Show GENERAL BUSINESS SHOULD TAKE EVEN COURSE IN 1928 A statement by earl C sams president Prest dolit of J C penney co general business during 1928 should continue along about the same sallio lines that it followed during tile the year just passed it will bo be a good year tor for such business enterprises as aa are properly adjusted to tho the moral general economic conditions of today general commodity prices will undoubtedly bo be subject to the usual short swings up tip or down depending upon poll local and upon tho the clia changing nging pleases of 0 industrial and agricultural activities governing income and production any general movement in commodity prices should be downward but there Is no reason at the pres prea ont time to believe that there will be any marked lowering of prices the usual discussions which characterize acte any presidential election year will prevail hut but tho the economic structure of tile the country Is on such a well defined basis of economy and progression that it la Is unlikely that political differences bearing on economic activities will have any pronounced ced effect on general business any differences which may exist in ill ro relation lation to the present economic standards on tile the part of political parties are apparently too slight to he be disturbing in their import competition in all lines Is increasing and the effects of this competition will bo be keenly felt fell during tile the coming coining year the margin of 0 profits which may bo be anticipated by tile the distributor of general merchandise is growing smaller and greater efficiency la Is being shown in ili distribution methods in ili the J C penney co wo we have been studying tile the elements of working effle efficiency tency in each of the retail store units and have been organizing all phases 0 of f our general distribution trib ution methods down to a point which maintains the highest standards of economy in handling from the time the merchandise Is completed by the manufacturers until it Is fina illy placed in the hands of the retail buyer this applies to shipments made by rail or water to pricing of our merchandise and to organization of individual effort in tile the J C fennoy co stores the percentage sot set aside for gorosp profits la is I 1 believe on a basis winch la is eminently fair to retail customers crist omers to competing merchants and to the J C penney co it la is a low percentage and yet the operations of tile the individual J C penney co stores has shown that it la is a percentage which will give the company a fair return while affording the buyer a high value it is on such a basis as this that general business will have to organ izo itself tills this year if it Is to survive in the competitive conditions which are certain to prevail |