The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-30
WAR SPURS DESIGNERS TO
REALIZATION OF POWER
Lack of Identity of American Makers of Gowns in
Minds of Women Is Responsible
for Paris Label.

uncertain in delivery. Foreign supplies
of silk. cotton. woollen and linen fabrics
are all the time more limited and less
available for practical service to Amer
lean trade. Domestic mills are hampercd
by scarcity Of dvestuffs and unreliable
quality of much of the limited available
supply.
Such a condition IL at once a test and
an opportunity for American m,nufac-
turcrs In woinen's wear and allied lines.
II puts suuaiely up to them the task OF
supplying American women this year
with attractive clothes Of good quality
despite high prices of materials and of
labor. That they will as a body accom-
plish their task successfully no one
doubts who knows the enterprise and
manufacturing initiative of these re-
markablc trades.
The uncertain element in the situation
is the cooperation the manufacturing
trades will receive from the great body
of retail merchants trough whom their
products are distributed American mcr-
chants have been educated by bitter
experience to the necessity of keep
ing stocks low and constantly moving.
In womcn's wear lines this policy has
been favored during "A period Of years
hy market conditions. Where 50 many
manufacturers we're competing for a
stores business there was little reason
for the stores m~crchindlsers to buy
much in advance or in any quantity.
Womcn's wear stocks properly handled
are the most profitable in the retail
store. Improperly handled. they can
quickly bring losses To- wipe out a years
profits. or even put q business into bank
ruptcy. Proper handling, iu the opinion
Of many merchants. has orme to signify
buying little and often The achieve
ments of some merchants in this dircc-
ton have been nothing short uf marvel
lous. Retail "~turnovers' of hundreds OF
thousands uf dollars "A year In particular
stocks have been achieved ~ average
stock Investments incredibly low Sow
the retail merchant. l'kc the ranufac-
turer. faces changed market conditions.
The question is. therefore, TO what cN-
tent will the buying policy OF merchants
he altered to ince; thcs" new coudi-
lions.
VIII merchants still refuse to aniici-
| pate their needs and take the stand that
among SO mauy manufacturers Of
women's wear there will always he some
to supply merchandise out of stock or
ut shortest notice?
Unauestionably there Is usually mer-
chandise of a sort to he found always
n so vast a market. Hu; the demand
If American woin. Is uoticcably tend
ing toward better a%ulltv. N,nufac.
| ,urcrs who produce the NOR. reliable
! nutnu, I'm wom.n's wear of the various
grades viii not this wear lie. disposad
10 take all the risks R.,liziur their
own situation. with prices mounting and
materials uncertain. manufacturers will
insist more generally ~ orders placed
I sufficiently In advance to permit ero-
uonlcal production and viii a, IN.
same tim. he loss inclined To accent nm
warranted returns cancellations and dis.
! counts,
II f.. nrob,bly not nu,,iur IN. matter
,oo strongly tn Say thar tho general
,.sul,s of IN. business Of 1,ts In inc
vom.p's v,ar trade viii d.rend chiefly
-, ,h. manner In which merchants and
r,,urn.tur.rs r,.nruizirr ,b,up,d con-
di,,,,s vn,k ir ,,,s,r,hl. ,,r..u,n,
f., su,,iy IN. .,tJ.rftv ir~.r.,si,g 10.