Evening star., 1939-08-16
D. {. Retail Circles
Welcome Change
In Thanksgiving
Believe Greater Spread
Will Result in
Heavier Buying

President Roosevelt's announce
ment that he was moving Thanks
giving Day up a week has met with
general approval in District retail
circles, a poll indicated today.
While a few dealers said the Presi-
dent was trying to take In too much
territory by shifting the holiday.
majority agreed with Mr.. Roosevelt's
contention that the change would
help business.
Governors of % States-16 Demo-
Gratis and 7 Republicans-have indi-
Gated they will conform with the
Presidents wish, the Associated
Press reported. With nine States
still to be heard from, adamant
noes" had come only from the chief
executives of Republican Maine and
Democratic Oklahoma.
Sees Retail Trade Aided.
Arthur J. Sundlun, president of
the Merchants and Manufacturers
Association. said the change would
aid retail trade because Christmas
business doesn't get into full swing
until after the Thanksgiving holiday.
The interval between the two holi-
days has not been long enough in
the past, he said. The shift, he
added, should be beneficial to Gus
toner, clerk and retailer because
it will aid the shop early" move
ment and provide greater spread.
Lawrence E. Williams, president of
the Board of Trade, said he under
stood a great many local retail es-
tablishments were pleased by the
change, and that he thought they
were better qualified to say whether
it would help business.
DR.. David R. Craig, president of
the American Retail Federation, is
sued a statement saying the peo-
pie of the United States have every
reason to be gratified by the ad-
vancement of Thanksgiving Day to
November %.
Records Show Trend.
He said retail records show
greater amount of business is done
in years when Thanksgiving Day
falls far enough ahead of Christ
mas to permit four full shopping
weeks. The fact the Presidents
announcement was made while fall
and winter buying is at it's height
will have the result of increasing
budgets for buying and advertising
and will be direct stimulus to the
manufacturing business, he said.
"As a result of this stimulus" the
statement declared, manufacturers
and distributors alike will employ
more people and the buying power
of the Nation will be increased con-
siderably."
c. Roy Mundee, chief of the
Foodstuffs Division Of the Commerce
Department, said a preliminary sur
vey Of the 1899 turkey market
indicated turkey raisers of the
United States will welcome the
change. For several years, he said.
turkey raisers have been producing
birds which mature earlier in the
season.
Two Holidays in Texas.
OF the % Governors prepared to
SoIllOlil, ~ DeIIlOCIdJS dnC 4 Re-
publcans, were definite in commit
ting their commonwealths. They
included the Democratic Governor
OF Texas, who announced both
Thursdays would be holidays in his
State.
New England was the only section
where there was almost unanimous
disapproval of the precedent shat
tering plan. Republican Gov. Will
liam H. Vanderbilt of Rhode Island,
however. saw some common sense"
in the change.
Negative replies came from the Re-
publican Governors of Massachu-
setts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Col
orado, Idaho and Iowa and the Dem
ocratic executives of Arizona, North
Carolina, Alabama, Nevada and Ne
braska. Wisconsin's Republican
Governor answered probably no.
and Connecticut's Governor was
undecided.