The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-10-25
LOCAL MERCHANT
DISCUSSES NEW
SHOE PRICE EDICT
FOOTWEAR TO BE SOLD UNDER
THREE SCHEDULE PRICES as
SET BY GOVERNMENT.
Manufacturers to Give Best value POS
sible-To Retail Old STOCK at
Normal Prices.

In speaking of the cdict recently Is
sued by the War Industrial Board regu-
lutiug the price. Of shoes ut rethii' Il
prominent Wheeling shoe dealer Salo
yesterday that the news report sent Out
from Washington stating that the amer
lean people soon will be able TO purshhsc
shoes at q fixed maximum ana mini
mum prices lower than those now pre-
vailing, and at the same time OBTAIN
shoes Of better quality. was misleading
and incorrect, and the National Shoe
Retailers Association has ISSUED Il
statement denying the statement Which
association has Co-opcratcd with the war
industrial board In framing the cUnser-
walton program.
, The local dealer continued:
The War industries board has fixed
October 81 as the date after which the
manufacturers are not permitted to cut
feathers and fabrics for the manufacture
of shoes which will not fall within these
new classes and prices.
The statement that shoes now retail
ing for rs high as SO will retail for the
maximum price Of $l2 and that these
shoes will be of at least equal quality.
is as foolish as it Is untrue.
Hundreds of thousands Of dollars
worth of shoe stocks bought by the ro-
,tailcrs in good faith. and large part OF
which were purchased 10 retail Ill prices
higher than the $l2 maximum fixed by
the new regulations are on the shclFes
OF the retail stores and unsold. The
War Industries board has specifically
requested shoe retailers to liquldale
present stocks as promptly rs possible
at a normal profit. and has given retail
efs until June l. 1919. to dispose of all
ch 1yhiCh Tho rntDllpr must got
more than newly fixed maximum prices.
: Schedule Of Prices.
! 1.-THE war industrial board. manufac-
, turers, wholesalers of shoes have agreed
as soon rs is practically possible shoes
! for retail are to come under three gen.
! eral classes as follows:
Glass a: Mems and wonen's high
shoes Of tho finer a',r:als and super
.ior shocmaking arc TO no sold at retail
at prices ranging from 50 10 ST..
: Glass b: Mems and womcn's shoes
Of type suitable for business and
dress from Sc to $3.50.
, Glass c: Mems and womcns service
shoes and semi-dress shoes from So TO
$3.50. with childrens shoes in proper
Tomato prices. according 10 grades.
Shoes retailing at moro than Sl2 to-
day are made OF the most expensive and
finest unalitS lctlnhTS with IL IIl'lSiIiluIIl
Of skilled workmanship. e. is imposst-
bic for shoe manufacturers to put the
Same quality OF leather and workman
! ship into n shoe intended to retail for
s12 that to-day goes into n $50 pair OF
shoes This Is obvious and needs no
argument. and what Will happen under
: the new order will he that many fac
tories now making the highest grade
shoes exclusively will be forced to turn
their production over to shoes made
from less expensive leather and reqair-
Ing loss eXactlng workmanship, or 80
out OF business altogether.
Any statement which is likely to
mako difficult the sales Of shoes now
lcgitimately on the market. IS eminently
unfair to the retailers and will work
against true conservation, which is the
purpose OF the new shoe regulations to
bring abou, in the industry.
/ After October 81 retailers of shoes
will not be able to purchase nlcrchan-
disc for resale ut prices exceeding the
prices fixed In the schedule for the rea-
son that the manufacturers after that
date are not permitted TO make such
shoes. However. the shoes which will
DO made and sold to the retailer after
October 81 will be the best quality pos
Sible consistent with tho market condt-
tons entering into the fabrication OF
shoes. and also labor. The public will
find available shoes Of the very best
quality and style which can be made IN
fall within the price limits. but repeat
that 1t Is both absurd and untrue that
a purchaser Of shoes after June l. 1919.
can expect 10 obtain for $l2 the denti-
cal quality Of merchandise for which
the retailer may now be asking prices
hiYhcr thnn 81