Daily public ledger., 1912-10-19
Footwear of United States
Standard for Universe.
Backward Evolution In Foot Covering
Puts the Wearer Behind the An
clients In Walking Ability
Has Many Defects.

New York.-Everybody 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 it's 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 G. Taylor, editor-in-chiet Of
the Boot and Shoe Recorder, says:
THE greatest waste in shoe buying
Is one for which the consumer him
self is 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 constant demand for
change In style and material; a de-
mand which the manufacturers supply
abundantly." Mr.. Taylor says that 1t
would be worth millions to the trade
righted by a common sense view OF
our foot covering. OF 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
ly and we buy them with the thought
Of their appearance and not OF their
use. In fact, Americans, as a rule,
do not expect 10 walk great distances.
IL 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.
ously 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
is 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 large manufacturer makes
different kinds OF shoes he has q
separate factory for each kind.
What sight the modern shoe fac
tory would be TO the primitive shoe
maker OF colonial days, who was an
itinerant workman, carried his tools
with him and stayed with each family
long enough TO make up the farmers
supply OF homo tanned leather into
shoes enough to last until his next
annual visit. His last was roughly
whitfield out OF a piece of wood 10
suit the largest foot in the family,
and then pared down for the success
sive sizes. He sat on a low bench.
one end OF which was divided into
compartments where his avis. ham
rners. knives and rasps were kept.
with his pots OF paste and backing.
hts pals. Shread. Innings and buttons.
shoulder sticks" and rub sticks"
With al OF our wonderful machin-
cry we produce shoes which are not
30 good Tor our feet. as the most prim-
tive aId simplest OF foot coverings.
the sandal. which Is considered ideal
by those who appreciate the beauty OF
the huraan foot and wish to preserve
IT, The sandal was worn by the an.
cient Egyptians and Greeks and the
shoes" OF the Bible we're sandals
The same type IL still worn by the
peoples of Central Asia. India. japan
and China.
The Indian moccasin. which extends
over tho top OF the foot. but has the
sole ana main part in one piece. is