The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1912-11-25
SHOP EARLY IS
MERCHANTS APPEAL
Clerks Need Rest, Service Is
Better, Selection More
Varied, Is Plea.
MEANS HAPPY XMAS
Great Army of Clerks Forced
TO Think of Xmas as a
Hateful Season.

nc ANNUAL appeal OF mSfCuduts 10
their patrons to do Christmas shopping
early is being made. For the past
twenty-five years. according to a prom
inent merchant the people have ignor-
ed the request of the merchants in
this respect.
Hundreds of workers in this city
have been taught the bitter lesson OF
looking forward to Christmas with
dread. Every shop-girl knows that the
coming Christmas season will mean TO
her an immense amount of work. OF
nervous strain and exhaustion.
The great army OF workers whom
you do not see-the bundle wrappers.
drivers and errand boys-look forward
to Christmas as the hateful time OF
undeserved effort and hardship.
Dread Christmas.
For the past few years. since the de-
velopment oil the traction cars and
the coming of the automobile. stores
are always crowded just before Christ
mas by persons in a mad effort to pur-
chase goods.
Formerly the country people living
within a radius of fifteen miles OF
Richmond came to the city early in the
morning to do their shopping during
the early hours of the day so that they
could go home during the afternoon.
Now since the people have such easy
access they let the matter go until
~ h,x
third more help than necessary during
the morning hours. and could use fifty
percent more in the afternoon. IL ev-
cry merchant of the city employed as
much help through out the day as he
actually needs during the afternoon
he would go bankrupt.
The woman's club of Indianapolis
has asked the merchants to have the
stores closed during the holidays. The
laboring man would have no opportu-
nifty to do Christmas shopping is the
argument against this movement by
local merchants.
Clerks Are Over~orked.
All clerks in department stores of
this city dread the approach of the
holidays because of the work which
| will be forced upon them" said
merchant The long hours of the clerk
should be considered. From Z o'clock
until 1890 at night is too hard. and
We merchants make the appeal to you
out of. common decency to humanity
rather than for a personal gain 10
shop early"
The merchants report that the wom-
H. ~ -
hours and who are always complaining
on poor service are generally the ones
who could shop early but do not do so.
If the people will shop early this year
they will be better satisfied. the clerks
will be grateful and the merchants will
make a better showing. is the conclu-
sion Of merchants seen today.
Apply Golden Rule.
I'm planning a merry Christmas for
your friends do not let 1t mean a mis-
cradle Christmas to those less fortu-
nate than YOU" said another mer-
chant A day with very little unset
fishness on your part will greatly
tighten the burden of these working
people. Merely do your Christmas
shopping early-early in the month
and early in the day. BY so doing you
will not only relieve the shop girls and
errand boys of the necessity of serv-
| ing you at the last moment. but you
| viii escape the annoyance of finding
that the very gifts you most desire
have already been sold.
Garry this message on to your
friends and let them see how much a
little prompt action on their part will
mean to a great many people less for
tunate than they.
when you are making your Christ
mas plans. do not forget the patient
workers in the shops. II may help
you to help them II you will remember
these words:
Inasmuch as ye have done IL unto
one OF the least of these my brethren.
ye have done 1T unto Me-"