Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-02
iSHOEPRICESDROP
AS HIDES WEAKEN
Footwear M a u f a C tur er s
Shade Quotations to Meet
Trade Conditions
NO BIG REDUCTION
Good Fall Stocks, in Small Volume,
Taking Firmer Tone in
Market

Boston, April 2.-The weakness of the
hide market has been so well advertised
that shoe buyers are expecting lower
prices on shoes. This weakness has been
brought more closely to the buyer by
the cut in prices which some shoe manu-
facturers have made in order to stim-
ulate business. The prices on current
hides are much lower than the quota
tions of few months ago, but the
quality of winter hides is such that it
| Is impossible to make good grade
feathers of them For good fall hides
the price is very little lower than 1t was
several months ago, and with only small
stocks available the holders are taking
frmer view of the situation Packers
are talking a cent or two advance for
| April hides and even then are not will
ing to take on any large orders, as they
believe that the bottom of the market
has been reached.
A number of shoe manufacturers have
made reductions in prices of shoes be-
cause they were in need Of immediate
business to keep their plants running
and their help employed. Labor. espe-
cialy in the large manufacturing
centers, is hard TO hold and manufac'
turers would rather sell on Il close
margin than lay off their help. The shoe
.
market II prices are shaded and holds
off from buying in the hopes Of still
lower prices
e.. Shoe Price Not in Ratio
western paper. commenting on the
80 per cent drop in hide prices, argues
that the price of Sc shoe will now be
only four dollars, as hides are a thir6
cheaper. Such talk al this is wholly out
of reason, as the matter of labor and
materials in the tanneries and labor
Innings, thread. etc, in the shoe fac
tories has not been considered The un-
skilled laborers in the tannerles formerly
worked for $40 week and are now
difficult to hire at SO a day. 1t is rea-
sonabe to suppose that IL hides con-
tinue low for any length of time
there will be some reduction in the
price Of shoes, but this drop cannot be
figured in ratio with the drop in hides
Another trouble which the shoe in
dustry must face Is the difficulty OF
making deliveries. Much leather Is now
held in transit and hides are from -four
to six weeks longer in shipment than in
normal times The shoe manufacturer
; or tanner has his money tied up for a
longer period and must make up the
interest on the selling price of this
goods Many shoes destined for tht
!
, the retailer. and If these buyers were
, depending on these shoes they have beer
/ sadly disappointed. Shoes are being
sent by express instead of by freight
but even this method is slow. In many
cases 1t is taking goods longer to trave
by express than 1t formerly took by
l freight.
. Trade Is Unsettled
The leather trade is therefore in al
{ unsettled condition. Buyers are afraiC
I of the market and do not know which
t way 1t is going to turn. The presen
t demand on upper feathers is for thu
: best grades. These are firm, but thu
low grades are easy and in accumula
Y ton. 1t is essentially an individual
. market on the low grades and man,
8 bargains may be picked up. Some o
i these bargains are being taken up b!
i foreign buyers, especially those from
i the neutral European countries. Th'