The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1940-02-08
HI THE SCENES
IN BUSINESS"
BY John CraddOck

By John Craddock
BUSINESS - While there
seems to be some slackening off
in manufacturing industries
from the wave of activity that
started last fall with prospects
of a war boom, merchandising
experts see no reason to retrace
their general forecasts S to
10 per cent increase for the
first half of this year over 1899.
The purchasing power released
by the high level of industrial
operations in recent months is
now making itself felt and
should carry over any mild re-
cession in the heavy lines.
Steel's operating rate is around
rs per cent of capacity, COM
pared to December levels of
above 80, but indications of a
new industrial upswing by ear
ly spring are seen in: carload
ings of freight are holding
steady at 80 per cent of nor
NAL; farm income from mark
etings is expected to continue
the increase shown last year;
the auto industry is expected
to be in the market for a large
tonnage of steel by spring;
wholesale furniture orders at
the big market in New York
ran 80 to go per cent ahead Of
Last year; and shipbuilding is
booming.
WASHINGTON - A scientific
barometer of industrial activ-
ity, designed to guide manufac-
turerS in gauging their produc-
ton speed so as to avoid undue
expansion as well as shortages
of consumer goods-which bring
sudden price rises-is being
"calibrated" in the Department
of Commerce. Secretary Harry
Hopkins is enthusiastic over re-
suits of attempts the committee
on Economic Surveys has had in
its first attempt, last month, to
measure exactly the flow of
consumer goods-to learn each
month what stocks are on hand
and whether trend is toward
greater Or less consumption in
the immediate future. The fig
ures will be made available gen
orally to business.
PIG IN POKE What's the
main reason for the graft and
corruption that newspapers
have exposed as MASTERS of tax
payers money in various Amer
lean cities? It's the buying OF
governmental services on the
old pig in a poke" basis, says
Miss Marie Ames of St. Louis,
vice-president of the National
Consumers Tax Commission.
1--WE don't just hand the grocer
a sum of money and accept
what he chooses to give us in
return" she told a Missouri dis
trict meeting, $50 why should
we let our tax money be spent
on that blind basis?" The goal,
she said, should be to make
the why and wherefore of gov
ernmental expenditures as un-
derstandable to taxpayers as
the items in a well-kept house.
hold budget. It's to the end of
creating such public under
standing and awareness of mu-
nicipal operations, she said,
that the municipal economy
surveys are being initiated in
their communities by many OF
the NCTC's 5000 units.
PINEY PAPER-While COVER
nors of II southern states are
renewing their answer to the
challenge about the South being
the nations number one eco
nomic problem" by launching
a 10-year Balanced Prosper
ity" program, one of the most
definite steps in turning south
ern resources into income has
been taken with actual launch
ing of the new neWsprint mill
near Lufkin, Tex. It brings to
reality the long-held dream of
the late DR.. Charles H. Herty
to use abundant second-groWth
southern pine as raw material
for a great white paper indus
try - so that the fast-growing
--..ll L. E----y