Evening star., 1933-05-21
Improvement Is General.

National surveys Of business the last
few days indicate that there are few
sections of the country which do not
record betterment in at least a few
trades. Employment in the steel, auto
mobile, rubber and brewing industries
has increased as much as 100 per cent
in some centers in the last two months
while the higher prices of agricultural
products have given the farmers about
81 900 000,0 900 more to spend, exclusive
OF the funds provided in the farm re-
lief bill.
Broader purchasing power explains
why retailers in many parts Of the
country the last three weeks have been
reporting small profits after more than
two years Of deficit operations.
Doubtless, the rigid economies put
into effect since $780," observes the
weekly business review Of Dun g. Brad
street, Inc, together with the low
levels at which inventories of unsold
goods have been held, will help both
large and small concerns to increase
their profits steadily, even though sales
may continue under the total recorded
in more prosperous times.
1.-THE return of better weather en-
abled retail stores to increase sales
totals. which have been mounting SC
rapidly since the early part Of April
Unit sales for the week ran ahead OF
the comparative record of last year
with the spread between this and last
years dollar totals narrowed to the
smallest degree In the last three years
The higher prices which have appeared
in some departments account for the
better showing, but as mark-ups thus
far have not been general the con-
vergence of the two totals may not be-
come pronounced for another 80 days
"The increase in the dollar turnover
is attributed to the changes in buy
ing attitude, for consumers are cover
ing in excess of their urgent needs
as unemployment and upward revisions
in wage scales are providing them with
new spending power"
Locally some of the department stores
and speciality shops reported sales up
10 per cent this week over the same
period year ago. Furthermore. there
Is greater emphasis on quality and
price appeals less than heretofore The
jewelry trade was pleasantly surprised
at the increasing inquiries for large
sized diamonds, gold jewelry and ster-
ling silverware. Naturally cotton was
emphasized by all the stores here One
of them, and not by any means the
bought 100000 worth Of goods made
from cotton to put on big drive for
National Cotton week-and it was sur
prised at its large volume of sales.
Other Lines Benefited.
With Spring cleaning in full swing
the paint materials, hardware. Summer
house furnishings, garden tools and
similar seasonal items are moving at
a quickened pace. Fewer womens
coats were sold, but this shrinkage was
more than offset by the higher pur-
chases of shoes, hosiery, dresses and
accessories, such as gloves, purses and
novelty jewelry.
Wholesale orders,' according to Dun
& Bradstreet, reached new high levels,
as bookings for dry goods, hardware,
paints, groceries, knitwear, hosiery and
shoes are being extended well into the
Fall season in order to take advantage
of current prices. Drugs and perfumes
have been included In the long list of
items which have been doing better
since the first of the current month
after making rather poor showing
during April Prices Of finished goods
in many divisions are beginning to
catch up with the advance OF raw
materials in anticipation of the higher
quotations which will become effective
when the new system Of industrial
control will become operative"
(Copyright. 1889