Evening star., 1917-05-27
By ANNE RITTENHousE.

E1ffIS month of May the manufac-
turers are exhibiting their usual
interest in the colors which may
q come into fashion next autumn.
= To the layman, this forehand-
edness seems to be vitality wasted. but
the man behind the business knows
that now is the appointed hour to look
with sharpened eyes into the near fu-
ture.
Merchandise is a stupendous bulk of
material that quickly goes into profit
or loss. 1t makes or mars a merchant
and affects thousands who owe to his
cleverness their chance to live in COM
fort. If he does not look ahead with an
eye and mind trained to take into ac-
count every minor and major happen
ing, and every shadow of coming events,
he goes down into debt and carries the
thousands with him. When those who
are more interested than ever before
in the production of womenS apparel
because of the strain caused by the war
and the feeling of false economy, say
among themselves that this color and
that fabric will have no chance for
popularity next winter, then they de-
eide momentous issue.
xk
They realize that the public must be
induced to buy while the buying is
good; while it can make use of the
pieces of merchandise that exist and
which may soon cease to be worth
while. The public itself wants to
know the prospects for the success of
every garment. If its service is to be
of short duration, then wisdom dictates
that ii must he made to yield every
ounce of service now.
Many of US would willingly buy a
garment or a piece of cloth. if we were
candidly told that it would not serve US
long, but that it would last for another
three months, giving that as the reason
price. But we feel cheated and humili-
ated when, after buying something that
was supposedly rising up the hill Of
popularity we find that 1t Is quickly 60
ing down hill.
Most of us are guilty-if crime 1t be
of wearying of what we possess in the
way of clothes before they have given
us value for money expended. and we
willingly give them up under the pres
sure of an excuse that will satisfy our
conscience. II we buy often and with
out undue expense, we right happily
fling away the purchase when its time
comes to go.
1t is this psychological truth. that lies
down deep in the spirits of the ma
jority, that makes it possible for the
department shops to reap a snug for
cut and cheaply priced garments that
are speedily bought up by the women
VINO make no pretenSe or going in for
quality.
The hue and cry raised against this
national practice by those who are al
ways trying to adjust the lives of the
wage-earners for them from the view
point of the producing consumer
is merely sending sound into air. 1t is
running against the very foundation Of
human nature.
I ~
Why Insist that those who have little
toyspend on raiment should spend it on
uniforms. on somber and demure gar
msnts that proclaim themselves out of
style: that announce to the world: Here
gdes one who. has little chance for
pleasure. The girl who has a mite for
clothes would prefer to spend that mite
often on what she likes rather than to
hoard many mites together in order
that she may get some piece of apparel
Of good quality. that will outlast her
desire for IT or its own fashion.
The manufacturers realize that they
can make fine capital out of this desire
for change as the summer season ad-
soon to come. They send buyers to
Paris. inaApril and receive reports OF
importance In May concerning the per-
fornnances of the Paris weaverS, dyefs
and ornament Makers:
These reports, especially those deal
ing with the colors for next season. are
guides to the disposal of merchandise !
on hand, and the wholesale people are
enabled to go ahead on their produc-
tion of fabrics and gowns for sale next
autumn and winter. And the colors, as