The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-11-21
IARCE BOARD
'0f COMMERCE IS
! TOO OFFICIOUS
, some Members in Retail Bust
ness Resent Activities for
Early Closing
BOARDS ATTITUDE,
THEY SAY, is UNFAIR
r
Their Charge of Loss of Bust
ness Is Not Agreed to, How
ever, by Early Closer.

Some members Of the Detroit Board
OF Commerce who are engaged in re-
tail business, have taken exception TO
the activities OF the organization. as
= whole, In its leadership OF the Satur-
day evening closing movement. Aside
from any question OF the merits OF
the movement itself. they resent what
they term the ofIiciousness OF an or
kknixarion OF which they are members
81 presuming to indorse rules for the
conduct or their individual businesses
which are not enforceable upon all
- their competitors. A few or the
stores which were closing at s o'clock
Oh Saturdays during the summer, are
u6w open.
aX THE men who chiefly are respN1-
aihle for this movement are not inter
G9fed In retail trade" declared p. J.
fchmidt, shoe dealer. Thursday. They
ne mixing In something about the
faal significance OF which they have
f6t the least conception.
81 am In favor Of early Saturday
cIosing II you can get everybody 10
follow It. But when you cannot do
hat, Il Is unreasonable to expect Il
~ any given individual Those who
& rs ahead and do it--well, l call them
heroes. But they may wake up some
Ame and find themselves without the
Nherewithal to pay the rent. We
closed for q month In the summer.
but found that II would cost us $1,000
worth of trade week to continue
doing so.
I# ut was a mistake to carry on the
campaign by trying to get all the
1own-town men into line TO the neg
<ect OF the smaller dealers In the resi-
initial sections. They are happy
S0k. OF course, and are doing larger
Business among the working people.
II that sort Of thing were carried on,
w should ind rents falling In the
own-town business section. which Is
he progressive part that makes the
2ify what II IL. Men would begin
hoying TO the outskirts where they
kould not be subject TO the unequal
fe4triction."
Some ether merchants, several OF
Hhom are closing their stores Satnr-
Nv evenings still. are saying similar
1y0X0. r.. w. D8umBdItuc "a ehO
Banmgartner Fashion Shop. says that
" movement has proven a loss to MS
i'm OF $4,000 In business.
j, I'VE went into the matter as an ex'
!: 6rIment OF our own, and probably
f1I continue in the summer months.
u said. 'Doing 80 the year around
An altogether different proposition.
"a believe that the working class as
\ whole IL entitled to some considera-
Ion az well as the few who are work
~ for us. They do not object to 1t
Ia It Is no hardship on us to keep
:Dpen few hours extra once a week
<8 IL J. Hickey. Of the F. ]. Hickey
lC6. taxes q different view OF the stu
&xion. He told The Times that Tor
sfto few stores which are reopening
saturday nights more are Joining the
1oovement for closing.
~ do not believe" he said, that
thooe stores would lose nearly 90
mach as their owners believe. AS far
" my experience goes. the customers
Mo formerly came in Saturday nights
NV and time TO do their shopping
1ome time during the week. they DO
vet appear to be buy any less"