Show Jrade J fade News Most Mt Encouraging E cour ging Civilian Goods Are in Demand Gains Are Made Over Last Year Ye Yea ar arG G GROWTH in war business broader demand for civilian goods improved retail trade further ease in transportation and excellent excellent ex ex- ex- ex celent crop reports reports' stand out as the principal factors in a a budget of 9 f encouraging e a ing news news But governmental operations ranging from fro me ne construction of ordnance ordnance plants plant I ships and warehouses down to the buyIng buying buy buy- Ing of the most common products figure to a greater extent than heretofore S says ys Bradstreets As the government buys as it I continues continues con con- to commandeer g goods In being or orIn orIn In prospect various kinds of supplies for for nonmilitant consumers necessarily grow scarcer In short the country's movements movements move move- ments are re being adjusted to a a true war basis and with wih few signs of ot friction n. n Thus it eventuates that final distributors fearing bare shelves are shopping more moree I frequently e are undeterred by high prices ge hlf I from buying ln res such quantities I s of staple goods as they can acquire and therefore I a season S ason of the year that usually sees midsummer dullness In the larger lines now gives off manifestations of ot unwonted unwonted unwonted un un- un- un wonted activity Sales are far ahead of those made at att this time in any previous u year ear Warmer weather t eh has stimulated n JI JIu business busine u I 9 yr in seasonable seasonable sea sea- merchandise and it is evident that most of f l the buying proceeds from the war enriched classes whether en engage engage engage en- en gage directly or as replacement units unis matters maters little so far as spending power goes gos On the other hand those deemed wealthy are reported economizing Dry goods good j shoes heavy clothing groceries provisions and drugs lead in point of activity While l P price fixing and n feat of attracting ig Wr the governments government's e t attention t g I restricts speculation in general or causes complaint about freedom of or action acton It I is I noteworthy that scarcity of cotton and woolen fabrics for civilian uses has su su- su to a good deal of ot between de dealers lers each recurring transaction SU-I SU tion ton presumably bearing an additional price impost Some reports indicate that despite despie an active demand for high class shoes cheaper grades gades are accumulating I Manufacturing is active patently so on war wor work and wherever the hand of the government has not been laid to cut off oft full ful non essential non outputs or where supplies supplies sup sup- plies ples of labor or raw materials are tolerably toler ably sufficient sufficient Labor is in scant supply and the situation sit sit- will wi not improve until the government government government gov gov- makes extensive shifts of man man- power laws lawa are to be enforced enforced enforced en en- forced more vigorously and though concentration concentration con con- of government work may cause temporary idleness in such ordinary ordinary nary nar lines as are deprived of materials the problem is one that will wi be almost self elf adjustable Shipbuilding vies with wih the iron and steel Industry as a respects activity among the industries though of course It always is to be understood that the mainsprings are provided by concentration on government work ork ork w which mea meant means i exclusion x l of civilian wants Lumber Lumber Lum Lum- ber is in heavier heaver demand the government government government govern govern- ment being the chief chef buyer Building operations except for the government which is engaged on some huge projects either directly for war purposes or or for housing are all al but lifeless However builders builders' supplies are in good call cal but here again one sees the ubiquitous hands hads of ol the government Owing to liberal supplies of early vegetables vegetables vege vege- tables improvement in transportation talk of peace and roseate crop news prices for tor foodstuffs foodstuffs have reacted down down- ward Col Collections are good and ad while money is withheld from all al but essential enterprises bank statements disclose fa favorable favorable fa- fa a- a conditions Bank clearing clearinghouses clearinghouses cearIng houses Indicate increases over last week and the corresponding week last year some me of the advance arising out of payments payments payments pay pay- ments to the third Liberty loan Joan Stock market movements upward most of the week reacted later on because of profit I taking The wheat harvest harest of 1918 has begun In Inthe Inthe inthe the far South and while cold weather In North Dakota and Iowa and lack of rain rin in Oklahoma and parts of Kansas earlier earler has modified crop prospects the situa- situa tion ton as a whole is positively brilliant |