Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-25
NO HOPE FOR DROP
IN PRICE OF SHOES
Orders for Fall Delivery Quoted
at Highest Price Ever
Known.
OPTIMISM Is SHORT LIVED
Statement of Slater Fails of
Fulfllment by Members
of Trade.
OPTIMISM IS SHORT LIVED
fBy Asroc!atcd Pre.s.1

United States.
The tempest was caused by :. litti.
Item wired from New York on March
-. TO the effect that the Federal au-
,horities had announced they hal
dent OF the local Retail Dealers AS
ISOLATION. that standard" shoes would
he reduced during the. spring and
summer. 1t was published In many
newspapers and patcr and mater ia
iniiias, with lots OF little feet 20 be
shod. chuckled over the glad. good
news az many IA supper table. The
New York. March 92.---rrices Of
standard shoes VIII be reduced dur
ing the spring and summer. John STA
crs Association. announced todny.
IN communication to Arthur
williams. Federal food administrators.
Retailers at a recent meeting decided
OF profit. MIR. Slater said. Reductions
however, will not apply to 'all kinds
OF fancy and ultra-fashionab!c fUo:-
wear.
The action of the retail shoc deal
ers. Mr.. Williams said. probably pre-
saEed the beginning Of d general mar
rowing Of profit margins in other
wearing apparel"
People Hailed Promise.
One paper in Arkansas carried the
item with the heading: Here's Hope
for tn: Weary: Says Prices May Come
Down Ey many II was regarded as
the first real move toward "a rcduc-
ton in the high cost OF living. The
next day or so retail shoe store pa
Oshk osh to the Gulf visited their ia
vorite dealers TO buy the cheaper
footwear The dealers. many of whom
had not had :, marked down" sale
since before the war. said they had
not heard anything about decline
in prices.
ever. and soon dealers. .jobhcrs and
manufacturers began to lombard Mr..
Slater with inquiries AS 10 the basis
for his assertion. Meanwhile. Mr.
the Associated Press regarding the
correctness Of the statement attrib-
utcd % him. and he declined 10 com
liams. formerly Federal food admin
istra;or and fair prise comm Ss Toner.
was visited. and he confirmed the
statemen, rs sent out by the Assoc
cisted Press. 1> -----
Announcement Was Confusing.
1t became known. however. that
much OF the confusion had been
caused by the form OF the announce
rnent made from the office or the
OF general movement such as Was
indicated by the announcement, the
only plan in contemplation Was
Limitation Of profits in. in New ,,
failed to be put into effect Mr.. VIII
Hams, however. stood by the state
ment as carried by the Associated
Press. He said il was correct and
he would assume fun responsibility
for It.
Mr. Williams explained that early
this sprins. the Federal authorities
made an effort 20 reach an under.
concerning the profits on footwear.
In hia offici..! capacity as Fair Price
Commits sioncr. he said. he received
on March 80 last communica'i@n
New York Retail Shoe Dealers As
soriation, containing :. propose! for
limitation TO maximum OF u 10 :"
per cent of retail proftS on shoes
Williams said he referred the pro-
posal TO United states Attorney Caf-
fey. No action on IL has been taken
by the Department; of Justic" Mr..
successor has been appointed. Mean.
while the retail price Of standard
shoes in New York remains as high
as ever.
slater Explains Statement.
While declining 10 make any state
dive-ginE views of Mr.. Williams and
himself. Mr.. Slater sent an "eNplana-
ton in letters and kilograms to
newspapers and members Of The shoe
Mr.. Williams had told the reporters
that he thought shoes would Toe
cheaper. He denied he had told this
10 Mir. Williams. and said that al
under way for limitation Of profits
he saw no basis for the assertion
that prices would come down.
a Fort Smith. Ark. merchant who
which apparently gave the death
blow to the expiring hopes. built
upon the announcement from tho
Fair rricc Commissioners office. that
or anywhere else. SIR, slater said:
In making my, recommendation 10
nrnnt 20 be anSwed on non-tnxablc
shoes would not come down" EN-
planning his stand in regard to
higher priced shoes. lie added:
Luxury Tax Responsible.
In my arguments with the gov
crnment ! take the stand tnat the
excise or luxury tax placed on shoes
or $40 or over takes them out of tho
,rh,sm r. nscessi.y> class, under nd,
Lever act specifically states that
there must be no excessive profits
ON the necessaries OF life. such as
feed. food. shocs and clothing, and
gives them tho right to regulate this
4 Springfield. Ohio. arm which
wanted TO know who was response
Bile, Mr.. Slater or Mr.. Williams. for
tlc lot SHOES Win
which dealers were being hombardcd
wrote letter to the Associated
Press. In which II made this COM
ment:
TT is such misleading reports
which are causing 90 per cent of
the discomfort among the buying
public. This does not apply eXclu-
sively to the shoe business. hut TO
other lines OF merchandising. The
public believes that all merchants
AFRO profiiecrs. Bolshevist ideas and
discomfort are growing evorywhere.
and will cost America dearly some
day unless the facts arc given to the
public.
"The facts regarding this state
ment are that there Is no reputable
manufacturer We know OF who will
accept duplicate orders today at
prices an low as those prevailing
when spring orders were being
booked: Orders placed now for fall
deliveries arc att tho highest prices
ever known In the industry. If i'm
mediate orders and orders for fall
delivery cost more than spring goods
and merchants are doing business on