The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1920-11-19
RETAILERS Make
BIG PRICE CUT
Advertise Large Reductions in
Clothing and Shoes-Food
Also Drops.
FOLLOWS MAIL ORDER SLASH.
Further Cutting Predicted After Hoii-
days-Bankers Limiting Credit Un-
til Shelves Are cleared-De-
partment of Justice Reiaxes.

Chicago. - Following lmmeQlately
upon the heels Of the announcement
by one of the greatest mail order
houses in the country that it had made
a radical reduction In prices, all the
retail stores today published adver-
tisements in which they quoted much
lower prices, chiefly relating to cloth
ing and shoes.
There have been intimations that the
public might not see any marked price
reductions until after Christmas. The
merchants hopc7 to unload most Of
their stocks bought at peak prices a
year or more ago. but the public has
been slow to buy. Mail order houses
have apparently started a general
movement to unload stocks at what
ever price the public thinks fair and
get back as speedily as possible to
normal cond ions.
Reductions by the mail order house
in question, the third it has announced
80 per cent The larger reductions are
IN mems and women's ready-made
clothing, underwear, cotton fabri.s
woolens of all sorts and shoes. Silk
shirts are drug on the market. Mems
shoes that were priced at $14 and SIS
sx months ago may now be had for
$3.50 tc $40.
Six months ago women's silk stock
ings sold for $3 to So, but during the
week one large store has been unload
ing a carload of silk stockings, bearing
the stamp of one of the leading manu-
facturers, at 60 cents pair.
In full page advertisements two Of
the greatest merchandising houses an
nounced cuts in men's clothing. Suits
that formerly sold from 500 to $135
are now to be had for $50, $50 and SIS.
One house has been selling at 81 and
$3.50 for several days underwear that
formerly sold at S5 to IS.
Merchants admit that after the holi-
days there will be further reductions.
Banks are limiting credits and insisting
that merchants clear their shelves of
the inflated stuff at the best prices they
can get Manufacturers are in need Of
cash to keep their establishments going
and they, also, are willing to shave
prices to the edge. Garment workers,
whose wage demands are held to be
responsible for the extraordinary
prices for clothing, are being urged to
resume the piece work system and thus
assist in the general readjustment.
They are facing the alternative of hay-
Ing no employment whatever if they
refuse and indications are they will ac-
'cept
Noticeable reduc ions were also an
nounced in foodstuffs, garden and field
products. Meat continues high, with
scant prospects for reductions for at
least another SIX months or a yea-
Turkeys, which sold at rs cents a
pound last Thanksgiving are now
plentiful at 42 and so cents. Potatoes
that sold for So hundred pounds less
than a year ago are plentiful at 81 per
hundred pounds today. Onions sold to-
day at 81 per hundred pounds. One
year ago the price was $4 Cabbage,
which sold !, 5 cents a pound a year
ago, goes begging now at a cent a
pound. Danish and Dutch butter Is
coming on the market in large quanti-
ties, forestallinC plans of the local
dairies to stage the customary Winter
advance in prices. Wheat, corn and
oats all show declines. Cattle and
s.leep are off so cents to 81 pound.