The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-09-24
SURVEY SHOWS
U. S. BUSINESS
IS ON UPTREND
Gains in Many Lines Bring
Most Cheering Note
in Months.
OPTIMISTIC SWING SEEN
Clothing Industry Leads in
Groups Making Steady
Progress.
BY ELMER C. WALLER
United Press Financial Editor
to,1 - rr.s4l 49,

NEW YORK, Sept. 24.-Plus signs
along the broad highway Of business
are increasing. The minus signs
are decreasing slowly.
This improving tendency was
shown today in United Press busi-
ness survey which pictures several
lines as considerably better, and the
spirit of business throughout the
country turning more optimistic.
Clothing, textiles, hats, shoes, re-
frigeration, jar making and radios
are among the lines where the up
tre~|' = -oted most. Added to this
is feeling in many quarters that
the depression has touched bottom
definitely, and that henceforth the
general trend is likely to be up
ward.
There may be Interruptions in
this trend, authorities agree, yet the
present psychology points at the
moment to greater cheer than in
many months Many business men
believe that wage readjustments will
have the effect of making business
better, though labor inclines to dis
agree with this viewpoint.
Clothing Is Leader
The clothing industry leads in the
list Of those businesses making
progress. Clothing factories are
adding men daily in several centers;
matters are working overtime; shoe
plants report a substantial gain;
wooden mills and some cotton textile
plants are picking up.
A distinctly more optimistic trend
of thought was noted in messages
from various sections of the coun-
try. Efforts are being made to re-
lieve unemployment, which still is a
big problem, by increasing public
works projects.
The hat industry takes the lead
in the industries which are operat-
ing above last year. Dcnourv
Comm matters are producing 10000
dozen Empress Eugene hats daily
and are operating night and day.
LOO TaiIors Employed
Rochester, N. Y, reports employ-
ment of 200 additional tailors and
continuous work for 900 others ordi-
narily on part time during the win
ter as a result of one of the large
firms going into quantity produce
ton of summer and sports wear
clothing.
Hercules Clothing Company of
Columbus, o., announced immediate
expansion of its plant for additional
production of trousers, with result
ant employment of 600 additional
men.
Associated Apparel Factory at
Gary, Ind, is employing 700 more
workers and anticipates pay roll
totaling 1000 before the end of the
year. Harrisburg, Pa, reports shirt
factories working overtime in CEN
trail Pennsylvania.
Word from Detroit is that indus
trial employment there in the first
two weeks Of September showed a
sharp increase over the end of Au-
gust and is at the highest point
since June 30
Many Called Back
Many workmen have been called
back on the night force of the
Chrysler plant at Newcastle, Ind, to
work on the companys free wheel
ing unit. Murray Wood Products
Company, huge Memphis (Tenn)
automobile body manufacturers, an
nounced plans to resume full-time
operation, employing 5000 men as
result OF contract with Ford to
furnish wood parts for cars.
Murray officials said further addi-
tons to the force were to be con-
tingent on output of automobiles.
In the textile group, a bright
spot is the American Wooden Com
pany's mills in Fulton, N. Y, which
are running at top speed. Accord
ing to one authority, the index Of
wool production has risen since the
first Of the year from 65 to 100. the
latter figure a new high for five
years.
Shoe Production Prices
The index Of shoe production has
risen from seventy last November to
Ill, the highest since 1926. st. Louis
reports the principal shoe companies
there operating on large volume.
According to Frank c. Rand.
chairman Of International Shoe, his
company is manufacturing between
10000 and 1874, 900 pairs Of shoes a
day, or 10000 pairs daily above the
corresponding period of year ago.
Standard Statistics Company to-
day stated the carpet and rug trade
is making considerable Roadway in
emerging from the acute depression
which prevailed during 1890. Earn
ings in this industry. according to
Standard, are expected to exceed
last year.
Jars Demand Is Huge
Home canning has generated
huge demand for glass jars. and
Owens Illinois Glass Company re-
ports demand for glass jars ten
times larger than at any time since
1920.
Icebox Sales Low
Despite the depression, house,
holders have continued to discard
the old ice boxes for new mechan-
ical units. Thus far in 1881, Stand
ard reports, between 100000 and
800, 900 household models were sold.
against distribution of 10000 all
last year.
Many sections of the country re-
port large numbers of men en-
ployed on building projects. Phila-
delphia has let contracts for a $780,
100000 subway. Cleveland reports
1000 men employed at so cents An
hour doing road work in Cuyahoga
county.
The Ford Motor Company, it was
reported, Is planning new plant