The Omaha guide., 1936-02-22
HAPPENINGS THAT AFFECT
THE N PALS OF
EVERY INDIVIDUAL

Nothing startling has occurred
in the business world of late. No
important industry has made great
gains as yet this year-none has
experienced severe r-etrogression
from the levels attained at the
end of 1885. That fact has caused
business commentators to feel con-
siderable optimism They are be-
ginning to figure that the "visi-
BILE" future will not be married by
major swings either upward or
downward, and that industry as a
whole is on a relatively even keel,
and may look ahead to slow but
steady recovery.
BY and large, January business
activity was the best in five years,
even as 1885 was the best year to
date since the depression got its
hold on American industry. The
most accurate industrial barom-
eters place business at around 10
per cent of normal normal, in
most cases, being established as
the average for year such as '23,
"a and '25, when business was
good, but not spectacularly so.
Business Week has reported that
confidence in the next few
months improvement continues
strong" This is largely due to the
appearance of earnings reports
from many important industries.
These reports are uniformly bet
ter than were anticipated-com-
pany after company which had
broken even or suffered losses for
five years, is now in the black
again. Companies which had dis
continued dividends have resumed
them, and -others which had cut
dividends have increased them.
Some specific business items,
taken from various authoritative
sources, follow:
Construction: During January,
heavy construction totaled almost
$500, 000,0 900, as compared with
$50, 900 900 in January, 1885. Pub
lie building still dominates the con
struction picture, but more and
more private projects are coming
to light.
Textiles: Wool prices continue
the rise started last year, with
sales good. 1t is said that stocks
are low, and that heavy importing
is imminent.
Utilities: Electric power demand
is increasing beyond expectations,
causing many companies to in
crease and revamp construction
budgets. The industry has announ-
ced it will spend about $500, 000, 900
for capital improvement this year,
some think that figure is low and
will be increased. Spokesman for
the industry say that if they were
freed from fear of governmental
Competition and persecution
utility budgets would pass the
1000, O00, 900, 900 mark.
Steel: Is operating at so per cent
of capacity. Railroads and utilities
are buying more of the essential
metal, as are machine tool makers
and farm implement companies.
Future of steel is obviously deter
mined practically 100 per cent by
particularly heavy industry.
Motors: This is the off season
for the car makers, largely be-
cause of the weather. Even so,
January was much better than the
month has been for a number of
years. Rumors of ambitious plans
for 1887 ears are leaking out, and
many car makers are planning ex-
tensive and expensive retooling
programs. Used cars, with which
all markets are ~glutted, constitute
ore of the industry's annoying
problems. 1t is forecast that max
ers may carry on a campaign to
rid the highways of wrecks, pay
ing dealers bonuses for old cars
that are completely junked.
Employment: The unemployed
total is going down, but the fig
ure is still plenty large. Business
Week says that in December it fell
below 100000 for the firt time
since 1881, and though no end of
other estimates are available, this
is probably close to the truth. The
tendency is still slowly downward.
Political events, of course, can
cause drastic changes in business
conditions, and a general election
is always unsettling. However,
more and core of the commenta-
too-a ara savino that 1915 NAV dis