Evening star., 1921-08-27
Special Dispatch TO The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
NEW YORK. August 27.-There is
brisk battle for business in a dozen
different lines of industry through
out the country. Business dispatches
received here in the last twenty-four
hours indicate that not only, Is
healthy competition on the increase,
but that the business is there to war
rant it. An even more hopeful sign
noted is that the almost forgotten art
Of salesmanship is being revived and
put into practice.
AS one merchant phrased it, any
one can sell when every one wants
to buy. Merchants, especially In re-
tail lines, are realizing that the ef-
fort to satisfy and hold customer
Is as important as selling him, and
that the once popular topical song, PUT
1t Home" no longer typifies the pro-
cedure of the. buying public.
Improved Steel Conditions.
Inquiries and sales each are in
creasing in the steel industry. This
fact is reflected in the blowing in of
additional stacks, the lighting of
fresh furnaces, and the increase in
working forces. That the business
now developing is worth fighting for
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gauntlet of price cutting by inde-
pendents was taken up by the United
States Steel Corporation. in an an
nouncement by Judge E. H. Gary that
the company's subsidiaries would
meet those cuts. Additional encour-
agement is to be found in the lack of
difficulty steel companies have en-
countered in making reductions in
labor and other production costs.
The fight of the shipping companies
on the Pacific for the lumber cargoes
to Japan is not confined to American
lines. Japanese ships have entered
the lists and bottoms are being loaded
at a speed that brings promise of in
creased production Of the coast mills.
The rise in cotton has brought tre-
mendously increased buying power to
the south and textile mills in that Sec
tion are resuming, with settlement of
labor difficulties and with increased
goods. In the north, textile plants
manufacturing cottons and woolens
continue to increase production with
assurance of busy machinery for
months to come.
Rails In Better Position.
Reports of the railroad companies.
now being made public, reflect. as pre-
dicted, a decided improvement in po-
sition as regards net earnings. The
roads not only are in active competi-
tion for freight shipments. but are
facing competition in some instances
with automobile lines for passenger
traffic. Many roads are putting equip
ment in shape for heavier require
ments.
The popularity of the closed car is ex-
pected to keep the automobile manu-
facturers working steadily throughout
the fall and wiRter. There has been a
decided impetus in demand for accesso-
ries, and the Ford company is continu-
ing to turn out cars and trucks at rate
exceeding 1000 day. The REQ plant is
working at capacity.
Farmers Continue to Buy.
The farmers of the central and far
west face difficult problem. for their
margin of profit at present grain prices
has been small, but they are buying and
will continue to buy. and in many cases
they are paying cash. Moreover, they
are paying their debts and the majority
of them will see a clear road ahead by
the first of the year. Farm loans are
available now to all those with adequate
security.
In the grocery trade accomulations Of