Evening star., 1921-12-10
Special Dispatch to'The Star.

NEW YORK, December 10.-Six
months ago econmists, statisticians.
bankers, business men and labor
leaders were looking in the back OF
the book for the answers to two
problems that threatened to affect
seriously the welfare Of the country
this winter. Those two problems
unemployment and housing--now
have practically solved themselves
or are in a fair way to do 60.
Unemployment no longer is q
country wide menace. The great
magnet Of busiress resumption has
picked UP the scattered workers and
drawn them back into industry. More
are being added to the expanding
pay rolls each week and while the
army Of workers is not yet recruited
up to wartime strength, danger OF
extreme suffering. by the unemployed
this winter has been safely passed.
Even the weather man has aided in
accomplishing this result. For the
mild weather has permitted continu-
alton Of outdoor projects for beyond
the usual time and at the same time
the nippy nights have been an un-
answerable argument to the volun-
come for them to get out and hustle
up a job.
Louneers at Work Now.
The parks here. which were Allied
in the early autumn with hundreds
Of unemployed sleeping on the grass.
are deserted these frosty nights. but
there has been no added crowds at
the municipal lodging houses. The
park loungers simply have gone to
ynrk tnh q.
tended the sale of state. county and
municipal bonds has been a decided
factor. for 1t has enabled the authori-
ties to start work at once on high
way and improvement projects, which
have furnished work to thousands Of
men.
Perhaps nothing SO thoroughly i'll
lustrates the trend of improvement.
both in morale and employment, than
the operations in two lines OF the
textile trade here. Scores OF buyers
for overall manufacturers are in the
market here buying denims. The de:
mand for work clothes from retail
dealers is increasing daily and manu-
facturers Of overalls and work shirts
are preparing for an increased pro-
duction with the new year. On the
other hand and, the silk shirt INDUSTRY
is almost at a standstill. with little
demand and restricted production.
BUtlotnX Excee00 IUSVs
Dwelling house construction Is on
the increase all over the United
States. The amount of construction
in nearly every section already has
far exceeded that Of 1920. and next
spring promises to develop into a
regular building boom. There is still
housing shortage. but 1t is growing
less acute, and the answer to the
problem has already appeared. That
nj, H.
tractors now are able to finance their
projects at reasonable rates. Loans
are procurable at low rates. and those
rates give signs Of softening still
more.
Hard times may have been knock
ing at the doors of America. but tney
did not make enough noise to alarm
the households in Missouri and Cali
fornia, IL the number of automobiles
owned in those states is criterion.
Missouri has $4,000 more motor cars
registered in the state than were
recorded last gear. while the increase
in California has totaled 1900. Other
states have recorded even greater
gains. Tire production is increasing
weekly and more tires now are being
turned out than before the war.
Experts on Increase
Exports to Great Britain and the
orient are on the increase. Glass
plants are being speeded up. with in
creased building in prospect. and
there Is a probability that the produc.
ton period at the glass factories will
be extended. Oil production continues
to increase. with new drilling going
on in q score of fields and new wells
being brought in each week.
The iron and steel industries not
only have improved. but they are
holding their gains. The successful
way in which the railroads have been
enabled to effect refinancing arrange
ments in the last week has put a tre-
mendous amount of money at their
disposal, much of which will be ex-
pended for repairs and equipment.
with consequent betterment to the
steel and equipment plants.
The holiday trade is exceeding ex-
pectations. and while statesmen no
longer dash into the retailer and de-
mand that he sign on the dotted
line" so they can catch train. they
are turning in satisfactory volume
Of dry goods orders for spring de-