Evening star., 1943-11-21
Business Briefs
Rail Fares of a Cent . Mile.

ASSAA = 0A Go VI q ACHb y NAllC, RPI1~
eral use of streamliners and faster
schedules TO meet postwar compe-
tition are being planned by leading
railroad executives, a confidential
survey by Railway Age revealed.
The executives names were not
given. THE railways must supply
low cost, high speed and maximum
comfort to hold passenger traffic"
said one, and another added: II
make the radical but eminently
sound statement that coach fares
should be a fiat cent per mile.
Merely nibbling at fares will do no
good"
Increased Business Activity in the
last week was reflected by the index
of the magazine Business Week
which advanced to 1853, against
1888 in the preceding week. 1893 a
month ago, 234.7 six months ago
and 217.7 year ago.
Strong Retail Demand for mer-
chandise sold by department stores
will continue, barring a sudden end
OF the war in Europe, which might
engender major shifts in industrial
activity, declared Standard g. Poor's
Corp. Earnings of mos dcp2 It.
ment stores will set new records in
l943, the statistical firm added.
Wholesale Volumes i'll the last
week were slightly above high levels
OF the preceding week, reported Dun
& Bradstreet, Inc. Allotment of
goods proved a general rule. but
at some apparel marts supplies were
sufficient and new customers were
accepted. Improved supplies stepped
up wholesale food volumes.
Cotton Textile Dealings were re-
stricted at New York in the last
week, except for small business in
print cloths, bag sheetings and Osna-
burgS. New problems for the in
duStry were demands for a general
wage increase of 10 cents an hour
and an OPA order authorizing a s
per cent increase in manufacturers
prices OF bobbins and spools. No.
improvement in mill releases OF
civilian goods was expected.
State and Municipal Financing
scheduled for the coming week totals
SIS ,567 900, compared with S6,076,-
900 in the preceding week and an
average of $15,616412 a week for the
year to date, the Daily Bond Buyer
stated. A S6040,000 issue of electric
power refunding bonds, for which.
Chattanooga, Tenn, will receive bids
Tuesday. is the largest Offering
scheduled.
Bell Aircraft Corp. is discussing
with the Price Adjustment Board a
probable refund to the Government
of S8,900000 out of the $4,000 900
profit before taxes reported for 1912.
President Lawrence Bell said other
adjustments would partially offset
the proposed refund. but estimated
that earned surplus for last year re-
ported at s5.159 ,805 would be reduced
to s3,996,625.
Allegheny LudIum Steel Corp. re-
ported completed renegotiation pro-
ceedings for 1912 provided for a
gross refund to the Government of
So 100000 After balancing in credit
for Federal taxes on that amount,
however. the actual repayment will
be S1,l66 066 in five equal monthly
inStallmentS beginning November Is.
The postwar excess profits tax re-
fund due the company will be cut
S460 1893
Aluminium Goods Mfg. Co. de-
clared a dividend of 40 cents a
share, payable December 10 to hold
ers OF record November 26, bringing
the l943 total TO 81 against 85 cents
last year.
Glenn L. Martin Co. declared a
dividend of Sl.50 share on COM
mon stock, payable December 13 to-
holders of record December 2, rais-
ing 1943 payments to So, compared
with sl50 in 1912.
Electric Auto-Lite Co. and subsid-
iaries reported consolidated net
earnings of S3,754076 or S3l4
share in nine months ended Sep
tember 30. compared with S2,987 532
or $3.50 share in the same 1912
period. Results are subject to re-
negotiation.
Southern Pacific Railway is Begin
ming to get return on its venture
into Mexico at the turn of the cen-
tury, the Wall Street journal report
ed. Last year Sud-Pacif1co de Mexico
made its first profit in history. This
years gross will run ahead of last
years S6300000. but net income will
not top 1925 $4,000 by much, the
Journal predicted Heavy wartime
traffic from south of the border in
cludes tomatoes graphite, ore and
alcohol.
Braniff Airways, Inc, has named
Harry S. Murry assistant to the
president in charge Of personnel and
training, with headquarters at Love
Field, Dallas He was formerly with
VINO at Chicago.
Wickwire Spencer Steel Co. ap-.
pointed Robert T. Dunlap assistant
to the president.