Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-29
BACK TO BARBER CHAIR;
SAFETY RAZOR FAMINE.
Government Becomes Enormous
Buyer OF RaZors and Calls for
Millions Of Blades for Soldiers.
BARRIERS COMING BACK TO OWN
Blade Factories Communicated and
Put to Other Work-Richmond
Dealer Out OF Stock and Knows
Not Where to Get Supply.

gentleman dropped into n Rich
mond hardware and cutlery store one
day in the latter part OF last week and
vorite safety razor. He was astounded
when informed that there were none in
stock and not likely TO ne for some
time TO come.
The explanation offered by tho dealer
In safety raaors and blades for the
same was that the United States gov
ernnent had practically commandeerei
the services of the leading safety razor
factories of the country.
Uncle Sam has decided to make
safety razor part OF tho cuuip,ncri
OF every soldier in tho ranks. the
same to he furnished by the Eovcrn-
ncnt. This of itself will make vow.
Uncle Samuel the biggest customer for
safety razors and blades that ever
came down the pike. lie will want
100000 or 2.oo).000 razors right AVA
and several million blades to go along
with them Not only will ne require
ut once all Of tho surplus razors and
blades now in sight. but he will keep
(, trcm endous standing order on the
books OF the factories for blades. fer
IL is fair to presume that tho boys In
the RANKS will not be near as careful
with their blades as the would be blaze
buyer of last week usually is with his
STOCK. IN the very nature OF the case
they could not be. For this reason 1t
is probable that it will take about fv.
times as many blades for one soldier
for given time as private citizen
would CONSUME" in that time.
This alone is sufficient to create n
famine In safety razors and the neces
sary blades, but Uncle Sam. so the
hardware man further explained has
not stopped there. He has found out
that safety razor factories and the
blade factories are equipped with ma
chlnery that In perfectly adapted for
the manufacture of other articles made
from fine steel and that are Just now
much needed by the government. and
more than half the machinery in these
factories has been put TO work turning
out articles to be used in warfare. Jus,
whether these articles are being usei
in the production of munitions is not
stated. hut it is guessed that they
are.
No matter what th,y are being used
for. the demand for them Is urgent
and while the safety razor blade ma
chinery is being used for their hurried
production the blade famine in Rich
mond and elsewhere Will continue with
out abatement.
incidentally. it may be observed. all
of this will prove to be good news for
the BARRIERS OF Richmond and 9th :.
communities. for IL is the opinion CT
the hardware and cutlery dealer above
quoted. as we'll as that of the disar-
pointed seeker after a supply OF blades.
tina, one effect of this latest comman-
deering episode will be to drive the
hundreds OF lovers OF the safety razor
back TO the BARRIERS chair. The BARRIERS
of this city have been down on the
snfety razor for long time. and the
loss of custom because of the prevail
ence OF the safety razor habit is said
TO have driven not n few barbcrs out
of the business and caused many OF
the others to advance the price of a
shave.
Uncle sam perhaps did not think IF
1t at the time, and IL would not have
mattered much with him II he had but
in becoming mighty customer for
safety razors and blades to go with
them and in communicating the SER
vices of the blade shops for other pur-
poses he was playing into the hands
Of the BARRIERS of the country.