The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-04
HOUSTON SURVEY SHOWS IMPROVED
 FARM CONDITIONS
New England and Rocky Mountain States Lag In Building-PIanterS Con- tinue to Hold Part of
 1920 Crops
By Associated Press

Baltimore, Md, April 3-Dasid l.. Houston, former secretary of agr,culture. in analyzing a country-wide survey of industrial. financial agricultural and other economic conditions, declares that the big national question is taxation with peace and settlement and 'internA- tional trade next"
 The survey, made in all os the geo graphical divisions of the United States oy field agents of the Fidelity and De posit company of this city, consisted of answers to Se questions by farmers, bankers, manufacturers and public of. fcials. An interesting feature of the sta tistics is that in every section except New England and the Rocky Mountain states building operations show a marked increase. General transportation condi- tions in every state were reported as good. and raw materials plentiful. Saw ings accounts, the survey showed, in creased in l9 states.
 Police official of 2 states said there has been noticeable increase in crime over last September, but a decrease was reported in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Con necticut, New York, New Jersey. Penn sylvania, Delaware, Maryland District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina. South Carolina Geor- gia. Florida, Kentucky Tennessee, Ala, bama and Mississippi.
 In every state the consensus of opinion was that the farmers have not disposed of all their last season s crops. Low prices and shortage of money and labor are said to haNe caused a reduction acreage in all states except Illinois. Iowa. Kansas, Missouri Nebraska and the Pacific coast states. The crop out look for 1921. however. in every case, was reported fair or good
 WORST IS OVER
 The survey llluieales ma. the busi- ness world is still feeling it's way, but with increasing confidence and with the conviction that the worst has passed, said former Secretary Houston. The country has successfully borne the stva' caused by most notable drop in price, particularly of vast voiume of "a lna- terials, and has weathered a trying period of liquidation,
 'The demand for finished products has not developed to the point where our fac tories feel justified in taking the requl rials to furnish the necessary relief to their producers; but there are some indi- cations of change in this direction.
 This survey does point to certain ia yora ble domestic conditions. The cost of living has appreciably diminished Building operations in a number of dis tricts tend to increase. There have re- gently been no strikes of consequence Greater productivity of labor per man is reported from all districts. Raw mate rials are plentiful, and physical trans portation conditions are good. There have been no business failures of mos ment. The crop outlook is satisfactory and the banking situation has improved
 The country is better off today than it was three months ago, and manufac- tLrers in growing numbers are planning definite production schedules. Informa- tion from other quarters than this sur vey indicates that the automobile indus try and some textile lines are picking up now. But the public is still restrict ing it's buying and probably will contin ? to purchase cautiously until reducti7 become more nearly equal to the reduc- ton in manufacturers and wholesalers