The Washington times., 1916-12-18
OLD WOODEN SHOE
NOW Is PROSPECT
Mans Station In Life Soon May
30 Judged by Shine He
Wears.
LEATHER PRICE NEAR SKY
Clocks, Too. Arc Como and Sub
stituso Likely for Foot =.
Covering.
LEATHER PRICE NEAR SKY

Along with other articles which
have Joined the flight skyward In
price since the beginning OF the Eu
ropcan war. are shoes. so serious has
become the outioois, that nome have
joxingiy prophesied a barefoot nation
with the next few years. and others
have seriously stated that wooden
shoes will become a common sight on
the feet Of the now leather shod pub
lie.
VIII show His station.
II even has been prophesisd that
man will DO judged blythe shoes no
wears. II he 10 seen with a pair OF
rough looking. non-shinabie shocs,
people will know that he IL a prac-
teal economist Men wearing cloth
top shoes win be Jotted down as
promising persons, while the fortu.
nate being who wears leather tops
and. leather bottoms on the boots with
which he outfits his pedal extremities.
will be respected and looked. up to as
man who made his mark In the
work and Sc, |, on his feet ~.
ficer OF the Washington Retail Shoe
Merchsnts' Association. the price nj
leather at present, and tho outlook for
tho low price Of shoes In the future.
" uftuf bpcCtaCic.
War II the Cause.
Provided the war keeps on. The war
u the cause nrst and last for the
skoot skyward OF shoes. American
shoes were made before the var from
American tannaEe OF imported skins.
The Imported skins formed 90 per
cent OF the total amount used.
Then along came the war. FIFTY
psr cent Of the Imported Dkins being
FOUND IN aenS msrh . ~, ts.p w nsqs
IN Europe. and Immediately began
shipping there. England. u In said,
and other countries now ct war. went
straight TO South America and thore
opened contracts with the hide pro-
American leather manufacturers
opened their eyes one fne day and
found that rot only had half thsit
supply been stepped but part Of the
shipped abroad. and there was no
leather TO be bought from South
America. a great leather producing, or
rahsr hide producing, country.
rysslsa fer Leather Mes.
Ana this problem now confronts
leather merchants. shoe tnanufactur.
era. wholesale and retail dealers. One
that shoes sold nov for $3.50 were
no no bs,, .n than those he formerly sold
Retail prices will not advance again
until spring. The mer chants who
have looked ahead. will not advances
their supply for the spring VIII ssk
only fair proht. IL was said, But
= stock for half a year In advance.
Those merchants who have put In
their supply for tho spring VIII SIX
only q fair pront, Z ives said. Hut
woe 20 the dealer who hasn't looked
ahead He VIII have hard time even
getting shoes to sell
Peace 10 Briss Little Relief
Little imm.dlsts, relief Ia expected.
even should the war be stopped.
One MERCHANT stated that shoes
which could be bought for ~ before
price for some time, even .houid the
war stop. Raw materials have been
completely exhausted, 4 10 said, and
the whole business viii need some
'% Rst :. a. cr s en- K! Ha.ss.n p.OD. be.
COPING n barsfooted nation. that's
too far In advance 10 predict serious
", II was stated. shoes can be made
from canvas, and cioth'top shoes are
But what probably would stand In
the way OF this more than anything
else II the fact that Shoes may be
made from eowhides.
Al present the majority. OF shoes
are manufactured from Kid or calf
leather, cowhides, split In three lay
GRE. make very good shoes, Il Il said.
rhsy sre dursble and strong, the only
trouble being that they don't shin'
a. prettIiy as others, and look rathe'
'0ss S. a. tn. war keep. going. man
may be Judged BY The. "shiLe" he