New-York tribune., 1920-01-10
Shoe Dealers
Summoned to
Explain Prices
'sTalk of 500 Advance
e Is Worst I've Heard in
Year and Will Not Be
Permitted" Says Williams
Calls Public Indifferent
Persists i'm His Refusal to
Issue New Food List
and Sanction Increases

Raymond P. Marse, president OF the
Shoe Manufacturers Association of
Brooklyn, and other shoe men will
confer with Federal Food Admins
TRAITOR Arthur Williams to-day on
future shoe prices. The meeting will
be held in Mr.. Williams's office, 1870
East Fifteenth Street, at II o'clock.
" The Food Administrator in arrang-
ing the conference made clear to Mr..
Marse yesterday his views on the pre-
dictions of 80 per cent advance in
the shoe price py next summer. These
predictions were made at convention
Of shoe men at Cincinnati, and were
also made by some prominent dealers
recently.
"The statement that shoes we're to
advance SO per cent in price by next
summer was the worst / have heard
in year or more. Its coming from
members of trade which supplies the
public with necessary commodity
makes it more serious" Mr.. Williams
told Mr.. Marse. "It might as we'll be
known now as later that no arbitrary
boosting of shoe prices will be per-
mitted.
90 Demands Fair Reason
"If there is to be an advance in
the price of shoes, let the dealers give
suitable reasons to those who must
pay it."
statement concerning the so per cent
advance was made as one mans opin-
ion, and did not represent the senti
ments of the convention at Cincinnati
He declared, however, that only the
best leather was being used in shoes
turned out at present. He explained
that the only leather available at this
time was the finer grades, but that
within short time other and less .ex-
pensive varieties would be on the
market.
Colonel Michael NJ. Friedsam, chair
man of the fair price committees sub
Committee on drygoods, clothing and
shoes. will be present at the conference
to-day, Mr.. Williams said. He ex-
planned that Colonel Friedsam's assis-
tsnce would be solicited IN an educa-
ttona! campaign to divert more Of the
buying to the less expensive grades
of shoes.
$50 Shoes in Demand
"1hc peculiar part of the whole shoe
situation is that dealers cannot turn
out enough expensive Shoes" Mr.. Will
Hams said. II know of one firm that
III
$50 a pair. The demand for these
shoes is remarkable. The owner of
the plant tells me that his difficulty
lies. not in disposing Of the shoes, but
in obtaining expert workmen to manu-
facture them.
,"Above all things, it is necessary to
prevent unfair merchants from taking
advantage of this situation, in which
Die public virtually ignores prices"
\ Mr.. Williams said that he would
watch the developments at conven
manufacturers here next week.
: The food administrator persisted
Yesterday in his refusal to make pub
lie new fair price list for staple food
stuffs. No reductions had been forth
coming from dealers, he said. Until
prices descended to Mondays level,
there would be no list issued, he de-
ciared.
Mr.. Williams announced that he had
;lready singled out one factor which
often led to unwarranted raising of
prices. Most of the explanations for
,dvanced prices, he explained, cited
.ctrcities. He declared that he did not
ielieve that a temporary shortage of
q commodity justified advancing it's
price. He said he would make an ef
fort to have food dealers of this city
recognize the lnadvlsablllty OF raising
price, with each small scarcity. Deal
crs who persist in boosting prices with
out good reasons will be prosecuted
Ter proftcering, he declared.
State Director Confers
ssJames F. Stafford, the new food ad-
ninistrator for New York State out
side of New York City, conferred with
Mr. Williams yesterday on plans for
reducing the living cost. Mr.. Stafford
was recently appointed to succeed
Charles E. fireman, Of Ithaca. He served
as food administrator of Erie County
and is making his home in Buffalo.
Mr.. Stafford said he was certain the
living cost could be lowered by licens-
ing all food dealers. The government
could regulate it's profits under this
system, he said
The upstate administrator reported
that the sugar situation had been re
lieved in most districts under his jur
isdiction. Sugar was obtainable a.
prices ranging from II to 21 cents
nound, he declared
a member of the fair price com
mittce's Subcommittee on wholesal,
groceries declared yesterday that tn
sugar shortage here has passed. With
in short time, he said, housewife
would have large stocks available a
about Ii cents pound.