The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-01
BABS0N SURVEYS
POSTWAR LABOR
Rv ROGER w. BABSON

take these jobs back, even II 'ney
ID not want to stay In them lot
ever. Men who did not have JOBS
before should go to school ana
become at expert at something.
The best investment anyone can
make is in a practical education
whether it is a business, or me-
ehanical or a professional educa-
Hon especially recommend
training which will make men ex-
merits in distribution. This includes
Bookkeeping, outside selling, ad-
vertising. market research, etc.
ID 100000 small stores have
been closed by men who have
entered the service. During this
fine there has been no increase
in the number of chain stores.
Herce, the postwar competition
will be less.
(2) The population of the Unit
ed States is increasing at about
100000 per year. This means that
there will be several million more
retail customers in the postwar
days than there were before the
war.
CD It will be easy enough after
the war to manufacture goods' out
IN order to keep the factories 60
In the goods must be sold. Inc
entire postwar employment sltu-
alton depends upon the efficiency
of postwar retailing.
(4) There is mucn to learn IN
connection with distribution. Wnlle
the efficiency of manufacturing
has greatly increased and the cost
per unit has decreased, the cost
of retailing has gone up. In1S
difficulty can, and must, be SOW
ed.
60 The present system OF dis
tribution holds the key to free
enterprise" as this depends large
ly upon full employment and low
cost of living. Those who are in
terested. in continuing free enter
prise and in avoiding communism
Should give more thought to eff
cient merchandising.
(6) People will have more money
to spend in the postwar period.
There will be a surplus in the
hands of consumers of about $780,
600 100000 in addition to their cur
rent earnings.
(O More tnan 100000 mar
riages have taken place since
Pearl Harbor and this figure will
probably be over 100000 when
the boys return. This means that
there must be great demand
for housing. Every new home
gives a boost to over thirty indus
tries, including furniture and home
appliances of all kinds.
= (5)) Things have been wearing
out very rapidly during the war.
Homes must be rebuilt, repaired
and modernized. Equipment OF
all kinds, for homes, offices and
factories has been wearing out.
There will be an abnormal need for
all kinds of requirements which
can be bought at some retail
store.
90 There have been about 49,
100000 children born in the United
States since Pearl Harbor. OF this
nu cr. over 100000 are in ex-
cess Of the normal birth rate. The
pee est retail purchasers are the
age., who are dying off; but the
best are the children and their
parents.
(1O) Consumer goods are not
only wearing out, but styles are
changing. New things which will
come on the market after the war
will be of designs which will make
the old things look obsolete. This
applies not only to houses, furni-
ture, wearing apparel, but even to
foods and beverages.
QD Billions of dollars will be
required merely to bring factories,
offices, homes and individuals up
to-date." The farms of the coun-
try will especially need attention.
The land has been overworked:
fertilization has been neglected;
farm implements are out-of-date.
Moreover. the farmers will have
moro money and less debts after
the war than they have ever had
before. All of these farm pur-
chases must come through retail.
erS.
12) Even the retail stores
themselves will be large purchas'
ers. Most Of them must be re.
furnished, relignted and repaint
ed. Air conditioning must be in
stalled in many; refrigeration anc
other new equipment will be need
ed. A large store is not neces.
sary. 1t may nave only a ten
foot frontage, but it should have
modern furnishings with an ex
cellent show window.
Returning service men should
also consider warehousing, trans
portation, financing, advertising,
printing and various other depart
ments of distribution. The cooper
atives, or group buying, or volun
tary chains or manufacturers
branches present opportunities.
suppose there always will be ar
opportunity for the old style
wholesalers. but that division doe.