The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-09
PEOPLES FORUM
The High Price of Shoes

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 The wagon can not travel faster than the horse. unless the horse Is to be injured or run over. I read an article in your paper in which 1t was stated that tho shoe fac tories of this country are produc- ing 230,0o0,oo0 pairs of shoes per year more than Is being consumed, that the problem confronting tho retail dealers is to counteract this overproduction, and the sugges- tion as a remedy that the Amer ican people be educated to wear more shoes. The statistics show that with the material generally used heretofore in the construc- tion of shoes the average number of pairs per person is about three. There are some ways to insure the retailer of a greater demand by the public for more shoes. The first and most widely used method is the rapid change of style. This system is pretty costly to tho con- sumer. for when a shoe is no long CT considered stylish, ones per- sonal pride forbids the wearing of the shoe. no matter how well preserved 1t may be. nor what it cost. but one must hie himself to the shoe store to get a pair of shoes of the latest accepted style. This is rather vicious circle, when analysed. for 1t, in the first place, calls upon the consumer to make an otherwise unnecessary outlay of money, and on account of the rapid changes of the styles the dealers of necessity are com- pelled to ask very high margin of profit on such shoes from the fact that when a novelty shoe is out of style 1t has to be sold at a great loss. and of course this loss must be made up from profits made from the sale of those shoes sold when that particular style is In the height of demand.
 The next. and less used, method to insure that the public wear more shoes within the year Is that of building the shoe of such ma terial which will give just enough wear to keep down too many com plaints of the shoe wearing out too fast. but with the idea always in mind that the dealer must sell more shoes. even if 1t is to the same person. This is . method more vicious than that of style. and as I stated, is less used than the first from the reason that the more intelligent buyer demands a shoe of good quality and is willing to pay for 1t. However. there are even now many shoes offered for sale which. if their interior con- struction could be seen by the con- sumner, and will say in justice to many of the dealers that If they knew how shoddy these shoes were constructed, there would be good many less shoes of this kind sent out from the factories.
 If the shoe factories of this country are making 230,000.000 pairs of shoes per year more than our people can economically con- sumc. then in the minds of all thinking people the solution of disposal of this overpraductiOn Cuban. Central and South Ameri- can trade, and Europe can and will take a vast quantity of our shoes if they are honestly pro- duced to give long wear and sat- isfactory service, under our sys- tenn of large quantity production and small individual cost per pair. The old saying that Hon esty is the best policy" will live on and on, for 1t Is living and fundamental truth. and our shos manufacturers have no cause for alarm if they will get down to fundamental principles and use all of their efforts to serve the pub- lie. rather than exploit them. ] am glad to be able to say that there are many manufacturers now who are using every effort they can make to produce good. honestly-constructed. iong-wear- ing, and fitting, neat-ap- bearing shoes. and are offering their production to the shoe deal- CTS; and I am happy to say that shoe manufacturers of this kind are finding ready outlet for all they can produce.
 F. M. JEFFRIES.
 Birmingham, Ala, June 2, 1923.