The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-12-03
FsTHOSE WHO BUY r BOOST BUSINESS
tContinued from Page one. :,

We have made large preparations for Christmas trade this year. Last year directly after Christmas we went to New York and bought very very large stock at a very advan- tageous price. In fact, I am not sure as it will be possible to buy as cheap ly next year. While it looks now as though we should dispose of it all l am not so certain as I should feel bad if there was some of it left"
 T do not see anything to worry over in general business conditions. The basic conditions are right. There is no over-production. I think this depression is more mental than any thing else. The banks and other financial institutions get frightened very easily sometimes and they pass the word out and presently every one is fearful and hesftates and we have a depressed period. I think Ford and Wanamaker made a mistake in starting the readjustment with such big drop at one time, and 1t has had very bad effect in my opinion.
 No, unless we give up law and order so it is impossible to do busi- ness as it is in Ireland today, or de- liberately create dull times, I can see no reason why there should be any"
 Caesar Misch store, when quest .oned by the Times man, replied, Why, certainly look for a good Christmas business. l am practically certain that we are going to have it. It may not total as much in dollars as last year for the reason that prices are anywhere from 10 to 40 per cent lower, but the volume will be as large. There will be as great a number of sales.
 Personally, I think that prices are as low as they will be for some time to come. Manufacturers have been holding large stocks for some time, but recently they have begun to un- load them at very substantial re- duction. Retailers who had small stocks have taken advantage of this and passed the benefit on to the consumer. I know of one firm manu- featuring clothing which for several weeks has been working off large stock at a very heavy reduction and at the same time paying 5000 a week overhead.
 There will be no reduction in wages to warrant any further reduc- manufacturers all over the country are trying to get labor down to a lower level of wages, but it does not aver age more than from 10 to 1 5 per cent at present, and I think that is as much as they will succeed in forcing wages down. The furriers have gone back to work in New York with no reduction in their wages.
 There is no over-production in the country. For almost four years we were principally engaged in mSking war stuff and things for soldier use. There was very little produced for civilian use. Europe Is destitue. Soon- CT or later we have got to give her credit and begin the task of reha- bilitating her.
 z "A large factory up the state which ordinarily employs several thousand hands has but 700 on it's payroll just now, but I talked with the manager of the concern the other day and he tells me that by the first of March he expects to have more than ever employed.
 General business may be little bit dull for a few weeks, but it can- such things as ties and scarfs, how ever, I am certain that there will be good Christmas business.''
 Christmas does not affect our busi- ness much for we ell nothing but men' clothing. I can see no reason why we should think there is going to be any period of hard times. Ii we are undone I am surprised. There may be some stores which have not sold all the goods they could wish iT the last few weeks, but I see no req son for thinking it means bad times, was the way T. Richard Borg, man ager of the Rogers Clothing Com pany, put it.
 A. baTOdCn, SeCTeIdTy ana lTedS urer of the Rogers firm. and genera manager of the Rogers stores. sait we are unquesuonably on a falling market. It is one of the things to b' expected in this adjustment period Goods in the piece have come dowI very much; so have cottons. Made up goods have not so much, but WI are selling goods at cost and belov cost. In fact there is no line whicl has done so much in the way of re
 4y.o <,Jr. I,i I{no n ar are not, however, anywhere near tn amount of stocks on han that ther were a few months ago, not by 5 per cent.
 "But business and manufacture must not be asked to do all the re adjusting. Labor must do its par also. I am not for beating labo down. I want to see every man hay all he can. But under the presen conditions labor will have to do on of two things. It will either have t be satisfied to work for less wag or else 1t will have to increase pro duction at the old wage. One C the two it must do.
 There are great quantities of ra' wool in the world and very larg amount of the cheaper grades ( wool, but no one wants goods mad up of those grades Every one toda wants the very finest wool there to be had. It is the result of tn great prosperity which we have hal Boiled beef is all right until a ma has had roast beef, then he hate to go back to boiled beef.
 "I cannot feel the same amount optimism concerning Christmas bus ness which is possessed by some mel chants whose statements I have bee reading said w. s. Snephard, mar ager for the S. B. Thing Compan q do not think there will be tt same spirit this Christmas that thel was last, and if the spirit is n' there the bushes will not follow. Me who are out of work even thoue they expect to go back in a hort tin will not buy to the same extent tn they would if they were working.
 "I think that one of the most ir portant things to do to get busine to moving briskly in this town is
 bring about a reduction of rent Nothing bears so hard on the worl ing man today as the very high rent It Is the largest single item in h budget and has to be met prompt Reduce those to a reasonable ngu and there would be a good deal mo
 buying on the part of the workil
 class"
 ~o.I Daolr oF Io firm Iol