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Show OI'TI.MISTIC NOTE IS I SilllC iv J!V IIOOV'EK Wa.sliiMKton, I). C. A note of optimism op-timism was struck by Secretary Hoover in bis Interview or economic conditions in his foreword to the Commerce year book of the department depart-ment of commerce, which has Juat appeared. Secretary Hoover staU- that the agricultural situation is favorable und: that foreign commerce is in a much more favorable condition. The statement adds that there is no unemployment of a distressing nil tu re and that the usual summer k! u in i is of no consequence this year, behiK almost entirely to seasonal arenas. "The American peop;e" Secretary Hoover wrote, "have little right to complain about our economic situation situa-tion during the year 1924. Even ag-: ag-: culture has shown some partial recovery re-covery from its three years of extreme ex-treme difficulty. Our industrial production pro-duction was only about five per cent i .-s than In 1 923, which was the record, rec-ord, year in the history of the nation, but was thirteen per cent greuter than in 1919. Building and other construction tu 1924 showed an even larger volume than in 1 923, registering the highest total in our history. While it seems that the construction shortage resulting result-ing from suspension during the war should over taken by this time, yet the ristlng standards of living are demanding improvement in housing and office condStions which maintain the industry at a high pitch. "The shipping industry showed some improvement in 1924, although It has not yet reached a basis of sta-'Mlity. sta-'Mlity. The textile Industries experienced experi-enced more inactivity than other manufacturing industries. The bituminous bitu-minous coal industry Is in great difi- culties due to complex cases, partly the holdover from excessive expansion expan-sion during the war. But generally we have but few difficulties remaining remain-ing which can be attributed to the effect of the war. "Wages for 1923 and 1924 were generally maintained at alhout 10j per cent higher than in 1913. and with the cost of living on a basis of about level our labor is receiving a largo share of the result of this ln- - oreast'd efficiency in the highest reai wages of our history. The higher real wage has been expressed both in advancing standards of living and In greater savings on the part of the masses of the population." |