Evening star., 1922-11-11
DEPARTMENT STORE
BUSINESS JUMPS
Past Week Best of Whole
Year for Total Sales
All Over Country.
BY J. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

p'epatcn Inc btar.
NEW YORK. November 11.-More
money has been spent in the depart
ment stores Of the country this week
than In any six-day period this year.
The drop in temperature all over the
country has been followed by . cor
responding rise in the barometer OF
retail trade. The real indication Of
the the trend Of business. however,
is found in wholesale and jobbing cir
kf!es. Wholesalers and manufacturers
are being called on to meet a belated
demand which active buying ha.
forced on the most pessimistic re
tailers.
Even the farming communities are
buying, although the complaints o,
| the agriculturists are legion. They
assert that In spite of the increase in
grain prices they are suffering more
severely than any other line of in
fdustry from car shortages. They com
plain of the unbalanced supply and
demand and Of the rises in commodi
ties which they have to buy in e1
change for the crops they raise.
Crop Results Favorable.
Back Of all these perfectly true state
crops have cost less to produce this
year than at any time since the war
that the nation e realizing on the aseet
Of thrift for TIE last two years ana
that both farmers and merchants have
paid their debts and re- established sound
credits. These factors explain in psrr
the trend Of both retail and wholesale
trade and are not confined to pro
ducers from the soil.
Proof Of this assertion is not far 20
NOrJA h~r ~f a. al
manufacturers show conclusveIy that
the majority Of them could run ~
present production until the end OF
next spring, II not another order were
received. Few steel makers are &C
average percentage Of output through
out is well over IS per cent of capacity.
and dozens OF plants are approaching
100 per cent. Some are adding new
units to existing plants, for the FRS
time since the war.
Cotton and Wool Active.
the agricultural and manufacturing
fields today. They are cotton and
wool. Each is in short supply. The
prices for each are advancing. World
demand indicates that neither I'M
mediately will fall appreciably below
for products Manufactured from them
will experieece a still further ad-
vance.
Dealers today paid price. for Texas
fall clips Of wool that would have
been scoffed at year ago. Cotton
30-cent cotton. Buyers OF cloths are
rushing into the market before
further advances become operative.
What the ultimate consumer will say
is not entirely determined. but pres
ent indications are that the inevitable
G CNl'iY N Vd in rrin i
stimulate rather than check consumer
buying.
Lumber Demand Gaining.
The demand for paints is holding up
better than ever before at this season
Of the year, although profits have
been affected slightly by advances
in raw material. especially lead.
Building materials have not advanced
in the majority OF districts. although
scattered increases are reported for
lumber. cement and brick Lumber
demand. after a slight check. again
is gaining on shipments.
Apples and potatoes are drugs OF
the market. The combination OF ex-
cessive production and slow market
ing enforced by car shortage has beer
fatal to profits in many sections.
Poultry. in excellent supply both
from the farms and from the storage
warehouses, il selling at reasonable
prices.
Auto Outlook Bright.
The unprecedented demand for aG-
tomobiles in November is taken by
manufacturers to mean the earlNst
known revival OF spring demand. and
factories are preparing now with thai
prospect in view. Leather markets
are strong and shoe manufacturers
are buying freely.
Millions of bushels of wheat and
other farm products still are in stor-
age, and the sale Of these products
will add materially to the buying
power which Is crowding the aisles
Of the retail stores.