Evening star., 1921-09-03
BY BYRON SELLER.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. September 3.-King
Cotton has dragged his faithful sub
jects of the south out of the by
paths Of depression and set them on
the highway toward business revival.
Improved conditions in the south
found instant response in renewed
activity and increased confidence in
other sections Of the country. ac-
cording to business dispatches re-
ceived within the last twenty-four
hours
Indications point strongly to a
somewhat similar improvement of
both credit and buying power Tor
the farmers of other sections. and
these are rendered more significant
by the large demand Of wheat for
export. Demand for steel products
is improving, and, although 1t ls
improving slowly. more plants are
being blown in and more furnace
fires lighted each week.
Railroads Increase Forces.
Railroads are increasing their
shop and maintenance OF way Iorces.
The wave Of lumber buying. started
by foreign demand on the Pacnc
coast, is sweeping eastward IN re-
sponse to heavy purchases by rall-
roads and the demand for building
purposes. Within the last ten days
railroads have made heavy purchases
Of ties and car material, ana retaii
yards are buying freely.
Freight movements have improved
less idle cars are on sidings and car
are disappearing. Oil men are en-
encouraged over the increased amount
of crude oil being taken daily by
the midwest refiners. Buying by re-
tailers is advancing by leaps and
bounds in the south and is proceed
ing satisfactorily elsewhere. Inc aa
grocery trade is showing renewed ac-
tivity, while shoe manufacturers IN
some sections are declining to guar
antee deliveries for the fall months
| on further business.
Textile Trades Respond.
The textile trades naturally re-
sponded quickly to the advance in
cotton. Fears tina: the increased
price of the staple and consequent
higher prices for finished goods may
check buying would seem to have lit
| tie foundation, when it is reaiizeo
| that probably not more than ~ per
have bought the supplies of these
goods which they will require this
season.
While the intervening of the Labor
day holiday may serve to slow up
business generally next week. It's ei
feet will be less noticeable than usual
Many plants started up September l,
and in some Of these, where the char
acter of the work prevents a close
down, workers will celebrate Labor
day by being back on the pay roll
| after long absence.
The holiday also will give texuie
| men a chance to review the cotton
situation and schedule new prices
necessitated by the advance.
| There is no doubt that business is
improving in the United States. But
lit is equally certain that it must i'm
prove at an even faster rate to wipe
out the problem of unemployment be-
fore the pinch of winter lays its grip
on the jobless. However. far-sighted
Headers representing both capital and
labor are striving to the utmost to
! increase employment and each is
sacrificing something in the effort.
; Aim to Hold Workers Together.
| Many industrial plants are being
operated on the narrowest margins
1 of profit merely to hold working
forces together and give employment
cheerfully accepted wage reductions
in many cases. to enable businesses
to continue on a sound basis. There
are still scores of adjustments neces-
sary. however, and there are thou
sands voluntarily unemployed. even
! in industries where demand prompts
immediate increase in production.
These differences. however, are being
fsettled with increasing rapidity.
| Efforts to destroy the unemploy-
ment menace are being ably seconded
ny municipal. state and federal off,
cials and there is every prospect that
the danger will be minimized to a
large extent before the end. of au-
/