Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-05-13
Grain Areas Represent
Third of Population and
SpendabIe Income.
SLOWER BUYING SEEN
ALREADY IN TERRITORY
Stoppage of Retail Purchases
Feared as Many Companies
Scan Weather Reports.
BY JOHN A. CRONE.

NEW YORK, May 12.-Drought
and dust storms sweeping over l6
States are of concern to business
generally, for the grain areas contain
roughly one-third of the Nations
population and about the same pro-
portion of its total spendable incomA.
The grain and flour trades look for
no food shortage as a result of
scorching skies and parched fields,
but many lines of business report a
decline in orders from customers
within the affected territory
Crop Scares always bring brisk
bidding for. the commodities involved.
Usually failure" reports are exag-
gerated and this present famine"
threat may be no exception In
variably. however, retail buying stops,
especially in the back country towns
Often the stoppage lasts from a
month to six weeks.
Corn-hog money is still to be dis
tributed in much of this dry grain
area, but Middle West merchants ad-
wise wholesalers and jobbers here that
such A. A. A. funds are likely to be
used to liquidate Indebtedness or
spent for actual necessities over the
next few weeks until the weathers
effect on crops can be measured more
accurately.
Must Bear Loss.
Farmers will be paid for their acre
age reduction, but the crop cut by
weather will be at the farmers own
expense, so that general purchasing
power may be affected The Govern
ment. through further relief expendi-
lures. such as an additional appro-
priation for cattle purchases, expects
to alleviate suffering.
The weather in the next two weeks
may help corn, which is not yet
planted in some sections of the belt.
Also the Government may permit GER
tain crops to be planted In acreage
taken out of corn and wheat.
Farm implement concerns, mail
order and chain stores. and paint.
hardware, automobile, radio and re-
frigerator companies are anxiously
studying the weather situation in the
grain belt
Speldable income in the Is States
in the grip of the drought approx
mated sl7,054 469, 900. out of the ma
tional total of 52,157,843, 900 in
1888.
This income according to States
was: Illinois, s4,l20.877,O00: Ohio.
S2,823, 30l .0C0; Michigan, S1,897 ,649,-
900; Missouri. 81 266,257,00O; Wiscon-
sin. S1,133, $4,000: Indiana. $685.
$4,000; Minnesota, s915, 867 900: Iowa,
S913.642,000; Kansas, 7.3l4,OOO;
Oklahoma, $685. ATS 900; Nebraska,
S543, $4,000; Arkansas. 1896, 604 900:
South Dakota. S218971 900; North
Dakota. 5000, $3.50 900; Montana. $685.
100000; Wyoming. 8l,6O7,OOO.
Income Totals Given.
Farm income in those States last
year totaled S2.584 055 900 out of the
total national farm income of S5.2O1.-
$40 900. Farm income according to
States was Iowa, S358.01OC00:
Illinois, S25l 1881 900; Minnesota, 1922
$4,000; Wisconsin, S214, 1882 900; Mis-
souri,, s199 1890 Nebraska. S191,-
764,000; Ohio, S183,962 900: Kansas,
$780, 63,000; Indiana. S156,13l,O0O
Michigan, Sal 1922 600; Oklahoma,
S126,885. 900; Arkansas. 1855 900;
North Dakota S82 ,35l 900; South Da-
kota. sos $4,000; Montana, $780,
900; Wyoming, S27,5O3,000.
Retail sales in this area, according
to recent survey made by sales man
agement, totaled $4,000 661 600 out
of the country's total estimated retail
sales of S29,459 All 900 last year. Re
tail sales by States were: Illinois,
S2,212.603, 900; Ohio, S1,599 ,O78, 900;
Sl,119, 508,00O Missouri.
1856, 900; Indiana. S738, 548 900;
Wisconsin. s736,9s3.000; Minnesota,
$572, 80l 900; Iowa, S495, $40 900; Ok
lahoma, $4l5.842 900; Kansas. $780,
445 900; Nebraska. s3O9, 100000; Ar
kansas. S215,302,000; South Dakota,
STAT, $4,000; North Dakota, 1929 ,306,-
900; Montana, sos, 100000; Wyoming,
$50, 931 900.
Shun Large Inventories.
Buyer arrivals in primary markets,
however, were fewer this week than
in the previous week or in the same
period year ago. Merchants ex-
planned their absence from primary
Continued on Third Page)