The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-10-28
Shoes Will Be
Cheaper, But
Quality Will
Be Inferior

aThe AIneFican PooPio Soon VIII
,ble to purchase shoes at fixed max
nnm and minimum retail prices Low
=, than those now prevailing, and oil
min at the same time shoes of bette
quality"
This statement Is misleading an
incorrect and the National Shoe Re
alters Association desires to official
" deny that under the new recon
mendations for war conservation Il
me shoe industry, which have jus
heen announced by the War Indus
tries Board, better quality shoes a
over prices than at present existin,
will be available for retail distribu
ton.
The National Shoe Retailers Asso
cation of the United States is wha
the name implies, entirely representa-
five of the retail end of the shoe in
iustry of the country, and as its of
fcers have worked in close co-opera
tion with the War Industries Boarc
IN framing the conservation program
which will affect the retailing Of
shoes during the period of the wal
We are qualified to make an authori'
stive statement of the real facts. II
Is true that the shoe retailers have
Dariotically agreed with the War In
iustries Board and manufacturers
and wholesalers of shoes have also
agreed that as soon as is practically
possible, shoes for retail are to fall
in three general classes, as follows .
Glass A. Mems and Women's high
shoes of fine materials and superior
shoemaking are to be sold at retail
at prices ranging from $500 to
81 90.
Class B: Mems and Women's shoes
Of type suitable for business and
dress from $500 to $3.50.
Glass c. Mems and Women's SER
vice shoes and semi-dress shoes from
800 to $3.50, with children's shoes in
prOportionate prices, according to the
grades.
The War Industries Board has fixed
October 91st as the date after which
he manufacturers are not permitted
. cut feathers and fabrics for the
of shoes which will not
all within these new classes and
rices.
Shoes retailing at more than S12 90
Oday are made of the most EXPENSIVE
nd finest quality feathers with a
laxlmum OF skilled workmanship. 1t
impossible for shoe manufacturers
put the same quality of leather and
Orkmanship into shoe intended to
9lail for $1,000 that today goes into
szO.OO pair of shoes. This is obvious
lu needs no argument and what will
appen under the new order will be
lat many factories now making the
snest grade shoes exclusively will
forced to turn their production oy-
10 SHOES made from less expensive
a'ners and requiring less exacting
orkmanship, or go out of business
together.
hundreds Of thousands of dollars
'fth of shoe stocks bought by the
'aiiers in good faith, and large
~ Oh which were purchased to re-
u al prices higher than the $1,000 |
'Almum fixed by new regulations
on the shelves of the retail stores
unsold. The War Industries
ara mas specially requested shoe
alters to liquidate present stocks
promptly as possible at a norma! |
'ut' and has given retailers until
ue l. 1919, to dispose of all shoes
when the retailer must get more
VI newly fixed maximum price.
We call your attention to a very
mental phase of conservation,
iVn is the liquidation of stocks al
ny manufactured. ANY statement
IN is likely to make difficult the
. Vi shoes now legitimately on
market, is eminently unfair to
ielallers,' and will work against
regulations to bring about IN
industry.
I'er october 91st retailers of shoes
not be able to purchase merchan
LOT resale at prices exceeding
prices fixed in the schedule for
'eason that the manufacturers af-
mat date are not permitted TO
: such shoes. However. the shoes
- VIII be made and sold 10 the
'ie' after October 81 will be the
quality possible consistent with
market conditions entering into
''Oflcation of shoes, and also la
Inc public will find available ,
oI the very best quality and /
NEI