Evening star., 1934-03-16
|UPTURN GREATEST
IN SMALL TOWNS
Heads of Nearly 80 Per
Cent of Families Found
Now Employed.
BY JOHN A. CRONE.

0pCCidA AiopatS w Ahc SteA.
NEW YORK, March 16.-The heads
of nearly 80 per cent Of American
small town families are now employed
About 446 per cent Of these families
are in better financial shape than
they were in the Spring Of 1888.
These conclusions are based on re-
plies received from persons living in
cities and towns. ranging in popula-
ton from 442 to 37,500, in "a States.
Laborers, bankers, shipping clerks,
lawyers, reporters, drug and grocery
store clerks. sea captains, Y. M. c. A.
secretaries and men and women in
many other occupations were inter-
viewed by 5000 investigators of the
Ross Federal Service at the request
Of the trade publication, Sales Man.
agement The object was to find out
how many people have more money
than they had a year ago and who
these people are.
This survey of the folk who make
up the backbone of America" was
undertaken because 1t was felt that
the usual barometers of business are
too much dominated by big city con-
ditions The investigation was made
in all sections Of the country. Each
its own feeder territory.
Have Highest Average.
In all the regions surveyed, from
coast to coast, executive and profess
sional men had the highest average
Of employment, with storekeepers a
close second. To the query, rs the
head of your family now employed?"
the "yes" answers, by classes, we're:
Executive and professional, 968 per
cent: merchants, 965; subexecutives.
9l,8; statesmen and clerks, 93.9; skilled
laborers, 8l.9; farmers and unskilled
laborers, 500; city. State and Federal
employees, 87.3; miscellaneous. 1873,
with an average over all of 88.9 per
cent.
Merchants topped the list with ia
vorable answers to the question, do
you have more money to spend now
than you had year ago?" The stand
ing was: Executive and professional,
44.2 per cent; merchants, SGT: sub
executives, 1873: statesmen and clerks,
48; city, State and Federal employees,
32.9; miscellaneous, SIT, making a
grand average Of 44.6 per cent All
those with the same amount to spend
were included under no"
Trend Is to Quality.
The survey developed the fact that
in the last three years nearly 4 out
Of every 10 persons switched from the
ND Ir ~ =
been using to cheaper brands, but
that today the trend is back toward
quality. This depression switch was
more noticeable in grocery products
than in drug store merchandise. Test
Ing the effect Of advertising on the
small-town market, the investigators
learned that 85 per cent Of these peo-
Pile prefer advertised to unknown
brands.
February business in small city drug
and grocery stores was on the up
grade. Drug stores reported gains
averaging l48 per cent over January
in sales of leading brands of cigar
cites. toothpaste, face cream, toilet
soap and shaving cream. Best re-
gional showings were made by dealers
in the Western and the South Atlantic
areas. Gains were as follows: New
England, 9.4 per cent; Middle Allan
tic, 11.9: South Atlantic, 228; East
North Central 14.1; East South Gen.
trail, 11.2; West North Central, 1871;
West South Central, ZIG; Mountain
and Pacific. 249.
Grocery stores. reporting sales Of
leading brands of coffee. tea, soaps,
kitchen cleansers and tomato juice,
showed national average gains of 143
per cent over January. Regionally.
the score stands thus: New England,
1915 per cent: Middle Atlantic, 1877;
South Atlantic, 233; East North Gen.
tral, 1919; East South Central, l21;
West North Central. 1876; West South
Central, 1913; Mountain and Pacific,
1863.
(COpyright, 1934)