Evening star., 1922-12-31
PESS|M|SM UPSET
BY 1922 BUSINESS
D. C. Merchants 0vercame
Problems and Made Profits.
Says C. J. Columbus.
ASSOCIATION is ACTIVE
Host to Many Conventions and
Furthered Beneficial Legis-
lation.
ASSOCIATION is ACTIVE

business among merchants in the
District If columbia for the year H..
in spit, "f prophecies to the con
,rary, was good according /" Charles
j. columbus. secretary of the Wash
ington Merchants and Manufacturers
Association. in a statement issued last
night. Larger business volume. said
Mr.. Columbus. brought profit to even
those whose pessimistic inclinatious
sensed bad year.
AS the accountants OF business
make their totals for the year 1872,
the Merchants and Manufacturers
Association finds that il was a highly
satisfactory period" says Mr.. Column
bus.
business in Washington faced
real problem III the Year Just closing.
rriccs were bound to fall. and they
did. but then the merchant and manu-
facrurer We're confronted with a still
greater problem of high overhead.
which gave many misgivings as I"
the net result at the close of the year.
1t was in the consideration of
problems affecting the doilarS-and-
cents terms of business to which the
Merchants and Manufacturers ASso-
cation applied itself during the year
1922. Through its board of governors.
made up of one representative from
practically every line of trade and
through as many trade sections meet
ing from time to time as the needs of
those particular lines demanded. the
association functioned as it has ever
done for the welfare of the busineSS
firm itself. since firms. and not indi-
NIdualS. comprise its membership.
Vigilance and Courage.
ness it has ever been vigilant and
courageous in promoting trade well
fare along ethical. constructive lines.
Taxation and its relation to busi-
ness played an important part in the
years work OF the Mercha nts and
Manufacturers Association. 1t stead
lastly encouraged Simplification of
AVIATION and application
1.egislatively it achieved great
victory in the passage of the bad
!umhia. a legislative child of its own
creation and the development of
which into a law i; followed with
practical daily solicitude. culminat-
sociation claims credit as the dis
coverer and the guiding star. The
had-check law is just another addi-
ton to the list of laws that the
'nunsel Of the association has con
Iributed TO the District of Columbia.
namely, the false advertising law,
the law regulating fake auctions and
many other forms of legislation design
ed TO promote equity in individual lines
of trade contemplated in the organza-
tion.
The association has likewise given
tss influence to the promotion of
other good causes in which the COM
muffS as a whole has felt 3 need.
''EhS1h&h its board of governors
and MEM bership in general c0nven-
tioa, a,sxxtension work in Washington
ha 4hsen generously given; while ITS
off Es and ,cosnmittsemen en- have CO
oiSEpmmittees of Civic bodteaa
3sany Meetinxs Eostered. .
'-Merchants and Manufacturers
AsSa6aAtion has contributed as a host
to ~ trade conventions.
1hn mittees have taken Keen
mt the regulation of traffic
bot t6f8Iet and interstate.
Mixing the importance of service
TO HheSs, it's board of governors
and SAde sections have given much
tim S@sid consideration; to the devel-
Cpd III of. methods by which the pub
lie SHid secure greater measure
of fyice from business and at the
SaI6K time protecting business and
thSSubiic from the effects of an un-
rea Enable increase in the cost of
do, sh business ;,s sxsor.;ra conn;,,ee
Ihe% Merchants and Manufacturers
association has done fine service
in protecting the sinewS of business
from the onslaught of parasites who.
appealing in 1the name of. Charity.
sought ito impose unreasonable. bur
dens which automatically hamper
many WORTHWHILE established chari-
ties to which funds that might other
wise have been misapplied could be
put to such valuable uses
Coordination Of store hours. pro-
motion. of seasonal shopping periods
and y multifarious list of other activi-
rieAshave comprised the contribution
Of He Merchants and Manufacturers
washington.
.Yne officers of the organization
hal Sexpressed "a conviction that the
ye$N92S will present an opportunity
part of business. and its representa-
tive organization. They feel that the
business developments of 1922-and to
many they were of an astounding ma
ture-wul be continued in the new
year. This is due to the healthy
growth that has come to Washing gton.
and that business will be even better
in the new year Is sensed in the fact
that. even with the undertakings now
under way. which are bound to bring
many additional. people to the Ma
tionaf Capital. period Of opportunity
will present itself such as the people
resident here even for ten years
never dreamed would be possible.
The completion OF the Washington
Auditorium, which Is a matter very
close to the heart and had the un-
ceasing activity Of many of the lead
ers in the Merchants and Manufac-
turers' Association. will in itself be
a means of trade development the
like of which has been best expressed
by business leaders out of Washing
ton. They have repeatedly said that
the setting up of this auditorium. the
erection OF which Is now we'll under
way, will give trade remarkable i'm
petuS.
The big conventions which are
selves give local trade leaders an op
portunity to display their talents as
servants Of the public such as has
never before presented itself.
"As Gen. Anton Stephan. president
of the Merchants and Manufacturer
Association, has said: 1t is not a
question of whether business will be
big in 1923: rather how can business
hest solve the big problem of service
that will confront every merchant
and every manufacturer in the Dis
trict Of Columbia in 1929"
In Next Two Weeks.
The association announced that the
following section meetings would be
held during the next two weeks, in
the boardroom of the associations:
ment stores, 2 pm: stationery, $40
pm.
electrical. $3.50 pm.
January Alive and ton cent
stores, IL AM: druggists, pm: NOR.