The Washington times., 1924-04-05
imp R0vEMENT
SHOWN IN
TRADE
Business, However, Falls Be-
hind Last Years Record,
Bradstreet's Review Says.
By Cosmopolitan News Service.

ny NOoAnOpOuUam Ne"B DCrVtce.
NEW YORK, April 5.-Brad-
streets Weekly Review of business
said today:
Trade and industry, taken as a
whole, average only about fair, and
several measures of movement for
March confirm the earlier reports
in these columns Of a tapering off
from a year ago. This Is borne
out by bank cIearings returns, by
mail order sales, by pig iron and
automobile outputs and by late
weeks carloadings, all Of which
have fallen behind February or be-
hind March year ago, while the
recession in commodity prices noted
In three previous months continued.
There was, however, thread of
Improvement running through the
reports from the Southwest as to
retail trade, this based upon better
weather.
This is worth recalling now that
settled spring weather is apparently
IN sight in that section and that the
weather throughout the country
improved late in the week.
FINALLY as regards the tapering
or from year ago it needs be re-
membered that the spring season
that connected with the Easter
urge at least, is later than a year
ago. All these things illustrate the
projection into the outlook of some
irregularities which have vitiated
comparison, and which it is well to
consider before jumping to the con-
cluslon that the general trade and
industrial situation has receded
very much from the remarkable
activity which distinguished the
early months Of last year.
The apparel trades have Jagged
as hitheto, but in-these lines cotton
goods have displayed more re-
siliency.
"Woolens have not displayed
much life, but silks have shown a
little more interest this week.
1.-THE shoe trade has not been
especially active either at wholesale
or retail.
Most activity is still manifest in
the constructive lines, but steel
buying has eased off. Good weather
should stimulate these lines from
now on. All metal prices have
tended to ease this week. Coal,
soft coal especially, has been de
pressed with prices about at their
lowest. Failure to agree on wage
scales in the southwestern coal
fields may render 10000 men idle.
Some kinds of coke are lower"
Dun's Review.
Dun's weekly review of business
said today:
by retarding spring activities,
inclement weather has accentuated
the contraction of business.
Apart from the restraints i'm
posed by the elements, the com
mercial movement shows more
plainly the effects of the cautious
forward buying in most lines. Pro
duction in certain quarters, as in
the steel industry, approximates the
best previous records, but appar-
emily exceeds consumption, and out
put in some instances, notably at
textile mills, is being curtailed be.
cause of the small volume Of new
orders. Another indication Of the
slowing-down process is seen IL
Al eight CdE IOduIIlSSs which, InOOHn
still very large, have decreased
steadily in recent weeks. and the
decline in prices has continued.
Even with the price index number
at the lowest point since last
August, purchases to cover advance
needs remain restricted, the posi-
bility of further concession being n
factor and political uncertainties
causing rather general hesitation.
Pressure to stimulate demand has
become more marked, the initiative
in most transactions being with the
seller. and pig iron, steel. lumber
and cotton goods are among the
commodities in. which price easing
has occurred. Yet the contraction
OF business is mainly in operations
for the future, buying for current
consumption continuing heavy in
the aggregate. and daily average
bank clearings, despite lower prices,
~