The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-04
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
BURE AU
FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN. Director.
Washington. D. c.
STANDARD SHOES AT STANDARD
PRICES.
Washington. D. G

STANDARD SHOES AT STANDARD
PRICES.
Washington, d. c., Nov. 1.-"Shoes
are .,oing. up something awful" ex-
to her dearest friend. why. Oh.
the governments going to fix the
prices after November l. ! bought ax
pairs last week" Whereupon. the
dearest friend, firmly believing that
she had received available Tip" also
invested in few pairs of unneeded
and expensive shoes.
Government fixed shoe prices have
recently become a standard topic OF
conversation. Unfortunately the per-
sons who converse fluently on the sub
ject often display q complete nisun-
derstanding Of shoe facts, as in the
case of the sensible looking young lady
and her dearest friend. The war in
dustries board has brought about
standard shoe prices to avoid further
rises in the cost of an already expen-
sive commodity. Comparatively few
people have been able to purchase
shoes in the past year at prices lower
than the government figure; while the
comfortably well-to-do and even the
less wealthy have been paying unbe-
lievable rates for the privilege of
wearing a favored color or style Of
heel.
Now standardized shoes--if a range
| of $50 styles can be considered STAN
| dardization--will be sold at your near
| est shoe store at from three to twelve
dollars. OF course. the $50 styles in
clude high and low shoes for men,
| women, misses and children. The
problem of selecting pair of shoes
will be sirnplified almost to the point
where you can send the maid around
to the shoe store with directions to
get you pair of No. 6 blacks, width.
| with extra lcng shoes strings.
fled shoe designs SO completely as
other nations at war. In the leather
and hide office of the war industries
board are two pairs 0f>shoes: a man
pair, heavy. black, no style or shine,
land a woman's pair, almost a replica
lof the mans on a smaller scale. These
1 are not the shoes of somebody's great
grandparents, as might be carelessiy
inferred. They are the accepted foot
wear of England for the period of the
war, and are the cheapest and most
comfortable standardized leather shoe
which can be made. Only twenty-sev-
en- styles of boots and shoes are being
manufactured in England now for
men, women and children. This means
that the Engiishman has a choice OF
not more than three styles of high
shoes, all built for servicetat the ex-
pense of beauty.
More people in the civilized WORLD
are without shoes than ever before
There is no question that shoes are 9
necessity in any climate outside the
tropics. but necessities as we'll as lux
urieS are few and expensive in Europe
lnow. Because of the cessation of in
dustry and small importations, the
Russian and Italian people are hare
put to obtain any foot covering ever
t,f rxtto IN
shoes are still seen, for people who
can afford to buy high grade shoes arr
urged to do so and thus leave the
4 French standardized war shoes for tht
I poor.
Il Shoes made in the United States are
known all over Europe and America
for comfort and style. 1t is not thu
intention of the war industries board
that they shall forfeit their reputation
Semi standardized shoes to be worn b,
the American people will not offent
1.-The incest taste nor, which is more i'm
portant,- the feelings of the wearer
American people want nice lookint
shoes and they are going to havi
them,' declares the board.
Shoe manufacturers are agreeing t.
turn out shoes at $12 or less that will
equal shoes sold at higher prices be
cause they will be shorn of needles
refinements and trimmings, Orna
mehtation, such as extra straps and
buckles, and perforations forming de
signs, is omitted from the new styles
Button shoes, high heels, and othel
whims of fashion which can be dis
pensed with are to be conspicuous b.
their scarcity.
For some months yet, possibly unit
next June, there will be scattered lot
of fancy and high priced shoes on tn,
market. These represent the manu-
facturers' last fling at novelty ant
were cut before the new ruling wa
adopted. The public is not urged t.
ignore this old stock, because to leav,
it on the dealers hands would involv,
waste rather than saving. All shoe
now being built conform to the new
regulations.
Need for a war measure to adap
the shoe industry to war conditions
has been felt for some time both b.
the government and by the industry
NO leather shortage Is imminent, blu
with our impertations cut off and will
labor steadily going into the army, i
) was impossible to supply the countr.
with shoes on the usual scale.
1 The civilian shoe supply is depleted
by the heavy demands of the army. !
soldiers shoes require the best ma
terials and workmanship to stand tn
hard wear to which they are subject
ed. The present army shoe, which i
the most substantial piece of footwea
that can be made, lasts about fou
months IL kept in repair. Some ide:
OF the leather requirements of GU
army can be gained from the fact tina
100000 pairs of these structure
!. have been sent to the overseas force
alone.
The announcement limited State
army to total 100000 men" was tn
bomb shell that started definite plan
ming to put tn shoe industry on ney
rwar basis. An army of 100000 me-
means 100000 men taken from on
J industries. and the shoe industry ex
| poets to-give its full share of ths mil
| lion.
Tie war industry board did not ar
, bitrarily fix retail prices on shoes &C
cording to it's own conclusions. It con
, fcrred long and amicably with shoe
industry representatives. and term
agreed upoRare pronounced fair ~ a.
concerned. When staple designs onl
are built, the manufacturers work