<ARTICLE>                                       6
<LEGEND>
     (A) This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from
         the Consolidated Statement of Financial Condition at September 30, 1997
         (unaudited) and the Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year 
         ended September 30, 1997 (unaudited) and is qualified in its entirety
         by reference to such financial statements. 
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0000017313                       
<NAME> Capital Southwest Corporation                       
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1
<CURRENCY>                                     US Dollars
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              MAR-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 APR-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                1
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<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                      39,053,877
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          49,592,680
<EQUALIZATION>                                 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                      753,410
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                       0
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        6,550
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    0
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<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                           (.20)
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