The state herald., 1918-08-23

80 cents day unnecessarily in barber
shops we have total of $182, 500. 900.
under the actual figures, taking Into
consideration all classes of people. In
the less exclusive barber shops one
finds continual stream of men. Of the
moderate salary class. who indulge In
the items I have enumerated. We
might guess the total ought to be at
least half billion dollars.
To have our shoes shined We spend
at least $10O.00000 year and mill
lion more than the market price for
shoe laces because we wish to avoid
the trouble Of putting them in our
selves. Some Of this expense undoubt-
edly Is necessary, but while the war
lasts we need not be ashamed of any
form Of Spartan economy. We can be
tight handed and rigorous with our
nickels and dimes without being open
to the charge Of tinginess-provided
we use the money for government
needs. We can shine our own shoes
for tenth of this hundred million dol
lars. There are In New York n number
of men who have grown very wealthy
from the shoe-shlning business. Among
them are some large tenement owners
one reputed to be worth millions,
There are more than fifty thousand
hnnfhlo nly MI In, th. fptt tot
some of them employing dozen or
more men. The majority of these
bootblncks are within the fighting age.
at least they ought to he doing some
sort Of war service, instead of shining
shoes-while American blood runs so
freely on the other side.
Women Big Masters.
| But when It comes to this kind of
self-pampering women spend far more
money than men. Figures secured from
one large department store give some
Interesting sidelights on possible eco
Monies. Its sales of toilet goods last
year ran about 1.3 per cent of Its total
sales. Thus for every million dollars
In sales its customers buy $4,000
worth of toilet articles. Apply this
rate to all the stores In the United
Stntes and you have total of unnum-
bered millions. The term toilet goods
Is very elastic, including both neces-
sary and unnecessary articles. but the
conscientious war saver no doubt
would class one-third OF these items as
partly dispensable, such as perfumery,
certain soaps, powders. rouge. toilet
waters, so-called beauty compounds
and the like.
| Americans women are highly scent
ed. We live In an atmosphere redol-
ent with ambrosin. From almost every
woman one passes on the parade"
streets OF the cities there comes an
aura OF roses, or perhaps violets. Our
girls demand scents, In infinite variety.
not only In perfumcry itself. but in
hundreds of products Merely TO graft
fy cur sense Of olfactory luxury we
spend tens Of millions OF dollars an
nually. Yet In France the husbands,
brothers and swcethearts Of our wom
en- md girls are sweating and fighting
In noisome places amid the stencil of
disease md death. The odors they get
are OF gunpowder and blood. Surely
we can spare some of our perfumery
money In the cause for which we sen,
them abroad.
| II II were possible to estimate the
money spent by women In New York
alone for hniriressing md beauty cul.
ture II would undoubtedly run into the
tens OF millions. One hnirdresser In
the metropolitan district states that
within eighteen months. or since Amer.
len entered the war. he has built up n
business that nets him seven hundred
dollars h month.
A woman proprietor OF so-called
beauty establishment says that fifty
customers bring her n revenue Of $50.
600 a year. that she realized clear
profit OF 10000 on powders. creams
and perfumes. that she sold sets OF
cosmetics At seven hundred dollars
each. Thousands OF women pay fancy
fees for hair waving. tintlng and
| VuV
twelve colors, ranging from black to
golden blonde. Much money niso goes
for removal Of frcckles. wrinkles treat.
ment. face bleaching and so on. The
manicure bill In New York Is enor-
nous. and the chiropody outgo large.
These places are furnished In the ut
most luxury. n only we could i'm
press on women Of this class the dread.
full hardships our American youths are
undergoing In the great cause'
The lesson ought 10 sink home TO NIL
women In Americn. who In greater or
lesser degree. let their good money 80
for such futile vanities.
II is estimated thnt n million men
and women throughout the country are
giving TO the Turkish baths nn aver
agc Of dollar II day. Thus we have
n total OF s3G5 100000 year. To this