The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-14

In Mondays issue of The Age-Herad you published a very lengthy, well-word-
 ed article written by Judge William E..
 Fort, and I have no desire to enter into
 any controversy whatever with him re-
 garding his idea of wearing old clothes,
 for in this 1 might be compelled to plead
 guilty to the charge of being a charter
 member of this organization. In my opin-
 ion, men have a perfect right to wear
 overalls, and when customer wishes to
 purchase them from us he is waited on and shown the same degree of courtesy
 as if he were buying a hgh-priced suit
 of clothes; but if the judges statement that anyone who has examined the
 prices of clothing advertised locally dur
 ing the past week or ten days, or who
 has taken the trouble to examine the
 prices in the show windows, knows that
 there has been material reduction in the
 price of clothing in Birmingham since
 this movement began" if allowed to go
 without challenge would in the minds of the public convict all merchants of having been profiteering up to this time, and l do not believe that Judge Fort would Intentionally make this charge if
 he were fully posted on clothing values and merchandising conditions, and m stating these conditions I wish to quote dt ltuStn dH diliNlt WHICH dpptdIeu III the May 5 issue of Mems Wear" one of the leading trade magazines of this country, and which As read by most of the progressive merchants handling men S clothing and furnishings throughout the Urited States. The article follows yer ba atim:
 Misleading price cuts by retailers are a slur on whole clothing trade"
 Throwing sand in eyes of the public" tfH tUl,n ch hof tons, except for individual reasons, can not be bona fde.
 The news associations have carried the word to all parts of the United States that, as a result of the overall movement and economy campaigns, prices of mems clothing have been greatly reduced in some of our largest cities. and reports fl om certain sections are to the effect that the public has concluded that the case for profiteering has been proved-that the retailers, impressed by the consum- CTS demand for price recession, have cut off some of their profits, and that clothing prices are going to be consid- srably lower.
 'The situation" said a man whose years of experience in the clothing trade make him an authority, "is one of a great many angles. The retailers who have taken advantage of the overall publicity to bring out their 'expertly manipulated product and advertise 1t for $35 $60 product when it has been obtainable all the time at $35, is casting slur on the entire industry. as well as misleading the public and raising up in the mind of the public hope of much lower prices-an exception which is not justified by actual manufacturing conditions.
 These retailers, who are not nMner- ous, with an ear to the ground, have agred with themselves that they will give the public what the public wants, a,d re- sorting to expert manipulation. and re- lying upon the lure of the eve, they are covering on the overall sensation. creating a tremendous effect of tumbling prices whereas prices value for yalue-have not declined one dollar.
 Tn these exceptional cases to which I refer, it is nothing more than a case Of throwing sand in the eyes of the pub lic
 What the public does not understand is that competition in the trade, from to retailer, actually stands as guaranty against protiteering. IL is a guaranty against all except those who resort to questionable merchandising. "Reputable manufacturers of widely advertised brands have taken notice of the practice of retailers who handle their lines along with other unidentified brands in advertising big price reduc- tions and some are asking that theName of their lines be omitted from these ad- because there have been no reductions in the prices of their gar ments and the impression on the minds of consumers would be misleading. The effect also would be to produce great Confusion in the trade.
 "Of course, it is believed that. these cases of misrepresentation, whether di 1 rect or by inference. are the exception. md, thre are conditions under which some retailers. who might be included in tEis unwholesone category. are following out the necessities of their own particu- 1 ar cases
 Tn some cases there may be reasons l for cutting prices. The retailers may fig 1 lre that we are on the verge of run 1 hing into summer and that stocks must l be converted into cash. In such case | 3 genuine price reduction might be jus tified, but it is early in the season for 1 such merchandising.
 Then, again, the money market is tight | md some retailers may be feeling the | .eed for money. and it may be financial | necessity to convert stocks into money. l But that is d condition which can apply | ,niy to occasional retailers.
 Then, again. just at this particular | .ime, it might be very clever on the part l ,f retailer. if he figures that the coun- ! ny is going to have financial troubles 1 0 turn his goods into cash.
 Generally speaking. the advertising of | .icthing at cut prices has very yn-