Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-01-01
Business Men of Nation
Gravely Concerned Re-
garding Future.
LABOR CURTAILING
FACTORY OUTPUT
anusd Advance In Prices, lowsp
Production and hloh Cost OF Llvlns
Three Great Causes Of certainty.
Says Federal Reserve Board In Re-
Wow Of Business condItions--unrsst
Slightly Abated.

Washington. Jan. 1.--American busl-
ness feels anxious over what tho fu-
turc holds. the feedral reserve board
announced In It's review of December
business conditions. The continued
advance in prices. the reduction In
production. and tho high cost Of living
are regarded as a commercial menace.
Altho the retail trade showed great
activity and wholesalers and manufac-
turers are piled with orders. the growth
IN business, the report says. was In
terms of dollars and not in production.
Htgh-priced labor refuses to work reg
ularly and demands short hours, with
a consequent falling or IN production.
Uncertainty as to the development Of
the next three months Is retarding ex-
pansion in trade, the report added, an
cautious manufacturers are said to be
inclined not to commit themselves far
into the future.
Labor unrest showed some abate.
ment during the month. but tho idle.
ness of worlSmen was considered q
greater problem than systematic
strikes. The housing congestion was
expected to be relieved by the increase.
in construction, which, the report pres
dicted, would be stimulated by a dee
crease in materials prices.
Gompers Calls For More Production.
Washington. Jan. l.--Samuel Cons
pers, president of the American
Federation Of Labor, in a New Year
statement pledged Americas workers
to their full share in working out the
country's problems in 1890. Mr..
Gompers said:f t
"America's workers stand ready In
the New Year, as in the past, to do
their full duty as American citizens,
We have already placed our obliga-
ticns as citizens above all else. As
citizens we are true to the America.
ideaf or eqGal opportunity Tor all.
In the past we hnye found 1t nec-
essary to fight for that ideal against
agencies that sought to establish sps-
cial privilege. Those fights have not
been in defense OF class advantages,
but to assure to wage earners the
rights and opportunities that all
should possess. our struggles may
have brought discomfort to others, but
they prevented greater evil--deter-
ioration OF the virility OF a part OF tho
nation.
The great struggle OF labor In tho
past has been to assure to workers in
their industrial relations the rights Of
free citizens. We have fought to give
the ideal of America dominating influ-
ence in shops and factories. Our mill
tant struggle has won general recogni-
tion for our demands. But our work
i-s not all militant. We are in a posi-
tion to contribute to the Improvement
OF production processes and organiza-
tion.
The immediate problem OF the
world Is to develop a production or
sanization that will benefit those who
are the real producers and will also
serve the needs of starving nations.
When assured of just dealings. Amer
ica's workers are able to cooperate
in freeing production from the pre-
venting grasp of spectators and infiu-
eAoes that manipulate industry to en-
rich Il few who gain unfair advantage.
This is big job. but it is essential
for well grounded development in the
years TO come. 1t Is essential to that
ideal which is America-equaI oppor-
tuniry for all. American workers will
do their full share In working out all
our country's problems"