Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-05-15
SUMMER LET-DOWN
LIKELY TO Be BRIEF
Volume of Trade Now Is Far
J. Higher Than at This
FL. Time Last Year.
ereciN ptsnstch 10 The Star.

Bpec1A Dispatch TO The star
NEW YORK. May l5.--The regu-
lar Summer let-down in business.
which has come to he regarded aS
almost as inevita BILE as the equtnoc-
tial storms, seems likely to be OF
briefer durat ton than usual
The volume of trade. transporta =
ton and industrial production is far
higher today than al this time 'ast
year. Business activity is below the
peak Of the year. but last Ma" bust
ness men We're complaining bitterly
Of conditions. Yet. 1925 as a whole
was the most prosperous year this
country had ever enjoyed.
Dispatches from all sections Of the
country indicate that unemploymeh,
is negligible and likely to remain so
for some time. Within two weeks
the wheat harvest will commence in
the Southwest Thousands OF work
ers already are being enlisted for
work in the fields and ever in dis
trictS where harvest is still far of
more farm workers are needed.
Will Absorb Labor.
Highway and railroad construction,
now in full swing, can be count ed
on to absorb any surplus OF common
labor, even if the manufacturing
work will require expenditure of
hundreds of millions OF dollars be
fore the year is ended.
The steel mills are maintaining 4
fair pace and repair work ana equip
ment requirements are being pushed.
Automobile sales have been astnn4sl-
Ing, but many competent JuuSeS an
ticipate some slackeninS of output I'M
til the markets are cleared tn some
nf u O
trade insurance" which are hanging
over them The rapidity of sales is
exemplified in Cuyahoga County, Of
which Cleveland is the center. Retail
sales of new cars in April totaled
1927. compared with 4.2o2 last April.
according to bills of sale iiled with
the county recorder. Sales there in
the first four months OF this year
were 1898, as against 9.115 in 1925.
There has been A. drop in building
construction in some of the larger
cities, but the general volume of
building for the country as a whole
is undiminished. Chicago in the last
month showed a decrease in the total
value of new construction of 36 per
cent as compared with the CORE
spending period of 1875. Lumber has
been in fine demand, and the trend of
brick, crushed stone window glass.
Furniture and household goods are in
splendid demand.
Sugar Is Stronger.
The livestock markets have main
tanned their gains and sales of feeder
cattle have been made at higher
prices. The demand for horses and
mules also Is broad, considering the
supply. The position Of sugar has
strengthened and the British strike
did not last long enough 10 affect tea.
Fruit is passing to the Gamers at eX-
ceedingly advantageous prices for the
growers.
Business in copper has shown i'm
provement, but the price still leaves
narrow ma gin for many of the higher
cost producers. Demand for lead from
the electric trade has eased. while zinc
has been steadied by curtailment Of
output in the Tri.State field.
The wool trade is extremely re-
stricted despite the fact thai the sale
Of the Jericho and Manti pools in
Utah have given q lead to the dealers.
Growers and buyers still are far apart
40 to their price ideas.
Textile Demand Light.
The demand for cotton textiles is
light, but shows some signs of i'm
proving. The change in weather con-
ditions has given A decided impetus
to sales of clothing and tailors and
dealers in mems ready-to-wear suits
have been rushed TO top speed this
week. Rayon production still is eX-
banding with active buying for near
by delivery and official quotations un-
changed. Raw natural silk has been
strong due to covering by Japanese
shorts and despite the rapid tluctua-
tons of Italian exchange which af-
tected the Italian product.
The curtailed rate of production of
the Akron Tire Manufacturers is held
responsible for the dizziness of the rub
Der market.
Fur sales here brought spirited trad
ing. stimulated by the present style
trend. Prices were firm, especially
for muskrat and raccoon.