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MONTHLY REVIEW
TWELFTH

FEDERAL

RESERVE

DISTRICT

Fe d e r a l R e s e r v e B a n k

J a n u a r y 1951

of

S a n Fr a n c i s c o

REVIEW OF BUSINESS CONDITIONS
n d u s t r ia l

production, consumer spending, and busi­

Iness activity generally continued to exceed year-ago
levels by substantial margins in December and January.

In some cases the normal seasonal declines did not occur
because of attempts to produce goods and services at the
maximum rate possible. In December, nonagricultural
employment in the United States increased over Novem­
ber and was 4 percent ahead of the same month in 1949.
Inflationary pressures continued to result in a steadily
rising level of prices which reached a new high in each
week through early January. The behavior of production,
employment, and prices points up the unusually high rate
of expenditures by business and consumers resulting from
the anticipation of larger military expenditures and the
likelihood that civilian supplies of some goods may be
reduced.
Increasing emphasis on military expansion was appar­
ent from the reorganization of the mobilization organiza­
tion in December. Late in December, the Office of De­
fense Mobilization was established to obtain closer co­
ordination of the several departments and agencies. In
addition, a Defense Production Administration was
established to coordinate the production activities of the
several agencies in various departments of the Govern­
ment.
Defense budget grows substantially

Perhaps the best indication of the increasing impor­
tance of the defense effort over the longer run may be ob­
tained from the Budget of the President delivered to Con­
gress in early January. Expenditures for current military
operations, which do not include such items as foreign
military assistance, the atomic energy program, veterans'
affairs, or interest on the public debt resulting from past
wars, are estimated at approximately $21 billion for the
fiscal year ending June 1951, compared with $12 billion
for the preceding year. The figure will nearly double for
the fiscal year ending June 1952, with military spending
estimated to be in excess of $41 billion. This is $1 billion
more than the total civilian and military expenditure for
the year ending June 1950. Estimated expenditures alone,
however, do not reveal entirely the emphasis on military
expansion. The President’s budget calls for authoriza­
tions for military functions of approximately $61 billion




for fiscal 1952. Authorizations in a given fiscal year for
programs of Government activity that are expanding,
such as our military program, frequently exceed the
actual expenditures on such programs in the same year
because the authorizations contemplate developments ex­
tending beyond that fiscal year.
Even with the substantial increase in spending on de­
fense, the budget deficit for the year ending June 1951 is
estimated at only $2.7 billion. This comparatively small
deficit reflects the effect of the rising level of personal and
corporate income and the increases in personal and cor­
porate income taxes approved by Congress. It is possible
that yields from taxes may prove somewhat greater than
anticipated, thereby reducing the actual deficit below
the present estimate. In the coming fiscal year, that ending
in June 1952, the estimate of the budget deficit is almost
$16.5 billion, and it has been proposed that this deficit
be closed by additional taxes.
Impact of recent developments on
the Twelfth District

Reports from various sources indicate that the Twelfth
District will again be host to a substantial expansion in
plant and equipment as a result of the expanded military
program. It is likely, however, that the impact will not be
as spectacular as it was in W orld W ar II. It is the inten­
tion of the various agencies involved in the defense effort
to disperse facilities as widely as possible. For example, it
has often been stated that no new aircraft plants would be
assigned to the West Coast. At the same time, however,
utilization of existing facilities will continue. In addition,
District plant and facilities have expanded considerably
during the postwar period. As a result, productive capac­
ity exists which can be useful for many defense purposes.
To support such activities as aircraft, however, and to
utilize the output of such industries as aluminum, addi-

Also in This Issue

Some Allies in the Fight Against Inflation
Indexes of Pacific Coast Waterborne Trade

2

FEDERAL RESERVE B A N K OF SAN FRAN CISCO

tional facilities will be required. Various public and pri­
vate agencies in this District report a large volume of
inquiries concerning the location of plants. Some of the
inquiries are for plants that would make primarily civilian
products, but a fair proportion involve capacity that could
be used for either civilian or military goods. Added to
this source of increased activity is the reactivation of
Government-owned facilities. A magnesium plant in Cali­
fornia is to be reopened, and it appears likely that some
Government-owned shipyards may be reactivated.
In addition, the events of recent months have induced
many firms to carry out plans which they already had for
expansion or the construction of new facilities. The pres­
sure created by the fear of material shortages and con­
trols has hastened the execution of many such programs.
This is evident from the figures on new building author­
ized. Nonresidential permits in urban areas of this Dis­
trict hit an all time peak in August, declined in Septem­
ber, but rose again in October and November. The No­
vember level was only slightly below the peak in August
and preliminary figures indicate that the December level
of nonresidential construction authorized may have ex­
ceeded the August level. The rapidly increasing volume
of permits for business structures has more than offset
the decline in residential building. As a result, total per­
mits in urban areas have gained instead of showing the
usual seasonal decline. The National Production Author­
ity order of mid-January restricting all commercial con­
struction will probably reduce the volume of nonresiden­
tial building, but it is difficult to estimate the extent of
the reduction at this time.
Consumer spending continues high

Consumers have also been adding to the pressure on
the price level by spending at a record rate. After the
scare buying of last July and August, consumer spending
moderated somewhat but remained well above 1949
levels. Restrictions on consumer credit, introduced in
September and strengthened in October, reduced the buy­
ing of durable goods somewhat. Sales of automobiles, par­
ticularly of used cars, were expected to decline more than
those of other durable items, but even after the terms
were tightened in October the 1950 record compares fa­
vorably with that of 1949. The number of new cars sold in
California in July, August, and September ran about 55
percent above the level of the corresponding period of
1949. October sales dropped to a level slightly above that
of October 1949, and November sales were slightly below
the year-ago level. The adverse turn of the war in Korea
again stimulated the sales of automobiles and other dur­
able goods, with the result that sales of new cars in Cali­
fornia in December ran about 10 percent ahead of De­
cember 1949.
The demand for automobiles and other durable goods
continued to gain in strength during January. It is based
upon a high level of personal income, large holdings of
liquid assets, and, judging from January department store
data, an increasing use of consumer credit. These devel­




January 1951

opments suggest that inflationary pressures during the
past several months would no doubt have been greater in
the absence of the present regulations pertaining to con­
sumer credit.
Christmas Sales at New Record High

More money was spent at Twelfth District department
stores in December 1950 than during any previous De­
cember. Dollar sales were 7 percent above December
1949, the previous high. Of the major cities in the Dis­
trict, Tacoma, Spokane, and Seattle reported the largest
increases. Sales in the other Federal Reserve Districts
were also substantially above those of December 1949,
and for the country as a whole sales were up about 10
percent over 1949. In this District, Christmas shopping
at department stores went into full swing during the
week ending December 2 (see the accompanying chart).
During each week of the Christmas shopping season, sales
surpassed those of the comparable week of 1949. The
largest year-period increase for the District, 15 percent,
came during the week ending December 23.
Durable goods dominate picture

The shift from nondurable goods sales to durable goods
sales, evident during most of 1950, was further accentu­
ated in December. Preliminary figures indicate a 20 per­
cent increase in furniture sales over December 1949, and
an increase of over 30 percent in sales of floor cover­
ings and major household appliances. Sales of television
sets were brisk despite credit regulations, increased
prices, excise taxes, and the color controversy. Sales of
the radio-phonograph-television department increased
I N D E X O F T O T A L D E P A R T M E N T S T O R E S A L E S — 89 S T O R E S ,
T W E L F T H D IS T R IC T
(W eekly sales, July 1, 1950=100)
Percent

January 1951

M O N T H L Y R E V IE W

W e e k l y D e p a r t m e n t S tore S a l e s — S elected
T w e l f t h D is t r ic t C i t ie s
Percent changes in value of sales compared with corresponding
period a year ago
Los
Salt
Angeles
Lake
W eek
Twelfth
San
area
Portland
City
Seattle
ending
District Francisco
— 2
0
Dec. 2, 1950. . + 5
+ 4
+
8
+ 11
—
1
0
Dec. 9, 1950. . + 2
+ 4
+
9
+ 4
Dec. 16, 1950.. . + 6
+ 7
+ 2
+ 7
+ 7
+ 15
+ 15
+ 29
+ 18
Dec. 23, 1950,. . + 1 5
+ 15
+ 9
+24
+ 21
+ 35
+ 28
+ 21
Dec. 30, 1950,. . + 2 7
+33
+ 58
+ 56
Jan. 6, 1951,, . + 3 8
+ 26
+ 59
+ 54
+31
+ 55
Jan. 13, 1951,. . + 4 0
+ 34
+ 101
+ 34
+93
+ 34
+ 64
Jan. 20, 1951,, . + 4 0
+31
+ 35
+ 24
+40
Jan. 27, 1951. . + 3 0
+ 28
+ 46

more than 20 percent. The unseasonably large sales of
furniture, floor coverings, and major household appli­
ances indicate that Christmas shoppers bought with an
eye to possible shortages and further price increases. Soft
goods sales were also up in December, but only moder­
ately. December sales of women’s dresses, suits, and coats
were up about 4 percent over December 1949, and sales of
women’s accessories— millinery, underwear, shoes— were
up only 2 percent. Though total department store sales
increased, sales in the basement showed a slight decline
from December 1949 to December 1950. This indicates
that consumers were less interested in the outlay required
to make a purchase than in the availability, and perhaps
the quality, of the merchandise. This is somewhat remin­
iscent of the early postwar period when the demand for
war-scarce goods was great enough to cause sales in the
upstairs departments to increase more than in the com­
parable, lower priced departments in the basements.
Credit buying restrained

During the buying panic in July, the dollar volume of
instalment sales was over 100 percent higher than during
July 1949, and August and September instalment sales
were more than 30 percent above those of the comparable
months in 1949. These increases were considerably larger
than the year-period increases in total sales during the
same months. With the reinstitution of credit controls and
a return to more normal buying, the dollar volume of
instalment sales increased only slightly in October and
decreased slightly in November, compared with the com­
parable months in 1949. In December, the dollar volume
of instalment sales showed no change from the December
1949 level. That instalment sales did not increase, al­
though there was a substantial increase in total sales, may

3

have resulted in part from the effect of the credit con­
trols and in part from the high level of employment and
consumer income.
Stocks remain high

Even with the high level of Christmas sales, depart­
ment store stocks at the end of December remained fairly
high. Stocks of most departments were above the Decem­
ber 1949 level, and for the furniture, floor coverings, and
major household appliance departments stocks were up
50 percent or more. Stocks of the radio-phonograph-television department were slightly over 100 percent above
the December 1949 level. Stocks of nondurable goods and
of the basement departments showed moderate increases.
Christmas spills over into January

The level of department store sales during the weeks
following Christmas has been unseasonably high. The
post-Christmas decline in dollar sales during the week
ending December 30 was not so great as usual. Sales dur­
ing the week ending January 6 increased sharply and
in the week ending January 13 jumped to the high level
maintained during November. The weeks ending Janu­
ary 20 and 27 marked moderate declines from the level
established in the week ending January 13. Sales during
these weeks, however, were still well above the compa­
rable weeks of 1950. During the weeks following Christ­
mas, department stores in the Pacific Northwest made
the largest year-period gains reported in the District. In
January 1950, however, department store sales in the Pa­
cific Northwest and some other District areas were de­
pressed by severe winter weather. Even so, the unfavor­
able weather of last year was not alone responsible for the
year-period sales increases reported for department stores
thus far this year. Price increases played some part but
more important was the worsening of the Korean situa­
tion which has given rise to a new wave of scare buying.
Contrary to the December experience, instalment sales
since Christmas have increased considerably over the
same period last year. This increase, prompted by a re­
newed buying panic, has resulted largely from the unusu­
ally high sales volume of furniture, radios, television, and
major household appliances. These items require a large
cash outlay and are, therefore, largely sold on credit.
Preliminary figures indicate, however, that the scare buy­
ing has not reached the proportions of last summer.

SOME ALLIES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INFLATION
h e imposition of the price and wage freeze announced
on January 26, 1951 will serve to focus public atten­
tion for some time to come upon these direct controls as
a means for restraining inflation. Such a reaction is under­
standable in view of the fact that Government controls
over prices and wages have so many ramifications
throughout our economy and directly affect so many peo­
ple. Our experience in using both direct and indirect con­
trols to curb inflation during W orld W ar II has impressed

T




strongly upon us, however, the realization that these de­
vices by themselves relieve the symptoms of inflation but
do not cure it.
If consumers have substantially more money to spend
than there are goods and services to buy at controlled
prices, they accumulate a large volume of savings. The
excess of purchasing power out of current income and
the potential purchasing power represented by the accu­
mulated liquid assets place continuous upward pressure

4

FEDERAL RESERVE B A N K OF S A N F R A N C ISC O

upon prices and hence greatly complicate the problem of
holding them at a given level by direct controls. The
growth in liquid assets also provides the basis for infla­
tionary pressure at some later time when price controls
are discontinued. The sharp rise in prices that followed
the abandonment of price controls in mid-1946 provides
ample testimony to this fact.
Our World War II experience has impressed upon us
the limitations of a policy for restraining inflation that
places primary reliance upon direct price and wage con­
trols without at the same time making strong use of
indirect controls in the form of appropriate fiscal and
credit measures. The Administrator of the Economic Sta­
bilization Agency took recognition of this fact by stating
that he hoped that wage and price controls might be nec­
essary only temporarily until inflation could be effectively
controlled by the use of more rigorous tax and credit
measures.
Credit controls

The principles underlying general and selective credit
controls and some of their advantages and limitations
in restraining inflation have been discussed in a series of
brief articles in previous issues of the Monthly Review.
These articles developed the point, among others, that
the impact of credit controls falls upon only one source
of inflationary pressure — spending out of borrowed
funds. To restrict such spending is essential in our
present fight against inflation. In addition, however, we
also need other indirect controls to reduce spending out
of current income and to discourage spending out of
liquid assets.
Tax increases

Increased taxes are the most effective means for reduc­
ing spending out of current income. As in the case of
many other types of controls, however, there is always
the problem of putting the increase into effect soon
enough and in large enough measure to accomplish the
desired result. It is now generally recognized that in the
interests of economic stability we should have taxed our­
selves much more heavily during W orld War II.
Heavy taxation, particularly in a period of large war
expenditures, serves to restrain inflation in several dif­
ferent ways. An increase in personal income taxes tends
to reduce the amount of consumer spending for civilian
goods out of current income, thereby reducing inflation­
ary pressures. An increase in the corporate income tax
has a somewhat similar effect upon business spending. In
both cases, moreover, individuals and business have less
money that might be invested in liquid assets. The accu­
mulation of such assets on a large scale can pose an infla­
tionary threat at some later time.
Selective excise taxes can be used not only as a revenue
measure, but also as a device to increase the cost to the
consumer of commodities that use scarce materials. The
increased cost tends to reduce the volume purchased and
thereby facilitates the transfer of the scarce materials to




January 1951

more urgent needs. The added cost to the consumer con­
stitutes additional revenue for the Government rather
than for the producer or seller.
Effect of Government borrowing on inflation

Increased taxes from whatever source reduce the
amount of borrowing that the Government has to do. The
less borrowing it does, the greater the possibility of con­
fining that borrowing to non-bank lenders. If the Gov­
ernment borrows from individuals or non-bank investors
of whatever sort, there is no net increase in the money
supply at that time. Funds already in existence are merely
transferred to the Government from the former holders.
The effect of the transfer is different, however, than in
the case of the payment of taxes. Borrowing from non­
bank investors places in their hands Government securi­
ties whereas tax payments do not. Under existing cir­
cumstances, holders of Government securities can read­
ily convert them into cash and spend the funds thus ob­
tained. Moreover, the sale of the securities will result in
an increase in the money supply if and when they find
their way into the banking system.
If, however, the Government borrows from commer­
cial banks, the money supply is increased immediately,
and that in turn gives rise to additional inflationary pres­
sures. When a private customer borrows from a bank, the
amount of the loan is typically credited to the customer’s
checking account. New bank deposits thus come into
being. The borrower may draw upon his additional de­
posits to make payments to other individuals and busi­
nesses. In this event, his deposit balance declines, but
the recipients of the funds are likely to deposit them in
their bank accounts. Deposits in the banking system as a
whole rise, therefore, as bank loans expand. The same
thing happens when the Government borrows from a
bank. When a bank buys some newly-issued Government
securities, it typically credits the Government’s deposit
account for the amount of the purchase. As the Govern­
ment spends these funds, they find their way into the
deposit balances of individuals and businesses.
Moreover, Government borrowing to finance military
expenditures is potentially more inflationary than bor­
rowing by private business for peacetime pursuits. In both
cases, the expenditure of the borrowed funds ultimately
provides additional income to consumers. In the first case,
however, production is confined primarily to military
goods, and hence there is no increase in the supply of
civilian goods to match the increase in income. In the sec­
ond case, some increase in the output of civilian goods
would normally occur but the increase may take the form
either of goods immediately available for consumption
or of capital goods which will subsequently enlarge the
output of consumer goods.
Voluntary restraints with respect
to wages and profits

Increased taxation acts as a positive curb upon spend­
ing out of current income by reducing the amount of dis­

January 1951

M O N T H L Y R E V IE W

posable income. The fight against inflation may also be
aided by voluntary measures designed to prevent the
growth of income. The smaller the earned income, the
less can be spent from it. Voluntary restraints in request­
ing or offering higher wages and acceptance of moderate
profit margins by industry are examples of policies which
restrict the growth of income and hence tend to reduce
inflationary pressures under conditions such as we have
at present. While the effectiveness of such voluntary
measures is limited owing to competitive pressures for
higher wages and higher profits, they can contribute
something to the fight against inflation. Moreover, they
may continue to play a useful role, even though primary
reliance is placed upon direct price and wage controls to
restrain the growth of total consumer and business in­
come.
Discourage spending out of liquid assets

To attain maximum success in restraining inflation
through indirect controls, we need also to discourage con­
sumer and business spending out of existing liquid assets.
This is a field in which we have done less so far than in the
field of credit control and taxation. In addition to moral
suasion, some discouragement of spending out of liquid
assets may be achieved by making the holding of such
assets more attractive.
A factor of basic importance in any effort to discourage
spending out of liquid assets is the full and complete use
of all available powers to prevent further price rises. To
convince people that the purchasing power of the dollar
will be maintained will probably do more than anything
else to encourage them to hold liquid assets.

5

W e may also need to explore the possibilities of re­
quiring investors to hold some portion of their liquid as­
sets until such time as inflationary pressures are no
longer present. Banks might be required, for example, to
hold a secondary reserve against deposits in the form of
Government securities. This would be of limited effec­
tiveness, however, if other large institutional investors
remained free to determine whether to hold funds in
Government securities or to lend them to private bor­
rowers.
If a pay-as-you-go policy for Government expenditures
seems to involve taxes so high as to diminish individual
and business incentive, a compulsory program of saving
might be employed. Individuals, and possibly businesses,
might be required to invest some portion of their earned
income in the form of Government securities that could
not be sold or redeemed until inflationary pressures had
diminished to a point where spending out of such assets
would not be a cause for economic concern. These are all
possibilities that might be considered if inflationary pres­
sures become increasingly strong.
In summary, vigorous use of indirect controls involves
what might be termed an interesting paradox. On the one
hand, their vigorous use is essential if controls over prices
and wages are to attain maximum effectiveness; while
on the other, the more vigorously indirect controls are
used the less extensive and complex direct controls need
to be. The indirect controls, in turn, cannot achieve their
maximum effectiveness unless they are all used in con­
junction to restrict spending out of current income, out
of borrowed funds, and out of liquid assets.

INDEXES OF PACIFIC COAST WATERBORNE FOREIGN TRADE
with this issue, the Monthly Review indexes
will include monthly indexes of the tonnage of water­
borne exports and imports laden and unladen at the Pa­
cific Coast customs districts of San Diego, Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Oregon, and Washington. These customs
districts are all within the Twelfth Federal Reserve Dis­
trict, and account for the majority of foreign trade car­
ried on within the District. The foreign trade figures re­
late only to vessel shipments of commercial cargo, and the
original volume figures are in terms of gross tonnage—
thus including the weight of all containers, wrappings,
crates, and devices used to facilitate handling of heavy
cargo.
t a r t in g

S

Exports, as used in this index, include, in addition to
regular commercial exports, re-exports and all export
shipments by commercial vessels for United States for­
eign aid programs and for the use of United States Gov­
ernment agencies abroad (except the United States
armed forces). Imports are general imports unladen in
the Pacific Coast customs districts and include cargoes
destined for transshipment to other customs districts. The
index excludes inbound and outbound movements of
foreign goods in transit to other foreign countries, ship­




ments on Army or Navy transports and Department of
Defense controlled vessels carrying foreign aid and relief
shipments, trade between Pacific Coast ports and United
States territories and possessions, and shipments for the
use of United States armed forces abroad.
Prewar data for the index were taken from Report
295 of the United States Maritime Commission, Water­
borne Foreign and Domestic Commerce of the United
States.1 Postwar data for the years 1946 through 1949 are
from report FT 972 of the Bureau of the Census, Water­
borne Trade By United States Port. Current monthly
data are taken from unpublished Census Bureau machine
tabulation sheets, F T 352 and 752, of cargo laden and
unladen at United States ports. Necessary data for the
war years 1941 through 1945 are not available.
The coverage of the index has been confined to water­
borne foreign trade and physical volume for several rea­
sons. Technical considerations regarding the availability
and comparability of prewar and postwar value statistics
— e.g., differences in coverage by type of transportation
or by method of accreditation of exports and imports to
1 This report combines a small volume of military cargoes with the commer­
cial cargoes.

FEDERAL RESERVE B A N K OF SAN FRAN CISCO

6

IN D E X E S O F P A C IF IC C O A S T W A T E R B O R N E T R A D E Physical volume, 1929-49*
P e rce n t

January 1951

The dominance in Pacific Coast trade of certain low value
— high tonnage commodities, such as petroleum, lumber,
and cotton will cause changes in the volume of such car­
goes to exert a more than proportionate effect on the in­
dex than changes in the volume of high value— low ton­
nage products. In addition, although tonnage may not
change, the total value of trade may rise, even in the ab­
sence of price increases, because of a shift in the commod­
ity composition of either exports or imports. In this re­
gard, a physical volume index is defective because it fails
to take into account changes in the commodity composi­
tion of trade.
In general, Pacific Coast foreign trade since 1947 has
shown a declining trend in exports and a rising trend in
import volume, a movement similar to that evidenced by
United States exports and imports as a whole.
Starting with July 1950, statistics of export volume for
the Pacific Coast customs districts and the United States
exclude certain “ special category” shipments (that is, ex­
ports of strategic value) for national security reasons. No
data are currently published regarding total physical vol­
ume of such commodities exported, either for individual
customs districts or for the United States.1 As a result,
export volume will be understated by the amount of the
“ special category” shipments.

customs districts— prevent the use of a value standard.
Furthermore, the rapid rise of prices between the prewar
and postwar periods makes a comparison on value terms
alone of questionable value. Waterborne foreign trade
was chosen as the best indicator of foreign trade activity
along the Pacific Coast both because the major share of
Pacific Coast foreign trade is waterborne1 and because of
the availability of reliable statistics relating to waterborne
commerce. The use of vessel shipments by port of lading
and unlading is also a better measure of port activity than
port of final destination or origin, since it includes the sub­
stantial volume of goods handled by Pacific Coast dis­
tricts for transshipment to other customs districts.
However, care must be exercised in the interpretation
of an index based on tonnage alone, unweighted by value.
1This holds true even though San Diego and W ashington carry on a rather
extensive trade across the United States borders with M exico and Canada.




1 Total United States export releases include, however, a single value figure
for “ special category” exports, but do not show customs district of export
or foreign port of destination.

PU B LIC A T IO N O F TECHN ICAL S TU D Y

A Statistical Study o f R egulation V Loans, by Susan S. Burr
and Elizabeth B. Sette, is now ready for distribution at the offices
of the Board of Governors. Regulation V was an innovation in
war finance that enabled the commercial banking system to act
promptly in providing war producers with working capital during
World W ar II and thus lessened the need for direct Government
financing.
The present study, presenting more detailed statistics of Regu­
lation V loans than could be currently released while the program
was in operation, groups the data to show the main characteris­
tics of the lending program. The purpose is to record for future
use an experience gained under emergency pressure. The pam­
phlet may be purchased for 25 cents or 15 cents in group purchases
of 10 or more for single shipment. Orders should be sent to the
Division of Administrative Services, Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System, Washington 25, D. C.

January 1951

7

M O N TH LY REVIEW

BUSINESS INDEXES— TWELFTH DISTRICT1
(1935-39 average — 100)
In d u s t r ia l p ro d u ctio n (p h y sica l v o lu m e )2
Year
an d
m o n th

P e tro le u m 3
Lum ber

C ru d e

R e fin e d C e m e n t

Lead 3

W heat
C o p p e r3 flo u r3

W a te rb o rn e
T o ta l
C a r­
D e p ’t
fo re ign
m f ’g
Re ta il
lo a d in g s
store
tra d e 3»6»*
food
sales
E le c t r ic e m p lo y ­ ( n u m ­
m e n t4
ber)2
power
(va lu e )2 prices3»5 E x p o r t s Im p o r t s

1929________
1931________
1932________
1933________
1934________
1935________
1936________
1937________
1938________
1939________
1940________
1941________
1942________
1943________
1944________
1945________
1946________
1947________
1948________
1949________

148
77
46
62
67
83
106
113
88
110
120
142
141
137
136
109
130
147
159
151

129
83
78
76
77
92
94
105
110
99
98
102
110
125
137
144
139
147
149
147

127
90
84
81
81
91
98
105
103
103
103
110
116
135
151
160
148
159
162
167

110
74
48
54
70
68
117
112
92
114
124
164
194
160
128
131
165
193
211
202

171
104
75
75
79
89
100
118
96
97
112
113
118
104
93
81
73
98
107
103

160
75
33
26
36
57
98
135
88
122
144
163
188
192
171
137
109
163
153
140

106
101
89
88
95
94
96
99
96
107
103
103
104
115
119
132
128
133
116
104

83
82
73
73
79
85
96
105
102
112
122
136
167
214
231
219
219
256
284
303

1949
October___________
November _______
December_______

156
151
156

141
140
140

158
161
156

200
200
196

77
89
105

136
145
140

104
101
189

1950
January____
__
February _________
March__ _________
April_____ ______
M a y ____________
June___________
July ----- ----------August ________ _
September______
October__________
November________

129
141
160
174
207
181
184
186
176
187
167

140
139
138
138
140
142
142
145
148
153
154

161
157
151
159
162
170
170
178
177
177
179

178
179
201
217
240
244
245
251
248
252
229

123
118
122
125
131
118
86
95
103
104
111

168
164
169
172
181
172
167
177
175
177
195

104
91
91
87
95
105
113
112
105
99
97

’ ‘ 88
100
112
96
104
118
155
230
306
295
229
181
187
191
183

135
91
70
70
81
88
103
109
96
104
110
128
137
133
141
134
136
142
134
126

112
92
69
66
74
86
99
106
101
109
119
139
171
203
223
247
305
330
353
331

132.0
104.0
89.8
86.8
93.2
99.6
100.3
104.5
99.0
96.9
97.6
107.9
130.9
143.4
142.1
146.3
167.4
200.3
216.1
209.6

124
90
72
72
86
88
86
112
108
107
86

118
76
64
69
74
103
110
114
82
90
96

58
85
57
55

55
78
93
115

306
299
306

182
179
178

124
129
128

337
319
339

205.5
205.7
202.5

58
59
55

105
111
97

322
313
299
325
341
331
341
340
339
352
353

175
179
184
186
193r
194r
198r
204r
207r
209r
208

96
108
125
135
141
148
125
135
140
131
131

316
322
321
333
336
342
454
374
368
342
345

206.4
204.1
203.4
205.4
205.4
206.3
209.6
210.6
209.0
212.4
214.9

44
54
65
57
61
66
59
48p
58V

103
123
106
108
107
150
110
141p
135p
148p

BANKING AND CREDIT STATISTICS— TWELFTH DISTRICT
(amounts in millions of dollars)
C o n d itio n ite m s of all m e m b e r b a n k s 7
Y ear
an d
m o n th

Loans
U.S.
Dem and
d ep osits
an d
G o v ’t
d is c o u n t s s e c u r it ie s a d ju ste d 8

T o ta l
tim e
d ep osits

1929
1931
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950

2,239
1,898
1,486
1,469
1,537
1,682
1,871
1,869
1,967
2,130
2,451
2,170
2,106
2,254
2,663
4,068
5,358
6,032
5,925
7,110

495
547
720
1,064
1,275
1,334
1,270
1,323
1,450
1,482
1,738
3,630
6,235
8,263
10,450
8,426
7,247
6,366
7,016
6,381

1,234
984
951
1,201
1,389
1,791
1,740
1,781
1,983
2,390
2,893
4,356
5,998
6,950
8,203
8,821
8,922
8,655
8,536
9,254

1,790
1,727
1,609
1,875
2,064
2,101
2,187
2,221
2,267
2,360
2,425
2,609
3,226
4,144
5,211
5,797
6,006
6,087
6,255
6,251

1949
November
December

5,919
5,925

6,944
7,016

8,511
8,536

6,157
6,255

1950
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

5,901
5,893
5,946
5,914
6,005
6,034
6,162
6,418
6,664
6,810
6,963
7,110

7,123
6,999
6,923
6,896
6,932
6,905
6,810
6,699
6,495
6,452
6,319
6,381

8,620
8,311
8,167
8,307
8,354
8,289
8,458
8,627
8,754
8,871
9,018
9,254

6,244
6,262
6,303
6,282
6,275
6,315
6,250
6,210
6,213
6,239
6,194
6,251

Bank
rates on
short-term
b u sin e ss
lo a n s 9

M e m b e r b a n k reserves a n d related ite m s 10
Reserve
bank
cre d it11

_
+

C o in an d
C o m m e rc ia l T r e a su ry
cu rre n cy in
o p e ra tio n s12 o p e ra tio n s12 c ir c u la t io n 11

3.20
3.35

34
21
2
—
7
2
+
6
+
—
1
—
3
2
+
2
+
4
+
107
+
+ 214
98
+
76
9
+
302
17
+
13
+
38
+

0
- 154
- 110
- 198
- 163
- 227
90
- 240
- 192
- 148
- 596
-1,980
-3,751
-3,534
-3,743
-1,607
- 443
+ 472
- 931
-1,141

23
+
+ 154
+ 150
+ 257
+ 219
+ 454
+ 157
+ 276
+ 245
+ 420
+1 ,000
+2 ,826
+4 ,486
+4 ,483
+4 ,682
+1 ,329
+ 630
482
+ 378
,198
+1

—
3.16

+

12
40

+
+

21
32

+

3.36

—
+
—
+

3.37

—

48
5
2
28
14
10
3
2
62
56
24
48

+
-

92
34
223
126
199
23
149
102
45
93
21
80

+
—

3.29

+
—

3.38

+
+

_

+

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

_

Reserves

B a n k d e bits
index
31 citie s3»13
(1935-39=
100)2

_
_
_
-

6
48
18
4
14
38
3
20
31
96
227
613
708
789
545
326
206
209
65
13

175
147
185
242
287
479
549
565
584
754
930
1,232
1,462
1,706
2,033
2,094
2,202
2,420
1,924
2,075

146
97
63
72
87
102
111
98
102
110
134
165
211
237
260
298
326
355
350
395

2
30

_
-

16
8

1,854
1,924

349
376

5
7
204
106
170
32
169
125
72
150
42
131

_
+

62
10
16
4
8
5
0
18
9
10
3
4

1,892
1,848
1,842
1,821
1,802
1,836
1,858
1,863
1,893
1,930
1,983
2,075

354
360
374r
361r
371
389
382
421r
417
428
425
464

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

+
+
+
+
+
+
+

1 Adjusted for seasonal variation, except where indicated. Except for department store statistics, all indexes are based upon data from outside sources, as
follows: lumber, various lumber trade associations; petroleum, cement, copper, and lead, U.S. Bureau of Mines; wheat flour, U.S. Bureau of the Census;
electric power, Federal Power Commission; manufacturing employment, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and cooperating state agencies; retail food prices,
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; and carloadings, various railroads and railroad associations; foreign trade, U.S. Bureau of the Census.
2 Daily average.
8 Not adjusted for seasonal variation.
4 Excludes fish, fruit, and vegetable canning.
6 Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle indexes combined.
6 Commercial cargo only, in physical volume, for Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Oregon, and Washington customs districts; starting with July 1950,
“ special category” exports are excluded because of security reasons.
7 Annual figures are as of end of year, monthly figures as of last Wednesday in
month or, where applicable, as of call report date.
8 Demand deposits, excluding interbank and U.S. Gov’t deposits, less cash items in process of col­
lection. Monthly data partly estimated.
9 Average rates on loans made in five major cities during the first 15 days of the month.
io End of year
and end of month figures.
11 Changes from end of previous month or year.
12 Minus sign indicates flow of funds out of the District in the case of
commercial operations, and excess of receipts over disbursements in the case of Treasury^operations.
13 Debits to total deposit accounts, excluding inter­
bank deposits.
*Explanation of series appears in this issue.
p—preliminary.
r —revised.