Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-05-19
WAVE Of PRICE
CUTTING TAKES
PLACE IN MANY
PARTS OF j. s.
Twenty-Four Cities From
the Mississippi Valley to
the Pacific Coast Report
Decided Reductions.
ONE FIRM ANNOUNCES
A "N0 PROFIT SALE"
SIaSheS of From 20 to 80
Per Cent Are Announced;
Reductions, However, May
Be Only Temporary,

Icy MORNING JouENN~ 81 tciAL LEASED wiRsl
Chicago, May 49,. - A wave of
price cutting in retail clothing costs
reaching from the Mississippi val
ley to the Pacific coast was report
ed today. Dispatches from twenty
four cities told Of promised reduc-
tions in certain necessities ranging
from Is per cent to minus profit.
Financial authorities here said
that the indications were that the
price decline would be limited to
ready-to-we clothing, principally
women's garments and silks. Shoes
were in the list affected.
Tight money and inadequate
transportation facilities were cited
among the prime reasons for the
movement. Delays in delivery Of
goods in which much money had
been tied up, together with inabil-
ity of farmers to get grain and live
stock to market were said in many
instances to have worked hard
shin on merchants.
An officer of one of the leading
department stores of Chicago de-
clared that the price reduction now
being reported meant also that
merchants were trying to satisfy
what he called "a hysterical de-
mand from the public for lower
prices" These current reductions
he said, might be only temporary
Reduction In Inventories.
A financial authority here said
that if reports of price cutting were
dependable, they indicated a tend
cncy toward q reduction in inven-
tories. Though this might be tenn
porary, he said, it was undoubtedly
good, in that it suggested that mer-
chants were going ahead more eau
tiously. Sales are being held under
various names.
In Topeka, Kans, a mems cloth
ing firm announced a mo profit
sale. Department stores in st. Louis
advertised "underselling campaign"
Twenty per cent cuts were the most
popular. on the Pacific coast, Ia
coma dealers announced cuts from
20 per cent flat to "profitless
sales"
Three Seattle retailers cut cloth
ing 90 per cent. In san Francisco
one retailer announced a 20 per
cent cut in all lines, another 20 to
so per cent in certain commodities.
Several Omaha stores said their
silk cuts were so per cent, In
Wichita. Kans., silk shirts have
been reduced. Coffeyville, Kans.,
reported many cut price sales.
Cut In Shoe Prices
In Minneapolis a large depart
ment store has announced cut Of
20 per cent. At Knoxville, Tenn
one of the city's largest department
stores today made a discount of 20
per cent on its entire stock, except
few contract price articles. Shoe
reductions also were announced. At
oklahoma City sales offers of 20
to 80 per cent reductions were re-
ported
At San Antonio, Tex, two de-
partment stores and one at Waco
announced sales with reductions of
20 per cent, another at 25 per cent
reduction sale.
At Fort Smith, Ark, special sales
said the reduction was 20 per cent.
At Pine Bluffs one mems store and
one women's store are making the
same cut. Slight reductions in
shoes and wearing apparel were
noted at Texarkana. Springfield
and at Little Rock retailers last
week made cut from fifth to a
quarter.
Atchison, Kans., announced a 20
per cent reduction.