The sun., 1918-12-07
RETAIL BUSINESS
STEADILY IMPROVES
Purchases for Holiday Trade
Stimulate Market Con-
ditions.
BIG CALL FOR JEWELRy
Labor Supply Not Greatly Al.
fected by Cancellation Of
U. s. Orders.
BIG CALL FOR JEWELRy

The period of industrial readjugtn,r.
with its concomitant unsettlemeri. n.
gether with the uncertainty as to yryc.
levels. is retarding wholesale lcylr-
according TO BrddStreet's review. Tn.
transition OF industries from a war =,
a peace basis Is progressing, says this
authority, and there is no surplus q.
labor. The retail trade, as was 10 b.
expected, is showing increased a..iy,..
because of the approaching hol.la,s
Brddstreet's says:
Uncertainty, favored, however. wifi
optimism, accompanied by a ,nanifes.v
slower gait in actual movement and al.
ditlonal cancellations OF war orders
epitomizes trade conditions. G-op,ng IN,
tangible tendencies, speculatiag 10 To- III.
course of prices, shifting from wa. 10
peace work and year end stock taking
occupy most attention In the larger lines
Underneath the aus preparations 10
send statesmen on the road after the turn
Of the year are going o.. Immediate
demand, light as II Is, o~vershadows buy.
ing for future account, thus Indicating
disposition to await developments We
covering current (
ION the other hand, retail trade az 4
number of centres is OF large yoiur-
thanks chiefly I holiday purchases, theS,
being stimulated by the Cheerful, see.inr
arising out OF tho termination OF tna W.,
and to 6 lesser extent to reduced p-.Hs
on other holiday goods. Oddly enous,
demand for jewelry, particularly watches
and precious stones, the latter bearing
high prices, Is exceptionally good. Bu.
while conceding that retail trade has
picked up in n general way, reservations
must be made in Difference tO,the st!i,i.e
effects OF influenza, which seemingly haq
hampered distribution In parts o: TIC
West and throughout the Southwes..
with country districts Of The cores !rti-
Gated displaying the most adverse efects
Inasmuch, however, as farmers prefer
to stay at home while the e,.der1.
RACES. mail order houses profit.
Industrial aspects concern turtle.
cancellations of Government worf, ~.
what appears to be ready adaptation G!
peace industries TO the charged AID ST,
changing currents, the trend IN L.
latter regard providing WA may O..
termed shock absorberg. Never ,'ts7
rehabilitation and the freeing Of Mel
as well as women from war s~us.aine.
industries has made for better supplies
OF labor. without. however, producing
visible evidence OF labor bs!rE forced t:
liquidate where standard occupations
| are concerned.
Commodity prices. especially ~
foodstuffs, and barring some marufac-
tured articles, stand al high levels, and
while belief in gradual declines IS gen
eral. 1t Is contended that II will TAX.
time for overhead EXPENSE to s-alo
down.
in the steel trade. orders. mostly ..
the filling In type, come from lines that
were starved of supplies ~ Govern.
mental restrictions. At tie same tine
there Is much talk about export trade
discussions being accompanied b. T.
quiries, but out OF which relatively l...,t
actual business has developed as ye.'
An optimistic outlook for the INN
diate future of industries IS taken y
Dun'S Review. which points on, tina. In
dustrial readjustment Is being a'ccm
plished in 4 manner which points 10
minimum OF disturbance whea a mort
severe test comes. as t IS tH.ec;.a
Dun'S says:
1.-THE varied and far reaching eN-.oa:'
changes, inevitable under the rev ME!
national conditions, are being ac>or.
plished in a way which gives pro1;l9
that the real test OF reimbursement yet i
come will be met without serious els
turbance. Cancellations Of GoveTnmea
orders, although many in number, hav
not appeared with such a rush as 10 ste,
the wheels Of industry, and peace ers.
ness may experience considerable re
vival before war work is wholly ended
Even now. in fact. there Is evidence ,
the development OF long restrained buy
Ing in some quarters, and the U.ove1'er
to replenish depleted supplies, once
gains momentum n becomes mo-f &c.
eral, should do much 70 All the g. l'
by the reduction Of Fedora! require
menta.
ITO the restoration OF mere norma
conditions in domestic commerce r.
process OF relaxing or removing many ,
the arbitrary restrictions has contribute
largely, and an important expansion Q
foreign trade Is confidently expected WI
the lesseninR or elimination o, variou
regulations which still remain edectN'
Yet the whole question Of the recover
OF regular business. for many n.J0-h3T'
pressed by the special and urge; os
mands OF the war period, depends 'e'
! materially upon the future acton {
prices. and 1t is clear that many !T'e'
ests are determined 70 operate exc
) sively only at appreciably lowe !'Fe.s
--D ~uCry UCI