Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-29

RTEVER in the history of business
" activity in Los Angeles have the
4 stores displayed such a fine line OF
goods at such reasonable prices as today.
The advertising columns of The Herald
show some of the rare bargains to be OBJ
tanned in a few hours shopping. Why
not shop now?
The early shopping movement is al
most universal. Late Christmas shopping
has always borne heavily on the health,
strength and energy of the store en-
ployes. In many instances the workers
behind the counters have been so bur-
dened during the last days before Christ
mas that the holidays have brought them
no joy.
From the women and children who
work in the department stores to the
drivers of wagons and their boy helpers
as we'll as to the thousands of factory
workers who are compelled to meet the
inevitable rush just before Christmas the
cry of "Shop early" which has been
taken up by some of the most prominent
citizens, will some as a great aid to re-
lieve the great strain Of the holiday
season.
Under the auspices of the charities pub
lication committee of New York letter
urging early Christmas shopping in order
to save the health and strength of em-
ployes is being sent out to the heads of
$500 women's clubs throughout the ceun-
try as we'll as to department stores and
to the newspapers of the country. The
members of the publication committee
comprise the following: Robert W. de
Forest New York, chairman; Miss Jane
Adams, Mrs. Raymond Robins and Gra-
ham Taylor, Chicago; Robert S. Brew
ster, william Guggenheim, William e.
Harmon, Jacob A. Riis, Frank Tucker,
Edward T. Devine and John NJ. Glenn,
New York; Arthur F. Estabrook, John f.
Moors, Robert Treat Paine and Joseph
Lee. Boston, and S. w. Woodward, WASH
ington.
Edward r. Devine. editor of Charities
and the Commons, has also added per-
sonal appeal to the circular letter. in
which he declares that the American peo-
ple will do kind and thoughtful things II
they are reminded when and how to do
them. The circular letter sent out is as
follows:
''will you join in a movement on a
national scale to modify the hardships
incident to holiday shopping?
Observation might show many Of US
that Christmas is a time Of hardship for
those who have to do with supplying the
needs OF Christmas shoppers. Authentic
records from the lives of clerks, delivery
poys and drivers of wagons show that,
while we are keeping the Christmas fes-
tival, while we are feeding the lame and
halt, the blind and friendless, we are
lightly reducing to illness and exhaustion
the young and strong and faithful who
serve us, seen and unseen.
Every year the celebration of Christ
mas grows more elaborate. More pres
ents are bought: the crowds are greater;
the decorations are more splendid The
problems of the merchants are cores
pondingly more complex; the supply has
to be increased; the pressure at every
point intensifies. On the one hand. pub
tic opinion disapproves long hours and
late work. particularly for young women.
girls and children. On the other hand,
merely through thoughtlessness. many
shoppers defer their purchases until the
last possible moment at the cost of un-
necessary strain upon salespeople and
delivery forces.
by joint effort of editors and