Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-04
.KnothoIe
View of 81
By Experts
BY SAM DAWSON
Associated Press Financial Writer

sidewalk superintendent of the
economic structure here's a knot
hole view Of 1857.
Economic structure is the for
NAL way of saying your job and
pay prospects, your tax bill. the
cost of eating. the price for out
fitting your family and for buy /
ing and furnishing a home, and
the chances of meeting time
payments on a new car or APP
pliance.
All bets are off, of course, if
the cold war turns into a sizzler. |
But. as it looks now. here's what
the majority of experts see as
most likely to happen this year:
JObs-Should hold at the peak
for months and pay scales con-
tinue to rise. The new year
starts with the unemployment
total near the practical mini
mum and with about one million
more persons working than a
year ago. Pay raises built into
wage contracts, with two or three
or five years to run. will mean
ia rising average take-home pay.
Labor's stress will be on improv-
ing retirement plans. lay off pay
schemes, more vacation and
holiday allowances.
Personal Income - Is still
climbing with more people shar-
ing the gains. Farmers income
Icreeps back slowly after the
sharp drop. Factory workers
average weekly pay. at years
end. was rising at the rate of
about so cents each month. The
total of wages and salaries was
swelling at the rate of SIS billion
Ia month. Personal income totals,
rising to new heights through
most of 1856. are sci billion
higher than a year ago.
Living COsts-Will continue to
rise but with little risk of run
away. The 2 to 2l2 per cent
rate of increase in 1856 may
hold through most of 1857. Food
and clothing costs are pushed
upward as farm product prices
rebound. helped by Western Eu-
ropes greater call on American
markets.
New Cars-Are fancier and
costlier and the selling drive
fiercer. Stocks at the dealers
should be ample early in the
year. Then the race between
the auto makers will really start.
They put lots of money into the
new models to lure back a tickle
public. Financing charges tend
upward.
FOOd-Prices may rise a bit
further as more is consumed.
Experts think well-heeled Amer
leans will eat from to 7 per cent
more food and pay or 2 per
cent higher prices. for a total
bill of rs billion dollars in 1857.
Carry-overs assure abundant
supplies of most foods although
some SURPRISES are being cut by
shipments overseas and by Gov
eminent consumption programs
at home. thus steadying grain
and dairy product prices.
New hOmes-Will be slightly
fewer and more expensive with
out being bigger. Rising costs of
materials and of financing will
white down the dreams of
some wOuld-be home buyers.
One housing authority estimates
dollar volume of new housing
will be up 6 per cent this year.
Rental units in many big cities
stay in tight supply. with rents
continuing their slow rise.
Tax Cuts-Will be few and far
between. At the State and local
government level taxes are more
likely to rise. The rates at the
Federal level seem destined to
hold. since the Treasury will be
looking for money to meet in
creased spending brought on in
party by the fare up in world
trouble spots. Tax revision by
Congress probably will be limited
to changing the rules.