Williston graphic., 1918-09-19
Christmas Buying
Will Start Earlier

The government has issued orders
to the wholesalers and retailers Of
the country that they must spread
their Christmas business over three
months to avoid the usual congestion
in December and extra help that has
been used for the usual rush. Nearly
all of the Williston merchants are pre-
pared to meet this new ruling hav-
ing placed their orders for holiday
goods early in the season.
Below is the official text Of the new
ruling which has been issued by the
government.
The Council of National Defense,
under date of September 8, 1918, au-
thorizes the following statement:
'The Council Of National Defense
has heretofore emphasized the neces-
sity of restricting Christmas buying
during the coming fall for certain
specific reasons which it has stated.
These reasons are in brief the neces-
sity for saving labor and material in
the manufacture and sale of Christ
mas gifts of saving the transporta-
tion and delivery facilities necessar-
ily involved in the large volume of
Christmas purchases. After confer
ence with representatives of leading
industries and retail interests con-
cerned it is found that the manufac-
t.lre of goods for the coming holiday
season has been substantially COM
pleted, that the transportation of these
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.
"Thd retail interests represented
at the conference have agreed not to
increase their working force by rea-
son of holiday business over the
average force employed by them thru
out the year and not to increase the
normal working hours of their force
during the Christmas season. They
also agreed to use their utmost efforts
to confine Christmas giving except
for Young children, to useful articles
and to spread the period for holiday
purchases over the months of Octo-
ber, November and December, in or
der to relieve the transportation IA
cilisatr Of the country of congestion
in the latter half of December which
would be so hurtful to the interests
of the Nation, that it cannot be per-
mitted. The retail interests repre-
sented at this hearing have agreed to
cooperate further in the campaign
heretofore and now being carried on
under the auspices Of. the War In
dustries Board to restrict deliveries
and to induce their customers to car
ry their own packages wherever pos
sible. ~
"The retail interests to which ref
erence has been made have further
agreed to make an announcement to
the above substantial effect in their
advertisements commencing in early
September and repeating same week.
ly thereafter. The above sugges-
tions if faithfully and Loyalty put into
effect throughout the country will
make possible a continuance of the
holiday custom without endangering
the national interests thereby. The
Council of National Defense will CO.
operate in carrying out the suggest
ed measures. 1t looks to organized
business bodies of every nature and
throughout the country actively to
Join in the movement as providing
means whereby that cooperation be-
tween the Government and the peo-
ple can be had which alone will per-
nit the continuance of holiday bust
ness in such form, on such scale and
by such methods as are consistent
with the national welfare. This an
nouncement is definitely conditioned
upon loyal and thorough cooperation
in spirit and in letter on the part OF
sellers and buyers throughout the
country"
.AAS->