The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-01-14
BabsOn Gives Business And
Financial Outlook For 1913

public and institutions. The
amount will largely depend upon
whether or not compulsory saw
ing is adopted. I forecast, how
ever, that the major portion of
this money must be raised from
the banks and chiefly from the
large banks.
CROP SITUATION
With normal weather condi-
tons there is every reason to be-
lieve that more crops will be
raised in this country in 1913
than in 1912 and that farmers
CONTINUED on Page g.
should benefit accordingly. On
the other hand, there always is
the possibility of bad weather
conditions including droughts
and floods. The large amount Of
wheat, corn and other grains in
storage, however, should help off
set any crop failure in 1913.
The wheat yield for 1912 will
be about one billion bushels, sec
ond only to the crop of 1915,
while the corn crop for 1912 will
break all records, amounting to
about 3,50,0O0,000 bushels. The
cotton crop for 1912 amounts to
only 100000 bales, but this is
fectly satisfactory considering
the large amount of cotton in
storage. Without doubt, the the
DRY of winning the peace with
food" is sound. Farmers have a
legitimate reason for expecting
good treatment during the re-
mainder of the War. After the
War. their celebration will be
over.
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION
Readers will remember that
our war production will not
reach its height until we'll INTO
1943. The plants manufacturing
big bombers are not yet complet-
ed, shipbuilding is just getting in
to its stride and thousands of
factories are still re-tooling. 1943,
however, should witness a trans
itiOn from construction to pro-
duction. I, therefore, visualize a
re-shuffle of sub-contrac-
tors, of labor and of communities
in general. This means hardships
for management and for the men
and women workers. Some COM
munities now doing we'll will be-
come ghost towns; while other
sleeping cities will become busy
beehives.
Taking all in all, industrial pro-
duction should climb into new
ground during 1913. averaging
about 21OT of the 1859 level
This would leave only about $40
billions for domestic consumer
goods, compared with about $78
billions in 1912. This means that
only about 1919 of the output of
the durable goods industry and
500 of the output of the non
durable goods industry will be
available for civilian use in 1913.
This estimate is on per unit ba-
sis with no allowance for price
initiation.
FAILURES
Business failures in 1912 a.
mounted to sos millions and I
fear these will be increased dur
ing 1943. If so, it will be due to
manufacturers being unable to
secure necessary raw materials or
and merchants being
unable to get supply Of goods.
In addition to the normal casual
ties and those additional ones due
to the War, I expect a certain
birth control movement" in bus
mess. The Government may re-
quire new businesses, farmers de-
string to increase acreage and es-
pecially employers desiring to in
crease their sales forces to get
permits. Sales organizations
would be the first to be treated to
birth CONTROL. We may also
expect to see in 1913 experiments
in "zoned markets" by limiting
the distance that goods can be
shipped.
The paid leaders of the farm
groups are fighting ceiling prices
on farm products, but I believe
the farmers would be willing to
have a ceiling provided they
could also be assured floor. I
am certain that farmers are more
reasonable and far more patriot
ic than the lobbyists in Washing
ton who pretend to represent
them. There will be no decline
in purchasing power Men, and
women. in the farm
ing and munitions districts, will
have more money even after the
payment of taxes than they have
ever had before. The delivery
of goods should be easier in 1913