Evening star., 1939-12-24

Commerce Department
Declares Holiday SoIes
Best Since 1929
~ the Associated Press.
A last-day surge of Yuletide shop
ping swept over retail counters in
the Nations best Christmas trade in
years.
The United States Department of
Commerce said the holiday buying
generally was the heaviest since
1929.
A powerful autumn industrial up
swing had added many hundreds of
millions of dollars to the public
purse through expansion in pay rolls
and disbursements to shareholders.
Uncle Sans trade observers noted
there was ample evidence of i'm
provement in purchasing power in
the demand for furniture and more
expensive miscellaneous gifts.
A Nationwide survey brought
reports of record sales from some
stores Most merchants said the
shopping season made strong finish
after slow start.
Opinion was divided as to whether
the earlier Thanksgiving date, OBJ
served in half the States of the
Union, influenced trade Importantly.
Traditionally, Yule shopping gets
going after Thanksgiving.
Large distributing organizations
had difficulty weighing effects of the
earlier Thanksgiving because mild,
dry weather cut sharply into sales
of seasonal merchandise, especially
clothing.
The balmy post Thanksgiving pc
riod. some retailers suggested, exag-
gerated the inclination of many to
wait until the last days of the shop
ping rush.
Steel Gains Conspicuous.
Once the rush started, it rolled
huge free-spending crowds into the
coUntry's principal shopping thor
oughfares. Steel and other heavy
industrial centers, partly relieved of
depression unemployment, were con-
spicuous in trade gains. War -stimu-
lated business was rated a factor in
these sectors.
But the gay shopping throngs and
business returns afforded little
hint that the chief industrial ma
tions aside from the United States
had stripped to war economy and
felt the pinch of fighting needs.
Good and favorable were most
frequently applied descriptions of
the holiday trade boom. Some
stores estimated business ran as
high as 10 or IL per cent ahead of
the last week of the 1888 Christmas
buying
Federal Reserve Board figures for
the week ended December 16, just
before the final rush, showed de-
partment store sales in dollar totals
s per cent ahead of last year.
Mail Order Trade Up.
NOlIullCill dllO 1CpOl 10 1lOlll VI duS
centers follow:
Chicago-Marshall Field g. Co.
said sales substantially ahead of
1888 but not up to 1929 figures; toy
sales excellent Sears, Roebuck &
Co. reported its mail order sales
largest in history for Christmas
season. Montgomery Ward, with
gains of 10 to IL per cent, noted
trend to semi-luxury classifications.
State Street Council, representing
merchants, said business way
ahead" of last year; merchants diff
fered on effects of earlier Thanks
giving.
Detroit-Spokesmen for Detroit
Board of Commerce said Christmas
trade up to 5 per cent from 1898
figures, with favorable returns in
luxury lines; warm weather re-
tarded apparel sales: factory en-
ployment highest since 1896.
st. Louis - Executive of city's
largest department store said
Christmas trade was substantially
ahead" of last year on account of
employment gains and better feel
ing" among purchasing public; ear
lier Thanksgiving held of little
effect on trade.
Kansas City Sales Up.
Kansas City-Three large depart
ment stores, calling earlier Thanks
giving stimulus, estimated holi-
day trade ran to IL per cent above
their 1888 figures: Postmaster Alex
ander Graham said the parcel post
mailing peak was the highest since
1929
Minneapolis-Warm weather re-
tarded trade until early in the past
week but business ran 5 to 10 per
cent above 1888 figures; some re-
tailers said gains failed to overtake
1887: toy and furniture business
made good showing in fast finish
Cleveland-Soaring postal receipts
and bulging parcel post shipments
reflected Ohio business pickup:
Tuesday parcel post shipments set
record; Toledo stores estimated holi-
day shopping gains of 5 to 10 per
cent; luxury items began moving at
Youngstown.
Pittsburgh-University of Pitts
burgh Business Bureau reported
Christmas trade, based on depart
ment store sales. was about 10 per
cent ahead of 1888 and possibly
the best since 1890; early Thanks
giving had comparatively little
effect, spokesman for bureau said.
Gains in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia One of largest
Philadelphia department stores re-
ported great" improvement over
1898 trade; York merchants noted
one of the greatest buying rushes in
years; Assistant Secretary R. w.
Christ of Harrisburg Chamber of
eo;I V,,la t,Jcir,acc in tho