Evening star., 1923-04-07
EFFICIENCY KEEPS
UP WITH WAGES
Greater Production Vital
Factor in Connection With
Advances in Pay.
BY j. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, April 7.-Industrial
concerns of the United States in many
instances have increased wages, but
the workers of the United States have
increased efficiency. That is the most
encouraging factor in the business
situation today.
Steel plants have been raised to
unprecedented power of production.
despite a scarcity of labor which has
sent labor agents scurrying all over
the south and throughout the popu-
lous cities in recruiting duty. Almost
entirely because individual prices
have been raised the number of feet
lumber produced per man per day in
the mills of the country has almost
doubled in the last two years.
The mills of the American Woolen
Company are running every spindle
and loom for the first time in history.
ana the company evidently is salts
ned with its employees because Presi-
dent Wood has just announced that
100000 has been set aside to enable
the company's workers to buy their
own homes.
Equipment Partly Responsible.
Up-to-date methods OF shop prac-
tlce and new equipment is responsible
TO some extent for the Unprecedented
outturn. glimpse into the factories
or the country and at the order books
OF the machinery companies shows
10 what extent old methods and old
machinery have been junked and re
placed with new devices
In no industry is that tendency So
prominent as in transportation The
equipment companies know they can
count on $1,000, 100000 worth of new
business from American railroads
What they do not know is when
Iney can turn
anu iaoor supplies are dominant fac
| tors in the situation.
Tremendous Railroad Purchases
TO take but one road as an exam
PIE the Northern Pacific announces
| .ooay program involving immediate
e1IehditGTe Wbieh iroTa Of least $4,000, 600
equipment; for signal appliance.
100000; then s260oO0 for sewage
CONSTRUCTION in preparation for a mil
| Iion-ooiiar @ coach yard and commits
sary. 100000 for track changes. In
additton. the company has an order
for 14,5O0.000 worth. of Iocomotivex
| and freight cars
| The Chesapeake and Ohio is ex
pected to order TWENTY-FIVE mora To-
| comotives, costing more than SO
| oo0'oOo. in addition to the $2,804,20O
order placed this week The Baldwin
locomotive Company has more than
SooiVeo'oeo SooS worth Of orders on its
q
per cent capacity by July l.
Textile Plants Mt Top Speed,
With recent wage adjustments fine
] cotton mills situation has steadied -
an even keel this week. with manu-
! Lacturers certain of long mill runs TO
M present orders. Woolen mills are
| turning out goods at a pace never
| before equaled. and recorders already
are beginning to come in Raw wool
is strong and growers certain of MAX
ing extraordinary profits this season
Silk this week touched the highest
! point since early in 1920. with every
indication that prices will show little
| recession until the new years cocoons
| are opened about July 1. Demand is
| exceeding supply. in sympathy with
| the artificial silk production with
record figures today.
Lumber and Copper STEADY.
Rubber also bids fair to remain
| steady, as does lumber, in which the
export demand is compensa ting fully
for any check 10 domestic sales.
building construction. Copper mines
are increasing their production, not
1 only by adding TO pay rolls, but
| through installation of improved re-
| duction methods.
| Domestic demand is so heavy that
| falling off in buying by Germany
and France has scarcely been felt.
| Rumors are in circulation that Ford
| is IN the market Tor property which
| will insure him a direct supply of the
| red metal sufficient for all his manu-
| featuring needs.
Paper mill workers again are de-
| manding increased wages and de-
| mand for the product is such as to
make present price scales of d
! purely temporary character for GER
4 tain grades.
Employment en- Increase.
PHILADELPHIA, April (Spe
! ciaD.-Employm in general in
| creased 2.3 per cent in this city in
| the last month: The largest growth
was recorded in the steel industry.
| where it amounted to per cent
| Textile plant pay rolls increased
per cent, those OF leather factories. 4
| and of producers of food products, 3
per cent. Inability to procure labor
! caused falling off in output of chem
| ical and paper makers.
Dock Plans in New Orleans.
| NEW ORLEANS, April (Spe-
| aD.-Pians have been made for the
/ expenditure of s1,506,000 at once to
| improve dock and feright terminal
| facilities at this port The dock
| board will put 100000 into new
| wharves and the Louisville and
| Nashville railroad will spend ST.
! 100000 for new freight terminals.
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