Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1922-01-21
SATURDAY., JANUARY Fl, 1922.
BUSINESS MEN PUTTING THEIR
HOUSES IN ORDER.

Dixon c. Williams. president of the
Chicago Nipple Manufacturing Co., con-
tributes the following able article on
fhe business situation to The Plum
ker's Trade Journal for January 1st,
1922. 1t hits the nail on the head:
1t is with trepidation that l ven
ture to discuss present business con-
ditions because of the fact that be-
fore nv surmises shall be in print
much water will have passed over
the wheel" as the old saying goes,
and many and unexpected, If not radl-
cal. changes may be effected IN our
economic life by impending important
events.
Having travelled lately rather widely
and observed conditions carefully, am
delighted to testify that in some places
and in some lines marked improve
ment is apparent The general con-
tention seemed to be, however, that
this Improvement was "seasonaDle
and that with the close of the past
year. cessation of activity would be
pronounced. a There is divergence OF
opinion as to. what We may expect WIN
the advent of the new year. My own
conviction is that general and great
prosperity is mot yet standing on the
threshold. Many things, mostly gov
ernmental and some international, re
main to be accomplished before we eX-
perience, not a return to normal con-
ditions-I hate the term, it is so mis-
leading and none of'us are really wish
ing a return to anything we nave ever
known as normal conditions, put
to progress .tofgenuine prosperous con
ditiOns where employment shall De
general. wages fair and reasonable
return upon our investments assured
The Journey forward, not backward
10 the point where American business
men NAV escape from the present mo
rass of uncertainty and CONFUSION ane
feel their feet on solid foundation can
not in the nature of things be brlef
do not mean to say that during tn
tourney we will not for space toucl
solid ground and rest a little from gu
fiOundering.
Business men have been and ar
now putting their houses in order, S
to speak: pruning the excrescence
from their enterprises and maxim
ready to advance when the Wor
comes: Lets GO And now,
that is needed is proper governments
action. transportation charges mus
come down. Enforcement OF law an
order must cease to be sporadic. Ever
man. or organization, where laD(
unions or others, must be made eQu
before the law and to submit Obedlen
w to the law. Fair and just reVlslC
Of taxation is an essential cOndltlO
Safeguarding of our foreign marke
with a free and fair exchange OF col
modities is vital.
The prOstratiOn of our agr1cultur
interests as the result of our marx
conditions is serious and menacln
In the last ten years ONT populate
has increased only ten per cent Whl
our production has tripled.
Our latest available statistics she
that in one year Canada lost to
S1O9 600 100000 worth of business "a
we lost to Canada our second De
customer of all the peoples,-$24 90
600 90. In other words, 1925 for eve
dollar OF our interchange OIL IIdue WI
this one country, and the spirit OF
taliation and discrimination has j
begun.
This is written on the eve of WI
may we'll prove to be the most eve
full and fateful incident in our nation
life. l am persuaded that no gre
continuing era of prosperity can co
TO the United States until Europe
conditions are stabilized. The wo
is sick, miserable and distraught.
are. whether we like it or not, an
tegral part of the world and the C
cerous growth now wasting Eur'
may readily and soon attack the
remaining healthy part of the DO
our own beloved country, II the
ease is not stayed.
Hence it is that the coming
armament conference in few q
tc begin it's deliberations IN Wa
ington. so fraught with possiblll
of great good or vast uncomfortable