South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-29
PUBLIC'S REFUSAL
TO BUY TO BRING
LOWER PRICES
Reduction in Cost of Necessi-
ties a Matter of Abstin-
ence for Time Being.
BY LOUIS LUDLOW.
lews-Times Washington Correspondent


WASHINGTON. ID. G, April Is
a growing determination Of the pur-
chasing public 10 take the high cost
OF living into It's own hands and APP
ply the solution by refusing 20 buy
expensive articles IS doing more
than all governmental agencies com
bined 10 rut a crimp in the profit
GERS and reduce living expenses 10
a normal basis.
Eventual reduction in the prices
of wearing apparel, food and other
necessities is bound 10 result within
the next few months If the present
nation wide movement for economy
I'm buying is kept up and continues
20 spread in the degree that IL has
been spreading according 10 the
opinion Of observers here.
Part of General Protest.
The overall movements are de-
clared not 20 be in themselves par
tiCularly indicative OF a return OF
reasonable prices, but the move
ments are considered 10 be only a
Fart OF q general protest by the
people against the prices which
they have been too freely paying
since the signing Of the armistice
and the let-dOwn in wartime econ
omy. II the overall movement be-
comes popular and is followed by
similar movements TO buy cheaper
commodities of all sorts. il is bound
to have an increasingly beneficial ef-
feet on all prices.
The truth is, in the opinion OF OBJ
servers at the national capital, that
present prices are caused more by
the orgy of spending that has en-
veloped the country than by the eN-
action Of undue profits, although, OF
course. there have been many in
stances were people have been fore
ed 10 pay eXorbitant prices for many
commodities But the fact has been
il is pointed out here, that the peo-
pie have paid these eXOrbitant prices
freely and without protest. and
have in many cases sought the most
extensively priced articles they
could find. i'm pref TO buying
cheaper and more substantial aru'
cles.
How Prices VIII Drop.
Careful observers here say thai
whenever the public gets 10 tbs
point that it indicates il will not pay
exorbitant prices and shows 1t den
nitely by not buying the things IN
which il ia believed there have been
undue price increases, the prices are
bound to come down. Further tnan
this. il Is believed that when manu-
facturers perceive the refusal OF the
people to buy luXuries they viii be-
gin more and more the manufactur
of things that appeal TO the purses
of the class that seeks eco2omN-
Reports reaching Washington IN
dictate that two more large Brooklyn
department stores have conn leteG
arrangements to make substantial
cuts in the prices of all the neces-
sites they sell in the way OF cloth
ing and shoes. II is expected tha'
merchants in Manhattan Will follow
the example of their Long Island
competitors and optimistic prophets
are predicting il will only be short
time until department stores all over
the country will be doing likewise
Encourage Sane Buying.
The department stores, II Is ne
Iieved here. have not been the guilty
parties in the increase or prices
They have been compelled, in most
cases against their wills, 10 sell q
class Of goods that they nave ho'
desired TO sell and they have been
forced TO cater to expensive buyers
when ordinarily they are SATISFIED 70
cater to the thrifty housewife. rms
is the reason why these stores nave
heen so willing TO cooperate IN thrH'
movements and why they are en-
Couraging the people TO return 10 an
era Of sane buying