The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-02
HAT CRUSADE ON
Topeka Millinery Committee
Out on Costs and Styles.
Investigate Reason for High
Prices and Fashions.
NO FAULT OF TOPEKA DEALERS
Mrs. G. A. Supple, Chairman,
Blames East Pace Settlers.
"PeacOck Probe" VIII Look
Into High Western Charges.

oh, girls! They've started the pea
cock probe."
w. H. Kemper. chairman of the
Shawnee county fair price committee,
today appointed a committee of wo-
men to investigate millinery prices. in
accordance with a suggestion from Ed
T. Hackney, state fair price commits
sioner.
Hackney says he has received
charges that hat prices are too high.
The styles change too often. he has
been informed. You can't expect a
woman to wear an old style hat and
well, father will pay the bills. So here
goes for an investigation.
THE millinerS say the women de-
mand that the styles be changed about
four times year" said Kemper today.
But the women tell me tnat the mil
liners change the styles themselves.
thus forcing them to buy new ones.
They say they never get to wear hat
out So I'm going to leave 1t to the
women to investigate"
Just imagine investigating hat
! prices. Going into a millinery store
/ (there is no greater paradise for a
woman) and trying on all the latest
/ styles and asking the price!
Mrs. Supple, Chairman.
Mrs. G. A. Supple was appointed
! chairman Oh the investigators OIneI
members are: Mrs. L. Candy, Mrs. r
D. Blaine. Mrs. f. P. Lindsay and
Mrs. J. C. Wood. Mrs. Supple will
I call a meeting next Friday or Satur-
/ day and the work of ascertaining
margins of profit and reason of costs
i will begin.
1t may be that an agreement will
be reached not to change the styles
I in headgear for several weeks-pos-
sibly six months-at a time. Mrs
Fashions may then buy a skypiece and
wear 1t with the blissful knowledge
that Mrs Styles cannot get anything
newer or lovelier for at least half q
year. So many things have happened
since the war that women may ever
dispense with those beautiful lace anC
flower creations and go hack to thu
good old gingham sunbonnets like
I grandmother used to wear. TheI
Paris would lose her prestige and LIE
compton or Wakarusa would dictate
the styles
Men Are Forgotten.
"As for the men-Hackney evident
ly forgot them. So they will have t
go on paying high prices for something
to walk under. While the fashions II
mems hats do change. it is probable
that the male sex is not SO deeply con
cerned with this phase of the gam'
and therefore does not hesitate to weal
the old model a little longer. But t
protect his scalp from the slushy snow
Mr.. Man will have to pay a handsome
price-from 81 to S15-this fall anS
as for those good old times when
fellow could fold up his hat and stuf
! it in his coat pocket without feelinl
. that he was committing sin agains
society-well. they probably will neve
come again.
Local Dealers Not at Fault.
''Altho l really don't believe tina
the fault lies with the local milliners
yet we will talk with them and in
, vestigate the cost of their material,
said Mrs Supple today. 1T is tru
: that the farther east you go tn
cheaper millinery gets, but whethe
that is the fault of the freight con
gestion and increased rates, I don
profess to know. We are started ol
: this thing now, and intend to stay witt
it until we reach a conclusion"