Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-01-01
Business Men of Nation
Gravely Concerned Re-
garding Future.
LABOR CURTAILING
FACTORY OUTPUT
,nusd Advance In Prices, Lower
Production and hIoh Cost OF Llvina
Three Great Causes Of Uncertainty.
Says Federal Reserve Board In Re-
vlew Of Business conditicns--unrssA
Slightly Ahated.

Washington. Jan. 1.---Amer,can busl-
ness feels anxious over what the fu-
ture holds. the federal reserve board
announced In It's review Of December
business conditions. The continued
advance in prices. the reduction In
production. and the high cost OF living
are regarded as a commercial menace.
Attic 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.
High-priced labor refuses to work reg
ularly and demands short hours, with
a consequent falling off IN production.
Uncertainty as to the development Of
the next three months Is retarding ex-
pansion in trade, the report added IN
cautious manufacturers are said to be
inclined not TO commit themselves far
into the future. 81
Labor unrest showed some abate-
ment during the month. but the idle-
ness of worllmen was considered q
greater problem than systematic
strikes. The housing congestion was
expected to be relieved by the increase
in construction, which, the report pre-
dicted. would be stimulated by a dec
crease in materials prices.
Gompers Calls For More Production.
Washington, Jan. 1.-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:}
'.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~
tons as citizens above oil else. Al
citizens we are true to the America.
idaaf or eGnai opportunity Tor ;iis.
I'm the past We have found it 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 viri!ity Of 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-
ton for our demands. But our work
IS not all militant. We are in a posi-
ton to contribute to the Improvement
OF production processes and organiza-
ton.
The immediate problem OF the
world Is to develop a production or
ganization 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 CO. operate
in freeing production from the pre-
venting grasp OF SPECTATORS and infiu-
ences that manipulate industry to en-
rich 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--equal oppor-
tuntLy for all. American workers will
do their full share In working out all
our countrys problems"