The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-14
1t Is Symbol -" All Entertain
ment City Can Give.
Big "Kick" Convention Is in
Full Swing Today.
BRELSF0RD MAKES ADDRESS
TOpekan Tells Of National Con-
VentiOn at Cincinnati.
A. T. Sloane of Oxford, O., Talks
on Association Benefits.

A large beef bone, appropriately
tied in crepe ribbons was turned over
to members of the Kansas Retail Shoe
Dealers association today by Mayor
House as the token of the city in place
of the time worn key. The bone was
given TO Mayor House for presentation
to the members by w. E. Brelsford,
Topeka, IN charge of entertainment for
the annual convention of the shoe men
in Session at the city auditorium today
and tomorrow. From now on. the
key will never be used a token
of welcome to Topeka but the symbol
of Topeka will he a beef bone covered
with crepe. Mayor House presented
the bone in a welcoming address de-
livered ir the morning.
! The value of organization and con-
ventions was brought home to Kansas
shoe men in the afternoon in an ad-
dress by A. F. Sloane of Oxford, Ohio,
| field secretary of the national asso-
! citation. The subject of the Ohio man s
address was, What the Local or State
| Association Can Do For Me?'
I'm one broad statement" said Mr..
Sloane, II affirm that local. state
or national association Of shoe re-
| tailerS can do for me or any other re-
| taller, anything and everything that 1
| cannot do for myself
| The Benefits Derived.
First, it can reach down and lift
me out of the rut and antiquated meth
! DDS in which 1 am unconsciously NOV
/ ing and trying to do business. Sec
! ond, it can show and teach me to APP
t ply the very latest methods and pol
icies in present day merchandising.
| Third, it can teach me the value of
not only taking but thoro1y reading
! the trade papers. Fourth. it can ma
terially aid me in deciding Styles quail
tiles. quantities ard when TO buy them
1t can and will send me home to my
store and my business after conVen-
! ton time with more spirit and en-
thusiasm than I ever had before, bet
ter equipped and a better merchant
| than when l left.
| AT the beginning of this year, 1917,
the shoe retailers of America have en-
tered upon a new social and CONNER
cial movement whose results cannot
be predicted, but which are certain to
be infinitely momentous. That the
progress will be upward, 1 have no
doubt. Out of this as out of every
conflict will emerge the new shoe
merchant with more privileges. en-
larged opportunities, better methods.
broader understanding and a greater
| capacity for life and business"
! Cheaper Prices Unlikely.
That a slump in price of shoes is
hardly possible in the near future, was
the statement made by w. E. Brels-
ford, Of the Payne Shoe company, in
a paper prepared as the result of his
observations while attending the ma
tional convention at Cincinnati.
mo man at that meeting, leather
man or leather buyer, offered even
the slightest hope that leather would
remain at the present price, said MI.
Brelsford Instead they proved con-
c1usively that a continued advance was
sure to come. 1t is our duty. our
obligation to our patrons to keep the
retail price of shoes within the pur-
chasing ability of the average con-
sumer This can be done. if as sug-
gested there we all put forth our best
| efforts to utilize every substitute pos
| sible that we know is practical"
| Mr. Brelsford spoke of the wonder
| full meeting of the national association
at Cincinnati, calling attention to what
| he phrased as Golden Nuggets
! Cleaned from the Various Addresses
} by the Prominent Retailers at that
Meeting:" stated that the extreme
high price of shoes is due primarily to
the shortage of leather, and that for
eign buyers are seeking every hide
! possible to secure, overriding our fac
| tories in their eagerness to secure
leather which they must have.
The Morning Session.
! Routine business occupied the open
! ing morning of the convention. Prob
ably 500 were in the city by noon.
3 -
| Lawrence, president; c. L. Brosius,
Wichita. secretary; r. H. Bloomfield,
! Winfield, treasurer, and W. E. Brels-
/ ford Topeka, chairman of the legis-
| lative committee.
Supplementary talks were made
! by A w. Nelson, Kansas City
/ Kansas; Deacon Orr, Winfield: w. G.
, Frazer, Salina. Otto Burhmann, Chi
cago, will talk on How to Develop
Good Sales People" In the evening,
the shoe men will enjoy smoker and
vaudeville and style show at the audi
torium.
AS long as the ladies' skirts go sky
ward, that long will shoes with high
tops be worn. And with the skirts
shorter than ever this summer the
amount of leather and canvas neces-
J sary to reach the line of demarcat ton
will increase and so will the H c. L.
/ Such was the statement made by rep
resentatives of wholesale shoe houses
who have a ma gnificent line of spring
and summer footwear on exhibit at
the auditorium.
In short oXfords for the ladies this
summer will be a rarity No matter
how hot, properly CARRIED ladies will
wear nigh topped canvas shoes dur
ing the summer months. AS for men,
they are looking for wearing qualities
in shoes these days, much more than
! beauty.
Senate Passes ''Pension for Blind Bill
jefferson City, Mar. 14-Tte senate