Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-04-15
SHOE MANUFACTURERS
MAY CLOSE PLANTS
Speakers at Annual Convention
of Vermont Retail Dealers
Declare That Demands of
Labor Are Reaching a Point
Where They Cannot Be Met

The Vermont Shoe Retailers put in
profitable day yesterday in attendance OF
the fifth annual convention. which was
in session at the New Sherwood Hotel.
The shoe men had plenty of fun during
the day but the afternoon and evening
were mostly spent in listening to some
able talks on phases of their business. A
feature of the meeting was the large
number Of exhibits which took up most
of the space in the large dining room of
the hotel.
B. J. Boynton. president of the as
ISOLATION, called the meeting to order in
the afternoon and delivered the address.
He urged the members to make q study of
their business and to encourage the clerks
TO use every means of informing them
, selves in regard to the business. He took
up various phases Of the business and
urged on all the necessity OF unity among
the shoe dealers. He advocated the form
ing Of organizations over the State to
combat pernicious propaganda directed
against the retailer in places.
A. J. Canning followed Mr.. Boynton.
He took up the subject of hides and
skins and told of the manner in which
they were handled before going to the
tanner. The tanners were growing more
and more particular all the time in re-
/ gard to the hides they accepted In one
year his company has handled as high as
10000 calf skins and 10000 COW hides but
the calf skins are not coming in so fast
now for the reason that farmers are
keeping their calves. He told of the
methods used in storing the hides, and
went into the technical details of the
| process.
Miss Helen NJ. Haney. associate editor
7 Nf hA o-l
ton. took UP the topic of styles for womer
next fall and showed that she was
thoroughly familiar with her subject. She
dealt with one of the biggest problems
Of the trade In a manner which pleased
the shoe men and gave them much valu
| able information.
She said that women were not so par
ticular In regard to their shoes a few
years ago as they were now, since the
advent of the short skirt The shor
skirt did not necessitate any such length
Of boot as has been worn, however, will
its load Of eyelets. The women next fal
are going to wear a boot varying be
| tween eight and half and nine inches
in height and Miss Haney is Of tn,
opinion that low cut shoes are to be IL
the biggest demand in their history. Sh,
estimated that between 60 and so per cen
Of the fashionable footwear will b.
oxfords. In the cities a heavy woolei
stocking will be worn with them, ant
in some cases spats and boot tops.
The toe will be a medium, and slight,
rounded. with a vamp running between
three and a quarter and three and three
quarters In length. Buckles will be wor,
as now, and tiny buckles will be worn 70
the purpose Of fastening dress puml
instead OF bows. There is a tendency t.
lower the heels slightly in walking shoes
Louis heels will be worn with slight.
heavier lines. The brogue oxford will
wing and plain tip will be worn exten
sively. She predicted an immense de
mand for white footwear this summer.
District Attorney V. A. Billiard spok
briefly on the Lever act, which he sal
originally did not include shoes an
clothing. but was restricted to foods
Last year clothing and shoes were in
cluded. He said that the act merely pro
vided for investigation. There Away
was law against gougng the public O
disappearing goods. He had no case
Of shoe mans profiteering in Vernon,
He announced that George N. Tide
OF Barre. shoe retailer. had been an
pointed to the fair price commission I
assist Orlo E. Luce, the fair price com
missioner. This was done at the reuues
Of the shoe retailers.
Officers for the ensuing year wer
elected as follows: President Georg
N. Tilden of Barre; first vice-presi
dent, w. w. Hartwell of Mortified
second vice president. ]. H. Amey @
st. Johnsbury; secretary. Lester Cloug
of Barre; treasurer. Frank j. Shea q
Barre. The place of meeting mex
year will probably be Barre. althoug
no action was taken on the matter.
The meeting closed in the eveninf
when about rs were present. Sho
men from all parts of the countr
made short talks. 1t was the genera
consensus of opinion that this sum
mer would see a closing up of a larg
number Of the shoe plants in Ne,
England. and perhaps most of I'll
plants throughout the country. be
cause of the impossible demands mad
, by labor. In some instances increase
. of rs and even 100 per cent had bee
J.. asked for. 1t was the opinion of III
= speakers that the manufa cture,
! would at last draw the line and Lgf
! the proposition out for the reason tht
!. prices could not be increased to me,
= such expense of production. Anon
= those who spoke were Ralph Baker ,
= Cincinnati. George Lovely of Bosto
and George T. Durbin of New York.