The Omaha guide., 1935-08-31
ECONOMIC
HGHLICHTS
Happenings That Affect the Dinner
Pals. Dividend Creeks and Tax
Bills Of Every Individual. Ma
tional and international Problems
InseparabIe from Local Welfare.

coo
Statistics indicate that both the
current business situation and the
business outlook are improving.
Many important industries r
doing better now than since 1880
some II actually running
ahead of their 1929 experience.
A much asked question is:
To what extent are government
policies responsible for the i'm
provement?" a few think they
should be given credit for stimu-
lating business. But most bust
ness men seem to feel that we are
making recovery IN spite Of, not
because Of, political activities.
They think that If Congress took
a swing to the right, the course
Of recovery would be immeasur-
ably accelerated. That j. a mat
ter Of opinion-and, III the light
Of recent Presidential statements,
there seems little chance that the
Administration viii 60 conserva-
tive. Here are some business
briefs OF interest:
RETAIL TRADE: Well above
last year, with chain systems hav-
ing a particularly favorable ex-
perience- (Sales for J. @. Penney
dry-goods chain recently broke
all records for hrst-half-year
sales.) National Retail Dry
Goods Association forecasts that
the fall season viii bring a 10 to
Is per cent additional increase.
CONSTRUCTION: b stan
TALLY above last year. Resi-
Dental awards IN a recent month
were 143 per cent over the same
month in 1894. General Motors
has announced that it viii spend
$50,000,0O0 for new plant capac-
ity-this represents the largest
sum any corporation has decided
to spend for building IN a long
time. For the first seven months
Of this year, industrial contracts
totaled 500, 600, a few
millions of the total for the en-
tire year Of 1884.
FARM EQUIPMENT: Belief
is that 1885 viii be the best year
for this industry since 1890
Farmers are buying again be-
cause their existing equipment is
inefficient or worn-out, and they
want to replace it. Most farm
equipment manufacturers have
taken heavy operating losses in
recent years-now they are
again In the market.
AGRICULTURE: It is fore
last that total farm income for
1885 viii be more than $1,000
100000 over 1884 which ez-
ceeded 1892 BY $1,000, 600.
Some crops viii BE- short-but
better prices viii make up for
that. At Chicago, incoming hog
shipments recently touched an
all time low, while prices reached
highest level since 1929.
ELECTRICAL POWER: Dow
Jones News Service, expert fact
finding and f~orecasting organiza-
ton, says there is considerable in
dication that power production in
the third quarter will establish a
new record for any comparable
period IN the industry's history.
However, this experience may not
be duplicated Ii earnings-rate-
cuts in many localities have re-
suited In the industry selling
more, but netting less. The fear
Of new tax and punitive legisla-
ton discourages normal progress
In the electric industry.
AIRCRAFT. Big manufactur-
ers are doing better The Army
and Navy are both carrying on
aggressive air-defense programs
and manufacturers naturally
benefit.
STEEL: Operations are stable
with price firm Machine and
machine-tool makers r e.
peciaIly heavy buyers Of the basic
metal