Evening star., 1922-02-04
BY j. G. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, February 4.--The buy
ing power Of the country is increas-
ing. The buying public is not adver-
tising that fact. It is not flourish
ing Its bank roll ostentatiously and
stripping off yellow backs for show.
but the purchasing power Is there
and it is increasing unobtrusive!y.
Merchants. dealers and manufacturers
realize it. They know that the buy
ing public has been going without:
that Il has not had the money or the
Willingness to buy. Requirements are
In arrears and quiet preparations are
being made for filling these require
ments. Business dispatches received
within the last twenty-four hours
give quiet evidence of that fact.
Raw materials are flowing into the
Industrial plants and are beng tornta
into finished products at an lhcreaseu
rate. This increased buying power,
both actual and prospective. IS now
farmers. Realization is graduaus
reaching the agricultural sections
that their situation Is not half SO
bad as they expected 1t TO De GRAIN
prices are advancing. Moreover. me
grower can see a market LOT me
abroad as well as on this s.oe OF OF
the Atlantic. The improvemeht ~
foreign exchange is sound PROOF OF
that fact. e,
The farmer is not dependent on for.
eien demand, however. a receh.
survey in the northwest indicates
nossible shortage Of wheat mere pc
fore the new crop is harvested. Win
some restriction of acreage reported
tine future of the farmer for the COM
ing season is far from gloomy
Competition Never SO Keen.
There are more watchmen on duty
around the industrial plants and bus'-
ness establishments today than ever
before, but they are dollar watchmen
in duty bound to let no guilty or
wasteful nickel escape. Competllloii
never was more keen ana Gosts o.
going to be profits. however. pronts
for all, because sellers. VINO nave
been long without customers. kno"
that a customer cannot continue 10
},e a customer unless he makes q
Drofit from what he buys, eiIner III
money, in service or In duraoiIIs!.
In no industry does competition give
nronise OF more severity than in the
putomobile manufacturing field. Re
can't nrice cuts and the possible entry
~ Henry Ford into the field OF higner
priced cars is expected TO result ~
a series Of consultations ana com.
h,nation which have for their oo)ec.
the elimination of every unnecessary
cent of manufacturing, overhead
selling and distributing cost.
THE present trend Of the steer IN
dustry is toward enlarged tonnage,
not only for immediate requirements
hut for a demand foretold by proJec.s
now assured. Railroads are spEuns ;.;s
freely for Improvements ana aooAl'oA''
Wool Position Strong.
Wool growers are in stronger po-
sition than they have been for long
time. Old stocks have been ABSORBED
readily at increased prices ana puyeIs
now are on the ranges attenptins ~
contract for the clip when VIII no.
become available until next June
cific northwest. where dealers are
contracting already for the 1922 sal
mon pack, although the f1sh OF Ine
1929 run still are thousands OF mlies
from the nets and the iron chinks :,
the machines which cut, COOK anu
can them. . <o~
The orient is in the market Tor
-four. and western mills are running
in many cases on twenty-four-hour
basis to fill this demand at increased
prices. On the other side of the coun-
trv heavy tonnages of rice have been
bought for Russia and the situation
of the rice growers has been greatly
relieved. =.
Lumber demand is heavy. People in
widely separated sections are build-
ing homes in increasing numbers ana
the lumber mills are increasing their
output. Pottery plants are feeling the
cali Of increased demand and are
sneedfng up their wheels. Carpet man
ufacturers are f1ourishing and furni-
ture and housefurnishings are finding
a ready market.
The textile industry in parts Of New
ENGLAND has been thrown into state
Of uncertainty temporarily by reduc-
tion Of wage scales in some secti ons.
and this tended to halt buying until
.- 70 f,ilixad