The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-24
HIGH WAGES BE EING PAID TO SKILLED
 LABOR IN CITIES
Poor Crops Leave Farmers Disyruntled, But Higher
 Prices Will Help

ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., Sept. as.- Prosperity persists in the cities while the rural districts languish finan- cially, report the nations bankers, gathering here for their annual convention this week.
 In the cities skilled labor is earn ! inR the highest wages in history, aided by a scarcity of skilled work men for the great wave of construc- tion still in progress.
 Not Gnly are these men spending money liberally for essentials and non-essentials, but they are also banking a large proportion of their earnings. City bankers say there Is more money in circulation now than at any time since the war.
 A different tale is told by bankers from country communities. where poor crops, resultant unemployment and low prices for farm products has brought economic depression to the agricultural sections, particularly Tn the southwest. These bankers are skeptical about the possible benefit to be derived from emergency legis- lation. Instead they blame the Euro spean situation and domestic politics for farm money troubles.
 This detection, however. is tenn pered by the fall crop yield. on which 2T anticipation that better prices VIII be realized for the crops just har- vested.
 This two-sided view of the country as a whole, this greater degree ef optimism expressed by city bankers than by country bankers. is signifi- cant. declared J. H. Puelicher of Mil waukee, president of the American Bankers association, land is an ac- curate reflection of the more rapid improvement that has occurred Tn commerce and industry than in agri- culture.
 Europeans Feed Themselves.
 'sThe people of Europe are restor- ing agriculture and becoming better able to feed themselves with less oe- pendence on us. This Is one or the vary factors that have reacted against our own agricultural prosperity. The answer of course, Is that IL VIII pc necessary to revise our own agricul- turai plans to conform to this new condition. With the recognition or such problems as these and the de- velopment of means to meet them, l believe we can look forward with confidence"
 City bankers are uniformally more optimistic about agriculture than those from the villages and farm centers. A few representative stand
 F. o. watts, president First Ma +ional hank St, Louis: There seems tC. be nothing in the basic business and financial conditions to cause alarm or pessimism. The banking and credit condition Is unusually strong, vet will not at the close of the crop period be in as bad condition as last year. or as serious as the wide publicity of complaint and agitation would lead one to believe.
 George c. Reynolds, ,achairman Con, tinentai and Commercial National hank. Chicago: "The strength of the present situation lies in the well for tified condition of the banks, the sat isfactory agricultural yield taken In the aggregate. the full employment of the people at high wages ana what appears to be a subsistence or radicalism and the prospect or re- turn to conservative political opinion and action.'
 Wells Makes Report.
 Alex Dunbar. vice president of the Bank of Pittsburg. Pittsburg: The most prominent feature presented by a survey of conditions in what IS known as the Pittsburg district IS the substantially full employment Of labor at virtually the highest aver, aya wages since the end of the war" TOscar Wells, president First Ma tional bank, Birmingham, Ala: Tt is true that there will be a short crop of cotton and parts of this section will fall below the average yield or this season. but it is altogether proba- ble that the monetary result from this portion of the country will be quite as satisfactory as if the yield had been greater throughout the south and we had gotten only fair pro- portion of it."
 Charles De B. Claiborne. vice pres ident. Whitney Central National bank, New Orleans: "If there is anything disturbing in the present situation it is the continually mounting cost of doing business; working hours are too few per week. and not enough CT ficiency-people have forgotten what hard work means"