Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-14
HUGE PROFITS DUE
TO VALENTINE DAY
Millions of Dollars Added to
Business Golfers Through
Anniversary Observance.
BY J. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

NEW YORK, February 14.-Today,
February IA, proves the fallacy of the
old theory that there is no sentiment in
business. st. Valentines day this year
also Is acutely illustrative of the fact
that there is business in sentiment This
holiday undoubtedly will mean the ad-
dition Of tens of millions of dollars OF
receipts to merchants. public utility
companies and other business men
throughout the United States.
The printers and publishers naturally
will benefit first. Their products this
year are probably as elaborate as in
any season ever known, but the price
levels of those products have been ma
terially reduced. This has been brought
about by tremendous volume of pro-
duction and distribution by means of
the chain stores and S and 10 cent es-
adjustments. The volume of business
done in valentines by the two most i'm
portant 5 and 10 cents store chains will
run into tremendous figures
Adds to Government Revenue.
The delivery of these valentines will
mean additional revenue to the United
States Government, although it will also
mean heavy additional work to the al
ready burdened post Office employees.
Railroad and airplane transportation
corporations will benefit incidentally.
The prices OF valentines, in most cases.
have dropped approximately IS per cent
In the last five years.
Florists and candy manufacturers all
over the country made preparations for
q record-breaking business today IN
bouquets and boutonnieres of various
types and sizes and in candy. No small
amount Of the florists business has been
transacted this year by means of the
telegraph and through the working ar
rangements which the florists have
with each other in various parts of the
country.
The telegraph and cable companies
have prepared for a service this year
which bids fair to rival the volume of
greetings dispatched at Christmas and
New Year. Service on the telephone.
which was extremely heavy at best, ow-
ing to the Lincolns birthday holiday,
was still further congested by valentine
greetings sent by word Of mouth. The
long-distance lines benefited to an APP
preciable extent from these toll mes
sages.
Amusement Enterprises Gain.
1t is estimated that the Lincoln holi-
day followed by St. Valentines day
meant an increase Of between 100000
and Sl50.000 to the amusement enter
prises OF New York City The theaters
and amusement resorts of every other
town and city in the country benefited
to some extent.
The theatrical enterprise, especially,
needed the encouragement. While bust
ness in New York for some productions
has been remarkable this season. there
has been q steady line Of failures. Nov
ing picture theaters have been COM
planning with increasing intensity OF the
business which they have experienced in
the last six weeks. This perhaps Is also
to be taken as a tribute to the indus
trial activity Of the country, for 1t Is In
times Of depression as we'll as In times
of extreme prosperity that the moving
picture theaters assemble their largest
audiences. The dropping of In busi-
ness, however. has not been so much
due to the numbers Of persons visiting
the theaters as the increase in the cost
of providing them with amusement. The
added demand for vaudeville perform
ances in conjunction with motion pic
lures has heaped expenses on the thea
ter owners. as have the musical pro-
Grams