Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-02-22
SHOP TALK BY SHOE DEALERS
lncreasing Cost Of Footwear Attribut-
cd to Decreasing Amount Of Hides
Substitutes for Leather
Must he Found.

mont Retail Shoe Dealers association at
tended meeting held at the Hotel YER
mont in this city yesterday afternoon and
last evening for the purpose Of exchang-
ing ideas on their line OF business and
listening to addresses by some of the
members and experts from some of the
leading shoe and rubber houses Of the
country A very pleasing part of the days
session was a banquet served in the main
dining room Of the Vermont. followed
by brief addresses by a number.
The meeting was presided over by
Clarence A. Brown of Rutland. In the
| afternoon there were addresses by F. J.
Blake. representing the Goodyear Tire e
Rubber company Of Akron. Ohio. and by
George vanderporter Of the Scholl Manu-
featuring company of Chicago. III.
MIR. Blake. In most interesting man
ner. explained the reason of the in
creased cost of shoes. He first dealt with
| the enormous demand for leather caused
by the struggle in Europe. The cost Is
| also affected by the depleted domestic
| supply, by the increase Of the American
| population and the decrease in the
amount Of hides. Government reports
4: show that there are nowhere near the
number OF cattle in the country that
there were in 1915, the grazing lands
| having been turned into farming lands.
| agriculture being carried on more extern
sively. All this tends to decrease tho
supply of material and on top Of this
there is the labor problem to be solved.
To counteract this expense Of leather.
materials must be found to take the place
in leather in shoes where such material.
can be used. for instance In solesL counters
and inner soles. Mr.. Blake spoke of one
OF the products manufactured by the COM
pany which he represents. Neolin soles.
used as outer soles. Leather solos, he
stated, which would be of the same
wearing quality and durability. would
cost the manufacturer from Is to 100 per
! cent. more.
The topic upon which Mr.. vanderporter
spoke was Foot Anatomy as Related to
Shoe Retailing" Mr.. Vanderporter dealt
at length on the necessity Of preserving
the feet SO that their usefulness shall not
be destroyed by ill-fitting and uncomfort-
able shoes. We all know, said the
speaker. that an army travels upon it's
feet and not upon its stomach, 30 that
the shoe dealer commands the ability Of
the country to protect itself. The
speaker stated that when other mater
ials than leather were used in shoes the
time had come to watch the customers
feet. The increased cost Of leather and
footwear requires a greater amount Of
shoe service and satisfaction. As the
volume of money involved in the purchase
OF pair of shoes becomes larger the
service rendered in conjunction with the
sale must be extended. All foot troubles
mean shoe troubles. loss Of time. dissat-
listed customers and a lack of prestige.
The trouble does not lie with the shoes.
and in the knowledge Of foot anatomy
as related to shoe retailing a means will
be found for preventing the business
destroying losses. The speaker. before
closing. told Of the delicate mechanism
of the bones and muscles Of the foot and
how their injury affects other parts Of the
body.
An exceptionally pleasing menu was
served at the banquet at seven o'clock in
the evening. President Brown presided
over the post-prandial exercises. there
being responses by b. NJ. Shepard OF
Montpelier, b. ]. Boynton of this city.
j. A. Greenwood of Chester. J. i. Wood
of the B. F. Goodrich company, Thomas
w. Ray former president of the asso-
. citation. and w. W. Jones of this city
A fiashlight picture OF the banqueters
was taken before their retirement to the
roof garden for the final session of the
day.
President Brown gave an address
dealing with the greatly exaggerated
talk on the advance in the price OF
shoes. We often hear. said he. that
the price for a pair of shoes will soon
be from $50 to $50. There Is no prob
ability Of there being any such prices
demanded. Much has been said and
written in a sensational manner which
, has prejudiccd the customer against
, the retailer. Statements such as one
, recently published. that another veal
. will bring barefoot Europe. to the
, average consumer means that his next
. pair of shoes will last him just twice
, as long because the price must oil
necessity be extraordinarily high il
there are no feathers in Europe. Al
statements that the probable cost Of
shoes will be at figures impossible Il
believe. work a big injustice to the re-
= tailers. continuation of the tall
that a pair OF shoes will cost half &
mans salary for month will worl
s. absolute suicide to a large volume o.
:, business. The person buying a pair o.
II shoes which costs him from three t.
u four dollars more than they did a yea
\ ago should be given to understand tina
9 the increase in the price does not meal
g an increase in quality. The quality Il
being kept as high as is possible bu
y the inability to get skins is causint
II a higher price by the manufacturers
All of the State associations are work
maintain the lowest possible price
- and to conserve the present leathe
: supply. The manufacturers are ais
working on the same line, using ever.
. good substitute such as fiber, and rub
Der soles and cloth tops.
= Thomas B. Wright also spoke durinl
IL the evening. Mr.. Wright was aske'
to speak about advertising and doinl
u business at a profit. He referred T.
the increased cost of doing bushes
" which has come with the advance alonl
/, other lines. Mr. Wright went into de
tails as to how he got at the cost o
doing business and Of the difficultie
% of surrounding the obstacle of in
Is creased cost of merchandise and tn
20 increase which must be paid compe
tent statesmen. In speaking OF adver
&c Using, Mr.. Wright said that he was
firm believer in advertising and tina
~ in his opinion newspaper advertisin
r" was the most effective method. Wit
e. the necessary increase in the price G
space he said that each dealer shoul
=, 90 give his greatest care and attention
o. preparing his advertising copy s
that the multitude reached throug
u. the medium of the newspaper woul
VI feel that his store offered some excep
~ tional advantages and be attracted
" the store by. the advertisement.
" Mr.. Vanderporter closed the evening
:" program with a stereopticon lecture show
vi ing the relation of the proper shoes
y good health, physical conformity an
Lon