST
.y. Of 1920 TO Be GOOD
Committee on Statistics of
! u. S. Commerce Chamber
Reports Conditions.

Business will be good in all quar-
fers for the remainder of the year
Archer Wall Douglas. chairman OF
the committee on statistics and stand
ards of the United States Chamber OF
commerce. states in his monthly re-
port today on crop and business cond-
lions.
Although conservatism and caution
appear to be evident everywhere, Mr..
Douglas says, there is no evidence
OF apprehension. except in few
quarters. Purchasing is liberal
enough, but on a sane and sober
basis of needs and not of speculation.
About so per cent of the country is
enjoying business described as good
according to the report. Particularly
is this true in the south.
The southern states are again CIV
ing evidence that they are peculiarly
She land of opportunity" MIR. Douglas
asserts. The traveller through them
sees ffocks and herds and fields of
growing grain in sections that a gen
GRAFTON ago knew only one-crop ideas
and methods. There will be more
and plenty of grains and forage.
There is much fruit and an endless
amount of vegeta hles.
Turpentine and naval stores and
phosphate mining are doing much
better now that the war is over and
avenues of export trade reopened. The
lumber business would be better if
only cars could be had
Cotton Prospects CIouded.
'.At this time. however, a fine pros
pect for cotton is clouded and made IN
certain, both in Texas and Oklahoma
by too much rain and consequent dam
age by boil weevil The same condition
lie, bow
of the cotton belt to the Atlantic ocean.
In the wheat belt the car shortage
evil is the only bad sign. 1t starts first
with the fact that the elevators are full
The next step Is that they cannot get
more cars to ship this grain. Farmers
take their grain to the railroad station
and, being unable to find cars on which
to load it. carry it back to the farm,
where they store it. Then if they have
to meet obligations they sell their wheat
Tor what they can get for it. and a con-
stantly lower market prevails.
Coal mining in the great plains states
is in its usual condition of few days toI
work) and full of troubles. In some To-
cahues it is better when mines have re-
Sumed operations. But too often there
is the wearisome story OF constant and
apparently unnecessary strikes. Mean
while, iron mining in Michigan and Wis
consin is we'll employed.
THE central west. between the Ohio
river and the great lakes, the Mississippi
river and the Alleghenies. is IN most eS-
cellent shape. on the whole The crops
are very good. with the usual local eX-
ceptions. There is plenty of fruit and
an abundance of garden truck.
Automobile Changes.
Industrial life is very busy, save
that a cloud has appeared on the au-
horizon. But It seems to
presage very definitely lessened pro-
duction in the near future and prob
ably different and more economical
methods of distribution.
Everything in the way of fabri-
Gated metals is full of business, and so
are drugs and chemicals and wood
enware. The great demand for con-
crete roads is making cement and
paving brick almost unobtainable.
There is lot of tobacco being grown
in the central west and in the south.
But prices of some varieties are lower
and unsatisfactory to the growers.
Conditions in the great plains states
are about evenly divided between fair
and good. In the northwestern states
spring wheat did not fulfill it's early
promise because of black rust and
was an abundant harvest.
I'm California the citrus industry Is
the brightest spot in a situation where
rainfall has been lacking and where
there are fears that the mountain
streams may consequently fail in SUI
ficient water for irrigation"