The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-11-15

mo hope can be held out for ;
return to lower shoe prices for &
long tia1e to come. There is muci
talk pro and con about international
ism, but whether we will OF not tht
shoe and leather industry has al.
ready become internationalized Ii
spite of anything that can be done
IN the leather trade we are depen.
dent upon imports for so per cent
of the cattle hides, 65 per cent of
the calfskins, and SO per cent. Of
the goat-skins tanned in the United
States annually. The popular idea
IS that imports of hides and skins
are only necessary to enable the
tanners and shoe manufacturers to
export quantities of leather and
shoes. 1t is generally realized that
our export trade at its greatest is
only small percentage of the total
output. The factory output of
shoes in the United States is only
225, 100000 pairs annually, but the
experts in pre- war times did not ex-
coed 100000 pairs. Similarly a
substantial export sale of leather has
been developed, but it is almost in
consequential when compared with
the great home consumption.
1t being granted that we are on
an international basis with regard
to raw materials for making leather,
a natural conclusion is that we can
not avoid what may be called world
prices for leather, shoes and other
manufactures of leather. All re-
ports from Europe tell of the ex-
IRENE rates obtained for shoes at re-
tail except where government fixed
prices are still enforced. There are
stories of women's shoes selling for
$50 pair in the cities of Continen-
tai Europe. The agitation against
The high cost Of living illogically ig-
nores the fact that the United States
has already been nternationalized
eommercialized and that we shall not
be able to make and sell staple arti-
cles Of merchandise in our home mar
kets below the worlds level of val
ues.
There are confident expectations
Of tremendous increase in the ex-
ports of leather and shoes. Ameri-
can made shoes are in great request
in England where retail stores u
shops have been established by lead
ing American manufacturers. The
British authorities some time ago
mitigated the embargo against our
shoes so as to permit the importation
into England of so per cent of the
imports of 1913, and later all re-
strictions were removed. The Brit
ish shoe industry is confessedly de-
pendent upon our tanners for two
thirds of the upper leather" required
to keep the shoe factories running.
Most Of the countries of Continental
Europe are in sore need of both
leather and shoes. The fall of ster-
ling exchange is at this time the
greatest obstacle to an enormous de-
velopment of our exports.
1t is reasonable to assume that inn
following the final sign
ing of the peace treaty the enemy
countries will enter the raw mater |
al markets with view of resuming |
operations at their mills and fac
,ories. The tanners will want hides
and. skins and shoe manufacturers
will reed leather, and there will en-
ue a strenuous competition in the
markets of the world which can
lardly fail to create almost famine
,rices.
There are many complications af-
Getting the prices of commodities
hat are not comprehended by the
verage citizen who does not think
luch beyond his shoe dealer when
about the high and in
reasing cost of footgear. One of
e important contributory causes of
Ugh prices is the matter of style. In
ecent years and following the I'D :
ent of short skirts, women have de-
handed stylish shoes. The old idea
f staples almost unchanging in form
rom one season to another has gone,
erhaps never to return. Each sea-
on demands novelty and change.
he influence of style upon prices
as not received the attention it de-
erves. Stylish models sold at high
rices at the beginning of the sea- |
On imply bargain sales at low prices
hen the season wanes. Manufac-
lrers and dealers could not get s
long with modest profits when the
o-called "bread and butter shoes" !,
Al T.