Show I 1 spending for defense speeds up business L G ELLIOTT president la salle extension university fall and winter business conditions will be the best in many years as a result of the large amounts of money being spent for national defense the total expenditures are large and under the governmental policy of spreading orders throughout every section of the country they directly provide more money tor for many communities new app opportunities for labor and for profitable business are being found in cities of the interior in smaller towns and in rural the upward trend has already carried business close to the highest level of a year ago it is most strikingly indicated by the much larger volume of retail sales the registration of more new passenger cars the greater number of freight cars loaded each week and the increased buying of both industrial and farm products unless adversely aff affected act by unfavorable events abroad the momentum of expansion will carry on for a considerable period cash farm income this year is estimated at close to which is about 5 per cent higher than last year the increase represents an average annual gain of more than 75 per farm the number of persons employed in manufacturing and the amounts paid in wages exceed those of last year by about the same percentage as does farm income when higher purchasing power enables both city and rural consumers to buy more goo goods estrade ds trade increases and general conditions more favorable prices for farm and industrial products have been adv advancing ancin 9 moderately during the past few weeks and for many commodities are close to the level of a year ago stable prices help maintain confidence and enable industry and agriculture to plan ahead more profitably periods of sound prosperity are those in which prices do not change too rapidly in either direction |