The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-11-29

far in advance of Christmas order firms. Totals to Octob Der, but gains had mounted
 Lew Hahn, president of the Ma fional Retail Dry Goods associa- tion, declared that the movement toward national recovery as shown by store sales "is steadily matur- ing"
 'Tmpatiencc is the chief failing
 of those who are unable to dis
 cern concrete evidences of rec
 covcry," Mfr Hahn wrote. "TOO
 many expect sudden and sweep
 ing improvement. We look at to-
 day and conclude we are only a
 little better off than yesterday. It's that Irrational difference that counts. Compare the position of
 business and labor a year ago
 with their position today. We must be more appreciative of the
 present course if we think not of how far we have yet to go but from what dark pits we have already arisen."
 In discussion of the advantages already being derived from opera ton under the retail code, he con- cluded: we need faith and pa tience, and above all, we need a through going de e m fnation throughout all business to play fair under the MIRA and make it the successful road to recovery which it can be-"
 Neil Petree, president of James McCreery & Co.,, New York, wrote;
 "Department store sales fin New York are steadily imprOv- ing. More stores reported sales ahead of last year for the month of October than was the case in August, when they were high. A number of stores are running well ahead of last years NOvcm- ber figures. This has been par ticularly true since election day. Merchants have averaged the new higher cost merchandise with their old stocks bought on a lower level and thus have kept prices down. This constructive approach to the mark-up prob- lem has undoubtedly contributed to the improved sales showing.
 Michael Schaap, president of Bloomingdale's, reporte ed that many retailers express openly the belief that the fog of uncertainty over the functioning of the NRA is being dissipated entirely and the hoped-for effects are gradually be- ing realized"
 Head of one of the largest de- pertinent stores in New York, MT Schaap adds:
 "If there were few other signs, I would be satisfied that the im- proved condition of the farmer indicates a steady improvement tOwark normalcy is on its way. For on no other element Is our economic well-being so depend- ent. think it should be widely noted that the income of the American farmer in September of this year was $6O2,OOO,0OO, or 55 per cent, above his income in September 1882. These are gov- ernment figures and they are borne out by the fact that three of the largest retailing organi- zations trading directly with the farmer showed decidedly favor able sales during September and October.
 He referred to the most recent reports of the well known mail- OTueF IlTIflS SHOWH Dy lic ocpdiI- ment of commerce to be as fol- lows: Sears, Roebuck x Co.-sales in October 1883 $3O,533,000, Octo- Der 1882 $25,618,O00, increase 19.2 percent. Tn September 1893 $26,- 619,O0O, October 1892 $24,51S,0 increase 8.6 per cent. Increase of October 1883 over September 1888, 14.7 per cent Montgomery Ward October 1893 $23,017,000, Octo- Der 1882 $19,8O5,000, increase 16.2 percent. September 1883 $16,600,- 900 September 1892, $14638,0 ,0OO, increase 13.4 per cent. Increase of October 1883 over September 1883, 38.7 per cent. J. C. Penny-October 1893 $1S,643,000, October 1882 $16,S58,O00, increase 11.2 per cent. September 1883 $16,28S,000, Sep tember 1892 $13,056,000, increase 24.8 per cent Increase October 1893 over September 193), 14.5 per cent.
 Preliminary estimates of retail sales through variety stores (5-and 10-cent to SD show an increase of 5.9 per cent for October as com pared with october 1882, accord ing to Dr Willard l.. Thorp, direc- tor of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. october 1880 Shoyed decline Of per cent un- der October 1929, October 1881 a decline of 9.7 percent under Octo- Der 1880, and October 1882 a de- cline under October 1891 or 1922 percent. All reporting stores, sup piled by a cooperating group of chain organizations, have been continuously in operation since 1929. Consequently they reflect changes in the value of consumer purchases accurately, with no ex- pansions of declines in the scope of the chains included. The increase in sales in this group during Sep tember 1883 over September 1882 was AS percent as compared with the gain of October over the cor responding month in 1882 of 5.9 per cent.