Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-01-22
Win Shoes Come High


Doubtless some will think it is due somehow
to the war; everything seems to be due to
the war. But this time the amateur economists
are in the wrong Shoes have gone up because
of the astute business ability OF Los Angeles
shoe dealer. The story and it is vouched for by
the veracious Kansas City Star, reads like the
old saying, For want of nail, the kingdom was
lost" The high cost of shoes, ii we are to be-
lieve what the Star says, was sprung, like the
great oak, from the acorn OF business mans
desire for increased trade. How was it done!
'"Women's shoes began to jump about two
years ago." said local shoe dealer, land little
before this jump was noted you may have OBJ
served that the women were beginning to wear
high-top shoes-shoes with tops higher than they
ever had been beforehand in colors that pre-
scented rainbow medley when you got enough of
them on the street at the same time. Naturally,
the dealers now cry that the shortage in leather
has sent up shoe prices, and, while that is true in
leather shortage. Responsibility really rests with
an enterprisng retail shoe dealer out in Los
Angeles.
81 think it was three summers ago that this
particular Los Angeles shoe dealer, owner of
the largest and smartest shoe store in town, con-
ceived the idea that something extraordinary
would have to be done if he were to sell shoes
to women who were touring California from the
east. There had always been high-topped shoes
for woman and always shoes in many colors,
but they were the kind of shoes Cor boots) that
one usually saw on the stage. They looked good
on the chorus girls and the prima donnas, see?
Well, this Los Angeles man sent an agent east
and he bought up all Of these fancy boots that
he could find. In the course of time there was
received by the Los Angeles dealer Of job lot
OF women's fancy shoes that looked like the
dream of an opium eater"
No specialist in futurst art, we are told, could
evolve greater variety of colors than those
which tinted the wares he received. There were
champagnes worries, Havana browns, mouse and
pearl grays, chamois smoke grays, pinks and reds
and it is whispered no lack of the strange exotic
tones so Economically called elephants BREATH
song OF roses, pigeon milk negro head and a
thousand other ndescribabe shades purloined
from the ARABIAN Nights" Then, adds the
narrator:
1.-THE dealer makes great window display Of
these fancy boots and the women tourists in
Los Angeles look upon them, then gasp for
breath, then wonder what has happened in the
castor in Paris-and straightway start to buy
I'm the course OF few months the tourists
from California, returning east, began to startle
the women who had remained home and were
wearing the common old blacks and tans. The
stay-at-homes started rush on the home shoe
stores, the home shoe stores started rush on
the manufacturers and, as consequence the
leather market was upset and the manufacturers
were kept busy night and day making new pat
terms in dozen different colors, and totally un-
aware all the time as to the identity of the man
who had started all the excitement.
Manufacturers, of course, don't let golden
opportunities skid down the toboggan. They shot
up prices and womens boots of the more than
ordinary pattern now range in price from $3.50
to SIS pair. The women would have them and
the manufacturers decided that the women must
pay for their fun. Not meaning, you understand
that these high-priced boots are not made of
expensive material nor that they are not actually
worth far more than the fancy boot of an earlier
day. But that is the story. The Los Angeles
man did 1t. If it hadn't been for that Los Angeles
fellow dare say the women would still be wear
colorful boots to the musical comedy, which, in
my candid opinion, owe large measure of their
decline to the competition which is now offered
by female pedestrians on our most frequented
highways
What price shoe will the average woman buy
who enters your shop?" the dealer was asked.
fair average. Many 60 as high as SIS, others
drop down to $40. Many buy shoes at $3.50 per
pair. l should say that SIS would be the average
price,
"How long have you been in the shoe bust
ness% the dealer was asked.
Fifteen years." he replied.
Now, fifteen years age" the visitor continued,
chow many pairs Of womens shoes did you sell
The dealer smiled. "Let me tell you some
| thing" he said. IF a woman came into the store
fifteen years ago and paid as much as Sc for a
| pair of shoes, it caused such commotion among
the clerks that we closed the doors after the
toner had departed and talked about the unusual
incident for solid hour"