Gilpin observer., 1912-10-17
Footwear of United States
Standard for Universe.
Backward Evolution In Foot Covering
Puts the Wearer Behind tho An
clients In Walking Ability
Has Many Defects.

New York.-Everybod wears shoes
at least one size too small 1t is as
serted. and with toes too narrow.
This gives room for only the great toe
to grow and perform its functions.
but congresses the other toes until
the smallest one is a mere scrap The
foot Of man should spread like an ami
mails paw with every step he takes.
This is impossible in a shoe which
''fits" the foot
Walter c. Taylor. editor-in-chief OF
the Boot and Shoe Recorder. says:
The greatest waste in shoe buying
is ooe for which the consumer HIM
self iN largely responsible 1t comes
through the buying OF shoes which
are poorly fitted"
We not only wear our shoes TOO
small and our heels too high. but we
allow fashion to influence us. and
there is a. constant demand for
change in style and material: a de-
mand which the manufacturers supply
abundantly." Mr.. Taylor says that II
would be worth millions to the trade
and TO the consumer II this could be
righted by a common sense view of
our foot covering or course the
women are blamed for the greater
part OF this extravaganza for a, dainty
foot has long been considered much
to be desired Gradually shoes have
developed into things OF beauty mere
iy and we buy them with the thought
OF their appearance and not OF their
use In fact, Americans. as a rule.
do not expect to walk great distances.
II seems that the development OF
the shoemaker's art Is In inverse ratio
to the development OF the foot. for
here IN America our feet are notori-
ousiy undeveloped and yet America
leads the world In the making of
shoes Almost everything else IN the
way OF wearing apparel depends more
or less on foreign importations but
America influences the shoe styles
of England, Germany and France. and
American methods are standard for
the world
American supremacy In shoemaking
10 due largely to specialization.
Abroad an operative does half a
dozen different things; here he per-
forms one simple process and here
also one factory makes one kind OF
shoes II a large manufacturer makes
different kinds OF shoes he has a
separate factory for each kind
What a sight the modern shoe fac
tory would be to the primitive shoe
raker OF colonial days, who was an
itlnerant workman. carried his tools
with him and stayed with each FAMILY
long enough to make up the farmers
supply OF home tanned leather into
shoes enough to last until his next
annual visit His last was roughly
Whitfield out or "a piece OF wood to
suit the largest foot In the family
and then pared down for the success
sive sizes. He sat on low bench
one END OF which was divided into
compartments where his avis. ham.
mers. knives and rasps were kept
with his pots or paste ana backing
his pals. thread. Innings and buttons
shoulder sticks" and rub sticks"
With all or our wonderful machin.
cry we produce shoes which are not
30 good for our feet. as the most prim
tive and simplest OF foot coverings
the sandal which Is considered ideal
by those who appreciate the beauty OF
tho human foot and wish to preserve
It. The sandal was worn by the an.
cient Egyptians and Greeks and the
shoes" OF the Bible were sandals
The same type IL still worn by the
peoples OF Central Asia. India, Japan
and China.
The Indian moccasin. which extends
over the top Of the foot but has tho
sole and main part In one piece. 10