South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-09-01
SOUTH BEND DRY
GOODS MEN NOT
YET HIT BY WAR
Most Stores Are Stocked for
Month Ahead and See No
Immediate Prospect of war
Prices" to Come.
BY JOHN HENRY zUvER.

ter. and their purchases having been
made in advance OF The outbreak Of
the war. in the main. that South
Bend people VIII Doe wintered through
without price increases ON account of
the war, is assured hy the mere lants
themselves, in number of inter-
views secured today
An increase of prosperity appears
to be the outlook with all of them.
II the textile lines. especially, with
which they have 20 DEAL they seem TO
believe that the European war
marks the opening Of "a new era in
the United States. and that the future
VIII see more American made fabrics
used here than ever before
This store enters upon its saith
September with just as bright hopes
Of @ good winter season as it ever
did" says FL. w Eldredge manager
of Wymans- Look at the new
front that we are putting on. he
added. The war hasn't halted us i'm
the least in our preparations TO nam
die future business We have the
most Of our imported silks and prints
for the season in the basement and
what hasn't come we rather believe
will by the time we really need
them" Mr.. Eldredge displayed in
voices and letters to prove the receipt
of these imports and To justify his
expectations as 10 the future
Excuse FOR Scare All over.
You see this scare that was played
up in the headlines of the newspapers
the first week Of the war. has lost IFS
excuse ne says, though it was some
what justified at the time. He pro-
duCed a letter under date Aug. 6.
when the blockade of the seas was at
its height quite as pessmistic as the
newspapers were at the time making
no promise of import shipments. lt
was from the New York iObbers-
Since then. however the goods en-
quired about have crossed the Allan
tic and from New York to- South
Bend, being slowed away In the store
basement.
TIE incident goes to show that
commerce is moving. and. at least
from some European ports, goods
will be available unless conditions
change. and likewise exports viii be
possible. Rotterdam as "a neutral
port is serving as an outlet and inlet
for Germany. though shipments will
no doubt have 90 be made under neu-
trail flags. Toys for the Christmas
season is the only thing ordinarily
imported from Europe mat Wyman's
may have TO go without. An order
placed for German ma6s toys brings
the advice that of the 5000 men en-
UtUNtu al the blduls oritN nave ENlt
to war and the filling of the order,
and the shipment OF the goods, are
both problems
Demand VIII Include supply.
I'VE shall have TOYS just the same. ="
says Mr.. Eldredge. land it is imma-
terial TO us whether they are made
i'm Europe or the United States They
will. in all probability, be produced in
the United States. The demand VIII
induce the supply and this same con-
dition will prevail with regard TO
number OF things for which we have
heretofore depended upon Europe
Mr. EidTedge believes that the
genius Of the American pee le will
measure up to EuroPe's ina, ility to-
furnish the TOYS. diamond dives.
chemicals, etc which nave hereto
fore been considered incapable of
american production. I'VE will make
what we have to have for ourselves
and likewise what the Europeans
will have 10 have from us. ] cannot
help but believe that following a
brief readjustment the United States
Is going TO enter upon an era Of
prosperity seldom eQualed in its his
tory" he says
Expect Healthy Business.
The Ellsworth store reports BUSH
ness normal and looks for continued
healthy conditions during the fail
They have bought their usual amount
Of merchandise and were lucky to
have their buyers i'm the eastern mar
kets before war was declared so they
are in a position 10 take care of their
customers needs for the next six
months at old low prices by that
time they believe the situation viii
have cleared as the world must have
foodstuffs and manufactured goods
and American farmers and manufaC-
turers can supply them
"Our August business was 10 per
cent better than the same month last
year" SAYS George a. Robertson of
the Robertson Bros store I've are
retaining our usual force OF clerks
and expect TO have plenty for them 20
do. ard plenty of material on hand
for them 20 sell. our imported gloves
for the season are here: our supply of
foreign made handkercbiefs are i'm
bond. and our silks are reported com
ing Some imports may be stopped.
but their equivalent will be supplied
by American manufacturers who viii
measure up TO the situation as cir
cumstances require. The scarcity OF
foreign labor in foreign shops. due TO
the war. viii stimulate American in
dustry and while shipments from
Europe To this country may fall or
shipments from this country TO Eu-
rope and South America are bound
10 Increase"
Mr. Robertson points out from the
DRY Goods Economist. a trade paper
IN his line. that United States manu-
facturers in the textile line as for in
stance in Lawrence and Manchester.
the big American Centers. are plan
ming 10 increase their business along
entirely new lines. calculating 10 sup
ply a demand that has heretofore
come from Europe almost exclusively.
No War Prices as Yet.
Same as with Wyman's. Ellsworth's
and the other stores. Mr.. Robertson
announces no such thing as war
prices on anything at present in
stock. or on anything purchased IN
advance of wholesale war prices. This
means old prices on everything for
approximately six months to come
I'VE have everything I'm tow that
We need for the winter" SAYS T. II.
Brandon. secretary and general man
agcr Of the Brandon -Durrell Co.