Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-27
Special TO Indiana Daily Times
and Philadelphia Public Ledger
Bv RICHARD SPiLLANE.

Special 70 Indiana Daily Times
and PhIIadeIphia Public ledger
Ry RICHARD SPiLLANE.
CLEVELAND, Ohio. Aug. 27.-S.
P. Halle. president of the Retail
Merchants Association Of the United
States and head of the establishment
Of Halle Brothers OF this city, which
ranks with Altman of New York, in
grade, says the turn has come, the
Nation has seen the worst of the
depression, there is a definite and
positive improvement under way
Force IS given to Mr.. Halle's state
ment because OF his reputation as a
student Of economics and for CON
servatism in expression Of his Opin-
ions.
meeting wss called by the Chamber
OF Commerce today to present TO your
correspondent the views Of men leaders
in various branches Of business Among
eaoSe attending were Alexander G.
Brown. Brown Hosting Machinery com
pany; A. F. Alien, American steel ana
Wire Company; Morris A Black the II.
Black Company, clothing manufacturers
Z s Greene. Cleveland Trust Company 4,
Henri Howard. GraSseIu Chemical Com
pany: Paul Howland, attorney; A =
Tngaus. New York Central Railroad :;
Adrian .. Joyce, Glidden Narnish Com
uany: T.. II. Kittridge, Peerless Motor
car Company; Glenn L. Martin, Glenn
/. Martin Company, airplaaes' r. j.
Watson. Cleveland Trust Company; W
B. 8TcAIlister ". 3. McAllister Com
Nd rrrf1T ~
mour, Columbian Hardware Company
Oliver Y. Epson. Upsou- Walton Com
psny. ship supplies: Munson Havens,
Chamber Of Commerce secretary. New
ton D. Baker. former Secretary OF War
Mr.. Black said the textile mills ana
the clothing manufacturing plants local
u and nationally were operating from
50 to 60 per cent Of capacity He be-
Heved the American WOolen Company
had more machinery In operation today
than ever before IN its history, although
its production was not the greatest.
There was a big demand for mems wear
and women's wear was not quite so ac-
tive. The manufacturers expected 20
continue production OF the present level.
BUILDING LARGELY
IN ESSENTIAL LINES.
Mr.. McAllister reported that one
third Of the building construction now
under way IN Cleveland. was made up
o. public and semi-pubne structures
such as schools, hospitals. etc. Otherwise
il was confined to essential lines. There
had been a conaiderble amount OF work
in various lines within the last year,
four large theaters had been built
rather unusuaI development for one year.
There had been a fair amount OF general
construction. but there had been much
labor trouble. Today the great office
structure known as Keith's was tied
up because OF a dispute between rar-
penters snd metal workers. This dispute
had no wage or hour phase. II simply
was a row between two union groups.
Labor. he said, was very difficult 10
handle In the first seven months OF
this year the carpenters had lost an
sc OF $50 per man through strikes
There was evidence OF Improvement in
this respect. Many workers were heartily
SICK OF ever-recurrInZ strikes Some
we're working for less than fhe union
scale in order 10 get jobs. Costs OF con
struction would have to come down. This,
he believed was under way.
Cleveland is perhaps the largest pro
ducer in America Of automobile parts
business was spotty. Some moderate
priced cars manufactured in the Clevel-
land district were doing fairly well
High priced vehicles were slack It
looked as n automobile production for
August would be below that OF July. He
didn't think the automobile business had
struck bottom. Factories manufacturing
parts were not busy. Automobiles he
considered, were coming to be considered
more and more from the standpoint Of
utility and economy and export business
was almost nil
IMMENSE POSSIBILITIES
FOR AIRPLANE N L. :.
Mr.. Martin said the alrplane had not
come into commercial use in America to
the extent 30 had in Europe and it had
immense possibilities. but up 20 the pres
ent time the Government had been the
chief customer. As the Importance Of air
transit was appreciated the production
volume would Increase. At present 10 was
not large. He estimated The Govern
ment orders at s10O00OOO annually and
civilian at $4,000. What the pOssibili-
ties were he Illustrated by the fact that
while America ranks as the greatest Ma
tion Of the earth. there are thirteen na-
tions today stronger in aerial equipment
than the United States
Mr.. Allen said the products Of the
American Steel snd Wire Comnanv
touched more branches Of business than
any other in the United States Steel Cor
pOration. 10 was about 8s low as any
steel product company IN volume OF out
out now, but there was a pronounced
feeling that the trade bad struck bottom
and collections were better. Steel men
were more hopeful In fact. the steel
business as whole was a shade better.
Mr. Seymour said when the hardware
and tool business had become very bad
be tried to stimulate business by lower
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