Evening star., 1924-01-02
! ARMS FOR MEXICO
rpLEASES EXPORTERS
Merchants Feel New U. S. Policy
Will Be Vital Factor in End
ing Present Revolt.
LESS, WORRY OVER TRADE
Building Costs Big 1924 Problem.
Spring Buying Starts.
BY j. C. ROyLE.
leciaI Dispatch to The Star

Speclal Dlspatcn TO Inc Sthr
NEW YORK, January 2.-Determi-
nation OF the United States TO us
pose of a certain amount or Ameri-
can arms and ammunition TO the oo-
regon forces in Mexico has brought
decided feeling of reinsurance TO
many exporters whose trade with the
southern republic has been checkeu
by the de la Huerta revolt. This mas
been increased by the fact that the
munitions are of government make
and do not correspond to the arms
now in use by either side in Mexico.
In the past sale of cartridges by
the soldiers of opposing armies to
Reach other has postponed restoration
of tranquility repeatedly. Mexican
armies have no commissary depart
ments. Each soldier under ordinary
circumstances receives his pay each
morning From that pay he is sup
posed to buy Sustenance- III ne gam
bleS, loses or spends his pay In otner
ways he is likely to go hungry
Soldiers Great Traders.
But the cartridges in his bandolier
have always up to now been the same
as money, the quotations ranging
from to 10 cents for each cartridge.
He had only to signal an opposing
sentry. open negotiations and DISPOSE
of his cartridges for cash. The writer
has repeatedly ridden on trains In
Mexico carrying a heavy military
guard, all the members OF Whlch hao
rifles and none of Whom haa Cal
tridges. The cartridges SOLO the o%o- %
.regon forces. however, will not 1T the
Mauzers. Mannlichers and Wlnches-
ters with which their opponents are
armed, and there will be but little
temptation for such traffic
Mexican soldiers are notoriously
wasteful of ammunition. They seldom
start on any expedition without firing
several SalvoS in the air and lack
of these wasted bullets has repeatedly
prevented the speedy ending OF nos
tilities.
See Peace Soon Restored.
Merchants. therefore. feel that the
present policy of the American State
Department should aid materially In
prompt restoration of order.
The armies of Mexico still are or
ganized on feudal lines. That is, the
private soldier is fighting less for
cause than for some leader. When,
therefore. a leader changes causes, he
usually has little difficulty in per-
suading his men to accompany him.
Even if some of the rifles furnished
should be captured or transferred
from one side to the other by such
changes, they soon would become
useless, as the United States is the
sole source of cartridge supply. This
fact also reduces to a minimum any
danger that the weapons might be
turned in future against the north
ern side of the Rio Grande.
Building Costs Problem.
Architects, contractors and build
erS already are deep in plans for
1924, with projects now under way
being rushed to completion as fast
as weather conditions will permit,
While progress of negotiations be-
tween the building crafts and en-
ployers here promise stability of la
Dor costs for the next two years, this
rs not the case in some other sec
tions.
In the middle west keen anxiety ex-
lists over the insistent demands Of ar
tfsans of the skilled trades for higher
wage scales. In Chicago the predic-
tion is made by some building and con-
struction men that the granting of a
demand for an advance over the pres
ent S1.25 an hour scale would result in
q prompt collapse of one of the great
est building booms that city ever has
had.
Valuation of building erected there in
1928 exceeded $500. 600, 900, as was pre-
dicted in these columns, and If wages
remain stable, plans now under con-
sideration win bring the 1924 figures
about s100. 100000 above that figure.
hetdH dStriDutOfS throughout the
country having had a chance over the
holiday to estimate with considerab BILE
accuracy just what remains on their
shelves. started energetically today to
clear their shelves of surplus mer-
chandise. This was noticea Bile not only
in announcements of annual sales of
white goods, but in special sales of
clothing and other lines. Buyers have
. already begun to arrive prepara tory to
ordering replenishments for spring, and
the hotel reservations in this and other
centers indicate that this volume of
buying will be heavy.