The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-09-17
HOLIDAY BUYING
WILL BE CUT DOWN
CONSIDERABLY
Council Of National Defense MOdlfies
In a Measure Their Order In Re-
gard to Christmas Buying.

|
In June the Council of Defense an
nounced that in the Autumn 1t would
endeavor to enlist people generally
against purchase of holiday gifts. Sub
sequently, in July, the Council reiter-
ated the policy 1t had indicated in
June.
The Councils purpose in making its
original announcement of subsequent
policy was to afford merchants and
manufacturers an opportunity to
plan in advance for the, effect upon
holiday buying which the policy was
expected to cause. Upon ascertaining
that commitments for policy mer-
chandise had been in very large part
before the Council announced its pol
icy, and very considerable portions of
the merchandise we're already manu-
featured or even delivered to retail
ers, officers of the Chamber of Com
merce of the United States requested
the Council to grant an opportunity
for presentation to it of data respect
ing the position already reached by
manufacturers and merchants at the
time the policy was announced.
In the course of discussion between
members of the Council and the gen.
tlemen who presenter data represen-
tatives of retail stores presented sug-
gestions regarding the program which
in their opinion, should be adopted
and which retail stores would be will
ing to follow. After taking the mat
ter under advertisement the Council
has issued a new statement with re-
spect to its position about holiday
buying, incorporating the suggestions
which we're submitted on behalf of re-
tail stores. The Councils statement
is as follows:
1.-THE Council Of National Defense
has heretofore emphasized the neces-
sity of restricting Christmas buying
during the coming fall for certain
specific reasons which ii has stated.
These reasons are in brief the neces-
sity for saving labor and of saving
the transportation and delivery facil-
tiles necessary involved in the large
volunn of Christmas purchases.
after conference with representa-
tives of leading Industries and retail
interests concerned, It is found that
the manufacture of goods for the COM
| ing holiday season has been substan-
TALLY completed, that the transporta-
tion OF the goods to the point OF sale
is also largely done and that much of
the material used for Christmas pur-
chases especially in the manufacture
of toys is the waste material derived
from prior processes of manufacture.
"The retail interests represented at
| the conference have agreed not to in
| crease their working force by reason
of the holiday business over the av-
erage force employed by them
throughout the year and not to in
crease the normal working hours of
their force during the Christmas sea-
son. They also agreed to use their
utmost efforts to combine Christmas
giving, except for young children, to
useful articles and to spread the per-
iod of holiday purchases over the
months of October November and De-
cember. In order to relieve the trans
portation facilities of the country
from congestion in the latter half
of December which would be so hurt
full to the interests of the nation that
it cannot be permitted, the retail in
terests represented at this hearing
have agreed to cooperate further in
the campaign heretofore and now be-
ing carried on under the auspices of
the War Industries Board to restrict
deliverines and to induce their custo-
mers to carry their own packages
wherever possible.
"The retail interests to which refer
ence has been made have further
agreed to make an announcement to
the above substantial effect in their
advertisements connecting in early
September and reDeating same week
ly thereafter. The above suggestion
if faithfully and Loyalty put into eff
feet throughout the country will make
possible continuance of the holiday
custom without endangering the ma
tional interests thereby"
ELLIOT H. GOODWIN, Secretary,
Chamber of Commerce of American.
WHY not try Ledger Want Adj