Evening star., 1922-05-13
BY j. C. ROYLE.

BY J. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. May 13.-Volume OF
retail trade all over the country IS
mounting with the Thermometer.
Every bright warm day is bringing
swarm of customers to the stores.
Merchants have found little difficulty
in leading prospective customers to
their aisles and show cases, but 1t has
been a different matter to make them
buy. Whether or not more OF them
are from Missouri, they have to be
shown. not only the goods. but quality.
service and reasonable price.
Salesmanship is more necessary in
retail merchandising than it has been
for many years.
The day has gone by when meg
chants find it iSpossible or profitable tab
is our price-take it or leave it,.
They leave it. The great body of
buyers still is presenting an un-
broken front In opposition to price
advances. Basic commodities are up
Manufacturers cannot produce goods
as cheaply as they could some months
ago. but merchants and distributors
have not been able to advance retail
prices correspondingly.
Overhead Expenses Cut.
In order to keep their heads above
water. manufacturers and dlStrlputorS
all along the line have had to cut
overhead expenses, and the fact
that many are doing 1t successfully IS
one of the most encouraging lndlca-
tions in the business outlook.
Improved methods Of production.
lowering of labor costs. increased e1-
ficiency Of working forces. more eco
nomical distribution and better sales
manship are some Of the means petms @
employed to this end. But II these
have not been effective they are pre-
pairing to cut overhead by consohda-
tions and combinations.
Mergers of commercial as well as
industrial concerns are being serious
ly considered and some OF these plans
are approaching completion.
Foreign Trade Revives.
New life, or rather new money, Is
coming into the foreign trade of the
United States again. For d long tiihe
this country was in good deal the
position of the only winner IN
poker game who has captured all the
money. Either the winner has to loan
money to the other players or ene
game halts until they get more
money. Credits and trade balances
now have swung in favor of some OF
the foreign countries. so that they
once again are entering the Amerl-
can markets.
Unemployment is rapidly lessening
and charitable and welfare organiza-
tions besieged a few months ago by
applications for assistance. are cut
ting down their forces and closing
their branches as the calls upon them
grow less. 1t is estimated the number
i0f workers hunting jobs has de-
creased one-third in the last fohr
months. The charts of the power COM
panies offer conclusive evidence or the
increase in industrial activity. me
curve of power consumption mas peen
steadily upward and many companies
are adding equipment ana ouilulhs
new units to carry the load
Building shows Increase.
Buildine construction is proceeding
at an increased pace, in spite OF labor
disputes and wage controversies. Lumt
her mills are operating above normal
capacity, but are unable to keep deliv-
cries abreast of orders. Cement glass,
paint, brick and steel plants all are
busy.
Prices for raw WOO! continue to ad-
vance, and many we'll informed dealers
predict that they will increase until
they reach a point when 1t will pay
to import foreign wools. even with
their present and prospective tariff re-
strictions. Prices for woolen goods
also are expected to advance. but not
in proportion to the jump in the raw
staple. The raw cotton advance also
has been well maintained, but both buy
ers and sellers of cotton goods have
held off to some extent. neither being
willing to make commitments for the
future until conditions become more
stable.
Coal Starts Upward.
Coal has started to go up. The de-
mand has not yet become acute. and
reserves of fuel are holding out well,
but these reserves are gradually melt
ing away, and dealers are warning do
mestic consumers that deliveries may
be difficult if the check to production
is maintained for an extended period.
The coal strike has not served to halt
operations in the iron and steel plants.
but it has served to check increase of
production. although prices for steel
products are advancing.
Automobile manufacturers are ceas-
ing to worry about sales. They are
beginning to worry about supplies of
parts and materials which will enable
them to keep up with sales.