New-York tribune., 1920-01-08
Federal Administrators Plans
Conference To-day With
Fair Price Chairman to
Map Out a Plan of Action
so Pc. Increase Predicted
Dealers Here Assert Public
Demand for More Costly
Footwear Is Main Cause

Steps to prevent marked advance
in the cost of shoes will be taken to-
day by Federal Food Administrator
Arthur Williams. Mr.. Williams said
last night that in view Of persistent re-
ports Of pending increases in the price
OF shoes. he had arranged conference
with Colonel Michael M. Friedsam.
chairman of the fair price committee's
subcommittee on shoes, clothing and
dry goods. Shoe merchants here ad-
mltted Yesterday that it might be ,nec-
essary to advance footwear prices.
Ihe food administrator said he would
try to ascertain the .lements which
might figure in advancing the cost of
footwear. He said he had been moved
TO action by reports published yester-
day OF predictions made at the con-
vention Of the National Shoe Travelers'
Association, in Cincinnati, that the
price OF shoes would be so per cent
higher by next summer.
Costly Shoes in Demand
1T would not relieve the general but
subsiding spirit Of unrest for the pub
lie to be assessed SO per cent more for
Shoes" Mr.. Williams said. "Perhaps
TINS increase would be justified, but if
SO the people should know it. BY stir
ring within those handling shoes the
spirit of cooperation with us--and thew
nave shown from time to time that they
have this spirit-we might be able to
stave off an increase"
MY attention also has been called
to statements that the people, espe-
claily women, are ignoring the lower
priced shoes. Cheap leather, dealers
say, Is not advancing in price in the
slightest, while the more costly grades
soaring" w
Mr.: Williams called attention to the
aacI tnat shoes were quoted as low as
$3.50 q pair in the fair price commit
tees list published yesterday. He said
that while this might be unusually low
ana represent the quotation of single
department. store, plenty Of shoes were
obtalnable at :$S.65, $s.7b. 1895, $e.65
and $lO.75, prices also quoted on the
committees List
The public must be educated to more
economical buying" Mr.. Williams
and others with incomes advanced hv w
the new conditions have been paving
80 and SIS for their shoes. This
should be discouraged, especially since
shoes just as substantial but not as
costly can be bought at reputable
StOreS."
Fifty Per Cent Raise
Local shoe manufacturers and dea1-
G ers were inclined to accept as logical
the prediction of 80 per cent advance
In the price of shoes. They cited in
creased wages, leather prices and ma
cnlnery upkeep as arguments favorinp
a. price advance. They agreed with Mr
Williams that the 1ow-priced shoes
were being ignored while the buvin~
was concentrated on the more exnen.
sive shoes. Np'"-
;. James s.. Coward declared flatly that
there will be so per cent increase in
the price of some of the varieties If
shoes carried by his firm. He saws he
is selling certain grades at SIP which
would cost him $12.25 to manufacture
now. He is sustaining slight loss in
some lines and just manages to make
costs in others, he declared.
THE people themselves are to
nlame," Mr.. Coward said. "Instead of
buying good, conservative footwear
they demand the fancy novelty styles.
FOR example, when cloth was expensive
ana leather not so scarce, the demand
lor cioth-topped shoes was so great
that the manufacturers could not Hi
orders. Now cloth-topped shoes are
less expensive than leather-topped
ones, and the former go begging"
The difficulty in obtaining hides and
skins from abroad is partly responsible
for increased shoe prices, a manufac.
turer explained. This country produces
but 60 per cent of the local demand for
certain grades of leather, the remain
der being imported from remote coun-
tries at ever-increaSng nricns