Evening journal., 1911-09-08
DOUGLAS SHOE
MEN AT LUNCHEON
travelling Statesmen Soon to
Invade Every State In
the Union

BOSTON, Mass, Sept. S--Mexico and
Canada, as well as every State in the
Union, will within a few days be III
vaded by a small army Of men trained
in the art of selling Brockton shoes.
They will carry samples Of the best of
the diversified output Of the W. l..
Douglas Shoe Company factories, and
they will know how to talk about them.
for they have been spending a week
at the factory at Brockton watching
the process of manufacture and gath
ering points from the heads of the
various departments. Twice a year the
selling staff of the Douglas Shoe Com
pany gathers at the factory The clos
ing event was spent at luncheon ten
dered the statesmen of the w. l.. Doug
las Shoe Company, at which time the
new samples which they will carry
with them for the spring trade were
inspected.
Speaks to Statesmen.
w. l.. Douglas, president of the w.
l.. Douglas Shoe Company, spoke 10
the statesmen, as follows:
THE outlook In the shoe trade IS
such that / decided to call you travel
ing statesmen together. some OF whom
/ am pleased to say, have been with me
upward OF twenty years, 80 that we
may exchange ideas that will be bene-
ficial to all of US
Conditions confronting the manu-
facturer Of shoes today are much more
difficult than at any time since | start
ed this business thirty-fve years ago.
Recently dealers and others have been
led to believe that shoes and footwear
generally would be cheaper, and for
this reason dealers have been buying
short in some instances. have given a
great deal of attention TO this matter
and can say that, in my belief there
is no prospect whatever that the prices
OF shoes will be lowered; in fact, had
not the duty been taken off cattle
hides, which applies principally to
sole-leather, the price of shoes would
now be higher
"The cause of this lies in the prices
Of leather The worlds supply OF hides
is short and growing shorter The tan
neries of the country have very largely
curtailed their production and many of
them are closed down altogether and
even now the demand for hides is so
great that the tanners are contracting
for hides that are still on the backs
OF the cattle. On the other hand the
demand for shoes is growing larger all
the time, and Il ought not to be diff
flcult to see that under these condi-
tions prices Of feathers cannot go low
er.
Right of the Public.
"The best way to overcome these
conditions, as ] see them, is TO give to
the public as high grades of shoes for
the money as possible. They certainly
have the right to expect style, fit COM
fort and especially quality. The line Of
samples spread here before you meets
all of these conditions I'm the fullest
degree I have always employed the
very best experts IN the shoe trade,
and l unhesitatingly pronounce. their
work Of this season, as shown In this
line of samples. TO be the very best
that l have ever seen in my factory
and / know. when / say this, that
voice your sentiments as well as my
own"
other addresses we're delivered by
c. f. Richmond, vice president; II. L.
4 Tinkham, treasurer; F.. l.. Erskine
advertising manager; A. r. Sweetser,
manager Of collections and credits,
and d. W Packard manager of the
Douglas retail stores.
The members of the selling force
present were l.. o. Hoag, Nj. A. Lease,
George r Brand, II NJ Dearborn. +.
A. Delaney. Charles r. Fowler G. II
Glidden, Charles Heimbrodt, A. II.
Hoffman, M. M Johnson. c. II. Kirk
endall, r. -. Kirkendail, T. l.. Ken
dali, T. j, Kennard, Paul Kennard, Z.
II Lambert, o. W. Myers, r. r. Myers,
w. H. Parks, e. l.. Ritson, Fred Ro-
walt, Charles Pearson. H. j. Skeffng-
ton, 70. II. Smith, r. W Timson, Chas.
Won Frank, M. II. Wadsworth. r. G..
Hinkley, E. A Young, Kent Whippie,
Roland Hall and l.. Harry Hoag.