The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-18
f The Manufacturers Permanent Exhibit Building at 1921 First Avenue


 1 90 cents. The clerk is credited with sales; over a certain amount monthly entities l her to an increase in pay. These sales must be kept account of, coming and going, in order to settle accurately. If 1 the girls were charged with lost time expended in making these fictitious sales they could not live.
 After reading so much in journals, I decided to see what was the matter in Birmingham, and I find she is in good style on the returned goods proposition, and the merchants here, as elsewhere, are grooming under the burden this spirit of accommodation has put upon them. Listen, ladies, and you will not wonder: Read the percentage of returns in each department each day, and you will ex- claim, Surely, this is not l, It must be some one else" The returns daily in suits amount to 10 per cent, in furniture 25 per cent, underwear 15 per cent, in- fants clothes 20 per cent, house dresses 20 per cent, draperies 171a per cent, junior garments % per cent shoes 15 per cent, rugs and carpets 2O1a per cent, glassware A per cent, boys clothing 12ia per cent. Now estimate the cost of wrapping, to say nothing of cord and paper, booking, delivery, etc., to the home, the careless handling after receiving, the damage to articles, then the process of returning, crediting, placing and then the disap- pointment of the SaleSwoman when she knows her work has been in vain. But above all, the danger to health in trans porting disease germs from Mrs. Smiths s to Mrs. Jones' home through the medium of goods sent out on trial Just looking at this from even a woman's standpoint, Is 1t fair to the shop; is it fair to our neighbors and certainly we are placing ir danger the girls in the stores?
 Are we going to use theory or sentiment always in our business? When we are in earnest to bring about all the good we can procure for others, will we not see the evil in bad buying habits?
 In reading a clipping from an adver- tisement on the return goods evil, we find the following story: "A lady took from our department store a child's outfit a dress and bonnet. It was kept two weeks before being returned. During these two weeks period a juvenile entertainment was given, and fiashlight of the leading participants was taken.
 This picture was reproduced in the newspapers. Our buyer suspected that possibly this little outfit had been used. and one of our bright assistants recalled having seen this child's photograph in the group spoken of. Upon closer in- spection it was learned that the little one at the time the f1ashlight was taken was wearing the outfit which was re- turned to us few days later.'
 Now this, without any intentional wrong, wrought an injustice to the mer- chant and he sustained loss ill the price of his "shopworn garments
 Fashion Week. gives me an opportunity to peep behind the screens in the shops. and I have asked some questions and gained much information that I hope will benefit shoppers and sellers alike. All changes seem radical, especially those af- fecting customs 50 years of age, but it would be dull and unprofitable world if it were not for progress and co-opera- ton. The merchant knows 1t is good business to be accommodating, and, too, it is his pleasure, but we must use bet ter judgment and know the facilities are limited.
 We may kill ourselves working for the vote, and we may get it before we die, but we will not know how to vote to change the conditions we are working for until we appreciate our power to remedy the existing evils we have today, with the means we have now. These are prac- tical problems, and need immediate at- tention, and lie solely in the hands of the women.
 When they wanted Thursday half holiday, with early closing Saturday rights, they got it; the merchants were glad to meet the situation; today I have presented you a problem. Can you meet it and use your influence to lessen the evil? When this loss is repaired there will be a greater opportunity for better wages. and cheaper price for the cus- tcmer. As it is. we are suffering from a malady of our own making.
 Shopping is an art, and few clerks do not realize the real purchaser, or care full spender. But the situation is simply this: We are preserving our own business in considering other folks interests. and when we lose sight of our neighbors well fare we are endangering our own. Our methods are creating greater cost to our selves, inconveniencing those who serve us and making waste and confusion. Ben- jamin Franklin said:
 "The best public measures are seldom adopted from previous wisdom, but forced by the occasion
 He that can hear reproof, and mend by it, if he is not wise, is in fair way nf hoiY