The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-06
SEE BETTER TIMES
Every Indication Points to Big
ger Business Over State.
Industrial Situation of Country
Is Encouraging.
BACK TO NORMAL SOON
Kansas and Middle West Leads
the Movement.
Reduction i'm Lumber Brings
Big Building Program.
BACK TO NORMAL soon
BY v. E. BUNDY.

ID v. IL. bOAND
From numerous different angles,
the general business and industrial sit
uation of the country is beginning to
look encouraging, and as if the de-
preston, which has been characterized
as psychological has reached its peak.
and the country is on a return to nor
NAL and prosperous condition. Kan
sas and the middle western states will
lead this movement.
There has been too much depres-
sion talked People have been in
fluenced to believe there was a big
slump coming, frightened, and their
buying curtailed. The market has
and when the buying commenced
again, things are going to pull out
in good shape" J. r. Koontz, general
freight agent for the Santa Fe, says.
Il believe people are getting more
hopeful and confident, and when peo-
pie believe things are coming out right
they usually are all right" J. r. Bur-
row, of the Central National bank,
stated.
The middle west has not to deal with
the unemployment which is sweeping
the eastern states, it was found by E.
F. Fader, of st. Louis, regional direc-
tor of the United States employment
survey, who is Investigating conditions
in Topeka with the assistance of Maj.
James L. Going. of the. state employ
ment bureau of the state labor de-
partment.
Little Unemployment Here.
Fifteen of the largest employers of
labor in Topeka, have only 400 fewer
men at work now than year ago. The
letting out of some of the workers has
resulted in increased efficiency, Fader
believes.
Many employers have been releas-
ing the dead wood" and the less eff
cient employees, and will be able to get
the same amount of production from
the reduced number.
Fader has made similar survey of
kansas City, Kan, and will continue
the work in other cities of the state
His work is included in large survey
program which is being carried out
over the entire United States by the
federal department of labor.
The greatest reductions in employ
ment in Topeka, Fader found, are in
the building trades and in the Santa
Re shops, in each of which industries
there are about 200 fewer men en-
ployed than there were year ago.
A factor which will tend to relieve
the unemployment of the building
trades is the reduction in the price of
building material which has started
and which bids fair to keep up till
RAAO1p AClul " lllclE pTe-Wdf level.
1t was recently announced that there
mad been a / 5 per cent decrease in the
price of lumber. Other building ma
teria1 is following, Wilbur Stanfield,
city water commissioner, has found in
connection with the construction of
the new consolidated water and light
plant. Copper wire has dropped from
~ cents to II cents pound. Cast
iron pipe has dropped from $50 to $50
ton. Henry Bennett declared at the
meeting of the Topeka Builders club
held Wednesday night that the prices
down to normal by spring.
To Revive Building Program. a
The building program of the coun-
try is years behind, and one of the
things which has retarded it is the
nigh price of material. With this re-
moved, it is possible that there will be
revival of building in the next few
months. IN winch will offer employment
10 very large number of men,
Ra1lroad men are certain that there
is to be large movement of crops in
the near future, which will result not
only in giving the railroads lots of
business, but will generally and ma
ter1alIy improve the general trade con-
dltlons of the country. The Rock Is
land has already concentrated cars at
the important points for the grain
| movement in this section, and all roads
are preparing their rolling stocks DUR
| ing the present standstill of business
because they believe that selling and
buying must inevitably start soon, and
| there will be rush of business when
| it does come.
Stocks of all retail merchants are as
low as the merchants can possibly
keep them at the present time, it is
| pointed out, and with the first show
of stir in the buying end of the bust
ness, there will be a rush for new
stocks. The transportation system OF
the country is using its present rest
| period to prepare for this rush, and
will be able to handle it when it does
come, according to Elmer T. Strain,
divisional freight agent for the Rock
Island in Topeka, and president of the
Topeka Chamber of Commerce.
Every indication points to an open
| ing up of business. and to return OF
the country to normal prosperity with