Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-11
Steadying Business Pace

largely one Of disposing Of surplus pro-
duction. In the past the disposition Of
SURPRISES too frequently has been o
dumping operation made necessary
through miscalculations Of domestic
consumption or changes in consumer
habits which amounted to the same
thing. The United States has suffered
no little unfavorable advertising by rea .
son Of the interruptions or "hy-by-
night" exporter and some few business
organizations Of repute In the domestic
market have suffered will o. the wisp"
business regulations abroad. It is juve-
nile--if not little ridiculcus-for on
American concern Of standing TO en-
deayor to palm of 1928 models abroad
as Al merchandise when American
periodicals circulating in the territory
are carrying fascinating advertisements
about the 1880 model of the same line
Of merchandise.
One Big job Ahead.
A conspicuous assignment awaiting
Secretary Of Commerce Lamont appears
that of bringing the American export
business into more definite relation with
bic, We must learn a good deal about
the distributive aspect Of home business.
Here we are likely to observe the
principal effort Of the Department of
Commerce during the next four years.
Our problems Of distribution are i'm
portant. however, altogether apart from
their indirect bearing upon foreign
trade. While costs of production have
been constantly coming down. the re-
verse has generally been the case with
costs Of selling. In some instances it.
- al tAlA -
produce It.
High costs Of distribution have be-
come q factor in price TO the consumer
which has seriously limited market ca
pacity for many lines Of merchandise.
It has already exerted natural braking
effect on business consultations which
have found 1t irnpracticable to realize
the economies in distribution which
merger and specialization have achieved
In production.
PAIRING down production costs has re-
duced numerous former Injuries To
commonplace use. There appears a
further promising opportunity to In
crease the capacity Of our home mar
kets By eliminating the wastes and un-
necessary motion in distribution.
It is estimated that we have increased
the physical productivity Of manpower
In industry about so per cent in the
last IS years. This alone has imposed
heavy additional burden on the dis
trIbutive machinery Of the country.
Just what has happened in the province
OF olstrloution-whether there has been
net increase or decrease In efficiency
Is a fact vet to be ascertsined
secretary Lamont says the facts
brought to light thus far in merely
scratching the surface Of our problems
OF domestic distribution are somewhat
astonishing even to some Of the busi-
ness men most directly concerned
There appears en- opportunity here, he
ADDS. to accomplish economies and i'm
provements Of method which will fur
liner elevate our consumers standards
In much the same way as successful
management of our production has
raised the level in the past.
Informed Leadership Vital.
The report Of the committee on re-
cent economic changes. of which Presi-
dent Hoover was chairman, made pub
lie few months ago. concluded with
this discerning statement:
Informed leadership is vital to the
maintenance Of equilibrium It de-
ponds upon q general knowledge Of the
relations Of the parts each to the other.
only through incessant observation and
adjustment Of our economy. can we
learn to maintain the economic bal
ance.
Our situation is fortunate. our mo-
mentun1 Is remarkable. Yet the or
ganic balance Of our economic struc-
ture can be maintained only by hard,
persistent, intelligent effort; by con-
siderntion and sympathy; by mutual
commence, and by disposition In the
~ vt IN fpA laA
nlony together"
It would seem that the President par
ticipated here in pointing out a COM
prehensive segment of his own official
task. To him the country now looks
for leadership and maintenance of eco.
nomic equilibrium during a period when
there are strong tendencies toward I'M
synchronized speed among strong ele-
mentS within the business community
The President must give resolute d.
rection to our business course amidst
interminable pulling and hauling among
competing factors at home and with
a formidable array of resourceful for.
eign contenders disputing American
business progress at every step abroad.
Add TO this the human shortcomings
OF our form OF government, the vast and
unWieldy Federal machine to be kept
In tune, the constant play of politics,
the immense expenditure Of energies in
unproductive channels to reassure the
citizen that his Government Is honest,
the inevitable necessity for compromise
that falls far short Of the obvious
stride ahead. Consider these things
They reduce to commonplace triteness
the statement which launched this
writing. Holding our stride In business
shapes up as the obviously important
job before the Hoover administration
-------o--
A Dig at Dawes?