The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-15
Kansas Shoe Dealers Enjoy Big
Program Today.
Address on Leather Situation of
Interest to Public.
PAPER BY JAMES H. STONE
Boston Editor Tells Why Prices
viii Remain High.
Many Short Business Talks
Made at Today's Meetings.

The high price of foodStuffS can be
curtailed much more easily and quick
! ly than the corresponding hike in
the price of shoes, according to James
H. Stone, editor of shoe publication
at Boston. Mass. A paper on the
Leather Situation" written by Mr..
Stone was read today before the mem
bers of the Kansas Retail Dealers
association. The paper prepared by
the Boston man was read by J. Fin
! ley Clayton.
I'VE hear a great deal about the
advanced cost of foodstuffs and high
prices of necessaries of life" said Mr..
Clayton. But the food supply can be
remedied in comparatively short
time by the planting of additional
areas of corn, wheat, cotton and other
foods and probably ample quantities
could be produced in one season. Such.
however, is not the case with leather.
The growth of animals cannot be
forced in greenhouses and it takes
| from two to five years to produce an
increased supply of the animal skins
necessary to meet the demands for
leather.
Those familiar with the leather
business are we'll aware that formerly
we imported enormous quantities of
calf skins from England, France,
1eIIndHy, Austria ana especially from
Russia. Supplies from these coun-
tries have been very much curtailed
and from Germany and especially
Russia, we have not had a single skin
since August. 1914, and there is no
hope of our being able to get any in
the Immediate future.
Supply Is Meagre.
LAS a consequence, we have been
compelled TO rely very largely On ouc
supply which has been insufficient to
meet the requirements, and colored
calf skins have advanced in the finish
ed state to rs and 80 cents a foot"
The paper described similar condi-
tons governing the supply of other
leather materials.
Ordinary black Shoes" continued
Mr.. Clayton, such as men and wom-
en- have worn so largely in the past,
alarming extent, but the fancy shoes
made of colored calf. kid, white leath-
er, patent leather and combinations
are being sold at fancy prices. This,
owing to the demand for high top
shoes which are worn so generally
with short skirts and which make
very attractive footwear, and ladies
are willing to pay almost any price to
get what they fancy, and to do so
they are willing to economic on
hats"
Members of the association heard
a number of papers read this
morning at the city auditorium. Otto
Burhmann of Chicago, read a paper
on How to Use Your Bank" Har-
old G. Ingham of Lawrence, delivered
an address on THE Importance of
Better Store Accounting" while j.
Crockett Dingle of Kansas City, Mo,
delivered an address on Relations as
They Exist and Should Exist Between
Salesman and Retailer"
Other Talks.
Facts Behind Successful Retailing"
were discussed by H. o. Harper, of the
University of Kansas. Five minute
talks were given by Earl Buck of
st. Louis, Ralph D. Hammond of Kan
sas City, and J. Finley Clayton of Kan
sas City. Officers will be elected late
in the afternoon. The convention will
close with a banquet at the Chamber
of Commerce
The end of the first day session
was wound up with a smoker and
vaudeville entertainment at the city
auditorium. Travelling statesmen at
tending the convention organized a
Dirty Dozen" minstrel troupe which
furnished music. Apples from the
audience drove the Dirty Dozen"
from the stage. The Topeka Sunflower
quartet including Waldo B. Haywood.
Hugh A. Smith. Howard S. Searle
and Frank A. Ripley gave a number
of musical numbers.