The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-12-09
The SIS Shoe-and Other Things

Editor The STAR On the 9th inst. you printed article
IS eeSts 'n"' ''' cost producing pow ~ '"
Even il this statement correct, do you think a
statement like that tends to produce harmony and con-
dence in the community?
Articles like that about the best Bolshevst propa
Canda that could be published
We might just well say that it costs onequarter
of cent produce while you receive two cents
copy and from so cents to Sl25 for advertising;
Why pick shoes? The price on shoes today is not
much proportonately rs when was young man. The
ordinary mechanic then had to work two or three days
for pair of shoes, while worked two weeks They do
not do so today.
employee makes three pairs of shoes day. If you had
the of each empoye you could easily figure
the actual average cost of the labor.
If people would be content to plain, ordinary styles
the price would be much less than it is today
Yours truly, j. ii. HO1I,
Hoyt Shoe Co.
Dear Mr. Hoyt: The authority for the statement you
object given in the article Yz Mrs Catherine Derry
of Toronto Canada who speaking of her investigations
making shoes perhaps she is right No has disputed
her figures and given the evidence to date.
If the average pair is 9S cents and the average
woman makes three pairs day. that is 1894 day. isn't
that about the average wage of the women in the shoe fac
tories?
You certainly took unhappy comparison when you
picked the price of to that everybody is
doing it; that is. boosting % cents to SIS
AS happens the newspapers in this country today
about the only commodities that being sold at price
resembling prewar schedules and is fact that the con-
closer than when he buys other product on the
market.
Nor is any daily paper in the country today being sold
for much than the cost of white paper in it,
As your opinion that the publication of such articles
Is Bolshevism that's where disagree.
We believe that while il is public duty TO throttle the
anarchist and to uphold the foundations of
ment it is also duty to throttle the crooked grating
looting profteer, and to speedily possible put all
business basis and enable the average family
ITO live without paying tribute to the punderbund.
The profiteer who makes il impossible for the worker
whether he be carpenter school teacher professor clerk
or motorman, to buy shoes clothing bacon
esh eggs, is stirring up much trouble for all of
10 dozen mouthy reds who take advantage of the situation
TO Great dissatisfaction.
Certainly The Star has picked out the shoe trade
for harpoonng The rent hog the landlord the packers
1.-THE profiteers generally have for months been well arded
and turned the fires of criticism in this paper and
will continue to turn.
We agree with you that if everybody content to
plain shoes the price would be less and that there
too many ffteen-doar-a shop girls wearing fifteen
dollar-a-pair light kid shoes.
But the editor recently gave up s12.20 for plain.
homely pair of shoes. that four would
have cost him not than So.
Who gets that odd s7 Certainly not labor; probably
not the shoe dealer; who then?
Brother the whole truth and nothing but the truth
about profiteerng well about the reds and their
plots is imperative if this country is not TO be racked and
rocked in the red cradle of real revolution
Those who cry peace when there is peace, doubt
less well meaning persons but they the track
But be of this The Star in fighting the profteers
will strive to deal justly with all men and to prosecute
man. Yours truly, THE EDITOR.