Evening star., 1926-03-13
EASTER WILL SPUR
| us. RETAIL TRADE
Manufacturers Following
Trend of Consumer Buying.
|. Positions Are Strong.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, March 13. --- Retail
trade has been regulated by a ther
mostat in the last week. In other
words, sales volume has moved or
halted according to the weather. But
in the next three weeks buying is
bound to be stimulated by the ap
proach Of Easter.
Manufacturing, wholesale trade and
raw material production have follow
ed the retail trend to some extent, but
the position of all three is strong.
Wholesale buying has been aided by
the assurance of future demand, but
in some cases it has been given a
"Shot in the arm by price reductions.
Many commodities are stable. They
have not been affected by speculation
in their own markets, nor have they
reflected the unease of the Stock EN-
change Others have dropped from .
to 43 per cent from the high OF the
year,
Only Slight Declines.
1t is notable, however, that iron,
steel and the major agricultural prod.
ucts have shown only slight declines.
Rubber suffered most. 1t is a notable
fact that tire manufacturers, using
both rubber and cotton fabrics, who
cheered Secretary EIoovers attacks on
British rubber restriction as detri-
mental to American industry to the
echo, are looking with fearful eye on
the move to restrict cotton acreage, a.
very similar program which American
cotton growers say is calculated to
improve their position and profits. In
cidentally crude rubber advanced
steadily all week on added demand
incident to Spring.
nf n
ton on the recent decline, with Fall
delivery months below II Gems a
pound. has agitated Southern bankers
and merchants to such an extent that
restriction of cotton acreage is being
universally urged over the Southeast
ern belt. The Southern financiers say
that with a 1906, ,000-bale estimated
carry-over, a 10000. .000-bale crop in
1926 would yield growers more than
would a 16 900. .000-bale crop.
The automobile factories, if they
continue the rate maintained so far
shis month, will hang up new record
for March. The steel industry reflected
this as well as heavy structural steel
orders and railroad buying. But the
untitled orders of the leading interests
at last reports showed a decline.
New building projects showed a
slight tendency TO lag in a number of
the larger centerS, although the vol
ume of construction still is enormous
and the total Of contracts let is higher
than any time in a year. The trend
OF wa geS upward in the building trade
IS held accountable in some degree for
the check to future plans.
Money Still Easy.
Money, however, is still easy. and
the satisfactory investment condition
g full Will h.
with which the new United States
Treasury issue was absorbed. Lumber
production and shipments are high
and new business is well above the
level of this time last year. Soft wood
lumber production this year has been
more than 2,200.000,00 board feet to
date. Prices are firm for lumber as
they are for brick in most sections.
Linseed oil is weak.
The French ministerial crisis had
its effect on foreign trade, although
the demand from Latin America was
strengthening factor. Sugar was
easy, owing to heavy grindings in
Cuba and the uncertain condition of
the refined markets. In a number of
the Western sections. oil and gasoline
prices firmed up in a decided way An
thracite coal movement is heavy, and
the weather has favored continued
high production of bituminous. Car
loadings are heavy. considering the
period Of the year.
Wool prices are low and contracting
on the ranges has not assumed exten-
Sive proportions. In the textile end
OF the wOOlen business the Passaic
strike has been a disturbing factor.
Nothing occurred to lift the nonfer-
rous metals out Of lethargy, although
Tor most OF them the long-term out
look is fairly bright