Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-23
BUSINESS DEPENDS
| ON SALES METHODS
Industry Concentrates on Dis.
tribution of Products for
Future Prosperity.
BYsJ. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star

special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, August 23.-This is the
day of the salesman. The position OF
business is largely dependent at this
! time on the efforts of the distribution
system. Those efforts are being found
SO thoroughly effective that industry
| and trade are being maintained at a
rate which has not hitherto been
| equaled at this session of the year.
Better marketing has been as much in
| evidence as better buying power. Sales
methods are showing as much improve
| ment rs mechanical equipment and
sales personnel has increased in eff
cheney equally with industrial personnel.
Distribution has increased least in
those lines in which marketing is least
efhcient. The stocks of unsold wheat
still are dangerously heavy. Cash grain
| on hand or in transit amounts to some
200,000,000 bushels with foreign demand
at a low ebb. To avoid congestion at
terminals an embargo has been placed
on shipments of rye, barley and oats in
the Northwest until September 2. Coal,
both anthracite and bituminous, is NOV
ing slowly, although the outlook is
frightened. One of the troubles with
coal has been inefficient salesmanship.
Oil is being more efficiently handled
from sales viewpoint and the petro-
leum situation shows some signs OF
Frightening IN consequence.
Corn States Outlook.
While corn is being damaged by
drought. the fact that it is efficiently
marketed i'll the form of livestock is
Frightening the outlook for the corn
States. What the cotton growers will
get for their crop is dependent on when
and how 1t Is marketed and on the
weather and the weevil. But efficient
marketing will go far to counterfeit I'M
favorable factors.
Steel production is showing a very
slight tendency to diminish, but nav
rolls are nearly 20 per cent higher in
some steel districts than year ago, the
conoltlon OF the industry and its pros
poets are indicated by the fact that
shipments of iron ore are proceeding to
furnaces at rate ahead of all previous
records. A total Of 81 ,283 $40 tons went
70 Lake Erie ports to August 2, or over
S.OUO,OO0 tons more than for the CORE
spending period of 1928.
Automobile factories are working at
a splendid rate and sales are holding
up with unusual persistence. Sales of
alrplane engines and airpane access
SORES are growing at steady rate, and
~ tne coming Cleveland show is expected
10 speed purchasing still further
Radio set and accessory manufacture
ers nave never had a Summer like
TINS. First, the sales policies have been
altered TO eliminate the usual Summer
oulineSs, and second, the manufacturers
are now beginning to get adequate re-
turns from sales efforts and missionary
work done in foreign fields.
electrical equipment manufacturers
are In a most enviable position, due
largely to we'll directed sales efforts,
Inc central station equipment orders
nave been heavy and this accounts for
much of the business, but a tremendous
volume OF trade has been worked up
IN popular labor saving and house,
hold equipment.
Active buying is in evidence In the
industrial chemicals and indications
point to continuation, although the
alcohol situation is complicated by the
uncertainty as to what the tariff makers
at Washington will do with duties on
biackstrap molasses, from which much
alcohol is made.
Chain Stores.
Development of the chain store idea
Is growing apace. This Is shown not bv
additional purchases or opening of units
by the chains already established but
the formation of new and relatively
small chains in various geographical
SectlonS. 1nlS Is In evidence in plumb
ing. heating and ventilating lines, drugs,
foodstuffs and apparel.
The tightness of money is decidedly
in evidence in building construction in
some sections. The check to building
has not been severe, but it has been
sufficient to indicate that no great
impetus upward can be expected for a
month or so to come. Building ma
terials are slightly lower. Lumber
orders are falling trif1e below produc-
ton and shipments and untitled orders
are showing lower totals The growth
in savings deposits, both in savings
banks and in postal savings, shows that
there Is plenty of buying in evidence.