The Washington times., 1916-10-05
Marked lump Is Expected BY
Washington Merchants on
New Spring Supply.
LEATHER MAKES BIG JUMP
Prices Are Discussed BY Shoe
Retailers Associations -
| Export Greatly Increased.

That there will be a further marked
advance In the price of shoes during the
next six months was the opinion ex-
pressed today by number OF Washing
tons leading shoe merchants.
Because of the abnormal consumption
OF leather incident to the European war.
prices have been steadily advancing dur
ing the last eight months, II Is stated.
but the consumer has not yet felt the
full burden of this increase because
dealers buy their shoes for delivery from
six to eight months in advance. and
have bene able to stave off a material
advance in prices. The time has come.
however. they say, when retail prices
must either he advanced or the dealers
must cell shoes at n loss.
Stocks of shoes now on sale in Wash
ington stores were purchased early last
spring, and while the wholesale prices
at that time were from 10 to % per
cent above normal. since then they have
advanced so that purchases for next
sp:ing's stocks are now being made are
at advances ranging from 20 to as high
az 80 per cent In some instances.
Jump by Spring.
SHOES We sold last winter at IS we
are compelled TO ask Sc for today" said
ono of Washington's biggest shoe deal
ers. ana 1t now looks as II this same
shoe would be selling for 81 by next
spring"
another dealer said that shoes bought
last spl Ing which arc now retailing at
from 50 to 81. would sell for from 81 to
- II th' &c months.
I'VE simply can't get these shoes
now ct anywhere near the price paid
E,N months ago." he said. I'VE are
Fcl,ilE them at price based on whole
Ealc cost six months ago. When this
49,. Ia. MO
lave to 20 back into the wholesale
iiarket, we have 10 alternative but to
id"ancc retail prices"
The question of advance In the re-
TAI rricc of shoes was discussed at
length list night at "A meeting of the
Wash ne ION Shoe Retailers Associa.
ton. President Arthur Burt stated that
III condition was largely due to the
.at,ing off Of the Russian leather
s,uplv. Information had been re-
cgivcd Mr.. Burt said. from Russia
to the effect that millions of ehides
winch under normal conditions woulc
come 20 this country. now are tied w
rt points in the interior of RUSSIA
where many of them are spelling De
Ccusc Of lack of personalities
More Hides Received.
While dealers generally attribute
high prices to a falling off in supply
Of raw hides, statistics compiled by
one of the leather trade journals
show that since the outbreak OF th'
war there has been marked increase
in importations of hides. Exporta
lions of leather. however, have In
creased much larger proportionately
II is stated, and this Is held to be ont
reason for the shortage. According
TO figures given by the trade journal
imports to the United States durinl
1915 and 1916 increased about 10 pc
VI.t IL tW,.N gah mo-
ITO account for the fact that gu
leather, shoe and harness industries
were enabled to increase production
to meet the extraordinary demand
from Europe" says the publication
ut is necessary to comprehend tn,
fact that cattle hides are n by-prod
uct resulting from the slaughter o
created a big demand for leather bu
IL tremendously increased the con
cumption of beef. In supplying vas
armies the packers of North ant
South America were compelled to xii
more cattle. and of course, incident
ally, to take off more hides.
Leather Prices Up.
An idea of the advances in cost Of
leather since 1915 may be had b,
glancing at the following figures OF
the various kinds OF leather used II
the manfacture or shoes, taken from
current Issue of a shoe trade maya
zine: Grade c upper leather. that sole
September 81, 1915. at 81 cents a foot
Is now quoted at 80 cents; grade d
which sold at 30 cents. is now AZ. Or
sole feathers advances are even NOR,
marked. Grade b sole leather, whicl
sold last year at cents a foot, d
now selling at l6 cents, while Grad
A, which sold last year at 10 cent
Is now quoted at from 20 to 22 cents
These figures, II is stated, are a fai
representation OF advances in tn
price OF all feathers.
There Is said to be little hope tina
prices Will return to normal after tn
close or the war. The theory Is ad
yanced that while the demand 10
leather VIII be curtailed somewhat
the Wholesale slaughter of cattl,
which has been going on during tn
last twelve months Will have deplete
the worlds supply of cattle tina