Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-16
Washington Ticker
BY CHAS. p. SHAEFFER.
Associated Press business Writer.

BY CHAS. p. SHAEFFER.
| Associated Press Business Writer.
Problems confronting the business
world today were indicated in the 43
resolutions adopted by the International
Chamber Of Commerce at its closing
session here last week. when many lines
Of effort were suggested to facilitate the
exchange OF goods among countries and
| promote development of international
trade.
These declarations revealed in q
| striking way the completely of the ma
chinery OF international trade. The
subjects concerning which recon-
mendations were formulated ranged
| from commercial documents and trade
terms to questions of national economic
| policy, but all appear as obstacles to
the flow of international commerce.
One group of resolutions dealt with
the simpliflcation and Standardization
OF trade terms and instruments, such
as railway nomenclature, bills of lading,
the Warsaw rules. negotiable railway
| bills and documentary credits.
| Another had to do with transporta-
| ton and communications-ship
railways, air transport, telephone and
| telegraph. Still another related to the
protection Of private property and
double taxation. Other resolutions
touched upon administrative difficulties,
such as customs and other trade bar
riers.
! Several resolutions dealt with CUES
lions Of economic policy-internation
| trade movements, commercial policy,
| the most favored nation clause, resto-
ration of international trade, silver,
agriculture and unemployment.
Latest official reports indicate build
ing throughout the country is holding
up extremely well in the face of adverse
| factors.
Recent estimates reveal the industry
will spend something like six-and-a-half
billion dollars this year, a decided i'm
provement over both last year and the
year previous, but still under 1928.
All branches except non-residential
structure, the field already overbuilt, are
expected to show an increase for the
year.
One building concern has translated
this amount to be spent into terms of
employment to indicate 100000 men
Will have work at the peak, with 1,3O0,-
600 having jobs for an entire year.
! TranSlating further, every IS 900 spent
In construction will keep one workman
busy an entire year, which is the most
important significance of the expendi-
lures.
Leading economists say building and
the automobile industry are the logical
leaders to rehabilitated trade-and both
fields are making encouraging progress.
The National Lumber Manufacturers
! Association says an unfavorable swing
| in the ratio between lumber orders and
production occurred last week. Reports
| from ITO leading mills indicate orders
/ L. Al,a 1-4s Hn2
cut of 233 ,145,0 900 feet, but shipments
paralleled production.
During the previous week 1885 mills
reported orders ! per cent less than
production, these two weeks, with one
| other exception, being the only periods
during the year in which new business
received was less than production.
The Bureau Of Standards reports the
existing simplifed practice recommen-
dation on color for school furniture has
been reaff1rmed by the standing COM
mittee of the industry, without change,
for another year.
| The color for stock varieties Of school
furniture, as established by the recon-
mendation, is known as school-furni-
ture brown. The industry has fixed
light and dark limits Of shades within
this color and while any shade within
these limits will be considered as con-
forming with the requirements for
school furniture brown, it Is under
stood that every effort Is to De made
| by the industry to conform as nearly as
possible to the selected Median shade.
Master color blocks selected by the
| industry as representing the permiss-
ible range of shades of this color shall
be used in the preparation OF duplicate
color blocks for matching in manufac-
for eaIe TO1Irn0SaS
Trade dispatches to the Commerce
Department indicate the worlds silver
situation is to be aggravated by an
amendment to Slams currency act.
This amendment provides that surplus
silver currency which has accumulated
in the Siamese treasury Is to be dis
posed Of and gold or gold exchange Sc
curities are to be purchased with the
proceeds.
For some time the silver currency in
circulation in Siam has been gradually
replaced with paper notes, and the
population now shows a pronounced
preference for paper. AS a result there
has been a considerable accumulation
of silver coins in the treasury, where
they are practically useless, since it is
not intended to reissue them.
Disposition of the surplus Is to be
transacted carefully in view Of the
world situation on silver.
A statement issued by the minister
OF finance says:
THE silver market is at present in a
very sensitive condition, and his majes-
TVS government accordingly proposes to
proceed with caution and elaboration
when affecting It's sales of surplus silver,
so as TO avoid undue perturbation In
the market"
The Commerce Department says Ger
man -four mills may obtain permits to
import 20 per cent of the total amount
Of wheat, both foreign and domestic,
ground by them during April, May and
June of last year at temporary duty
of 20 reichmarks per 100 kilos. The
former duty was IS reichmarks.
The reduced rate is effective imme-
diately and until June Is.
, Business Failures Increase.
An increase in business failures &C.
! Cured during the week ended May 9
In the averages that follow the index