Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-08

A~oS Az HAASSs
Shortage of Labor in Jersey
Labor seems about to emerge from
a period of unemployment to a day of
shortage. Here is the substance of
what the employment bureau of the
department of labor reports today from
the industrial and farming state of
New Jersey.
In Newark, a shortage of factory
employees. an acute shortage of farm
labor and a strong demand for carpen-
ters and painters; in Jersey City a
general shortage of unskilled labor; in
Trenton, a statewide shortage, threat
eDing most serious results of farm
labor; in Patterson. silk mills running
shOrt-handed; in Perth Amboy. a
threatened shortage Of common labor;
in Passaic. a shortage in the building
trades; and in Camden, a growing de-
mand for farm labor which it seems
impossible to satisfy.
Of all industrial activities, the build
ing trades are busiest. In New York
there is an acute shortage of building
brick. In the south. lumber mills nave
taken orders during the past two weeks
for 30 per cent more than capacity.
and many mills have Withdrawn entire
ly from the market. Wages in some
of the big cities nave been advanced by
the snow balling' process and skilled
mechanics in virtually all branches of
the building trades can get full-time
employment at high wages.
Lumber Up So a Thousand
lumber prices are reported by pri-
vate agencies to have advanced about
So per thousand feet within the past
six weeks. Surplus stocks have al
most disappeared. Dealers in build
ing materials in New York recently
ceased writing quotations entirely be-
cause of shortage of supplies and rap
idly mounting prices. 1t costs more
house. both for material and labor
than it did w months ago. April
figures on the extent of building ac-
tivity will be made public within a
few days and they are expected to
show a substantial increase over the
high figures for March.
Prices of iron and steel and their
products are reported from Pittsburgh
to have advanced about 10 per cent
within six weeks. The market has
turned with startling suddenness from
the dOldrums to feverish activity. Spot
deliveries for some products are so
hard to get that premiums are Of
fered. All the markings Of a runaway
market are present and were the sit
uatiOn not in strong hands and under
absolute control swiftly mounting
prices might reasonably be expected. !
Coal and Lead Up
Coal prices have risen. In the West
Virginia non-union fields. advances are
reported from 10 to % cents a ton.
In the central Pennsylvania fields. the
advances are reported to range from
25 cents to 81 a on. The labor dead
lock remains unchanged.
The price Of lead is up from Is TO
20 per cent: tHat of zinc has mounted
about S per cent in six weeks. Bricks
are 10 per cent higher than they were
January i. Copper sales at the high
price Of 10 cents have been reported.
One large buyer recently placed an
order for seven million pounds.
Auto Industry Booms
The automobile industry is booming.
Ford has %announced his intention to
produce 100000 cars this month. as
100. 900. The Packard company is re-
ported as having put 1000 more men
to work within the past two weeks.
April production probably exceeds that
of March by ID per cent. bringing the
total output of ears for the first four
Of this year past the $4,000
mark. A month ago the manufacturers
expected to equal the 1921 output this
year: today they expect to surpass it.
Farm Help Short; Prices Rise
Farmers in almost every section of
the country report a shortage of help.
Their products with here and there an
exception. continue on the upward