Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-15


agents for the home" and. as such. are
very important, indeed.
LUGURES are quoted TO show what
- immense quantities Of food and
clothing and household goods women
buy in America. 1t is quite true, us
the advertising experts claim. nova
days, that women must be catered to
apd attracted to products, because they
are the spenders, the buyers of ma.
tion. A lot Of statistics snow that
women buy So per cent of the raw
and market products: over 0t per cent
Of all house furniture; 10 per cent Of
all clothing, etc.
1t is certainly a fact that we do Il
big amount of buying. en- masse, and
are worth having our psychology studied
by experts in advertising and merchau-
dtsing concerns that want to get rid of
their goods. In all. we spend millions
Of dollars, but. rs individuals, We are
not buying any vast quantities. and We
cannot get wild over purchasing daily
meats and groceries, or twicr Il year
selecting Willics hats and shoes.
Z Men still own and operate the i'm
Mense railroads and tall buildings and
tine country clubs, and the theatres and
banks and corporations. 1t does not
thrill us particularly TO be patted OH the
back and told how marvellous We are
rs ''Ilome Purchasing Agents" be-
cause we select the vegetables and buy
some summer and winter costumes. and
occasionally lay in the coal and send u
check for the gas and electric light bill !.
A WRITER recently drew brilliant
"A parallel between the purchasing
agent of n tremendous corporation lwho
swelled with pride when asked his pro-
fessiOn, and boasted OF the millions Of
dollars he handled. and the intelligent
study he made ot prices and markets
in order to buy most chcaply ana in the
right quantity, and save his firm
money! and the home maker who does
not show pride In her job.
We are told that we have just as
responsible a position as that of the
ten thousand dollar salaried purchasing
agent, and ought to be proud and ex-
cited over our huge opportunity and
responsibility.
NIOW, this really is absurd. The
AN housekeeper of the moderate little
fiat, with a small income, does not eX
pend vast quantities of money, or waste
large masses of material. She has no
nous achievements. OF course, she
ought TO study efficiency methods OF
marketing and master the few simple
economic facts.
We, and hundreds of writer's and
gpeakers on modern household themes
have urged the women of the medium
incomes to emulate European house :
wives, In eliminating waste. in market :
ing frugaly and learning 10 utilize all
edibles; and to train their daughters il
common sense ana morality, in not
being carried away by cxtravaganc'
and sinful waste. Wise purchasing il
sensible. even on small scale, where
the total waste involved amounts onl!
10 cents or dollars, in place Of thou
sands or millions.
But there il no reason to regard our
selves as phenomenon, for being
aane and sensible or frugal household
manager. Many woman j. that, ant
administers business or an estate, o.
acts on philanthroplc committees be
sides!
IF MODERN women are restless Il
= Is because they are in the transi.
fional stage between the overworkeo
i past housekecper, with her dozens o
! lhAustries within the home, and til,
I ultra- modern woman with profession
4 thousands Of women have been freet
nom domestic drudgery, yet do not
quite realize how much leisure they
y Nave, and reach out for helpful and ere
alive occupations. These probably seen
nervous and idle. but they will not be
aoothed by pretty phrases about theiI
egcessiye importance in purchasing O
~ dollars worth for the house. By
IN means, be efi,ient--but try to real
~ some Of the worlds really great
1glnleneG 80.