V.gabond Editorials

By Jack Dionne

Associated Prcss quotes our most famous Western bankcr as saying: "Every dollar deposited in the banks of California-any bank, releases from $3 to $to in useful credit." Oh, yeah? Can we depend on*that?

"Prospcrity," says another "authority", "will return in abotrt five years." And four years previous to that I will be whittling pine sticks in front of my favorite grocery. ott,wcll!

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A business magazine named "Greater Profits" has recently suspended publication. They must not have taken enough of their own rnedicinc.

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Sears-Roebuck is putting in lots of neu, stores. The deprcssion is giving thern the opportunity to spread their busriness. And they are advertising "We bridge the gap betrryleen earnings and yearnings." They also say "Shop at Sears and Save."

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The Cunard Steamship Company is meeting the depression by advertising that they will sell you a trip to Europe and return on the installment plan. Probably no advertising cam'paign sinoe the depression started has created more of a furore than this one. To take you OVER on the partial payment plan, didn't seern o generous. But to bring you back! Ain't that sumpin'?***

Coca-Cola made record earnings in 1931. They explained it by salng that they cut their over-head and increased their advertising. All expenses except advertising were decreased. Then they took the money they saved in operating and added it to their advertising. And the sales reflected the increased publicity. So did the net profits.

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This column turned up the movie industry last issue and paddled it wtth a heavy, nail-lined shingle. Now to give that same industry a piece of advice. Every time you get rcady to malre a picture-for the rcst of this depression period, at least--astr THIS question concerning it: WILL IT MAI(E PEOPLE HAPPY? If not-THROW IT OUT. fn this way your industry can play a large part in the public rcturn toward lT1"t.

W. W. F'ry, nationally hrown advertising expert, speak' ing before the University of Pennsylvania recently, said: "Advrrtieing, so-cdled, rnartred by exaggerated claims, pur- chased testimotrials, and palpable absurdities set forth as facts, is bound to discredit in a measure sound, constructive, and truthful advertising." Cigarette and tobacco advertisers please take notice ! ***

To characterize most of this cigarette advertising wc hear and read, as moronic, is fulsome flattery ("bull", to you). Tt{e guy that figures out that stufr must have been brought up by hand and neglected by his nurse.

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The Federal Radio Commission has asked this question of the radio chains: "Hovr much do you estirnate was paid for talent by radio advertisers?" What do they mean "tdent"? Do they mean these big-mouthed birds who intcrupt the program every few minutes to blatantly. announced their own names (as though any human on eLrth cared); or the nauseous plague of testimonials as fo exactly how some certain thing affects you mentally, morally, and spiritually?

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"Nothing is so i^rnportant in bringing back prosperity as individual effort and initiative," a nationally known business man said the other day, when he was asked about conditions. That lesson should go home to every lumberman. To the average lumberman today, merchandising is, I am afraid, just a word in the dictionary. He is waiting for prosperity to come back before he does any merchandising. Yet the business man who just sits tight and waits for prosperity to return beforre doing anything, is just one of the very important reasons for the delay.

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Kansas City, Mo., is a very excellent measuring stick for other American cities. The Kansas City Star says thpre are 3940 vacant houses in Kansas City. There are 3,961 single unit houses containing two or more familics, on account of depressed conditions. Only 877 houses were built in Kansas City durirlg 1930 and 1931. The average number of houses built in Kansas City wery two years previous to thet tim€ Was 3,851. In 1931, 533 houses were demolished in Kansas City, and only 384 new ones built. Thcre will be a huge demand for houses in Kansas City when business picks up. So will there be in lihc mcasure in every spot in the United States.

Who says gold is a better material for moarey making than wood? The trustees of the Chamber of Commerce

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