Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-28
MUN|TDN MAKERS SHUN
PUBLICITY ON ORDERS
Many Reasons Why Corporations in
Filling Foreign Commissions
Hesitate on Giving Figures.
The Actual Value of an Electric
Consumer Gauged in Court.
Financial Notes.
BY I. A. FLEMING.

BY I. A. FLEMING.
Shareholders in corporations said to
be making money through participation
in americas greatest industrial activ-
ity of the day. namely. the manufacture
of war munitions of various descrip-
tions. are naturally very anxious for
information as to the volume of bust
ness booked. the size of the probable
ret profit and the chances for divi-
dends
The columns of the daily press, and
particularly of the leading corporation
papers. tell of millions of dollars of or
ders for this and that company, almost
beyond belief and indicating plainly
the inability of the allies. great ma
tions that they are. to keep pace IN
production with the daily waste of am
munition.
Side by side with stories of war or
ders are tales of labor dissatisfied ana
demanding greater share Oh the
profits.
Corporations now engaged in manu-
featuring munitions expect in normal
times to resume their regular proo9c-
tion and compete in the markets LOT
the sale of their wares.
Manufacturers generally understand
that there are many pro-entente peo-
pie in the United States: that II may.
perhaps interfere with their business
in times of peace, if it is known that
they took advantage of the neeos OF
The allies and produced MUNITIONS %
war: that labor leaders are wen posl-
ed and will create unrest and perhaps
strikes with tie-ups unless !anor re- re-
ceive increased pay. when factories ai c
speeding up. is also feared
Furthermore, it is Calling to the ley
Ter of contracts to read in the pubic
press of the fat profits made by the
contractor.
Perhaps these are some reasons why
Lanston Monotype Machine Company
and Mergenthaler. two corporations III
which Washington investors are NeiS
largely interested, and which are sara
TO have booked orders, especially the
former, now maintain a pohcS OF
silence and conduct the business with
as little publicity as possible.
The same policy does not OBTAIN
with regard to public utilities. Stock
holders kept informed of business con :
d;tions of the corporations IN Wnich
they have placed their money wouio DC
better satisfied than to remain IN t t
dark and wait from year 10 Sedi AoA
enlightenment
Value of an Electric Consumer.
Just at this time the following testl-
mony before the Ohio public utilities
commission on the value to a pro-
ducing corporation is interesting. The
Union Gas and Improvement Company.
a subsidiary of the Columbia Gas and
Electric Company. is making fight
against the enforcement of a lower
rate for current, ordered in Cincinnati
Union Gas and Electric Company has
co,2e2 customers using electric light
or power and it values them at sl,4ss,-
1875 or about $40 each. The commits
sion on the other hand is only willing
to place a value of $4,000 on the con-
sumers or SIS each. The company fig
ures that it would cost s2s each to re
place its residence light customers. $13
each to replace its commercial light
customers. 500 each to replace its re-
tail power customers and $3.50 each to
replace it's wholesale power customers.
Officials of the company said that to
double its number of customers it could
we'll afford to pay S1.500.000. and at
the same time reduce it's rates for cur
rent. AS to the cost to educate COM
munity in the use of electricity 1t was
stated that the first year of an attempt
TO secure new business for the electric
company in Cincinnati by modern meth
DDS the cost to secure customers was
an average of $50 each. One OF the pest
men at the head OF new business De
partment of a New York corporation
controlling a large number Of electric
light and power companies, SAID that ne
would consider it well worth the re-
ceipts of the first year from the aver
age electric customer to induce MIN 10
use electric current.
Financial Notes.
Studebaker insiders are said to have
sold a large block of stock check
on the skyrocketing operations of the
pool that has been dabbling in the
shares.
Sears. Roebuck & Co.'S August sales
have increased 10 per cent.
Commercial failures this week, ac-
cording to X. G. Dun & CO.. were 321.
against 354 last week: 10 in the east.
90 in the south. IS in the west and but
SO in the Pacific states.
Commercial paper in New York. 60
20 80 days maturity. > to 81 per cent;
over the year. 81 to ~ per cent.
Clearings of the banks of the United
States for this week were s2.812, 206,-
81, an increase of S1.9 per cent over
the clearinEs for the corresponding
week of 1914.
Express companies will put into eff
feet the ga per cent advances in their
rariffs allowed by the interstate COM
rnerce commission with September For
the last calendar year the express
companies lost s13,Ss0.S11 in gross
revenue. although handling 2225, 92s
more packages. The granted advance
is but partial relief.
Condition of Treasury.
The condition of the United States
Treasury at the close Of business yes
terday was:
Net balance in general fund, 3os,-
651.592.
Total receipts. s2.o47.44c
Total payments. s2,346.S72
The deficit this fiscal year is SIS
Hei.t2s. against deficit of $12,6O3,1a7
last year. exclusive of Panama canal
and public debt transa ctons