The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1922-04-18
Not Always
Harmful, Says Babson
Roger w. Babson Shows Economic
Effect Of Present Unrest

Wellesley Hills, 80, Mass, Apr.
Is Are coal strikes, textile
strikes, mems clothing strikes,
responsible for the falling off IN
business during the last few
weeks?
Answering this question and
/ he general question of whether
.recent industrial unrest will post
Inne prosperity by full year
Roger w. Babson, statisician,
Ioutlines the situation as follows.
( business men should not get
faint hearted because Of these
strikes. Strikes are not always
an economic loss II the coun-
Try were today using coal as fast
as it could be mined and the coal
strike resulted in shutting down
Factories, such a strike would be
an economic loss. Strikes, how
ever, which occur during periods
Of depression are usually not
economic losses. 1t is not an
economic loss to have this coal
strike continue until the great
, surplus stocks Of coal are used
| uD. 1t is not an economic Loss
. - have the textile strike cOntln~
me so long as he supply Of manu-
| t,ctured goods exceeds the de-
) r1and. We are simply using our
surplus stock and the unemploy
5 ment is coming all at once IN bun
! cnes instead Of being distributed
4 over long period.
;. "A strike today in most indus
:, RES is a good deal like dammine
a stream of water. The water L
o not destroyed, but it is simply
e eng held back. The water coult
n ba damned for a month or thre
t months; but when the dam final
t y is opened the water will flo'
} down stream and do its work
= The situation in the basic indus
E tf.>s today might be compare
E. WITH that stream OF water IN
I strikes are having the effect Q
0 t!amming up the flow OF bus
It ness: Of retarding the flow Of tn
e stream, but they are no destro,
n ing the markets. Until these r.
70 serve piles Of coal. cotton an
1t wpolen goods, and mems clott
ia ing are used up, there is llttI
OF economic loss.
)r "a factor that has retarde
at business this spring is the cond
in ticn Of the weather. Report
w from all sections Of the countl
ct slow that the weather the la
OF few weeks has been very unusut
u 'rr a certain extent irregular we
their conditions are also damm11
the stream. You may delay tt
purchase Of that new SUNNI
/ suit, but you will get it just tt
II same. The weather is a gre
factor in determining when wo1
n make their purchases but do
not ultimately prevent SAL
he weather this spring has be
very unsatisfactory from the te
tile point Of view. Probably
one thing would aid so much
day in settling the textile strl
US in New England as about t
out weeks Of good warm weather.
as :'Another factor bearing up
stl- Ibis same situation is the la
ness Of Easter this year. Ei
S, tre came the 10Th Of April, VIII
NJ is very late. Easter or the we
on before Easter, was the openl
1ey !of a number Of lines Of lndus1
lie s and this lateness Of Easter
ap- delayed such business. Hen
nit the cotton industry is quiet,
cad sales Of raw wool have fal
nts, off. Leather, household furnl
un- ings, jewelry and number
ms. those industries which are clC
for lv connected with the person
ted the home are exceptionally qt
are this spring and more SO tt
around the first Of january.