Evening star., 1922-04-15
BY J. C. BOYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

special DISPATCH to The Star.
NEW YORK, April 15.-Prices OF
mahy commodities are due to go high
er, but the advances probably will be
neither spectacular nor excessive. The
upward tendency has been confirmed
by the. recent announcement of ad-
vance in the prices Iof woolen goods
for fall by the American Woolen
Company. the advance in steel prices,
which involved both the Independents
and the leading interests, and the
widespread increase in gasoline prices
throughout the country.
Those commodities are straws which
show the way the wind is blowing
and the trend has been confirmed by
business dispatches from widely scat
tered sections received within the last
twenty-four hours.
No Excessive Imitation.
But the improvement in business
and financial conditions. marked
though 1t may be gives no indication
of excessive imitation. What mer-
chants, manufacturers and producers
want is customers. Buying power has
increased, but Willingness to buy has
not kept pace. Price increases, there
fore, have been and will continue TO
be gauged carefully to reflect the In
creased demand without serving to
check the buying wave which the
winds of renewed business activity Is
piling up.
Tie public is seeking reasonable
priced goods, but it has learned thor
oughly the difference between buying
cheap goods and buying goods cheap
1t can no longer be deceived into do
ing the former, but it Is perfectly
willing to do the latter.
Prices Reflect Demand
Most of the price advances in
prospect reflect increased demand'for
basic materials with which supply
has not kept pace. The supply OF
to the leading woolen manufacturer,
will be totally Inadequate to supply
the demand The tariff provisions in
prospect will check the import of
competing clips. Prices for woolen
goods for fall, therefore. have been
plainly forecast for worsteds.
The increase in building. in' the
purchases of railroads. and in ma
chinery manufacture has quickened
the demand for steel. Production is
quirements, and prices have ad-
vanced. In oil. the opening of the
spring season, with increased use of
motor vehicles. has had a similar
effect on gasoline and lubricants.
while the coal strike has intensified
the use of fuel oil. IS
strike Not Felt.
The effect of the coal strike, like
trip hammer gauged to crack the
crystal of a watch without harming
the movement. has barely made its
effect felt in industry and commerce.
Yet the power is there and the in
crease lin steel production has al
ready felt the pinch of fuel shortage.
But before merchants and manufac-
turers see their new-found prosperi-
ty ground to fragments, it is prob
able that a terrific counter influence
will be aroused to enforce the set
tlement of the controversy.
Lumber prices also seem destined
for an advance. New business in the
northwest is exceeding output and
shipments and the mills and logging
camps are approaching nearer and
nearer to capacity production. Rail-
roads are adding both to their equip
sands of tons of rails. scores of loco
motives and thousands of cars have
been ordered. within the last two
weekss Automobile manufacturers in
some cases are unable TO keep UP
with demand, and auto parts manu-
facturers in some centers are work.
ing twenty-four hours a day.
+ Coal Prices Increase.
Coal prices are increasing. bet
these increases have not become ex-f
cessive, because much OF the Goals
now being moved Is on contracts OF
long standing. The shoe trade Is bet
ter in many sections and increases
in prices are predicted for hides and
feathers. &
Farm work is in full swing Soil
conditions in nearly every section
are favorable. Early vegetables and
fr,,ifs ara in 1,je 5ev,,.,ue3 - nd are