Evening star., 1922-12-29

the farmer through the economic
changes of the twelve months was the
increase in his purchasing power. ac.
cording to the review. which called
attention to a decline Of 10 per cent
in wholesale and per cent in retaii
prices. while the agricultural prod
ucts were averaging II per cent more
than in the previous year. This con-
dition works to the advantage OF the
consumer also in that it narrows the
margin between PAGES on Wno!esaie
and retail sales. II was explained.
The departments survey showed
that textile mills were about 20 per
cent more active than last year: the
iron and steel industry increased its
output between so and 10 per cent;
production of nonferrous metals was
so per cent or more greater: petro-
leum production was about Is per
cent greater. coke. 40 per cent: paper
20 to 80 per cent: rubber. 40 per cent;
motor vehicles. so per cent: building
construction. So per cent: lumber. 35
per cent; brick. so per cent; cement
Is per cent: leather. 20 per cent;
sugar. As per cent. and meats, about
per cent.
Effect Of Coal Strike.
The only declines Of outstanding
Importance were per cent in blum
nous coal and - per cent in anthra-
cite. both Of which were due to the
strike. and therefore were not regard
ed as indicative Of a fundamental
fault in the economic structure. They
were more than Offset it was added
by the generally higher level OF pro-
duction in all other lines.
The ANAL estimates of the wheat
q
81, 900, 900, or S per cent greater than
last wear. This was due, it was said
to expansion in winter wheat grow
ing. Prices ranged generally higher
There was a decline of 80 per cent IN
wheat exports, a condition nnkeo
with the foreign situation. out eS, ,
ports of wheat hour were almost the
same as in 1921.
Big crops of corn and oats marked
the year, each being larger than In
the preceding season. The corn crop
was 17S,0O0,000 bushels greater. ano
that Of oats about 137,o0o,ooo bushels
more than 1921. Exports of these
commodities were larger by far than
in the preceding year. and. in addi-
tion. the prices were higher, the re-
view stated.
Cotton consumption rose nearly IA
per cent in the first eleven honthS, as
compared with the corresponding pc
ed the record month of November
when more cotton was used than In
any month since 1917. Prices were
higher by IL per cent, on the average
than a year ago. while cotton cloths
and yarns were 20 per cent higher
the summary shows.
The wool manufacturing industry
was about % per cent more active In
1929 than in 1921, as represented by
production, 1t was reported. Con.
sumption Of wool exceeded that OF
last year by 25 per cent on a ten
months comparison. Prices OF un-
washed wool advanced almost 20 per
cent on the Boston market and there
was an increase of about half that
amount in finished goods.
Savings bank deposits increased
uniformly throughout the country
according to the survey. and increases
over 1921 also were reported in the
1922 life insurance business.
Advertising in newspapers was
per cent less on the basis of eleven
months than for the same period last
year, but there was an increase. the
summary showed. in the advertising
in magazines. Postal receipts were
per cent greater for the first eleven
months than -$oE cha same period IN
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