The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-29

per company and of the Copper and Brass Research association He saw no indications of abatement in the domestic demand, and said the situation abroad was steadily improving"
 "The domestic consumption in 1923" Mir. Agassiz said, "was the largest in the history of the indus try; nearly one and One-half million pounds. This years consumption has been going at even higher rate. In spite of the fact that production has increased very materially, the total stock of available copper has de- creased considerably since January 1 last, owing to the large refinery deliveries"
 Copper exports in 1924 now closing should exceed one billion pounds, MT. Agassiz expected This would be a % per cent gain over the annual fig ures of the last three pre-war years, and would be accomplished despite Germany buying only two-thirds as much as before the war.
 Public utilities, according to Henry l.. Doherty, banker, share in a general business outlook for 1925 the country over which he regards as the most prom ising he has seen in 20 years. The public service industry, in his opinion faces the hew years with such advan' tages as the development of group III reference to local Owenrshlp; the lm' Lroved calibre and perSonnr ." latory commissions; and the steady ad' vance in nearly all branches of public utility practice.
 Local ownership and manage ment." Mir. DOherty said, ''has been almost entirely superseded by group ownership as represented by the mod ern holding company"
 Improved practice had lowered the cost of electric power despite the mount | ing price of labor and fuel. Mir. DOherty expected this to encourage the further utilization of power, particularly wherever it could reduce labor cost Sees Auto Boom The automotive industry 'should enter 1925 with the greatest confid ence," in the belief of Alfred P. Sloan Jr., president of the General Motors corporation. Prosperity of the farmer and the wage earner," he said, "ado greatly to the prosperity of the in | dustry. Conditions, both economic ant psychological, are such that the pur chasing power of both Should equa or be greater than 1924. This in sures q good volume of business.
 "As is generally known, 1923 was the largest year in our history. This year sales to consumers have been slightly less than last year. see no reason why 1925, using the same measure. should not be equal to 1925"
 The tremendous increases in prOduc tion, Mir Sloan said, which the indus try had enjoyed during its develop ment stage "are certainly not goln to continue at anywhere near the sam pace. The problem now is to eliminat all possible waste ill manufacture am distribution. I am confident a nor satisfactory business, taken on tn whole, will be developed on that founda tion, with profits well maintained.
 The silk industry, according to Ii. Mallinson, president of H. k. Mallln son X Co.,, Inc, ends 1924 with mill running at capacity and, in some ln stances, in day and night shifts. Tn business accordingly is getting off to flying start for 1925, with the possi bilitieS for profitable progress Tn tn year ahead as great as its history ha ever recorded. he said.
 "The recent election" Mir. Mallin-
 son felt "and the prospect of sound and sensible legislation based on busi- ness judgment justifies us in predict
 ing an era of continued and stabilized success"
 The position of silk itself as a basi index, in his opinion. was measured i part by the fact that "the Unite States consumed from 75 to 80 pc cent of the world output of raw sill and also because it manufactured nor silk textiles than all the other countrie of the world combned'