Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-24
WHAT BUSINESS THINKS NOW
ny FREDE..C J. HAskIN

W y $ II NGTON. June 23.-The
American business man is just about
as eXasperatcd now as he ever hopes
TO be. You can tell II by looking at
him II no does not tell you himself
In long outburst of righteous indis
nation. Several things are the mat
ter. Tho war, for one thing. and the
weather for another but worst of all
is the wave Of economy which has re-
Gently swept tho country. People
complai n the business men, arc on the
verge OF hystcria. They won't buy
even tho things they actually need.
instead. they are boarding their earn
lnEs in the bank against some obscure
future emergency which can't be un-
dcrStood at all
This is the sort OF thing that brings
on panic. declared Il prominent New
lork merchant at business meeting
tho other day. 1T simply must be
stopped"
Feeling among the retail trade is be
coming very bitter towards tho dis
irihution Of thrift pamphlets and
tracts one trade journal even goes
=" tar as to voice a suspicion that
certain society women and government
authorities are merely using the
economy propasan To get their names
into the papers. Not long ago. "a
gentleman made speech TO Il num-
Der OF Rcd Cross ladies. in which he
r"proached them for wearing silk
wearing silk dress while the war
lasted. nc said. 1t was extravaganza
n" effect OF tins announcement was
I" mako tho manufacturers and re-
tnilcrs Of silk wcll-nigh aponlcctic
They did not hesitate to EXPRESS their
private opinions Of tho intelligence of
the gentleman in question. why was
II an cNtraNaSance for women TO wear
sNk dresses. they wanted to know
when silk dresses were tho cheapest
wearing apparel on the market? Look
at the advertisements OF any women's
wear or department store. and you will
find silk dresses selling way below
Noilcs, linens and even the lowly
EinSham--once the ornament OF the
kitchen
We have had 10 put up with for the
past SIX months" says tho owner OF
"A large Philadelphia clothing cstab-
iiShmcnt six months more Of it. and
there VIII bc panic"
IL may be inserted parcnthcticaily
that the purpose Of this article is to
give the business mans point OF view.
and not to present an argument. We
hay" been looking at events with the
binoculars Of tho buyer for long
time. but occasionally II is interesting
10 change about and &C, on the other
side OF the counter. The difference Is
enormous las enormous as tn. differ
enc" between riding in "A motor. car
and hurrying across in front OF It.
lie In OptImisttc.
The business mans point Of View
Is no; pcssimistir He believes tha,
tn" war is going 10 bring Srea,er pros
p"rity than ever before. Production
Viii necessarily be much greater: the
employment ~ labor will he greater
and tho circulation OF money greater
Moreover. tie 500" 600. zoos N bonds
being raised by the government will
be spcr; in ,his country. American
manufacturers Will set the benefits OF
II. Their" is only one danger in the
whole prosperous outlook-the IN
st!nct OF self preservation. which is
causing people 10 hoard"
Irwin Cobb has defined the caie:
characterization OF twentieth century
America as hysteria rather than e1-
,raNa"ance. The business men as'ce
with him. We are apt to rush 20 az
trc!n"S, IL appears. without thinking.
and ii YOU get us excited enough We
VII even save money. Thus. wnen
yoG start out TO work UP an economy
scare with the American pcopir. you
&C playing with hrc-thcy may take
sou seriously. Now, inquiries the bust
ness man. what s going TO become "
national commerce IL everybody sud-
denly resolves TO go without new
clothes. TO live on cheese and rnacaroni.
and TO stay home from The opera and
shows?
The answer is at once forcible and
dramatic. Hundreds OF clothing fac