Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-07-29
CLOTHING PRICES
BOOSTED BY THE
RUSH FOR GOODS
Retailers Advocate Con-
seryative Buying to Curb
Manufacturers Greed.
NO OPEN BREAK IN
COST FOR THE PRESENT
Scarcity of Material, Delegates
Report, Has Been Relieved
to a Great Extent.
NU UPtN BHEAK TN
COST FOR THE PRESENT
MERCHANTS ALLIES OF PUBLIC
Opening Session of ScmiannuaI Con.
vention Devoted Largely to Dis
cussion OF Trade Conditions.

SuSSiOh VI
Conservative buying by Virginia
merchants was urged yesterday at the
semtannual convention of the Virginia
Association of Retail Clothiers AMI
Furnishcrs. as weapon with which :.
to fight the high price of clothing.
Merchants from practically every city
OF consequence In the State were in j
attendance when the convention
opened Il two-days session at the
Richmond Hotel yesterday morning
at 10 o'clock.
Clothing will be as high as the
manufactures wills as long rs mer-
chants rush TO purchase goods aud
buy indescrimnateiy. was the opin-
ion expressed by several out-of-town
merchants attending the convention
during round-tablc discussion or
trade problems. 1t was repeatedly
stated that the public no longer will
buy at any price at which goods are
offered, but has begun TO seek only
goods that are good values for tho
money asked
Clothing Scarcity Relieved.
Since close Of the World War,
clothing has been scarce, it was
stated, but now the scarcity has been
lesscned to great extent and .aday
the public is thlnking more xbour
the cost OF clothing than anything
else and the merchant must take tsis
fact into consideration and fight for
tho lowest cost prico to meet COM
petition.
w. Fleet Kirk, OF Eirk~Porish}
Company. president OF the orGaniza-
tion, made short address at thu
opening of the convention yesterday
morning, speaking on the growth cf
the National Association of Retail
Ciothicrs and Furnishers, with which
tho Virginia association Is affiliated.
s. T. Leaning, secretary OF the
Richmond Better Business Bureau,
was another OF the speakers yester-,
day explaining the work of the Bct-
ter Business Bureau in lighting
fraudulent advertising and incorrecs3
statements in print.
Ignorance of Ad Writer.
Mr.. Leaning illustrated his point
by describing an investigation CO y
Quoted by the bureau, when gcnuine
Panama hats were advertised in
Richmond at 81 each. and. when In
vcstigated. turned out to he Toyo
ranamas. made out OF Japanes. -.ce
paper. This mistake. Mr.. Leaning,
pointed out, was caused by ignorance
of the ad writer. who did not know
that his statement was incorrect.
being Il new man connected with tho
concern.
William y. Clarke. Jr.. secretary oc
the Virginia State Retail Merchants
ASSnri1finn oil uaI,
with the program offered by conven-
tions and the attendance which could,
be expected. lie advocated arrange
ment Of special programs for convcn-
lions weeks in advance and would
give them wide publicity in order to-
work up interest and promote at
tendance.
Raphael Levy. OF Jacobs & Levy,
said during discussion of clothing
prices. that 1t was his opinion that
there will bc no open break in prices
at present. The price of silk hose
and neckwear, ii was pointed our.
already has dropped slightly. hut
other clothing prices will not drop
materially in the near future. and
break. which has been expected fer
New York Houses Offer Rebate.
Action of New York clothing houses
in Offering slight rebates on whole-
sale clothing prices was found not
to be general and the tendency was
found only among houses on the At
lantic Coast, Chicago clothing houses
having failed TO follow the example
of the Eastern houses. gt
n,a -
of the convention sessions yesterday
was the question box. Members OF
the association wrote out questions
which they wero interested in having
answered and the questions were de-
posted in "A box. They then were
distributed among members and tho
merchant holding question arose,
and answered it to the best os his
ability. a general discussion Of the
topic followed. One of the most In
terestinS questions asked concerned
the price of collars and the poss.-,
bility OF a further reduction. 1t wasi
found by the association tina. tho
price probably will remain as at pres
cnt and the chance of further fall
is said to be slight.
At the convention adjourned and
the delegates went for a trip down
the James River In body. The trip
took them US far as Chase City and
they returned to Richmond about o
o'clock last night.
Practically all OF the most Interest,"
Ing features OF the convention ara
scheduled 'or today. and Charles Il,
Wry. secretary OF the National As-
sociation OF Retail Clothiers and
Fnrnishers. will address the assoeia-1
ton. After his address. members OF
the association Will ask Mr.. Wryi
questions pertinent to tho bs,lncss3
of Virginia clothiers and Sfurdlahafs.;
SYhichl "a a Will an .tnr y. ~ " =.