Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

Issue: 1949 June

of these failures is being stressed too much;
there is no alarm in the situation, he says.
CREDIT-The government is now fol-
lowing a policy of relaxing credit. Finance
firms are said to be expecting good in-
creases in business.
CONSTRUCTION-The total construc-
tion picture showed a slower pickup this
spring than last year, but total volume is
still higher ; industry is putting less money
into building, more into equipment. Public
construction, accounting for 26 per cent
of the total, has made a gain of 39 per
cent above a year ago, and much more
can be started. Costs of industrial building
remains unchanged since last October;
leaders say factory building will stay high
but it has passed its peak; may be a 15
per cent drop in last half of year. Building
costs are beginning to decline very slightly.
CROP REPORTS-They are very im-
portant for several months, and up to the
present are generally very favorable for
bumper crops and lower food prices. Vege-
tables and wheat have shown biggest price
reaction to crop news.
EMPLOYMENT-April and May were
to show the crucial trend in employment,
and official reports are not available. Pre-
sumably, the rise in unemployment was
checked in March. Operators of coin ma-
chines talk much of signs they have seen
of growing unemployment. One of the big
financial newspapers recently hinted that
unemployment might be more serious than
the reports show, since there is no way
of really knowing how many people have
a living income at present. Purchasing
Agents reported a slight improvement in
business in April, that payrolls remained
about the same, but that shorter hours are
generally reported by all firms.
EUROPEAN AID-As this review is
written, the Berlin blockade is about to be
lifted-really a minor • thing but it will
have a big psychological effect. Big busi-
ness now worries much about European
aid, fearing that when Europe is revived
its goods will compete severely with Ameri-
can goods in world markets. .Europe can
sell goods cheaper than we can, can run
circles around U. S. dollars, just as Russia
is now doing with chrome, manganese, etc.
Prediction is that European aid will
continue, will be increased, but that it
all may be changed in 1950.
FARMERS- Experts argue how big a
part farmers now play in buying goods;
their springtime spending was brisk and
helped business. The Wall Street J oumal
pointed out another sharp break in farm
prices the last week in April. Prices for
farm products had been averaging about
6 per cent above support price.
FREIGHT- The U. S. Supreme Court
made another decision on basing point
rates, which apparently did not clear up
the muddle. New hearings before ICC
began May 13 on the railroad plea for
13 per cent increase in freight rates. Total
rail freight shipments dropped during first
three months of year.
GASOLINE-Price trend, especially in
East, has been upward; demand is in -
creasing at a steady rate and the big sum-
mer farm and tourist season is now on,
no shortage is anticipated. American Auto-
mobile Assn. has asked oil companies to
explain why of hiked gas prices.
GOVERNMENT MONEY- More than
ever, government money is being counted
on to halt recession and to start the next
boom. Big RFC loans are planned for
business and payments to farmers will
be hiked. If defense plans don't turn the
tide, a big highway program will be counted
on to do it.
MATERIALS- Much attention is being
JUNE, 1949
given to steel; price trend is downward
quarter; outlook for the year is pronounced
and there is some fear demand may slack, ' very good but will not be up to last year.
after many firms rushed to build up stocks
PRODUCTION-The official report is
when sµpp ly improved. Steel companies that industrial output slackened in Febru-
ary, and did not show the usual seasonal
have feared this drop in demand all along.
June is supposed to be a crucial month in
rise in March. Purchasing Agents Assn.
steel outlook.
reports the trend is to level off for the
From coin machine manufacturers' stand-
summer, "with a possible pickup by early
point, the big ,drop in copper prices ;.ow
fall." Among firms that cut production in
being reported will be considered as very January, 69 per cent reported higher pro-
favorable. There is some prospect that
duction in April and 31 per cent made cuts
aluminum prices may also start to decline.
in output during April. Factories report
MONEY-Without going into technicali-
man-hour production improving. For its
ties, money supply is immense and to the
total membership, the association said 48
per cent reported maintaining output sched-
buyer the dollar is worth more and more.
National income has started declining this
ules during April, while 19 per cent had
year, also wages and salaries. Bank deposits
increased production rate. This was the
are slightly below a year ago, nearly twice largest number to increase output since
last October.
the 1941 average. Money in circulation fol-
lows a declining trend, but is three times
PRICES-The price trend is downward
on such a wide front that it is not easy to
the 1941 average.
PROFITS-A general summary shows
IYive details. Food prices have shown a
profits for corporations good for the first reverse trend on the total average, how-
13
https://elibrary.arcade-museum.com
WITH OPERATORS WHO KNOW SHUFFLEBOARD BEST,
IT'S THE
lle1-culeJ CREEN TOP
BETTER
ALL
WAYS
DISTRIBUTORS
PRICE
$ 3 6 S OO
F.O .B. Los Angel es
HERCULES SHUFFLEBOARD CO.
204 S. WESTERN AVE. Phone DRexel
LOS ANGELES 4, CALIF.
ever. But th e new crop reports are expected
was to have been released in May, but I
to bring sha rp declines again. Most leaders
didn' t see a ny report in time for this re-
seem to think th e ideal is to prevent a
view. The c,ensus of location s is supposed
ge neral pri ce cra sh. Experts think th e gen- to be compl eted by the Census Bureau
eral price level will drop about 10 per cent.
also, but data is not expected until late
RETAIL TRADE- The Easter seaso n in the year.
d idn' t in crease tra de e nough to. reverse
TAXES- Latest re port available at thi s
declining trend s. Such popula r locations as writin g says th e House Ways and Means
drugstores, eatin g places, fillin g st ation s Committee, which must auth or revenu e
seem to be holding th eir own , althou gh
bills, mi ght begin to draft a fin al revenu e
so me sli ght declines fr om last yea r have
bill by th e end of May-"if it should de-
occurre d. Most oth er stores have a defin ite
cide to take u p a tax bill at all." Th e pros-
downward trend in sales. One report said
pect of excise tax relief grows hot a nd
March-April trade looked as good as last
th en cold, a nd latest report suggests no
year in dollars, better in ph ysical volum e excise tax action of consequence at this
of goods sold.
session. If a general tax bill fa ils to come
SMALL BUSINESS- As mentioned pre- up, Con gress might ru sh throu gh some kind
viously, the yea r is provin g hard for small
of excise tax bill at th e last. State tax
business. It will also cost more to sell
pro posals have been getting th e attention
goo ds and this will bear harder on small while Congress delayed tax action ; sales
firm s th an on large. Ge neral busin ess con-
taxes a ppear to be the new hope for in-
ditions have tend ed to overshadow th e creased revenue, while sta te in come taxes
e ternal struggle betwee n small and big are also fa vored ; several states had pro-
busin ess, but the year thus far is going posals to hike gasoline taxes- a tax th at
definitely in favor of bi g busin ess. Small ' affects operators directl y. T ax pressure
busin ess interes ts are totall y unorganized fr om now on du rin g th e year is expected
a nd hence mi ss many of th e stages in th e to shift to local and city tax proposals. It
battle. None of th e organization s proposing is well known that cities want and maybe
to represent small business have shown an y need mu ch more revenue.
interest in th e real . problems of small bus i-
TOURIST TRADE- The big summ er
ness; th ey are mos tly political tools. Small season will be on by th e tim e this issue
busin ess needs some leader I ike Joe comes from the press. Reports at the tim e
Kolodn y, who is fightin g th e real problems are meager; the auto trade expects a good
for wholesalers.
SURVEYS- The important government
survey on what consume~s need and want
increase in sales for the summer season,
and the oil industry calculates on a decided
boost in demand for gasoline ; hi ghway
locations are also said to be very optimistic.
Since shorter work weeks prevail, many
more people will have time for travel, but
the bi g question will be how freely people
can be expected to spend this summer
since they showed a tenden cy to hold to
their money last summer.
"Shufflepin" In
Sensational Debut
LOS ANGELES - System Amusem; nt
Exchange's new Olympic S hufflepin, now in
production , is creating a sensation in trade
circles.
The 12-foot board, combining bowlin g
and shuffleboard , is completely automatic,
includin g th e pin resetting. Pu cks are re-
turn ed to the player, similar to bowling,
a nd th e game requires less tim e than
shuffleboard. Field is constru cted of the
world-famous "Fibre-Loid," which will not
war p, dent, or require costly resurfacing.
Th e game will accommod ate u p to four
players at ten cents per player for each
.
10 frames.
On 15 test loca tions, Shu/fle pin has aver-
aged $70 to $150 gross per week. Th e ga me
packs so much ap peal that play has steadily
increased from week to week.
System Amusement Exchange, one of th e
Industry's fastest growin g firm s, recently
opened its new St. Loui s plant at 1227
Olive Street wh ere it is now produ cin g 80
boards per day.
Laura Alice Makes
Dave Gottlieb Grandpa
CHICAGO- A baby girl, Laura Alice,
put in an appearan ce at th e Presbyteria n
hospital here th e first week in May- the
pro ud infant of Mr. a nd M rs. Alvin Go tt·
li eb.
Bustin g th e button s on his vest over the
arrival of his fi rst gra ndchild was Dave
Gottlieb, president of D. Go ttlieb & Co. and
form er CMI prexy. Alvin is associated with
hi s fa th er as adverti sin g director. Little
miss weighed in at seven and a half pounds.
Shuffleboard Publication
ORANGE, N. J.- To promote the game
of shuffleboard and kee p players informed
as to shuffleboard acti viti es th e country
ove r, Nation al Shuffleboard Co. has started
publication of th e Na tional Shuffleboard
News in rotogravure. 200,000 copies of the
first issue were distribu ted in early May.
A se rialized story of the history of shuf-
fl eboard , stori es and pictures on league
and tourn ament play, information corner,
coming events, ladies column and jokes
make up the editorial content.
TUBULAR COIN WRAPPERS
HEAVYWEICHT PAPER
1 c-Sc-1 0c-25c-50c-$1.00
I Inquiries Invited J
PAPER PRODUCTS & SUPPLY CO.
797 E. 17th Street
Los Angeles 21, Calif.
Phone: PRospect 1654
14
COIN MACHINE REVIEW
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