Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-11-09
Mammoth Christmas Rush
Is Forecast by Babson
Continued From Page Onej

sales for the month of October were
the highest for any thirty-day period
since December, 1929.
/ Business SkyrOcketing
The step-up in trade is easily OK
planned. Business has scared from
! 100 on my BaDSonchart III August
to 112 at the present time. This SEN
lsatiOnal increase in business activity
has opened up thousands of new jobs
since Labor Day Despite the labor
troubles in Detroit, millions of peO-
pie have gone back to work IN
mills and business houses in the
| last three months. The money PAID
to these new workers has sWelled
the nations factory and office pay
troll TO the tune of $20,000,000 per
week
Not only are factory and office
workers receiving more money than
thew were three months ago but so
ere the farmers. Along With this
vast business Improvement has come
good mark-up in farm products
prices. Wheat for instance, has NOV
ed up from 70 cents to 80 cents
lbushel. cotton from 8 II cents to
l9 ID cents a pound, beef, from ~
to $40 a hundredweight. furthermore,
government handouts to farmers
since Labor Day have been the larg-
est of any Fall on record, excepting
only 1884. AS result, farmers cash
income has jumped $15,000,000 per
week in the last few weeks.
Bigger Dividends
A third source of increased Christ
mas trade will be from the thous-
ands who depend on dividend pay
ments for their shopping money. A
wave of dividend extras is steadily
rising. 1t will put millions Of dol
lars Of additional cash into inves-
tors checking accounts. From there
it will quickly be translated into
luxury and semi-luXlTy purchases
for the holiday gifts. Already the list
of companies which have declared
extra dividends is big-and it is
growing every day. Total addition to
consumer buying power from this
source may reach S5,000,000 weekly
ny Christmas.
When Wou have combination OF
fatter pay envelopes for workers.
more money in farmers pockets, and
bigger dividend checks for investors,
the only possible result is more re-
tail sales. Add to the current 10 to
| Is per cent increase in sales the new
gain in consumer buying. Then let
YOUR Imagination tell you what Main
street in your town will look like
Iabout mid-December. Restaurants
land lunch rooms will be crammed;
! buses. street cars, and taNis will be
ian,rod parking lots and garages
crowded; stores mobbed; and de-
/ livery services sWamped.
inventories Adequate
l sincerely hope that merchants
have adequately stocked their shell
YES. After two lean years, it would be
a crying shame for them to injure
their Christmas trade by not having
enough goods on hand Retailers
should have no problem after Christ
rlas in clearing unsold goods. Their
problem right now is to be prepared
to meet the coming rush.
When the war started. inventories
of goods in retailers hands were
low Buying had been on hand-t to-
mouth basis for months. A lot Of
/ orders have been rusheN through by
retailers since September first, but
the jump in consumer buying since
Labor Day has eaten up much Of
this bigger inventory. The spectacu-
lar increase in retail trade is very
bullish factory in the business out
| look. It means that inventories are
not-as manv feared-piling up.
Some observers believe that stocks
of finished goods are no higher to-
day than on September first
Don't Get Fooled
Even if the merchants in your
town fail to recognize the trend, don't
let the holiday season fool you
Christmas shoppers. Get out and do
your shopping now. Assure yourself
/ Of d good selection Of merchandise
Avoid the December mobs and jams
by doing your buying this month.
If you are planning on purchasing
j luxury gifts, be doubly sure you do
your shopping early. Reports indi
/ cate that there is big interest this
year in high-priced and semi-lux-
ury goods Piano sales last month,
! for instance, were the best on record.
Moreover, some retailers may have
to step-up prices. Mid-December may
we'll see a shortage Of finished goods
in retailers hands. Then merchants
will be obliged to recorder on certain
lines at rush prices. Hence, another
good reason for shopping early. The
iChristmas season of 1889 will see
no 'peace on EARTH, but you and I
by being generous, can bring Joy
and goodwill to many. Let us make
this Christmas season not merely a
business venture but Christian one
I also