New Britain herald., 1919-08-01
PRICE OF SHOES -
 IS GOING UPWARD
Producers Report 122 Per Cent.
 Advance in Cost

if unpleasant) subject has been ob- tained from trade papers and other sources.
 Shoes that now sell for s9 8 pair will cost about SIP in the fall and more in the 1920 spring season. Shoes that sell for SIP will cost about $15. The dealers give warning that people should not on seeing higher prices ahead, rush to buy shoes, because such action on the part of customers would only serve to lessen stocks unduly and increase the later N season prices.
 Retailers, wholesalers and tanners. through their trade organizations and Uniformed trade papers, have issued a warning of mounting prices. giving as the paramount reasons the high cost of raw materials, the un- precedented demand for leather and shoes at home and abroad, and the advances in wages paid to labor in all branches of the shoemaking in- dustry.
 According to the findings of Fred erick Lawrence, who has reviewed the situation for a New York news paper, the mounting cost of shoes is another House That Jack Built. Tn ascribing reasons for higher prices, the holder of each place in the eco- nomic succession points to the hol1er of each next place in thelline.
 Retailers who in normal tirnea figure on 80 to 40 per cent. profit, and in some cases in abnormal times on so per cent. profit, must raise prices to meet increased costs Wholesalers, manufacturers and tan- ners declare. they must raise their prices. although figuring on no higher per cent of profit than th.y earned before the war, because os increased wages and increased cost of hides The packers and distributors, stating that their profits per unit of business have been smaller during the past year than ever before, also ascribe increased costs to conditions beyond their control.
 President Fred A. Vogel, of the Tanners council, has stated in sum- marking the situation in hide costs:
 There is no question that high ' prices were caused by the good oIdl rule of supply and demand. Not only is there & large demand for leathen in this country, but the Europeanl countries, in their anxiety and nervI ] ousness to replenish their stocksI "---- --- ------- ----- = have been active and anxious buyers 1 in the market.
 There are considerable stocks Of raw material scattered all over the world that can be made available for American tanners provided the Ship / ping Board or some other agency of 1 the government sees that additional ships are provided for South America, 1 for India, for China, for Vladivostok and later for Riga. There are ac- cumulations at all of these points which. if made available for this l country, no doubt would have good effect on our prices here.
 "The Tanners council will make every effort to secure additional ships | to bring in this raw material because it feels that it Is it's duty toward the public and the government that this be done"
 1 Manufacturers state that the cost of producing shoes has increased 122 I per cent since 1915. The increased cost in the principal materials used in making shoes is shown in this table: r.a
 1915 .s 1919
 Per Foot Per Foot Black caifskin so.3o $1.OO
 Colored kid -. .SS 1.1o-sf so Tan calfskin .. .32 '10S 1 Oak sole leather .37 go
 AS illustrating one reason for the shortage of hides and skins, it is pointed out that importations from 1916 to 1918 were as follows: 1918, 726,310,40s pounds, valued at s172- 6o3,31s: 1917. 6s1,066,6S2 pounds. valued. at s2os,73o, ,44o; 1918, 361- ss0,Ss9 pounds valued at $10S,043- l 7O3.
 The labor wage increases, accord ing to the estimates of several mRnu- lecturers, averaged during the past two years as follows: Sewers from ! s22 per week to $45 and s57; machine men from $50 and $45 to s70 and $50; cutters from s30 to s45. In addition, the hours of work have been reduced, which necessitated the employment of more men with resultant in crease of payrolls.
 The cost of hemp, Things nails, twine, eyelets, sole leather, cork, felt and every other article that is used In the making or SHoes mas increased from 100 to 300 per cent. The cost of sole leather, for instance, in 1910 was ss cents a pound, while now it is 31.05. and & further increase is pending. B ..r.s
 The Shoe Retailers. official organ of the retail shoe trade, has ascribed the mounting cost of shoes to the European demand for hides the world shortage of skins and increases in labor wages.
 Shoe dealers place the average incresse in retail prices since 1q15 a+