The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-18
MORE HELP FOR
 CHRISTMAS RUSH
Nations Stores to Have Half Million Additional
 Workers

Nearly Q half million additional workers will bo given employment and approximately 34,000, 1000, ,000 will pour across the nations store counters in Christmas buying dur ing the month of December, the National Retail Dry Goods asso- citation trade organization of de- pertinent and speciality stores. esti- mated today.
 Pointing to the economic signfi- canoe of Christmas trade, the association issued a statement in which 1t declared that 'mainten- ance of the spirit of Christmas giv- ing" thi ysear will play "a vital part in the steady advancement to- ward recovery"
 "Figures show that all retail business in the four weeks before Christmas, 1893, may be expected to equal s4,000,00O,000." The statement said, "Of this $1,S00,- 000,000 will likely be obtained in department stores, apparel stores, home furnishings, 5ewelry and other stores directly affected by Christmas shopping. Approximately $500, 100000 of this amount will be the normal increase due to the
 
 More than 450,000 workers will be added to the staffs of retail stores to take care of this increas- ed business, not to mention the thousands required to handle the extra freight, mail and express in- volved. The estimated extra labor compensation paid during the Christmas season by retail stores will be abuot $30,000,0O0.
 Tt can easily be seen that Christmas buying has a definite place in the business structure and the continuance of the gift-giving custom can properly be labelled as a distinct aid to the effort of the national, state and local govern ments to relieve the present un- employment, and further the trend toward balanced, normal economic conditions. Furthermore, the effect of the Christmas business at hand will extend for beyond December 24. The sale of this $1,S00, 1000 in merchandise, or the nearly one billion dollars spent directly for gifts, will require replacement on the part of the stores, through re- ordering for immediate or future needs. This will definitely furnish a stimulant to industrial activity"
 In calling upon it's membership, which includes the nations largest stores, the National Retail Dry Goods association declared, Every merchant has a duty far beyond the interests of his own purse to make sure that the gift-giving spirit endures for the coming sea- son as~an unabated factor in dis tribution."
 Merchants themselves are known to look hopefully at the arriving Christmas business as the element in years volume of business which will pull the years figures to the black side of the ledger. In New York city alone, retail stores of all classes are expected to do close to $400,000,00O in December business.
 Christmas club funds will fur nish good fraction of the money to be expended during the Christi mas season on gifts. At the present time more than $35O,000,000 is ready to be mailed to club mem- bers of 5000 banks and trust companies throughout the country. It has been estimated that $147,- 000,000 of this sum will be spent directly on gifts.
 The National Retail Dry Goods association reported that stores in every section of the country are making aggressive preparations for the reception of holiday shop pers, and that more festive spirit is expected to be inevidence in the stores this years than in almost any year since 1929.