The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1920-12-09
QUESTIONABLE ON
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

St. Louis, Mo-, December GA
QUESTIONABLE to ascertain the senti-
ments of commercial organizations,
business interests and newspapers in
the ~ Mississippi Valley States on
the present economic conditions pre-
vailing in the United States, with the
object Of establishing a definite pro-
gram of constructive action tending
to the encouragement of normal busi-
ness and labor employment, is to be
sent out today by the Mississippi
Valley Association, an organization
formed to bring about the economic
and commercial development of the
Mississippi valley territory.
The QUESTIONABLE, embodying six
specific questions on economic con-
ditions, is to be sent to approximate
ly 5000 commercial organizations,
newspapers and private business and
agricultural interests represented IN
the membership of the Mississippi
Valley Association, and follows
recent resolution passed by the d.
rectors of this organization, calling
upon the Valley interests to aid in
formulating a constructive PROGRAM
Of thought and action and will allevi-
ate general stagnation and steadily
increasing unemployment"
The questions asked, in order of
their appearance on the question
naire, are as follows:
''Do you believe the industrial and
financial condition of business in the
United States to be basically
sound?"s
"How do you account for the pres
ent depression in business and for
the public's attitude toward bust
ness?"
what additional system of credits
should be inaugurated, if any, to
freely release money when urgently
needed in our agricultural and indus
trial centers ?"
"Do you think present market con-
ditions are predicated wholly upon
the law of supply and demand, and if
not, what else is responsible 2"
what kinds of insidious and UNI
fortunate propaganda have come to
your attention that would lead the
public to erroneous conclusions with
regard to market conditions and
business generally"
what sort Of justified and con-
structive business propaganda should
be given general publicity in these
days of readjustment
A request is made that the infor-
nation asked in the QUESTIONABLE be
returned to- the executive offices of
the Mississippi Valley Association
at st. Louis by December IA in order
that complete opinion may be avail
able at that time to form the basic
principles of formulating the com
pleted program
According to H. H. Merrick, of
Chicago, president Of the Mississippi
Valley Association, 1t is hoped to
announce on or before January the
combined opinion tending the estab-
lishment of the program to be pur-
sued by the association to bring
about the desired result in economic
conditions.
The resolution, prompting the send |
ing out of the questionable, which
was drawn up by special committee /
of directors Of the Valley Associa- |
ton, consisting of Hugh Humphreys,
Memphis; Walter Parker, New Or |
lenas, and E. A. Biggs, Chicago, and
passed by the board, is as follows:
Whereas, The condition of the
United Staes is sound, but the tenn
porary destruction of confidence |
through the severe and unnecessary
restriction Of credits, and through |
propaganda, which, in many cases,
has not been predicated upon the
law of supply and demand, has re-
suited in general stagnation,
steadily increasing unemployment Of
labor and great distress to farmers,
manufacturers, merchants, bankero /