The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-02-12
.SELFR|DGE TELLS :
D. c. MERCHANTS
OF WAR'SEFFECT

British merchants are protecting
the dependents OF their employees who
have gone to war-loyalty in England
Is considered as much an obligation
on the employer as on the employe-
II American business Is judiciously
managed It will take care Of itself
during the war.
This. Is the message brought TO
Washington merchants by H. Gordon
Selfridge. London's American mer-
chant prince. who Is today on the way
back to England after speaking be-
fore the Retail Merchants Association
at the New willard yesterday.
Mr.. Selfridge was time and again
interrupted by cheers. When he had
concluded three good old rousing
American cheers were given.
Mr.. Selfridge told principally OF the
effect the war had had on home life
and business in England.
England Fully in War.
1--WE have been living almost with
In the war zone for three years and
q half" he said. 1--WE see troop
trains going out and ambulances
coming in. We see nearly everyone
In khaki. England is in this war
with her whole might. with her whole
dogged determination and resolute
when the war began almost at our
door IL seemed to many that the emil
of the world had come. We had come
TO face with that terrible thing that
most OF US had always laughed at as
iniT Ossible.
Business men turned to nature
first lsw-the timid at once reduced
expenses, obligations, and spheres of
a. t.vity. But the stronger ones pushed
ahead as hard as they could, feeling
that It would require unusual effort TO
overcome this unusual obstruction.
Loses 1904 Employee
"On the first day after the declara-
ton OF war 200 OF my brightest and
best young men-men whom l had
been training for higher positions -
volunteered. They left with o@r ap-
plsuse and best wishes and Joined the
colors. They continued to 80. until
now we have .004 men with the col
ors out OF a total OF $500 employees.
Their places were filled with old9r
men, crippled men. and the splendid
women of England. These women
have stepped into every opening and
are doing hard work with good cheer
manual work with no faultfindinE
have women driving motor cars
whose fathers are colonies and gen
erals at the front. 1 don't think
America, with its many millions OF
people, will ever have to call on its
women as England has done. No one
in England is idle.
. IAN enormous decrease in business
occurred at the beginning of the war.
Business was almost at a standstill
and the moratorium was in existence.
Nobody knew where he was. Econ
omy was the keynote everywhere and
all luxuries were dispensed with.
Excellent Business.
ain spite of economy there Is a
very excellent business. People have
TO eat and TO keep warm and they
have more money now to eat and
keep warm with than they ever had
before.
Everyone in England has CO.
operated with the government TO his
fullest possible extent in carrying on
the war. The EngIishman has a
peculiar trait. He is always running
down himself and the government
but he doesn't mean II.
"All British merchants pay so per
cent OF the excess profits to the gov
eminent. Excess profits mean all
profit over and above the profit he
made in 1914. 1 have paid 100000 to
the government in two years this
way. The merchants of England give
this money gladly for the carrying
on OF the war and consider 1t an
honor to be allowed to do it.
There is a shortage of a lot OF
things in England. Soldiers and sail
ors are supplied first. then things
are sent to our allies and what is
left is consumed b. the civilian popu-
lation. But there is no grumbling
over IL.
Everything has Increased in price.
String. for instance, costs eight
times as much as it was in 1914 and