Evening star., 1942-06-24
Transit Shares Lead
In Exchange Activity
For First Half
Cos Light Common
Holds Second Place,
MereenthuIer Third
By EDWARD c. STONE.


CAPITAL Transit stock has been the
most active issue on the Washing
ton Stock Exchange in the first half
wear, with Washington Gas Light
Common holding second place IN
volume and Mergenthaler Linotype
taking third honors.
With only four more trading ses-
sions in the six months, Capital
Transit has already witnessed a
turnover of 2,818 shares, the last sale
being made at 20l2. Washington
Gas Common has seen turnover OF
1851 shares. registering Is on the
last sale, while Mergenthaler has
recorded the sale of 1925 shares,
the last transfer being made at
32l5.
Trading in these three stocks has
been far ahead of the other issues
on the board Garfinckel Common
has been among the more active
stocks, 800 shares having changed
hands, last sale at 9. The preferred
has figured in the sale of only 80
shares, at %. Sales in Washington
Gas Preferred total 544, while 227
shares of Washington Railway &
Electric Preferred have changed
ownership in the half year.
Norfolk & Washington Steamboat
stock has been quiet, although the
price has moved from 7612 to So
One share of Washington Railway
& Electric Common brought $500.
Woodward e. Lothrop lists sales of
IS shares of common and 43 shares
of preferred. Peoples Drug Stores
Common has been popular with
sales reaching 835 shares. Sales of
91O shares have been registered in
Real Estate Mortgage & Guaranty
preferred, and $40 in National
Mortgage & Investment Preferred.
Nearly 200 shares of American
Security G. Trust Co. stock have
changed hands and 145 shares of
Washington Loan & Trust. the sur
vey shows.
Stock Switching Reported.
Washington brokers report con-
siderable switching from peace
stocks" back into war" issues, due
to recent war news. For more than
a month the so-called peace stocks
had been growing in popularity,
They were held to offer better long
pull possibilities.
In recent sessions. however, there
has been more conversation in the
boardrooms about other issues. The
labor situation in war industries
and the tax outlook are drawing
wide attention, brokers report.
Few brokers in the Offices here
look for very much market activity
until the tax bill provisions are
settled. That will be around the
middle of August.
Rail equipments, leading rubber
shares, steelS and oils are among
issues specially mentioned by in
vestment services this week
Section to Elect Officers.
The annual meeting of the safe
deposit section of the District Bank
ers' Association. set for tomorrow
night at the Lee Sheraton Hotel,
includes election of officers, Charles
c. Boswell, American Security g.
Trust Co.. being slated to succeed
Guy D. Cowl, McLachlen Banking
Corp.
Mr.. Boswell has been vice chair
man during the past year and Will
liam Curtis Cooper, Liberty National
Bank, secretary. Other members of
the Executive Council are Charles
K. West, manager of the K Street
Branch of the Security Savings &
Commercial Bank, and William H.
Harper, manager, safe deposit de-
partment of the Washington Loan
& Trust Co.
War Insurance Given Study.
Members met with the Executive
Council of the District Building and
Loan League yesterday to discuss
practices in the handling of insur-
ance with the War Damage Corp.
William N. Payne. jr, chairman Of
special committee, offered timely
recommendations.
The council heard reports from
Martin A. Cook. chairman of the
recent outing. and from Clarence E.
Kefauver, chairman of the Uniform
Practice Committee.
Wilfred H. Blanz, president, well
coined several guests to the luncheon
including Seton Darr, attorney for
the First Federal; V. M. Hoffman
and Maj. Francis Clark Of the
Treasury Department.
According to statement pre-
sented by F. Wilson Camp, league
secretary, member groups have sold
to customers and other friends
total of s2,736 1874 in War bonds and
stamps. He said that practically all
associations are publicizing the fact
that the War securities can be pur-
chased at the various Offices of the
members.
Richmond Leads Trade Areas.
The Fifth Reserve District, which
includes Washington, led all other
Federal Reserve Districts in trade
gains in the first five months of this
year, the Federal Reserve Board re-
ported today. The Richmond Dis
trict gain was % per cent over last
year.
With a 5 per cent gain in May
the San Francisco district exceeded
the per cent gain reported by the
Richmond Reserve Bank. Nine of
the other districts reported de-
creases in sales. The report gives
the following percentage compari-
sons for May and the first five
months of 1912 with the like 1941
periods:
Reserve May, Five
Districts lS42. months.
Boston - o III
New York IS IA
Philadelphia -------- - l +l9
Cleveland e -18