Word: sprees
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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There were several important differences between August's rush and September's. Last month's shopping spree was touched off by the Government's embargo on silk for women's stockings and panties (TIME, Aug. 18). It spread to a score of goods and gadgets which householders feared might soon be cut off by the war. Sales of electrical appliances rose 129% over August 1940-neck & neck with the jump of 134% in hosiery. Refrigerator sales leaped 121%. Piano sales went up 58%. . . . September came, and August's boom petered...
Meanwhile housewives-especially farmers' wives-kept up a buying spree (see chart} that sent last month's retail sales to an all-time high...
...this strange spree, most Chicago spudmen credited the Government's own bulletin (Demand & Price Situation), which predicted: "somewhat higher prices this winter." Potatoes were in a cheerful statistical position anyway. This year's harvest will be 374,000,000 bushels, 24,000,000 below last year, with demand way up. (Not only are Army and Navy big buyers, but canned or dehydrated spuds soon may go to Britain.) Also entrancing to speculators was another fact: there is no such thing as a potato carryover. Since potatoes cannot long be stored, each year's harvest must be eaten...
...Spree. In Detroit, a man confessed to breaking into 13 confectioneries to stuff himself with fancy desserts. He spent three hours in one place "just mixing myself banana splits, sundaes, and other refreshments...
...must to all streaks, an end came at last to Joe Di Maggio's batting spree. In a night game in Cleveland's vast Municipal Stadium, just two months and two days after starting the longest batting streak in the history of major-league baseball, Joe went hitless...