Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-28
BUILDING DEMANDS
. SHOWING INCREASE
Signs of Stability in Business
Declared Visible During
Last Week.
BY J. c. ROYLE.

Business and industry have demon-
Strated increased stability in the last
week. They were practically unaffected
by the embroglios and discussions over
the bonus measure, Muscle Shoals. the
activities of the Federal Farm Board.
drought and unemployment relief and
other unfavorable factors. Improve
ment Of conditions has been steady, but
it has been slow. The main improve
ment Is In sentiment, which Is favorable
since the break of the Winter season Is
approaching and the unfavorable factors
in most cases cannot become operative
Immediately.
The utility companies strongly oppose
Government ownership or operation IN
their field in principle. but some leaders
would not be sorry to have the expert
ment come at Muscle Shoals. They feel
that Government operation would be
so Improbable as to discourage the idea
Of the Government In the business once
for all.
Auto Industry.
More activity perhaps is now being
shown In the automobile industry than
in any other. Old cars have been run
until their usefulness Is nearly at an
end, and their replacement Is regarded
as certain. Fewer cars are on the roads
than q year ago, but they are being
used q greater number OF miles. There
is heavy demand for spare parts and
larger sums are being spent for repairs
and new tires and equipment. This will
translate itself into demand for new
cars in the very near future, 1t Is felt.
The automobile demand Is helping
steel. Ore in volume will shortly begin
to move down the Great Lakes from the
iron mines Of the North. Demand Is
still good for welded steel pipe, tin plate
and railroad supplies.
The use of electric power is gaining
slowly, but Is far under capacity, since
the hydroelectric plants can produce 7
per cent more than q year ago. They
have been raised to 14,824, 667 horse
power in the last year, and the total for
the eam-generated plants was stepped
up almost as much Car loadings have
commenced to show the movement of
commerce, but 1t Is estimated the freight
mileage Is now at q rate less than
80, 900, 900. 900 net ton miles month a.
compared with over 10000, 000, 900 q
year ago.
The building industry is now untan-
Cling itself from a back lash Of propa-
ganda. On every side men in and out
Of the industry we're urged to build,
alter or repair. They found, however,
that banks were not enthusiastic over
loans for buildings unless the structures
were most urgently needed There was
revulsion against the continued adj
vice, but this is now passing as the
normal Spring building demands are
making themselves felt.
Textile Operations.
The position of the cotton and rayon
textile mills Is strengthening all the
time. Stocks are growing smaller and
demand higher. Sales Of tire fabrics
are increasing and there is ready de-
mand for outing fiannels and colored
goods. The knit goods industries are
In q highly satisfactory state. The drop
in raw material prices has been passed
to consumers in the hosiery lines, and
this has been followed by most salts
factory sales volume. Among the novel;
ties is q garter top which has rubber
pressed right into the yarn and which
it is claimed will outlast the remainder
of the stocking. In the garment trades
the ruling of the Secretary of War that
each enlisted man in the Army here
after would have one less pair Of trou-
sers issued to him than before was felt
to be blow to the manufacturers and
the cutting-up and garment trades.
Retail trade was cut down this week
by the Washington birthday holiday.
but the volume of business was only
temporarily lost.
Copyright, 1919