Evening star., 1933-12-08
FASTER PACE SET
BY RETAIL TRADE
Repeal and Christmas Buying
Provide Volume Beyond
Expectations.
BY JOHN A. cRoNE.

opeciai DlspatCn 10 Inc star.
NEW YORK, December 8.-Repeal
ana Christmas buying provided q
volume OF retail trade beyond expecta-
lions this week. Added to these two
factors was the marked progress of the
Civil Works Administration. which Is
taking thousands of relief rolls and
giving them the first money to spend in
months or years.
The gains in steel, lumber, car load
ings and electricity consumption, the
latter recording the thirty-first success
slve weekly advance, more than Offset
the decline in bituminous coal produc-
ton. Betterment in these Industrial
indices along with the October exports
OF $l94 900 900, the highest level in two
years, the November commercial failures,
which were smallest in number and
liability since January, 1920, and the
start OF Spring buying in the wholesale
markets cheered many sections of the
business world.
Bank clearings were not as large as
in previous weeks, but that was due to
the fact that this compilation only now
is rejecting the Thanksgiving holiday.
General commodity trends continued
irregular. though the weekly food In
dices are slightly higher, some Of them
as much as 1852 per cent over a year
ago. The cost Of living last month, as
t9bulated by the National Industrial
Conference Board, showed a decline,
about three-tenths of / per cent, for
the first time since last April.
The volume of retail business during
December may reach $4,000 900 600 II
the sales Of liquor are included. Fur
thermore, repeal means the start of an
annual governmental income approxi-
N -t,s1
four special taxes that have hit some
industries and individuals rather hard.
Reversing the trend of two weeks
Immediately preceding" Dun & Brad
street. Inc, report in their National
Weekly Review Of Business, when pur-
chases were chiefly in the higher priced
goods, demand was confined almost en-
tirely to the medium and low priced
items. Based on the trend thus far
established, reports are almost uniform
in placing the seasons volume at the
best level IN two years. Retail buying
generally, however, still is tagging be-
hind the rise in consumer income, as
much of the new money received
doubtless is going into the liquidation
OF old Indebtedness, but in the mean
time a substantial backlog of deferred
requirements is being built up, the in
the first quarter of next year.
There has been no cessation of the
demand for liquor glasses, which Is
helping the sales of chinaware, table
linens and other equipment for the dining
room. Stemware easily takes precedence
over all other items now in demand IN
this division, but stocks have been re-
duced to such degree as the result of
the pre-repeal rush for liquor glasses Of
various sizes and styles that assortments
10 longer are complete and may not be
replenished for some time. due to the
tardineSs with which manufacturers are
meeting their shipping dates.'
Rains and warm weather retarded
wcmen's ready-to-wear garments during
the week, but special sales of women,s
shoes, some types of coats and dresses,
moved better after being marked down.
Negligees, handbags, lingerie. perfumes.
gloves, umbrellas and fitted travelling
goods moved well. Mems suits and hats
are in better demand than overcoats,
while gift buying, which for time CEN
tered around liquor or its accessories,
now has extended to neckwear, shirts,
hosiery, robes and pajamas. Sets for
formal attire are a feature in mems
jewelry purchases.
Broadloom and scatter rugs. reduced
in some instances as much as one-tnird.
are moving in better volume. In the
furniture department repeal equipment
IS the predominant note, though other
items are better than average at this
season, this being especially true of
curtains, bedspreads, sheets and pillow
cases.
Wholesale buying has been steady, but
most of the chains are waiting to dispose
OF present stocks before placing re-
orders. Some retailers report stocks
ample to last through January. Never
theless, out-of-town buyers were more
numerous than a week ago. Bargain
lots" Of merchandise are scarce COM
pared with year ago. with the result
that buyers have to comb all markets
If they are trying to buy on the basis
OF price appeal alone. The Civilian
Conservation Corps camps are rushing
wholesale hardware merchants, with
their demands for shovels, picks and
wheelbarrows, demand only aggra-
waited by the purchases Of the Civil
Works Administration
(Copyright, 1889