Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-22
Christmas Rush
.Spurred by Big
Cash Flow
New Jobs and Extra
Wages Boost Buying
Power Sharply
ry the Associated Press.

Big Christmas shopping crowds
have rolled up substantial trade
gains in wartime spending splurge
at busy industrial centers, Nation
wide survey showed last night.
Many merchants reported the best
Christmas trade since 1929 as work
ers from defense stimulated indus
tries poured their extra pay into re-
tail channels. Some said the buying
broke all records.
Increased factory employment and
overtime wages in the drive to speed
defense output augmented the buy
ing power of millions. Government
figures indicated national income
this year had climbed at least
$4,000, 900, 900 above the 1889 total.
Secretary of Commerce Jesse H.
Jones said the 1910 holiday retail
business probably would shadow all
previous records" He credited the
defense program with stimulating
the industrial upswing in recent
months and noted 100000 workers
had been added to pay rolls in nom
ldIl Ill JUNO ollISC l CYL OoA
Jobs Still Increasing.
Latest reports indicated the rising
trend of employment was still on as
defense planners sought to quicken
the productive pace of war plants.
Huge untitled orders for both United
States and British account were held
an assurance of high factory actlv-
ity for months ahead, even without
further boost in armament spending.
Retail trade improvement seemed
to be widely distributed through the
country but the most emphatic re-
ports of year-to-year gains came
from industrial and military train
ing centers, where Government pay
rolls infused new life into business.
Loss of foreign markets for farm
products was rated trade draw
back in some rural areas. although
farm income generally was esti-
mated moderately above the 1889
level.
A Federal Reserve Board trade eZ-
pert said the Christmas turnovo"
may be the best in history on eithe"
a dollar or physical volume basir,
judging by department-store sale
compiled by the board.
Retail prices on the whole, 1t We
pointed out, are well below averae9
1929 prices so that the tonnage VOL
ume of trade probably was larger
! than dollar figures revealed in a
comparison with that peak year.
/ 1t was the second good year in a
/ row of Christmas business at leading
/ industrial centers. The first war
time factory upturn reached its
peak just about the time holiday
buying got we'll started last year.
Pittsburgh Stores Busy.
The University of Pittsburgh Re-
search Bureau reported trade in the
great Pittsburgh industrial region
was running about at the 1889 level
and that physical volume of sales
probably was above the 1929 figure.
A shortage of some metal toys was
noted, whether due to underesti-
nation of the demand by merchants
or conservation of material for war
supply.
Southeastern commercial centers,
enjoying the combined lift of fac
tory expansion and construction of
Army and Navy bases, turned in
some outstanding returns. The At
lanta Industrial Bureau said that
city was witnessing the greatest
wave of Christmas buying in its
history.
The shipbuilding rush contributed
to Christmas spending at a number
of seaboard towns, including North
western centers. Trade in Seattle
and Tacoma was reported by Dun
& Bradstreet to be running IS to
20 per cent ahead of 1929 figures
and eating deeply into merchants
stocks.
Chicago Sales Climb.
Regional high lights follow:
CHICAGO.-Association of Com
merce said Christmas trade expected
to be about 10 per cent heavier than
last year, with some stores reporting
as much as 80 per cent ahead of
1889: luxury goods and more ex-
pensive items moving better.
COLUMBUS.-Ohio Statewide
survey revealed improvement in
leading cities; Youngstown mer-
chants expecting record Christmas
sales; Columbus stores 10 to 20 per
cent above 1899 figures: Cleveland
Retail Credit Association reported
sales about 10 per cent larger than
last year; credit men said more buy
ing for cash noticeable.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. merchants
counted on best Christmas since
1929, with estimates ranging upward
from 8 per cent in gains over last
year.
MINNEAPOLIS.-Retail trade re-