The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-03-10
TRADE BETTER
IN SMALL
TOWNS
Optimism Shown BY Industrial
Leader, Over Present
Business Conditions.
By Cosmopolitan News Service.

The views of nationally known
business leaders on the outlook for
trade and industry is shown in the
following statements prepared ex-
clusively for The Washington Times.
Isaac Gimble, president Gimbel
Brothers, Inc, New York: THE
ever-increasing expansion of the re-
tail business of the country is a
reflection Of it's increasing prosper
ity. / am of the firm opinion that
this year will mark a period OF as
great, if not greater prosperity, than
1923. The industries OF the coun-
try are working at capacity, the
railroads are handling record busi-
ness and workmen are fully en-
ployed at good wages. These condi-
lions, 1 believe, will continue for a
long time"
BY Herbert A. Wagner, president
Consolidated Gas Electric Light and
Power Company, Baltimore: Use
of power by Baltimore industries
showed an increase of q per cent in
1928 over 1922. The use of power
in 1928 was rs per cent greater
than in 1919, the closing year Of
the war and 242 per cent greater
than in 1914, the year preceding
the war Based on past perform
ance and recent Investigations we
see no reason to expect an abate-
ment in Baltimore's constant indus
trial growth. Seasonal conditions
and individual industrial statistics
are not safe bases for conclusion.
We find in Baltimore no note OF
pessimism, but look for conserva-
tive, substantial development. The
best evidence of this is the power
company's appropriation for 1924
for the largest construction budget
in it's history"
By w. II. Davey, president OF
the Mansfield Sheet and Tin Pate
Company and the Ashtabula Steel
Company, Mansfield. Ohio: "A
labor scarcity would not be surpris-
ing in our section during 1924. The
shortage Is among skilled workers.
It would be an advantage to Ameri-
can industry to amend the immigra.
ton law so that we could get a
greater supply of skilled labor.
Plans are running full speed. There
are no large surplus stocks. If any
depression should come it will be
only temporary"
BY George w. Eckstrom, vice
president, Foot, Schultz & Co.:
'Recent studies of our trade ter
ritory show that, while retail trade
in the larger cities is slow, business
in the smaller cities and towns Is
better. Merchants still are buying
carefully, so stocks are kept low and
: moving. Recently buying has been
more frequent and a greater num-
her of merchants are paying
promptly. Unquestionably, trade will
be stimulated by the help to- be
Given financial institutions by the
new Agricultural Credit Corpora
ton"
BY ]. Levi Meader, agent
Comic Manufacturing Company at
Comic, N. H., largest of Parker
Wilder Wooden Mills, which is
booked to capacity until next
August: To-day finds the business
and financial world in the midst
Of a reconstruction period which is
a healthy condition because, step
by step, we are progressing toward
the sound economic basis upon
which we stood at the outset of the
war.
president Coolidge. through his
utterances, has hoped to stabilize
financial interests and give conf
dence to the business world.
Continuance of the present poll
cy is of paramount importance in
order to build a firm foundation for
continued prosperity toward nor