The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-07
BUSINESS HURT
BY BIG LACK Of
FREIGHT CARS

BrSJ. c. R0TLE.

Copyright. ls72, By The Argus.l
New York Oct. Five great
factors are contestipg today for
supremacy in the busiuess situa-
ton Of the United Statss-rtvo on
one sideG and three on the other.
Three great Influences are showing
business ahead. They are the az
vance OF commodity prices, the in
crease in demand and the fact that
increase Of prices has not checked
buying. Opposing them are the OBJ
stacles of freight car shortage and
a runaway" labor market.
The factors tending toward bet
ter industrial and commercial COLI
ditions have the greater impetus
and business is improving, but the
obstacles have by no means been
overcome. Millions Of dollars for
new railroad equipment have been
spent this week and thousands of
men have been placed at work con-
ditioning present equipment, but it
will take time for the medicine to
work. Seasonal movement is 30 to
60 days behind schedule.
Labor Not Commodity.
Union leaders declare that labor
Is not a commodity, but the fact
remains that it has been bought
sold, speculated in. and stolen in
the last week. The country mas
not yet learned to what extent one
industry is bidding against another
for skilled and unskilled men. De-
troit and Boston reported by tele
graph tpday that common labor al
so cents an hour is scarcer than
ever.
Many skilled workers in those
sections are being paid higher
than union scales. Butte COM
planned today that the automobile
makers of Michigan were stealing
the skilled men of the mines. SIM
liar conditions are reported in 9th
er sections and employers alread,
are beginning to clamor individd
ally for removal Of the immigration
restrictions on European labor.
| Yet business is increasing ant
prices are advancing in nearly ev
cry line of trade and industry. Raw
wool is moving briskly upward
with increases in some grades o
5 to 10 cents a pound since the>ta-
if went into effect. Wooden goods
have followed suit, and other man
ufacturers have duplicated ad
vances announced by the American
Wooden company. Garment manu-
facturers are ready to pass th'
higher figures On to retailers AM
ultimate consumers. The cottOI
strike, which cost loss of owe
BAG, 100000 yards of goods, is over
goods prices have advanced, de
mand is stronger, and mills both il
New England and the south hav'
a vastly improved number of or
ders on hand. The technical posi-
ton Of the raw staple IS also bet
ter. Raw silk has taken a decidet
jump in reflection of conditions il
the Oriental markets and Will
manufacturers have not raise
their figures correspondingly, tn
general trend of finished good
fprices is upward.
Steel Making Curtailed.
Steel production is being curtaii
ed but quotations are higher an
the market is rapidly approachln
sterilization. Coal production j
limited only by the number of Car
the railroads can provide. Graf
is suffering more than other con-
modities both from low prices an
, lack of shipping facilities.
The eastern and western sea
!. board are waiting for cargoe
which may be delayed we'll int
{ November.
e Lumber has recorded the mo!
: marked decrease in new bushes
: production and shipment of ar
commodity in the last ten day
l Southern mills are curtailing, OFT
g ers are falling off and shipment
falling even behind new bushes
4 In one section. however, the Paci
ic northwest, the mills are workil
e 8 to 10 per cent above normal c;
: pacity.
i Livestock shipments in all I'll
r midwest markets are brisk but Ca
e tie as rule are in poor conditio
When fat stock is marketed
commands splendid prices. Leatl
q er, hides and felt are in better d
= mand. Harness manufacturers al
n busy. The shoemakers of Ne
q England are doing the best bus
a ness of the last three years al
!, prices are being advanced rs to
= cent a pair at wholesale.
Building is unchecked and i