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Show Reasoned Optimism FIS not wholly unusual for leaders In business, busi-ness, financial and industrial fields to make optimistic statements. Optimistic statements by politicians are dime dozen. There have been occasions when optimism, sprouting at time the country was deep in the doldrums, has found the people quite generally trills Incredulous. In-credulous. But readers found in their Sunday paper several sev-eral optimistic views which stand out from the usual run of cheery predictions. They stand out because the experts and authorities not only said tha country is forging ahead, but stated learly their reasons for saying so. There was the United Ststes chamber of commerce, com-merce, for example, reporting January of this year as reflecting favorable gains over the sams month year ago. The level of production was well above that for January, 193a. Its report recognized the turbulent foreign situations, but declared that they had had no ill 'effect here. The Associated Press announced the results of national poll of business Just completed. In December it had forecast a January upturn, now confirmed. Six months ago most of tha experts it had consulted were wary about predicting the duration of the betterments. At that time they attributed favorable showings to government govern-ment spending. In the January poll there was g reater divergence of opinion, many of them seeing 'numerous basic causee for Improved private pri-vate business. Outstanding economists are quoted quot-ed in the survey and their reasoned optimism Is worth close study. Chairman Jesse H, Jones of R F C with access to the innermost thoughts of business leaden, says why ha believes 1939 will far outrun out-run 1938 possibly be as good as 193T. He points to conditions which may promote tha expansion and others which may impede it L Nearly all authorities quoted agree that heed-i heed-i legislation will be the greatest obstacle to returning prosperity. If you read these forecasts casually, it will repay you to reed them again. They give an excellent perspective of national conditions through experts' eyes. |