Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-20
EASIER HOURS3RR0M|sED
. SHOP GIRLS \ RICHMOND
hroad Street Millhery, Department
and Dry Goods Stores Decide
3 to Close EARLY"
sWILE HFACILITArE DELIVERY
Fairly Closing" Movement Has
Gained Greater Foothold In Rich
- mond This Ycw Than Ever BE.
2; iore-Will Not Sc Open ut Night.

3 shopg iris in stors on Broad Street
will not labor ate hours" nor work
lover time" during ilic Christmas hoIi-
days, for mllincry,dry goods and de-
spart'ncnt stores employing female
clerks have agrccdto close at 6 O'Clock
iduring the holiday season. This nc
Htion has been talan in order that
, sales people. the dlivcry forces. driv-
scrs and horses ma get sufficient rest
2Huring the busy siison and to facili-
tate the prompt tllivcry Of packages
a Much has been preached and writ
stcn about tho oVrworked shopgirls
during the Christmas holidays, and
SNcar after year tie leading stores of
lIchmond have gradually shortened
the hours For long time many of
tho Richmond stoes have closed early
during the holidR season. but this
ayeHr the early Using movement has
gained greater fothold than ever be-
+ fore.
9BELIEvE PUBLE
ilvIi.I. co-orEnATE
Merchants belize that the public.
ESPECIALLY those who have agitatcd
shorter hours 70 store employees, will
now show INTERPRETATION Of the
carly closing mGcmcnt by shopping
early. for the sbres will not be open
At night duringChristnns.
Despite the gDomy walls OF calam
Hy howlers ab0t hard times and
sinonetnry strinency. w. \. Clarke. Jr.,
secretary OF tht Retail Merchants AS
sociatiuI. who II IN close touch with
tho leading mcchants Of Richmond,
said last nightthat merchants all re-
port large sale and good times gen
orally. Many of the merchants say
that their sails have been even bet
ter this year han during the holiday
season last YER said Mr.. Clarke last
night II hav talked with nearly all
of them pcrsOally, and they all say
that sales haf been large during the
season approaching. the holidays. Many
of them havetold me that their sales
this year wei better than they werc
during the s,sie period last year
workers ! the various stores or
Richmond wo desire TO visit their
homes or spnd Christmas with :heir
families. vii be allowed TO do so in
practically crry instance. according to
Sir Clarke. Newspaper reporters VIII
be cheated at of some stirring sob
stories ii rtrchan;s arc ~ kindly TO
their employs ns there is every indi-
cation now hat they will he.
,RICHMONDIN FRONT RANK
- AMONG EARLY CLOSERS
3 The manf,cr OF "A local "Fivc-and-
ron cent Spre" told Mr. Clarke last
night that that establishment, Will
close early during the Christmas hol-
ridnys or nc many establishments Of
THIS conccn that dot the country, the
manager It'd MIR. Clarke that only two
of their Establishments, the store here
land tho Of. At Washington. would oh
serve thc''early" closing hours. The
manager hid that in cities where their
,a,orcs wire kept open until late at
might tw shifts" OF employees were
iWorked
) asked what Richmond merchants
sthoughtb f the decision OF the Inter
state CCnmercc Commission n grant
ing anf:ncrcasc In freight rates to
observation-disclosures. Mr.. Clarke said they
were al enthusiastic over IT, and
tcemc,ito think that II Will mean bet
Tor tires and general prosperity for
both clippers and carriers. MI q:
the Merchants that have talked
wi'h."'said Secretary Clarke. seem TO
.ihinkth II viii mean Increased husi-
ness And better times all round"