Henderson daily dispatch., 1942-01-01

g. ~ lCNI t'i Nt't = HFLID
have real estate which they would
like to sell should make a strong
effort TO sell il during 1942-at least
sell enough to get out Of debt.
What About Retail Trade?
Merchants in the defense areas
should have a good year. | am not
so hopes. .Jr those outside defense
areas. Certainly, the number of sales
viii be mailer although the total
gross may hold up. Expanding the
draft age may have dampening Ell
feet on retail trade later in the year.
The new draft call may also cut
labor supply Of many industries.
Bl@ckouts re another factor in re-
tarding consumer buying. Hence,
merchants should increase advertise
ing appropriations if they expect a
good year in 1912. advise merchants
10 keep down expenses, avoid wage
increases: and get out of debt. If
someone else offers your employees
ing, let HIM have such.. After the
WAY they win como b ok II you glad
to work for less money than you
are noW paying. Don't speculate in
merchandise. Keep well stocked on
standard goods, but avoid style goods
which are hard to carry over. In
flation is with us and is gradually
increasing prices At the rate Of from
10 to Is per cent a veer, Legislation
can check it, but it al no more
stop initiation than can Legislation
stop crime. Remember that whom the
war stops, it Will stop suddenly.
Therefore. merchants should keep
close 10 shore,
Residential Building Will u line.
Residential building during 1871
increased, as a year ago | forccastcd
il would increase. Hence. | do not
Ike to risk my good reputation nov
in giving a figure for 1912. | believe,
however, that rising costs, scarcity
Of certain materials and :le provoke
ing way in which labor has acted is
hurting residential building. Surely
il VIII show no increase in 1912 oVer
1911: while | should not be surprised
il il fell back to 1910 figuTes.-possi-
bly, to the extent of 10 to Is per
cent. Public works and highway
construction win be less in 1912 than
in 1871. The building of industrial
plants Will continue in good volume
during the first six months. Pleasure
car production will be cut 80 per
cent. General export trade, except
for war purposes, will also fail off.
This will especially be true in the
Pacific due to Japan's attack upon
us. Remember that-as a rule-tho
curves for residential building. auto
production, and non-dcfense foreign
trade generally go in the same di-
reCtiOn.
Utilities Should Improve.
The utility industry is basically
sound. With a few exceptions when
high-tinance crept in, the utilities
have been conserVatiVely and eff
GENTLY managed. They have been
foremost in reducing the cost and
iiil ~ ~ MS tIS HtbtAtN VI tIlNhl 'NA
vice, Yet for some unknown reasons
the utilities have been prosecuted,
taxed, Sandbagged, and strangled as
never has any legitimate industry
before, When a financial history of
the Goth century is written this
and unnecessary abuSc-cli-
with the SEC death clause"
will be its big black spot, What
Of their future? They will continue
TO grow and improve their service.
All the bonds and stocks of the
operating companies should be good
investments. The bonds md prefer
red stocks Of the holding companies
should sell during 1912 for more than
present prices, What about the com
stocks OF the holding com
oanicS? Well. those not preceded by
bonds and or prefcrredS should be
7kay. In liquidation they should get
moro than they are now selling Tor. |
A for holding company stocks, pr
,eeded by bonds and or ~pretcrreds,
have my doubts. Yet some of these
# present prices may be worth hold
No Price-fiXing should help the
utilities.
What About the Railroads:
NinetceN-tortv-one has been the
7cst year TT the railroads have had
1923. The total gross for 1871
win be about S. $500, OOO. 900. compar-
ID with S4, 800, OOO, 900 in 1910: while