The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-02-26

by period of unwonted activity and apparently the present is no excep- tion.
 Cost Miners $1.ooO, 900 Daily
 The coal strike will cost the miners more than s1.00c, ,00O a day in wage losses alone during it's continuance. It will cost the country generally infinitely more. It may result in a car shortage within three months. Almost certainly. it will tend to slow down building construction, which at this time faces the busiest season in its history. Thousands of opentop cars needed by the building trades probably will be withdrawn from that industry in the event that the coal strike lasts six weeks or longer
 On the other hand, the coal h. dustry is virtually alone in it's fail ure to liquidate wartime wages. Such failure is holding up industry all along the line. Coal wage scales are still high and by virtue of the eco homie law that has reduced costs and wages in almost every other line of business, it would seem that the pres ent wage scales must come down. Whether the present is the time or not-the strike will tell.
 Fire Insurance Losses
 One of the indications that the country is nearing the end of it's pinch is found in the fire insurance losses. Invariably such losses are heaviest just before the return Of prosperity. In January they mounted to $SS, ,6S3, ,0o0 in the United States and Canada, an increase of nearly 10 per cent over January, 1921. And that, too, was without any general con- migration. Burglary insurance, which follows an identical line, showed a heavy loss increase during the month. Life insurance is looking up for the first time in months.
 Food prices continue to drop but the chances are that they have about reached the end of the movement and that a rise will be noted shortly.
 Labor conditions during February. according to indications, are show ing a gratifying improvement over January. The jump in employment probably will be reflected in the la bor department figures for February 2S by the increase of more than 50,- coo workers in the 1,428 establish ments in canvasses every month.
 Money Easier
 Money is little easier, but in face of larger demand slight stif- fening is to be expected here and there. Federal reserve rediscount
 
 they are for a time.
 Tho automobile industry, third largest in the country, is showing d better tone than in any time within the past IS months. Price cutting is ended. Within the next three months important cancellations may be ex- pected iii the automobile industry Automobile truck prices probably will be cut by some makers in the near future. The tire companies are putting on more men and increasing output. Akron has today about 32.- GOO workers busy where she had but 13,000 year ago.
 And, last to feel the revival, the shipping industry is looking up. There is distinct stirring of interest and activity in freight shipments while it is actually difficult to obtain passenger ships The coming tourist season will see virtually every ship filled. The George Washington, for instance, is booked solid for months to come. Some evidence of rate cut ting in ocean transportation is man. ifest, but increased activity prob- ably will end that shortly.
 If it weren't for the coal situation the country could face the next few months with a fair chance of return ing to prosperity within that time. Even at that, it may do so.