The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-15
PRoDCCTIoN Low-sANER
RI-VING
BUYING.


The New York News Record. in
stating the case Of the retailer. says
that in addition to increased costs of
manufacture the high prices of cloth
ing. dry goods and shoes are due to
"alarmingly reduced volume Of pro-
duction, not profiteering."
Here is the interesting article:
Increased costs of production and
alarmingly reduced volume OF pro-
duction are the causes for the pres
ent high prices of clothing, dry goods
and shoes-not profiteering--a accord
ing to the preliminary report made by
Col. Michael Friedsam. chairman of
the fair price committee on clothing
and shoes, to Arthur Williams, head
II the federal food administration for
the New York district. Colonel Fried
SANS report is based on surveys made
for him by the subcommittee he ap-
pointed some time ago to investigate
the price conditions which existed In
the various Industries. These sur
veys, Mr.. Friedsam says. show:
THAT the cause of the present ad-
mittedly high prices of these goods
Is almost entirely an increased or a
high cost OF production, in fact the
highest cost of production that has
ever been known in this country, and
crease in the amount of goods pro-
duced; on the one hand a steadily
rising scale of expenses, and on the
other. a decline in quantities OF avail
able merchandise.
There has not been found any in
dication of deliberate profiteering; on
the contrary these surveys show that
both manufacturers and retailers are
working on n closer margin OF profit
than ever before. and this. despite the
extreme uncertainty of the present
business conditions. More than in any
other lines, It is true of the retail In
dustries this committee is investigat-
ing that widespread and keen COM
petition tends to narrow margins of
profit, and make so-called profiteer-
ing Improbable.
1T is inevitable that with the cost
OF production. OF raw materials and
Of labor at their present high point,
that retail prices should have in
creased accordingly.
1T is agreed on all sides that a
'abor program such as has been pro-
posed by the state Federation OF
Labor Conference Committee would
60 a long way toward meeting the
problem which the clothing industry is
confronted with. because it would in
sure the industry steady definite labor
conditions with respect to its en-
ployes.
Even so far as the subcommittee
have proceeded to date, II is evident
that a saner buying policy on the part
of the general public will tend to meet
the problem of high prices. The COM
mittee Investigations so far have
shown that there are available oppor-
tunitles for the purchase of all re-
cessities in wearing apparel at what
are, under present conditions, reason
able prices. provided the buyer pur-
chases with an eye primarily to serv-
Ice rather than style.
with respect to shoes, in which in
dustry the preliminary surveys have
to date gone farther than in other
lines, the following excerpts from the
reports of Messrs. Emil We'll and John
Slater confirm the statements made
above as to the increase in production
costs.
Previous to the war, France. Eng
land and Germany made the shoes for
the entire world with the exception of
this country. Beginning the early
part OF 1915, the European shoe fac
tories were only permitted to produce
rs per cent OF their output for civilian
purpose and rs per cent for army pur-
pose.
The style Of the civilian product,
termed a Liberty shoe, in these coun-
tries consisted of a black boot and a
low shoe. Four years of this natur-
ally produced vacuum of shoes thru
out the world except in this country
From the day that the arinistice was
signed and the shoe regulations of the
European countries lifted, an immedi-
ate rush was made to the United States
for all the finished leather that was
available. This Immediately caused a
great shortage of leather in this coun-
try, which. naturally, forced the prices
TO where they are at the present time
The shoe men report that for
leather of the top grade. in 1914 the
average price was 80 cents per square
foot. as against the price of $3.50 a
square foot for the same grade Of
leather today. The skins from which
this leather is made come from India,
China. Russia, Africa and South
America.
owing TO the lack of shipping
since the armistice was signed. their
report continues we have not been
able TO get enough raw skins into this
country and Europe owning most of
the shipping. naturally gets a larger
quantity of raw materials. Paris to-
day is retailing shoes at $40 per pair
which can be purchased on Fifth ave
nue. for SIS per pair. The price in
London for the same shoe is $50 If
more sanity was displayed in the
stead OF vanity. a noticeable depre-
citation in price would Immediately be
felt
"Their report states further. that
the import OF calf skins which should
have been normally 175.0O0. 900
pounds has actually been for the past
ten months of the fiscal year only
to the United States have dropped
from 100000 pounds a year 10 6O0,-