Evening star., 1922-11-27
CHRISTMAS BUYING
STARTS IN EARNEST
Merchants Watch Money
Flow in Steady Stream
Into Cashiers Cages.
By }. c. ROYLE.

special Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK, November ef-Rcal
noiioay buying has begun.
S.ores all over the country toda2
were full to overfowing with cuS-
toners, and from this time on ner-
chants count on a steady fiow of cas-,
| INTO their cashiers cages. The mc.-
chants still believe IN Santa Clau-,
Whatever doubts the modern young-
seer may have on the subject.
The psychological effect Of ht9,,
wages Is plainly in evidence as wei
as the added purchasing power which,
cue nisn-W wage scales have mad.
aVaiiseie i'll actual cash. One stril
my .eatuie OF the buying trend -
ishings and adornments. on one d.,
va the last week the sales of Arnold
constable and Company. a depart
ment store here which makes a .pn-
e,ats enSy or furniture and household
goods. were more than double II.
previous high record for a slrE.z
days business.
Silk shirts In Demand.
Shirts and gloves are holiday star6-
nya ana are selling in tremendous
volume. For the first time in Some
Years there is a strong demand fo-
si!k shirts. although the gaudy stripes
OF former years are not in evidence.
The shower Of neckties which dc.
scends on the average American o.,
december Is will be heavier than eve.
aLio CHOSEN with even worse tas,o
IMAM usual. according to present ~
oiGalions as to color schemes.
Inc holiday trend is plainly ehov =
IN the tobacco factories. productio.
'ef cigars. especially OF sizes and
brands suitable for gift purposes, In
creased to 6s2,s40.77s in the las-
from 635.so7.Ss7 for the CORES
ponding period last year.
Clothing sales are improving and -,
is cloth manufacture. The cotto:.
spindles Of the United States sre
working at better than 80 per cent %
capacity. Prices are firm despite t.
trend In England. where S.ooo.oa,
yards yad OF tweeds and serges and 500.
GOO yards Of cotton cloth from T.,
superfiuous stores for discharsso d
soldiers have just been thrown on r
market at prices under the cost OF :
placement At present quotations :
raw materials.
Building Tie.rp Feared.
The controversy between buiiu::::.:
contractors and the bricklayers n
this city threatens to tie up $l0o,Gig
900 worth of building constructio,l
and to throw 125.000 members OF tie
building trades out OF jobs. But i
has only threatened SO far The .e--
rife cost of such a tie-up both to en-
ployers and employees at the presea,
time Is likely to bring a speedy set
Element OF the affair. which does no.
involve wages. but concerns q figh'
|of rival organizations among tho
workmen themselves.
Automobile body builders are ar
lively in-the market for raw ma
lerisls. but competition among auto
mobile manufacturers now Is beco.i-
ing SO keen that recent high prices
are cutting OFF buying in some ~
stances. Cotton goods are moving
in good volume and mills. both IL t',e
south and in New England. are cE-
tremeiy busy. sporting goods saga
active and are being heavily purci::s
ed for the holiday season.
The industrial activity Of TIE coG-.
try IS reflected in the cali for wn:,
clothing and dealers who carry t;.e%a
lines already have placed orders fer
large spring deliveries. The marSe'
for hides is slow aud prices are high
Leather also is Glow, but prices In tn"
tanned products do not reflect the ad-
vance in the raw hides. Lumber
production is at a new high mark IN
the northwest and new business is
gaining on production.