Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-26
...OPRICE DROP
IN CLOTHING
Seen FOR YEAR
Rock Island Retailers Point IA
Article in Apparel Gazette as
Showing Situation.

Rock Island retail clothiers point
to an article IN the Chicago APP
parel Gazette under the caption OF
Clothing Trade to Tell Public the
Price Facts" as presenting the sit
uation in general as it now is rel
alive to charges being made for
apparel.
The article mentions The fact
that the clothing trade cannot fore
see promise for lower prices be-
fore another year passes by. APP
pended is the Apparel Gszette's
article
"All that is now known about
prices by wholesale and retail
clothiers will be told to the pubIj>:
throughout the country shortly
The executive committee Of the
National Associa ion Of Clothiers,
at q recent meeting. completed
plans for a cooperative campaign
of placing the facts about clothing
prices before consumers in every
part of the United States through
a series of advertisements in the
public press In this effort the
National Association Of ClCthiers
is prompted by misleading state
ments about profteering in the
mems clothing industry, made by
uniformed persons. 1t is also felt
that, considering the present ma
ticnal movement for lower prices
and the advancing costs which are
taking place in the manufacture of
clothing, the public will want an
explanation. Hence the decision to
take the public into confidence and
Hn va-h
OF the higher prices.
only the plain, unvarnished
truths about the conditions which
have brought about the advanced
clothing prices will be told to the
consumer. The National Associa-
tion of Clothiers feels that no more
than that is necessary to Vindicate
the clothing Industry of the coun-
try of the charge that it is profit
eering. 1t Will be recalled that the
National Association Of Clothiers
recently offered every facility at
its command to Attorney General
A. Mitchell Palmer for investiga-
tion of the conditions that now ex-
list in connection with the produc-
ton, distribution and the price OF
ready-made clothing.
cards on Inc IaDle.
THE plans Of the National As
ISOLATION of CIothiers will be plac-
ed in detail before the convention
of the National Association of Re
tail Clothiers in Chicago. They
will point out that, while the move
ment of the government to lower
prices and stabilize wages is a
very commendable one, memorable
economic laws make lower prices
of mems and boys clothing this
fall impossible, while these same
economic laws indicate that next
spring will see clothing prices at
their peak.
"All the cards will be laid on the
table for the public to see. The
consumer will be given an insight
into the fact that a suit of good
quality which cost manufacturers
50 for conversion in 1914 now costs
$20.36; that the same suit, py con-
servatiye estimate. will cost $27.36
for conversion for the spring OF
1920. The consumer will be told
of the radically Curtailed working
hours. namely, a reduction of from
SIS to A hours per week, and the
effect that this reduction has had
in increasing the cost of the fin
ished garment, also about the re-
duced projection which has taken
place be-or7 the proportionate re-
ductfo1 - ~orking hours.
- fH'en Conclusions.
''Tho r''blic will be acquainted |
srith tH- increased costs of woolens |
L. niece goods which formerly |
e n $3.50 and 81 yard now is |
setting at 81 and SIS e yard; the !
f-.s-aased cost of trimmings and |
ell tho other score and one in |
fHcrea ses.
"AII the difficulties in the cloth |
ing manufacturing industry which !!
are so well known to wholesalers |
and retailers will be placed before !
the public. 1t is felt that this is
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