Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-25
SHORT DRESSES HELP
WAR ADVANCE PRICES.
OPINION OF SHOE MEN
Styles Make Footwear Taller,
Requiring More Leather, as
Supply Dwindles-British
Embargo Has Effect
RUSSIA YES LITTLE
Shoes will be higher.

T. Shoes will be higher
Either there are too many women wear
ing too many shoes in the United States or
there are not goats enough I'm Europe or
calves enough in Russia to go around
Such at least was the tenor Of the dis.
cussions at a conference OF manufacturers.
wholesalers and retailers of shoes and tan.
ners and distributors of hides and leather
IN the assembly room of the Chamber of
Commerce in the Widener Building today.
The principal object of the conference
was to discuss the rapidly increasing prices
oil shoes and shoe materials and to adopt
some concerted plan of action to keep down
the price
caution and conservatism I'm purcha sing
Tor the future were urged on retailer,
wholesaler, manufacturer and tanner alike,
on account of the chaotic condition of the
market and the absence of absolute definite
information as to the amount of raw mate.
rails in the warning countries of F,urone
especially Russia, which i'm normal times
supplies from 40 to so per cent of the raw
product.
LITTLE COMING IN.
II was brought out that no supplv of
raw material Is coming from the Central
Empires, that there is mild embargo on
material from Great Britain and countries
like India and Arabia, controlled by Great
material from France, but doubt exists as
to whether there are large stocks of hides
accumulating in Russia, or whether they
have been used for military purposes. such
as lining soldiers great coats That there
are large quantities of hides in Russia
seemed to be the general opinion. and that
the difficulty lies in getting them transported
from the interior to the only port of ship
ment, Nladivostok, from which they could
be sately shipped to the United States, was
asserted. 1t also appears that number
of tanners in this country have actually
bought and paid for large quantities Of
hides in Russia, which they cannot get out
of that country
A committee consisting of two members
from each of the branches of the business
represented at the meeting was appointed
to consider the advisability of formulating
resolutions and accommodating the ap-
pointment of committee to present the
situation to Congress- and the State Depart
ment at Washington so that by diplomatic
means pressure could be brought to bear
on Russia to relieve conditions as far as
possible.
SHOES UP 35 PER CENT.
In the last year the prices of shoes have
advanced from 10 to rs per cent and, ac-
cordtng' to manufacturers, the increase will
keep right on. 1t will be lessened they
say, If Congress and the State Department
take the necessary action. Calf skins
which cost for many years before the war
II cents, now cost 10 cents and the increase
has been greater in the larger sizes
Not only is the war affecting the present
high prices of Shoes but the general pros
perity among the working classes who are
making more money than they ever did
and are freely spending it. so that women
who had formerly two pairs of shoes now
have four or five pairs and in many cases
they are of different colors
The fashionable short skirts for women