River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-09-11
NOT PROFITEERS
A Statement to the Public From the
Shoe Merchants Of Wisconsin

course of fair dealing with the public
and always will. We do not intend
therefor, to let go unchallenged the
charge of profteering made in the re-
cent report Of the Federal Trade Com
mission.
That report charged every branch of
the shoe and leather industry, includ-
ing the retailer, with profteering.
The retail shoe merchants of Wis
consin deny the accusation absolutely
and we take this opportunity Of pre-
senting our denial to the people of
our state, along with statement Of
such facts as are available.
What we say regarding the retail
shoe dealers of Wisconsin, we believe
to be true generally regarding the re-
tail shoe dealers the country over, but
speaking specifically for the shoe mer-
chants of Wisconsin, we assert with
out fear of successful contradiction
that we are in no way responsible for
the existing price of shoes.
No Excessive Profits
Shoe dealers have not made end are
not making excessive or even unusu-
ally large profits in the state of Wis
consin. The facts are that the books
of the average shoe dealer in this state
will show that his gross profits this
year are no larger than they were last
H., he oil Of bn
war period or pre-war period.
The retailer has not raised his per-
centage of profit. The net profits Of
retail shoe dealers in this state, and
for that matter, those throughout the
country, average today 3 to z per
cent on all classes of shoes sold, and
examination of retailers books for
1914 and through the intervening
years show that they made practically
the same percentage of profit before
the period of high prices.
There is no disputing that it costs
the shoe merchant great deal more
to conduct his business today than it
did in 1914, or 1916 or 1918. Rents
have increased greatly in many cases
and the cost of clerical help, fuel, ad-
vertising and other operating expens-
es have scared. So the facts are that
the shoe merchant who was conduct
ing his business before the var on the
same percentage of profit, and is still
doing so, is actually making no more
money than he did before the war.
Investigation Welcomed
The Federal Trade commission does
not charge any monopolistic conspir-
acy or combination to rails, the price
of shoes, but since it has raise! the
issue of profteering, we shoe re ;ai.
ers not only welcome, but urge thoi-
cugh inquiry by Congress ir which eli
trade interests will be given an opp II
tunity to be heard. The books of the
shoe merchants of the state of Wis
consin are open to Government s-r1-
tiny.
If there has been profteering in the
shoe business, the retailers OF WIS
consin have not been party to it, and
we believe that we are fairly entitled
to an opportunity to have the record
made straight.
Operation Costs Higher
1t will be seen readily, of course,
that the shoe merchants gross income
figured at the same percentage Of
profit, has grown as selling prices in
creased, but this growth has no more
than kept pace with the growth il.
| operation costs.
The Price Scare
There has been too much talk about
| 500 shoes.
We know that when the public re-
fers to shoe prices, it refers usually
to the highest grade shoes, made Of
the highest priced and scarcest ma
terials. The average Congressman, as
we'll as the man or woman who does
not stop to think and consider, jumps
to the conclusion that all shoes ere in
that class. The politician inCongress
end that portion of the public which
listens to him are quite likely to fail
to realize that a well constructed
staple made shoe, durable and COM
Portable, can still be obtainea at q
price, which in comparison with the
American wage today is no greater
than it was before the war.
The man or woman who does not de-
mand the extra stylish or extra fine
shoe can go down the street in any
city in Wisconsin today and find a
good pair of shoes at prices ranging
from $3.50 to $14.00. Most shoe Lier-
chants have already bought sufficient
stocks to carry them through the VIII
ter and spring at prices based upon
former leather and manufacturing
costs, which means that they will not
be sold at prices above $1,000, or near
it.
/ Shoes are not sold on market prices