Evening star., 1926-03-16
1926 RETAIL TRADE
ABOVE 1926 MARK
Middle Atlantic States Will
Show Increases of 7 IL
to IS Per Cent.
BN J. L. KOYI.E.

Special Dispatch 10 The star
NEW YORK, March 16.--The early
Easter. coming this year on April d,
will assure the country as Il whole of
record volume of retail trade in this
month and a trst-quarter total of
business larger than in any previous
January. February and March. This
was made evident TO-DAY by telcgraphic
dispatches from the main commercial
Centers Of every section.
First-quarter earnings of the leading
retail organizations will reach new
high marks, even though some depart
mentS are not returning as large
profits as a year ago.
The volume of January and febiu-
AIRY trade for the country as whole
was at least 5 per cent heavier than
in the corresponding months of 1928.
The estimates for the quarter range
from ) t0 10 per cent in excess of the
first three months a year ago.
New England is not expected to show
much increase, but probably will keep
up with the pace eSta hliShed last year.
The Middle Atlantic States are count
ed on TO show increases ranging from
~ to IL per cent. with New York and
New Jersey slightly oltstrippine Penn
sylvania. The South Atlantic section
is booked for a period of heavy sales.
The total in Florida will probably he
IS per cent higher than a year ago.
South Atlantic States.
Georgia, North Carolina and Nir-
sinia are experiencing fine business
and even in South Carolina the trend
is better than a year ago. \ gain If
IL per cent for the section is forecast.
The South Central section is he
lieVed sure to show a gain of at least
) per cent for the Whole territory.
with some States ranging up to 10
and II per cent. The Middle West.
like New England. at present, is just
about keeping pace with last year
But the better trend OF live stock and
conditions in the Northwest are
counted on to improve retail sales in
the next few weeks. Missouri and
North Dakota are in especially good
conditions The Southwest i pros
porous and is showing it in its pur-
cha Ses These have been helped by
live stock conditions and the improve
ment in the petroleum output. eSpe-
cialy in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
The iutermountain country has
benefited from the activity in mining
and live stock. but the gain there can
not he regarded as certain To exceed l
per cent over the volume of last year.
The gain in the Pacific States Will run
between II and u per cent according
to authorities there. although any
check to the lumber industry might
lower those figures.
With the improved volume Of retail
trade has come a demand for sales
people of training and ability. So great
has been this demand in Philadelphia
that the course in the William Penn
High School for girls, which was dis
continued during the war. viii be re-
sumed. This training in craftsmanship
is being heartily sponsored by mer-
chants.
Demand for Students.
New York department stores are
bidding freely for services of young
men recently graduated from college.
Demand for services of students who
are earning their living while attend
ing universities in the larger cities is
so heavy that it cannot be filled. At
the DreXel Institute. in Philadelphia.
jobs are five times as numerous as
students to fill them.
One millinery sales woman here
scored an instantaneous success by
providing BACKGROUND for her wares.
She secured from other departments
supply of silks. coats and scarfs
With these she speedily draped the
prospective customer with a costume
which would approximate that with
which the hat she was attempting to
sch was intended to wear. BY Civ
ing customers a concrete idea of how
the new hat would look with the
proper costume. her sales increased
to a startling degree. Similar
methods enabled other saleswomen
to sell evening wraps even to a Gus
toner in a morning frock.
Actual trade with Belgium prob
ably will be little affected by the
fluctuations Of the Belgian franc. but
indications are seen that trade with
European countries will be affected
unless those countries abandon their
attempts to stabilize their curren-
cies artificially and get at the root