The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-12-30
SMILED TRADE
IS DEMANDING
Rel Ter VASES
BY 4 c. BOYLE.

Wopyrtghf, 19z2, by The Argus.)
New York, Dec. 80. - Vigorous
wage demands from the skilled
trades are making their appear
ance In many sections ofrthe 'coun-
Try. Points In the middle west, the
south, New England and part Of
New York reported such move
msnts today. Large employers,
however, ars not s1artfcularfy
WARMED over the prospects. for
these demands are following the
unmistalable trend Of prices up-
ward.
Shortage of unskilled labor in
some industries Il fast making de-
mAnds for wage increases unnec-
esary. for employers are manifest
ing more and more willingness to
pay slightly higher prices in order
to get needed men and keep those
now on the payroll. Dispatches re-
ceived from Ohio Steel. centers
within the last Ii houfS state that
an advance in wages In. the steel
mills IL being talked OF BY manu-
facturers for early in January.
Forty centa an hour for unskilled
l1bDr' IL the basis most frequently
mentioned.
Stsel men today were unwilling
to confirm rumors Of an advance
but it Is significant that they should
have come from the Mahoning Val
LEY region. which. heretpfore has
steadfabtly maintai4ed opposition
to such proposals. Such reports
followed news Of renewed efforts
to draw labor from the south re-
ceived in dispatches from Atlanta
and New Orleans.
The year is closing at the high
est sales records that automobile
manufacturers have ever known.
Estimates indicate that approx
mately $500, 900 cars and trucks
weer turned out In 1922. Motor
manufacturers declared today that
the prosperity of the farmer is the
only factor needed to make 1923 a
carnival of profit for the automo-
bile makers.
II the farmer GENES into the
market strong next year, there is
no telling Of what heights output
will rise.
| Crops NosAy Sold.
In this connection, farmers in
the Pacific northwest today have
disposed of practically all but Is
per cent Of their wheat crops. Two
thirds Of the wheat of Washington
Oregon and Idaho have now passed
out of the territory, while stocks in
the hands of millers and exporters
amounts to less. than 20 per cent
As much of this wheat will be ex-
ported as -four. it is a conservative
estimate that only 16,008.OO0 bush.
els Of the Pacific northwest croI
remains for the domestic trade
Tho foreign demand h generally
strong and export bids are gradu'
ally rising.
The British India railroads have
placed an order for $500, 900 fee
of creosoted failroad ties witt
American companies, and Australis
also is in the lumber market.
The year is closing with the in
,ventories of tire manufacturer!
about 20 pen cent lower than il
1921 and it Is estimated that TO-,
100000 tires will be manufactured
in the. next three months or abou
Is per cent more than for the frs
Quarter of this year. Many of tht
I companies have announced prize
increases over the levels Of las
year.
Figures made public today show
ed that the F. W. Voolworth fiv'
and ten cent stores Sold $3.119,64'
worth Of merchandise on Dec. %
the latest business before Christ
mas. This was an increase 0
$s24,47S over sales for thu, CORES
pOnding day last year. 1t Is esti
mated that Woolworth sales for thu
iyear will aggregate $167.000,000 o.
lnearly $20,000,000 over 1921.
/ Price increases for crude oil ii
the Mexia Field indicate the grad
ual reduction Of storage stocks
One company. Prairie Oil, is with
ldrawing crude from storage ct thu
rate Of 10000 barrels 4 das -
| The mineral output CONTINUES Il
increase with mines which hav'
been CLOSED gradually bein,
brought to normal production. Cop
per is somewhat dull but demant
both domestic and foreign is ex
Ipected to improve after the holt