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Show Here's a tip for retail merchants on Main Street. The Bureau of the Census reports that 60 per cent of homes on farms are owned by occupants, that 21 per cent of these are new homes, built in past eight years, that 46 per cent are over 30 years old. O Thus new homes may need many modern gadgets and old ones should need, not only modern gadgets, but modernization of a structure itself. Here is big poten- f tial market for most all firms doing business on Main Street. Best of all, JT it:l these farm owners and home owners have FEATURE money. O Above seasonal increases in prices of fresh fruits and vegetables were responsible for 1 per cent increase in food prices at end of Nov. 15 period, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Sta-tistics. Despite drops in meat prices and some other foods, advance of 9.6 per cent in fresh fruits and vegetables brought about 1 per cent raise. General retail prices of goods and services serv-ices for moderate income families showed a 0.6 per cent increase for same period,, chiefly responsible respon-sible was average increase of 1.1 per cent in miscellaneous goods and services. Fractional increases in-creases were noted for residential rents, house furnishings and foods with a decrease in apparel and meats. Census reports show most retail firms in ( good shape, but if located in Southwest, along Pacific coast, Florida, Michigan or Connecticut, business should be tops. Any population jncrease up to 10 per cent is about average for country, but Pacific coast is up 48 per cent with California 52 per cent, Oregon 39 per cent and Washington state 36 per cent. Florida is up 45 per cent, Arizona, 49 per cent, Texas 20 per cent and New Mexico 27 per cent ; Michigan population is up 20 per cent and Connecticut 17 per cent. New York is below the national average, nearly 10 per cent while Washington, or the District of Columbia is up 50 per cent. Steel scrap drive is bogging down. Farmers and grass roots folk have not yet been told why scrap drive is necessary. Many believe they are doing big steel a favor in obtaining scrap for them. Fact remains unless we drag in some 38,-000,000 38,-000,000 tons of scrap this year, steel companies will be unable to turn out armament. Both steel companies and NPA or DPA have been remiss in not publicising through grass roots press vital need of scrap drive. CORN CROP FORECAST CUT Agriculture department has taken another reef in its corn crop prediction it will be much lower than anticipated. This means shorter pig crop than anticipated and probably higher price of pork and consequently other meats later on in 1952. Attracted by lower labor costs, to say nothing of lower power costs, many textile mills in New England are contemplating moving southward, Many towns in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina and Tennessee are offering new buildings financed by bond issue and with low rental. Prepared by the Washington Bnrean of WNU Features. |