The Washington times., 1925-08-01
SEASON SLUMP
IS UNKNOWN
IN D. c.
:
Business Conditions Better,
With Buying Active, Re-
fIecting Prosperity
BY RICHARD HATTON.

the Throat since the days when
Pennsylvania avenue was a mud
road and early real estate dealers
were looking for fortunes in sub
divisions east of the Capitol, seems
to be on the toboggan.
At least, it has not appeared this
year with its usual intensity and
upon its regular schedule and ac-
cording to the old-fashioned rules.
This condition bears out statements
made in this column some time ago
upon the authority of a number of
financial and real estate leaders,
who claim that the time has come
when washington must be an all
the-year-round city.
Instead of slump general bust
ness conditions in Washington to-
day are much better than they
were at this time last year and
even better than they were during
the first two weeks Of July. There
has been distinct stimulation to
buying, which has been felt in
nearly every line. The best part
of the situation is that there seems
no reason why the present condi-
ton should not continue. There Is
no necessity, according to the signs
and portents OF the times, why bust
ness should hold its breath" and
expect to see a monster of retro
gression jump out from some dark
corner As a matter of fact, those
who have declared that Washington
Is an all.thezyear-round city seem
to have hit the nail. on the head.
Prosperity Is General
The better business tone, how
ever, is not confined to Washing
ton and 1t is possible that some of
the present stimulation is due to
general conditions throughout the
country which, according to a re-
cent statement of the Federal Re.
serve Board, are far from unsatis-
factory. It is noticeable that DUR
ing the month of June freight ship
ments and the volume OF whole
sale trade increased Wholesale
prices advanced in June, while pro-
duction. in basic industries was IT
per cent above the low point last
summer. Taking the country as q
whole, building contracts awarded
during June were larger in value
than in May and almost equaled
the peak figure for April Resi-
Dental contracts in June greatly
exceeded those of year ago.
Another cause for general cheer
is found in the fact that the corn
crop forecast places it at approx
mateiy $50, 100000 bushels above
last year, while the Department of
Agriculture estimate of the condi-
ton of all crops combined on July
1 showed, improvement. Sales in
department stores during June were
seasonably smaller than in May,
but exceeded the amount for June,
1924, and have been picking up, in
most Instances, during the latter
part Of July. Freight car loadings,
which may be taken as an index to
general conditions, considerably ex-
ceeded the figure for June, 1924.
Another evidence of trade activity
Is found in the fact that mail order
sales were 6 per cent large in June
than in May and were larger Than
in any June in the past five years.
It is also worthy of note that in
many of the leading cities the
volume of bank loans on securities
continued to increase, and CONNER
cial loans were above the amount
for the corresponding period in 1924.
Beyond a doubt. much of the
seasonal decline in business in
Washington is due to natural
causes, but it is equally certain
that business can be stimulated by
the merchant and that there is
ample purchasing desire in this
city during each one of the twelve
months to overcome any seasonal
depression and to relegate to the
limbo of the dead past the annual
summer slump.
Pause Is Short Lived
According to the best available
information, whatever letting down
there has been during the present
season has been short-lived and
seems to have, already, passed to
the end that business is today
more sprightly than it has been
for some time. With the very gen
eral advertising Of bargains and the
prevalence of sales and other bust
ness stimulators and the manifest
desire upon the part of the public
to buy, there appears no reason
why Washington business should
not continue upon the up grade
which it is climbing at the present
moment and swing from a pros
porous summer season right into a
more prosperous fall season. The
general conditions throughout the
country warrant the prediction that
this win be the case and it is now
up to the retailers to keep the
present swing going.
In the investment field there are
being offered at the present moment
some very attractive propositions
in Washington, and those who
would take advantage of the sum-
mer opportunities for securing prof
table employment for Idle funds
should not overlook what the bond
and investment houses and the real
estate dealers are placing on the
market.
One thing seems certain, from
all Indications, both in Washington
and In the country at large, and
that is that all lines Of legitimate
business are heading into a profit.
able and prosperous season and
that, the investment market has
never. offered more in the way OF
sale and desirable security. TAX
ing these things into consideration
and viewing the present stimulated
period OF local business, it is i'm
possible to continue to hold the
belief that Washington must pass
through three dead months in the
summer. 1t is necessary to clear
the atmosphere of this, ancient and
fictitious hobgoblin that belongs Il
the days of the bob-taiIed street
car and the mud on Pennsylvani;
avenue.
Canadian Wheat