Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-09-19
FARMERS PAY MOST
Hoover Says Strike Most Costly to
Agriculture.
He SAYS PROSPERITY WILL RETURN
However Six Months Time Must
EIapse Before Conditions Get Back
to NormaI-Interview With Cabi-
net Officers.

to Normal-lnterviews With Cabi-
net Officers.
Warning was given by high admin
istration officials Friday that the coun-
try must wholly recover from the aft
ermath of the recent industrial up
heaval before economic benefits flow
ing from the settlement of the railroad
strike can react fully upon national
business conditions.
Secretary Hoover took the view that
although the country is now undoubt-
edly better off than it was year ago,
it will probably be six months before
a high plane of prosperity is attained,
while Secretary Mellon, although con-
sidering the business outlook "Very
good" recognized as forestalling i'm
mediate commercial expansion the linn
itations imposed upon transportation
facilities by car shortage and n possi-
bic inadequate labor supply.
The greatest loss as a result of the
strike will be borne by the farmers, ac-
cording to an analysis of the situation
by Secretary Hoover in which he
reached the conclusion that the eco
nomic wound received by the country
should be quickly healed.
Davis More Optimistic.
In contrast with the views Of his
two cabinet associates however, Sec
retary Davis of the labor department,
was positive that settlement of the
railroad strike removed the last obsta-
Gle of unprecedented" prosperity.
Reports Friday to the labor depart
ment from IL, representatives in Chi
cago brought additional details Of the
scope to which the partial settlement
of the railroad strike was expected to
extend.
At least 35 per cent of the railroads
affected by the strike have approved
the Warfield- Willard Jewell plan, they
declared, while sufficient other carriers
had signified their willingness to set
tie on this basis to bring the total to
IS per cent of the national mileage.
1t was expected that little time
would be lost in tho opening of nego-
tiations between the roads and the
unions looking to actual signature of
the peace pact. The only railroad with
Washington headquarters, the South
ern Railway system, announced Friday
that such q meeting had been called
for Saturday.
Losses overestimated.
While the losses due to the coal and
railroad strikes have been consider
able" Secretary Hoover said in a
statement issued Friday night, they
are easily overestimated."
"The estimate Of current coal min
ers' wages lost in the five months (of
strike) is not q correct basis of the es-
timation of the total loss" he said;
because over a period Of IS months
we will probably consume the same
amount of coal. In other words, the
miners will work more days in the
week and produce more coal in the
next six or eight months than they
would have produced If there had been
no strike, and thus the wage roll OF
the next six or eight months will be
larger and will, in considerable de-
gree, compensate the loss during this
suspension.
'The real loss would lie more in the
loss of productivity in industries that
have, or might have to close down as
q result of the coal strike. II all of
our industries can be kept in motion,
the loss will be much less from the
coal strike than is currently estimated
"The greatest loss today is the one
being met by the farmer as n result
of the railway strike. The export of
farm products has been seriously in
terfered with by the inability of the
railways to transport produce. Prices
are, therefore, unduly depressed in the
agricultural regions.
Agricultural Loss Greatest.
'"The inability to transport manufac-
tured products will create some degree
of loss but not so serious as that to
agriculture.
There are other losses that must
he counted into the national balance
sheet, such as the damage to the rail-
ways, the extra charges which they
have been put to, the cost of keeping
the minds open, and maintaining them
during the period Of suspension, and
a. hundred other items that are of i'm
tails. Evidence already disclosed in
New York" Mr.. Rossdale said. 'prOves