Evening star., 1943-05-30
Business Briefs
Hitting Their Stride in War Work,

once equipment nrmS are turning
out large volume of such items as
| fuses, aircraft instruments, shells
and carbines, which will more than
offset the drop in Office equipment
sales this year, according to survey
by United Business Service. Gross
revenues are expected to show sub
stantial gains over 1912, and while
profit margins are considerably be-
low normal and operating expenses
are higher, the indicated sharp gain
in sales should result in at least
moderate improvement in earnings,
the Service reported.
Wholesale Buying fell off slightly
in the last week from record levels
of the previous two weeks. Dun &
Bradstreet, Inc, declared. Bolstered
by continued early purchases of Fall
merchandise, trading compared IA
vorably with last year despite linn
tied supplies which manufacturers
and jobbers were forced to allocate
to purchasers. Opening of addi-
tional Fall markets throughout the
country sustained trading in ap-
parel Orders for late Summer and
early Fall dresses were unusually
heavy in Chicago and Kansas City.
Coats and suits continued to lead
Fall ordering in New York. Deliv-
cries remained spotty, with promises
now being spread over longer
periods.
Slackening Business Activity in
the last week lowered the index Of
the magazine Business Week to
POST, compared with 2064 in the
preceding week, 2049 month ago,
1911 six months ago and 1877 a
year ago. The magazine cited stop
pages and walkouts affecting tens
Of thousands of workers at Akron,
Detroit, Toledo and Mobile and COM
mented When John L. Lewis
miners four weeks ago declined for
two days to 'trespass on the oper-
ator's property without a new con-
tract, they opened the way for every
union to resort to labor's basic strike
weapon . Because strikes run
in waves, it will take time to damp
down the movement now that it has
been set off."
A New Tobacco Auction System
designed to eleminate any conflict
with the harvesting of other crops
will probably be carried out this
year in the marketing of North Car
olina's multi-million dollar tobacco
crop. Adopted by growers and men,
bers of the tobacco industry at Ra-
leigh May 18, it must still be &C
cepted by the sales committee Of
the United States Tobacco Associa-
ton. The plan calls for an extended
marketing season, with earlier open
ing and closing dates: general
slow down of sales and an educa-
tional program to presshome the
necessity of each grower slowing
down the marketing of its tobacco
so that all food, grain and oil crops
can be harvested on schedule.
With War Bonds as Prizes, absen-
teeism has been reduced 80 per cent
In Detroit plants OF the Norge Divi-
sion Of Borg Warner Corp, in the
face of national increase of Sc
per cent reported by the National
Association of Manufacturers. Every
Friday noon, workers take part in
a lottery and lucky number is good
for $50 War bond. if the holder has
not been absent for the week. If
an absentee's number wins, another
is drawn until one with clear
record is found.
Slightly Lever Commodity Prices
in the week ended May % were re-
flected by the index Of the McGill
Commodity Service, which stood at
1912 at the end of the week. COM
pared with 1905 a week earlier. The
industrial index was fractionally
higher.
New Freight Shipping Documents
will reduce paper work" involved
in approximately $4,000 900 Govern
ment shipments by rail each year
and will eliminate errors in tram
scribing information from one ship
ping form to another, the Associa-
ton Of American Railroads an
nounced. The new system, worked
out between Government agencies
and the carriers, has been prescribed
by the Comptroller General.
Commercial Investment Trust