Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-19
Business Watches Politics

set up for its own guidance and govern
rent
Well has 1t been said that nothing Il
constant except change" Peculiarly and
particularly is this true of the world oil
business.
The radio comes and Immediately the
/. photograph business must reshape it,
products and methods Rayon is IN.
| vented. and the manufacturer Of sill
/ must adapt himself to entirely new con.
/ ditlons Today's paper, for instance
tells Of experiments involving the use OF
peanut Shells-hitherto worthless waste
for making concrete flooring.
The fatal defect in government oper-
alton or control of business lis its lack of
quick aoaptability to changed condi-
tiors Laws are passed or repealed only
/ after months or years of discussion
and then conditions have changed
again. While lawmakers debate, year
after wear. the question Of ultimate
disposition of Muscle Shoals, repre-
senting an expenditure of millions of
the peoples money, the process OF
fertilizer production which was con-
templated when construction began has
become obsolete.
Conditions Changing.
Business conditions change overnight
and business men ike pedestrians, are
OF only two kfnds-ff1e quick and the
dead. Laws and government must, of
necessity. change slowly. And 80, where
there is any possibility OF the rendering
Of efficient and economical service by
private enterprise. that government Is
! best which abstaif1s from interference
No less remarkable than the changes
/ in industry are the changes in farming
/ Yet comparatively few people In the
cities are aware OF the transformation
IN agricultural methods which enables
tooay'S farmer To work "a crop acres.
compared with IL acres that fully 0e-
cupied the farm worker Of IS years ago
Is this an evidence OF the decline OF
our basic industry?
We might as we'll say that manufac-
turing is declining because every time a
manufacturer ingtalls new laborsaV-
ing machine he cuts his pay roll anc
releases workers to be absorbed irtc
other phases Of industry.
/; Is q safe generalization To say thai
agriculture. as well as industry. has III
problems Of distribution In fact, prob
ably secondary in importance only K
the problem Of creating new markets II
that involved In the distribution o.
farm and factory.
Methods of Distribution.
Nowhere is the evolution In business
methods mere apparent than in changes
now occurring in the methods of dis.
| tributing merchandise 10 the user Thf
growth OF the chain store system ha,
revoluticnized long established methods
( Of retailing
! Will the wholesaler be put out 81
business by great retail chains OF stores
/ buying direct from manufacturers ~
manufacturing on their own account?
VIII manufacturers be placed al the
mercy oI great distributing chains CA.
pable Of taking their entire output, OF
/ which, dominating retail outlets, fore.
T! close The independent manufacturer
/ market for his product
/ Do chain-store methods Of distribu
/ tion mean an economic SAVING ana
(, benefit To our peopie2
Such are the questions raised by tbs
existence of the chain store.
A survey Of distribution tn II typica
cities discloseA that nearly 80 per cen
Of the So 900 600 900 worth Of good
sold is distributed by chain stores Mort
than ~ 900 independent stores ~ pc
cent NJ the total studied do only u
pr cent 81 the total business and mad,
&E} GFSf HNG ESE0ift III 3ItAg % iset4bS
day Forty establishments possessed
ore sixth of all the business
These facts then. clearly demonstrate
that distribution ls one OF the majo
problems nj business
Activities OF Chamber.
n grapple with all these problem
business and industry are engaged IL
group activity and Joint study for tn
benefit 81 the entire Nation. This team
play finds It's ultimate and logical ex
preston III the Chamber Of Commere
Of the United States, composed oil 60I
business and trade associations through
out The country and some ri 900 indi
giduai and associate members. II cal
and does render effective and uniqu
direct Aid 10 It's own members In mai
tiers ~ private concern But, more I'm
portant II has the men and resource
! 10 deal with any ma or business prob
! len7. 10 ascertain the judgment of bust
ness men throughout The country ~
! questions NJ public concern, and ads
qustely to present that judgment io