Evening star., 1941-10-26
Christmas Rush
Expected toSet
New Records
Fear of War Curbs
Likely to Stimulate
Buying Sharply
Bv FRANK MacMILLEN,
Associated Press Financial Writer.

NEW YORK. Oct. 25.-A wide
spread feeling that this may be the
last typical American gift-and-
gadget Christmas for the duration"
promises to bring the biggest rush
to stores in the country's history.
Merchandise men, reluctant, like
every one else. to make predictions
in a war-torn world. are pretty well
convinced, even this early, that the
gift-buying rush will top even last
years and the fabulous trade OF
1929.
And they make these private pre-
dictions in the face Of recent
slight falling off in the steep rate of
climb in retail sales, a dip accounted
for by the fact many people bought
ahead this summer, fearing Short
ages or to beat taxes on some lines.
Supplies Plentiful.
Further, store men predict, this
Christmas at least there is virtually
nothing your heart desires-or your
wife's-which merchants will not
be able to supply, despite some grow
ing shortages because of the rush
10 arm tne Nation.
This, they said, is because re-
tailers generally did their Christmas
buying in the spring and scarcities
then had been felt but lightly.
Thus a new electric refrigerator
for the family, a bicycle for Johnny,
an electric washer for the missus-
all of which may be mighty scarce
eoor oro o1roo Jy 1vi,,o In vo,,r ia
partment stores warehouse awaiting
the word from Santa.
This is not to say that there may
be no minor inconvenience.
No storekeeper can guess to "T''
the exact demands of his customers
fer any given article and late at
temptS TO recorder in the wholesale
markets may hit snags.
But, retail experts here say en-
phatically, you can count on this
it certainly will not be gadgetless
Christmas.
Men whose business it is to make
shrewd guesses on how much the
public will buy base their predic-
tions Of new records on two fac
tors:
l. A food of purchasing power
growing out of the defense effort.
2. A buying mood on the part
of most customers.
Buying Power Boosted.
The first of these is factual. Some
81 500 10000 of defense money is
currently being poured out monthly
bn vic oil
week to week. Much of it eventually
turns up as wages for Americas
workers and so flows into. retail
channels.
The second support of the predic-
ton, however, depends on guess at
the buying temper of the 100000
or more citizens old enough to shop
and worry about wars, taxes and
prices at the same time.
Most merchants have bet squarely
on the theory that money burns
hole in collective Americas pocket.
They point out several million peo-
| pie now have jobs and had none a
wear ago. and for long time before
that. Further, workers in many
plants have higher wages and over
| time pay. Farmers have had good
/ crops at rising prices.
| Middle-income people, slated to
pay sharply higher income taxes, do
! not have to get up the dough for
Uncle Sam until nearly four months
after the holiday. Store men think
most of them will worry about the
| tax problem after Christmas rather
than before.
War Psychology Seen.
One experienced observer OF peo-
pies buying habits said she had
found evidence of a sort OF war
psychology" especially among wom-
en- shopping for expensive items
such as fur coats.
Lots of them say I can't AFFORD
it. and then buy it anyway"
And then they justify it this way:
"Who knows what may happen
by next year; maybe good warm
coat will be worth more than a
couple of hundred dollars in the
bank"
Most merchants, trade sources
here report, have steered rehgiously
clear of war psychology" appeal i'll
their advertising and sales talk, for
overbuying and rising prices are no
friends, in the long run, of the man
who runs store.
But, privately, they admit this
kind of thinking on the part of their
customers is a factor in their esti.