The Washington times., 1922-04-11
TRADE MAKING
PROGRESS, j. S.
! FIGURES SHOW
Repeat Orders and Steadily
Increased Output
\ Reported.

Figures received since March 20
by the Department of Commerce in
dicate that business is still making
progress in it's recovery from the
memorable depression of 1921.
Progress In business rehabilitation
needs to be cautious that II may
be built upon a firm foundation.
Some backsets may be expected.
for all of the LESSONS caused by
postwar overexpansion have not
healed.
Although in most lines prices have
been relatively stable for, the past
six months, distributors still re-
member the disaster caused by over
stocked shelves in 1920. Forward
orders, therefore, are given SPAR
ingly and in reduced volume; how
ever, manufacturers are feeling tne
, effect Of repeat orders, and the
steadily increasing output OF mills
and factories shows that funaa-
mentally the country is getting back
60 normal.
Although the recent marked In
crease in the price of farm prod
ucts has had big effect upon the
morale of the agricultural districts,
not much of this has so far been
translated into increased business.
Most of last years crops had left
the farmers hands before the rise
came. the increase is therefore
chiefly a promise of better things
10 come. The farmer is inclined
20 wait and see both as to whether
the price holds and how the crop
promises before making further
commitments.
The activity OF Woolen ana
worsted machinery at the first OF
March showed a significant improve
ment over the condition reported at
the beginning of the preceding
month. The per cent of active ma.
chinery hours to the total hours
reported increased for every class
of machines except worsted spin
dies. A year ago the per cent OF
active hours ranged from 80 to 40
per cent; last month machine ac-
tivity ranged from 66 to 81 per cent.
The activity of cotton spindles de-
creased somewhat because ofa the
New England strikes. Exports of
cotton cloth amounted to 32,707,O0O
square yards, an increase of nearly
l,700, 900 yards over January.
Production of knit underwear in
creased for the month, although
shipments and orders fell off! Pro
duction in this Industry was 81 per
cent OF normal, compared with 28
per cent in the same month last
year.
imports Of raw silk in February
amounted to only 2,964,000 pounds,
which is the lowest figure since
March. 1921.
Exports of iron and steel totaled
only 1890 long tons last month, or
Is, 900 tons less than in January.
Part OF this drop was due to the
shorter month, but even this lower
figure was larger than for any
month between June and December
of last year. Sales-.of - structural
steel Increased Over. January. Cop
per exports also decreased slightly,
while the. imports of tin and zinc In
creased.
Petroleum production dropped
2 ,O0O, 900 barrels below the record
output in January but, at that, pro.
duction was greater than for any
month in 1920, and was exceeded by
only two months in 1921.
Consumption of crude petroleum
also dropped to 40,611 900 barrels,
which is higher than for February
hast year, but smaller than for any
month since that time. Stocks, on
the other hand, passed the 200, ,000, 900
barrel mark and established new
high record.
Production and shipments of news
print paper were less in February,
while stocks increased. Prices were
also lower than a month ago and