, 1921-08-18
Herman c. Ritter, Former President Q
Retail Dealers Association Of United
States, gives Interesting Testimony
Before Committee Hearing Ar
9uments on French Capper
Bill.

For some time past the sub-com-
mittee Of the Committee on Inter-
state Commerce of the United States
Senate. has been hearing testimony
in connection with the French-Capper
Truth-in-Fabric Measure which is
now before congress.
Below We are publishing the testi-
mony given by Herman C. Ritter,
formerly president Of the Retail
Dealers Association of the United
States:
Senator Watson. Give your name
and your address and your connec-
ton, Mr.. Ritter.
MI. Ritter. Herman C. Ritter,
Youngstown, Ohio. Mr.. Chairman
and gentlemen: I come to you this
morning as a humble retailer, hav-
ing an experience in the retail bust
ness of something about 35 years. I
come to you free handed, without
any obligation, or without and prom
ise by any one faction or the othen
but l am here as a matter Of defense
on the part Of the retailer. l might
add to this that four years ago I was
the national chairman of the Retail
Association Of the United States,
which took me into practically every
state of the Union. In that year that
I served as president of that associa-
ton I found that many and many a
merchant lacked the knowledge and
ability to serve the public because
he did not know what he was selling,
and what his wares consisted of, and
what the ingredients of those fabrics
were, for the purpose Of giving to
the average consumer the satisfac-
ton of dollar for dollar.
Now, you may take as a matter Of
comparison a druggist who serves
the public in the way OF filing out
prescriptions. You demand of him a
diploma to show that he is capable
of filling that prescription. I ask
you, gentlemen of intelligence, to
say whether or not you have ever
made this demand with regard to
the retailer OF his help. SIS that
man able to serve, and does he know
what he is selling the average pub
lic?" And In reference to that I
wish to say-and I am going to be
pretty broad in my estimates-that
I doubt whether in this great coun-
try OF our there are rs per cent of
the average retailers, good or bad.
who a deliberately dissect a piece
of cloth and know what the ingredi-
ents are.
Now, II the merchant himself does
not know what he is buying and the
salesman m to you as the servant
Of the people. Of the public, is he not
criminally liable II he sells you a
piece Of cloth that is manipulated
with cotton, or whatever 1t may be,
selling 1t for all wool, and at the
same time giving q man anything but
what he expects to get and pay for?
AS l stated a moment ago gentle
e I am here in the defense of a
business that has got to get away
from the old ruts. There vas a time
when the business Of the retailer, In
the way of the clothing business, was
in the hands of the old Chapel Street
clothier, when a man took any price
he could for it.. But there are high
err ideals, my friends, in the business
Of today. and we have got to have the
cooperation and the help Of all big
men trading upon the basis of dollar
for dollar.
Now. I will say this to you frank
ly. that l have heard some beautiful
arguments illustrating some things
I knew and some things I did not
know. For instance, Mr.. Webb, of
the city of Philadelphia showed the
difference in the fabrics; what was
short stock, etc. Now, l am here to
say to you gentlemen that I am not
going into the idea Of this PROPOSE
ton of revoked wool, which is q
polite word for 'shoddy, but to sell
1t for exactly what 1t is, and for what
1t is made. The average public to.
day, my friends, know about these
things, and r learning, and are
reading up on them, and II you came
from a farming community, as I dc
a. we'll as q steel community, you
would soon find out that II you were
engaged In the retail business, in the
way I am, that the farmer is the man
who is giving us the heaviest knocks
OF Dur lives. He cites the facts in
reference to wool. He cites the fact
that he cannot get as much for hia
wool as they are selling rags for, and
those are the arguments that are
damning to us, and we stand there
like 80 cents.
Now. + think the Senator yester.
day asked the question whether II
you work on all-wool policy would
You have enough wool In this coun-
try to supply the average demands!
I would say no, and I think we all
agree upon that. But what encour-
agement have you to offer the farm
or II you are going to substitute
shoddy. and taboo wool to q certain
extent?
Now, I ask you, gentlemen, free
handed. and with an unbiased opinion
to take the facts into consideration,
and l ask you to help US, and TO
help the farmer to put q propaganda
over that will encourage the farmer
IN raising the right kind Of wool. and
eetter wool. and simply go on and
6ot q market for It.
I am now going to ask you another
question: What would you nay II q
real sstate MAI came to you aud sold
yoa . brick house which 10 brick
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