Evening star., 1922-01-14
1921 BUSINESS HERE SHOWS GAIN:
NEW YEAR IS FACED WITH HOPE
Bank Deposits During Year Increase
Nearly Seven Million Dollars-Postal
Receipts Also Larger.

This is the year for the fighting
business man.
Business interests of the National
Capital face 1922 with hope. based
upon confidence gained during l92l'
as the result of generally increased
total sales over 1920.
Receipts of the Washington city
post office for the year OF lS2l shoW.u
a gain of 2.45 per cent over recelpts
of 1920; bank clearings of local banks
showed a falling off of less than .
per cent from 1920, as compared with
a decrease of bank clearlngS 1or the
entire country of about Fl per cen.
during the past year, as compared
with 1920.
Deposits Show Increase.
Deposits in the banks OF the - niS 3,
trict were greater, by s6S34 .926.o4
at the close of 1921, than on Decem-
ber IS. 1920.
When these facts are considered in
relation to the stabilized government
service. which constitutes MasntHis, ii,
Uncle Sam. the employer, always pays
his empIoyes without being affected
by the industrial upheavals whlch
strike the strictly industrial centers'
it may be seen that mercantile pros'
poets for this year are brtsnt.
prospects are encouraging. now
ever. in a general way. Especially IN
regard to opportunities held OUT loI
fighters does the year look good TO
rhe business interests of the Nationai
canitaI There is no expectation that
net profits of the year Will snow any
astounding total when the summing
up is done a dozen months henes'
But the feeling is prevaiensa. ny. tha., tha
since Washington is better OF hsih ,,an
many other cities, in regard TO nusi-
ness 1o2o will show good gains in
almost every industry.
Retail stores Make Gains.
A survey of department stores of the
acity those barometers Whlch SNOW
how the people of any place are
Spending their money, reveals that
practically all of them dia a oei.eI
Idsiness in 1921 than in 1920. and thst
this was brought about largely
through the greater volume OF safes
during the last quarter or the year.
and especially the business done by
many of the houses during Decem-
Der. which showed an increase over
the business during December 1920.
The head of large advertising
agency whose business makes it nee
essary for him to have his fingers
constantly on the pulse of both busi-
ness men and customers. declares that
conditions i'll u business sense grew
better as 1921 went along: that mer-
chants generally showed a substantial
increase of sales in 1927 over 1920:
and that practically all of them sold
many more units of goods in 1921 than
in 1920. although the prices were gen.
orally lower for each unit.
Dollar and Cents Sales Increase.
An especially striking instance of
good business methods which result
ed in Increased business was found
in a representative department store
which reports regularly to the fifth
district of the federal reserve.
This store made 7.6 per cent more
dollars and cents sales during 1921
than it did in 1920, according to its
general manager. Sales during De-
cernber. 1921, were about 10 per cent
ahead of sales during December, 1920.
The store took as its slogan the
motto. 1871 will reward the fight
err" and by preaching this sentiment
week after week to it's organization
the firm was able to secure these re-
suits. This is in face of the fact, ac-
cording to figures of the fifth dis
trict of the federal reserve. that the
department stores of Baltimore did
il per cent less business in Novem-
ber. 1921. than in November. 1920. and