OCR Text |
Show PROSPERITY INDEX. The United States Steel corporation is to add something like 15,00U,000 to ll-e total amount now paid the common I laborers in its employ, a very consider-j aide sum when you come (o thiuk about i if. Other steel concerns will doubtless t-d impelled to lollow toe load of t he j Gary company and raise the wages of j their employees, with the result that! many millions ni'Te will be put iulo j circulation aud business of all kinds; improved to some extent. U. S. Steel j common has advanced to SO since work on I war orders began, while the preferred is selling around 1 17, so the stockholders have been enriched through this channel j a? well as by fat dividends iu prospect. It is only fair that the laborers should! be remembered in these prosperous ; 1 1 mcs, and t he company directors are ; entitled to praise tor voluntarily rais- J i ug wage? instead of waiting for a j threat to strike. ; 'W ithin the past few weeks a score or . more of great industrial concerns bao advanced wages and salaries and there! :s eviden.e cf great prosperity through-' ou' the length and breadth of the land, j .hidge Gary i undoubtedly right when : he calls attention to the fact that when the war orders cease there is likely to : be somewhat of a reaction and that it j would be the part of wisdom to be cou-cratie cou-cratie jusi a: the present moment,1 and. in fact, until the world once more set'b-s "own to normal conditions. At-tin- same time it is evident that those' who lontrol the de-tinies of the I'niied Mates steel i-orpoiation do not believe business will be totally paralyzed whon j th'1 pace treaty is signed or they would j never let go of the 4 1 .iti u0 '0. ' '.if comse. no .-Lie rcali knows what ; i going tn happen. The I'lvied State j wel! a.- all the ol'ier ueutial nations! j experience. 1 -omf prnl ty rough sledding j i n the f irt I'm- months of t ri war. Since that time we ha e i,f?m PDioing ja wonderful degree of prorpnrity. pu-I pu-I lirieal economists, statesmen, bani-.fr-. editors and bu.o ii'1 m '"-n in all walls of lit"1 have tbir individual views as to J t be ful ure, but none of them if cr yi ng j wor or pi ea.-h ,n g a n i -, and tli" tank ind fil fire loo l.ii-v to listen to thf I pol it p-ia u v. There will be no disast-T ; so long a la ior is; well empioyd and I unls.s rhrn is a grout influx of wrk- iugnien from Kurope w hen the struggle iowr tloTe brought to a close there jwill be employment lor all hands in the il'nitd Sialic for some time to com"'. Th i. is bc i ea I basis of prosperity. Pirn t v of work at, fa ir w a ge.s for the laboring classes means mm-h business t a good profit for all lins of trade. The action of the Pu 11 ma n -oinpa ny, thr I'nitrfl States Sterj corporation and 'the other con err ns w hi'di have rc-eni ' ly rai:.-d wag'-s will rult in good in many ways. Ahor all il will strength-! j en the confidriii e of I lie people in them-Uehrs them-Uehrs and the future of their country ? I vhi-h just now looks bright iiuh'ed. |