Evening star., 1923-04-14
PACKERS ADVANCE
WAGES At PLANTS
Quick to Follow Steel In
Creases in Order to Hold
Employees.
BY j. e.. ROYLE.

! Special Dispatch 10 I'll" Star.
! NEW YORK, April 1.-THE wag,
! advance announced by the Unitec
States steel Corporation, although it
does not go into effect until nex;
week, has already had far-reach
! ing effect on business and industr,
This effect was heightened today b>
overnight announcement that som.
! 100000 packing house employees
would start drawing additional pay
! beginning Monday. The announce
ment was not unexpected. the write
/ having frequently pointed out tha'
| the growing competition among en-
| ployers TO retain the workers they
have and to obtain additional labor
pointed to higher wages III man.
/ lines of industry.
Merchants have already begun I.
count and spend the additional sums
expected from consumers through
the increased buying power of work
| crS.
Employees have begun TO spend tn'
wage increase in advance and WORK
crS in other lines of industry are pre-
| pairing to make requests for in.
creases which shall not be less -
| tenSive than those accorded the Stcc
workers. The wage committee OF th'
! Amalgamatcd Association Of Iron am
! Steel and Tin Workers has alread,
| voted TO ask for an incrBtse of 10 :,
! 20 per cent for all iron and st"r
! workers.
! One Of the difficulties of the iab"'
! situation. which is becoming acute il
/ scores Of Industries. is cXemplifed b.
/ the fact that one steel company N
| Pennsylvania is Offering a bonus "'
| 10 per cent to those workers VII"
work every day throughout the
month.
Sweepers in New Jersey factorie-
are being paid 60 cents an hour ar
| pick and shovel men in many Sc.
| tions are being paid wages equal
! high or higher.
Less Courtesy shown.
! The most glaring danger signal Of
| the business highway today, howeN"r
| is the slackening Of courtesy an,
| falling off in service noticeabl'
among statesmen. This is not con
| fined 10 retail clerks, although IL l.
| most manifest in the retail stores
| Statesmen are getting back to the
nOse-tilted take il or leave it att
| tude' which prevailed in the inflated
periods of 1919 and 1920. Traveling
men are beginning to lean against
! the cigar counter and boast loudly
| of sales. and even some of the mtr-
chants. wholesale and retail, are be
ginning 10 allude TO buyers a.
"bOObS.
| The more farsighted merchandisers
i however, have not forgotten that q
| similar attitude combined with high
| prices produced a buyers strike il
| 1921, which acted on the cash regis
| ters like a. Maxim silencer. and they
| are fighting to force their employee
4 TO sell service and courtesy as well
| as goods.
! Sugar Position shows Strength.
Sugar prices are showing increas-
| ing strength. Consumers, who haV"
| held off in thc hope that governmental
+; probes would induce lower prices. arr
1 fioCking back TO the market and Of
| ferng premiums for quick delivery
! The Great Western Sugar Company.
! leading beet sugar refinery. has al
vanced price of granulatcd to @.3n
| cents pound and the completion of
/ grinding by 81 of the 1S2 Cuban mills
/ with outputs well under estimates ha S
| had strengthening effect on III"
market.
Wool Prices Hold Firm.
| Fifty cents a pound is being freely
] paid for some Of the western woot
! clips. and the market for wooden
! cloths is SO strong that mills are held
| at the top notch Of production.
! Cotton cloths have eased in price
| and in demand. and it is possible that
some mills will cease all overtime
| work after May I.
Silk prices are at their highest in
! three years and the demand for finish
\ ed products is heavier than for many
| seasons.
! Farm labor is in acute demand botI.
! here and in Canada. and across thr
! border the Canadian railways have
| announced a substantial reduction in
| immigrant fares as soon as navigation
| opens on the St Lawrence to stimu-
! late movement to the farms.
Motor Industry at New Peak.
Consumption of gasoline is estab-
| fishing new high records. The out
! turn of automobiles continues at record
! figures. The largest maker of engines,
| the Continental Motors Corporal ton.
1 is about TO advance prices on one or
! two engine models, and tire require
ments bid fair TO reach the record
| breaking total of 100000 casings
1 for the year.