Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-01
Washington Ticker
BY CLINTON COFFIN.
Associated Press Financial Writer.

A qualified but persistent optimism as
to the country's general business future
constitutes the undertone to discussions
OF practically all b lsiness leaders as.
the annual meeting Of the United States
Chamber Of Commerce. Exchanges of
opinion on the subject have been, aside
from the treatment of major problems.
such as farm relief issues taxation and
consolidation tendencies in the business
neld, an important occupation of most
OF the delegates.
I'VE think the automobile industry
mas shaken itself down to a very solid
basis. said Alfred Reeves, general man
ager OF the National Automobile Cham.
per OF Commerce, in a typical relation
OF the kind. There won't be so MANY
cars made this year as last, but there
aren't any being made now that can't
be sold. Business is concentrating
rather much in the cheaper models, but
the high cost machines, too, are moving
rather well. It does look as though the
path would be upward for our producers
from now on"
Another sample of view, based on a
territorial showing rather than that af-
iorded by q single industry, was elected
from e. @. auckland, chairman of the
BOARD OF the New Haven Railroad sys-
tenn. ~
While I'm not able to form a nxed
opinion as to our outlook" he said, ait
mas been our experience so far that New
england hasn't suffered from business
recession as much as some other areas
IN the country. We have enjoyed some
moderate tendencies toward upturn
lately and I rather hope that they will
continue, and there doesn't seem to be
prospect"
Despite the Introduction in Congress-
by senator Couzens of Michigan and
others OF resolutions which would haIt
the S!oW-movtng process of railroad
consultation in the country, the survey
OF business opinion sought by chamber
proceedings results faVorabiy TO the
policy. Inc conclusion was offered after,
a special Wednesday session of delegates
to consider the subject, presided over bv
Fred w. Sargent, president Of the Chi.
cago Northwestern, during which speak
ers approached 1t from several angles.
Tnere shouldn't be any interruption
OF the movement that Is on, even
though 1t ought to be SLOW" said Harry
A. Wheeler Of the First National Bank
OF chicago, after describing the adop-
ton 10 years ago by Congress of the
transportation act, which, he said. con-
templated the eventual merger of the
$50 American carriers of first rank into
perhaps 20 giant systems ut Is proper
that the new factor of holding company
acquisitions of rail control should be
examined. But why abandon the con-
tinuity Of the consolidation movement
to do it?"
Dean e. r. johnson of the Wharton
School of Business, at PHILADELPHIA,
agreed that some local opposition to
railroad mergers, demands for consid-
GRAFTON Of 1t by rail labor unions and
the questions as to the status of holding
companies had been raised of late to
complicate the consolidation outlook
He reviewed some Of the argument In
cident to these positions, but declared
himself Of the opinion that the move
ment toward carrier merger ought to
continue In the public interest.
Perhaps holding companies which
seek to acquire railroad control should
be submitted to public regulation" he
said, but the process Of consolidation
should not be suspended"
Alfred T. Thoms, counsel for the As
ISOLATION of Railway Executives, agreed
that the whole movement toward con-
solidation had been halted" by the APP
pearance of opposing views. ,Neverthe-
less, from the standpoint Of bringing
about proper and reasonable rates for
rail service, and in the light of need
for progress, he declared that consoli-
dalton should be facilitated rather than
he v.n,.as.nA