Evening star., 1923-06-04
BIGGEST STRAW HAT
YEAR IS PREDICTED
Only Hot Weather Needed to
Boost SaIes-Tourist Traf-
fic Starts With Rush.
BY j. C. RoYLE.
Special dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The star
NEW YORK, June 4.-Cold weather
and the late spring have had little
if any effect on the sale of straw hats
at the factories. The retailer only has
suffered so far, and any loss in sales
in retail lines is expected to be made
up long before the summer is over.
These statements were borne out to-
day by the most important factors IN
the hat industry
William Levy and walter Hopkins
of Baltimore, representing probably
I the oldest factories in America. pre-
dicted the biggest seasons business
in history" They declared complaints
by retailers had been few. in spite OF
the fact that In some cities only
moderate number of hats have so far
been sold. Cancellations of orders to
the factories are few, and finer grades
of hats are being demanded than ever
before.
Over twenty million mems straw
hats will be sold this year, Mr.. Levy
said. ''The retailers. contrary to pub
lie opinion, are not loaded down with
stock" he added. Just let them
get a week or ten days Of hot wealth
er, and they will be sold out and call
ing on the factories for more goods
Our cancellations since May l do not
total two-thirds of one days output
warm weather is coming, and is not
worrying
Big increase I'm Sales.
1--WE have sold 25 per cent more hats
this season than we had at this time
last year said Mr.. Hopkins. who was
first president of the National Asso-
citation of Straw Hat Manufacturers.
I'VE will not be able to catch up with
back orders before the end of this
week. Advertising carried on by the
National Association will aid in sell
ing more hats in 1928 than ever be-
fore.
More and more men are realizing
that they look younger in a straw
hat. There are no old mems hats
any mere; nothing but young mems
hats I'm mailing our statements to-
day for the whole summers sales,
and l expect to have 80 per cent Of
' the money collected by June 80. That
will give you an idea of the business
/ expect the retailers to do in the
next month"
Mr.. Hopkins explained that straw
hat manufacturers contract for for
eign braids in February of one year
and make them up during the re-
mainder of that year for the next
summer. but these goods are not
paid for by, retailers until June. of
the year after they were made.
avery said msn Is Is gong goldebo2oygh de 9oy
general secretary of the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association of
baltimore. which is the center of
the industry, whether he thinks IT
is warm enough in May or not until
August. The only harm a late sum-
mer will do is to hold down the
sales to men who are accustomed to
buy two or more hats a summer"
Tourist Traffic Starts.
Summer vacationists are beginning
TO leave the south in immense num-
bers. Travel to summer resorts in
the north and west from Texas is
heavier than ever before. according
to Southern Pacific and Atchison.
Topeka and Santa Fe officials. The
most noticeable increase, they said.
was in the number going to Colorado
and California. In spite of the cold
weather along the Atlantic coast
more cottages and bungalows have
been rented this year than ever be-
fore. Rents have remained at about
the same level as in 1922 at New
Jersey and Connecticut resorts.
Although it is still somewhat early
for the camping season. there Is a
heavy demand for tents in the Pacific
northwest. Manufacturers expect to
double their present output of tents
and awnings inside another month.