The Washington times., 1925-10-19

factory. This meant the retailer
was paying $5.75 for the shoes
and selling them for $21. Allow
ing 50 for freight charges-a gen.
erous estimate-there was diff
ference of $13.75, or close to 200
per cent profit.
Net Profit of So
OF course the selling costs and
overhead expenses of the retailer
had to come out, but allowing
$3.75 for that-another generous
estimate-there remained after de-
Quoting the 81 war tax, a net
profit to the retailer of So on
one pair of shoes.
We discussed the matter back
and forth, and 1 got his positive
assurance that the facts were
just as he stated. He even went
so far as to offer to send to the
factory for pair Of the shoes DIT
cost price, and then take me with
him to the retailer to witness the
purchase Of a similar pair.
was convinced that I would be
safe in running a story about
the matter, and / did SO, in the
form of an illustrated editorial
under the caption: who Is Prof
iteering?" gave all the facts,
but mentioned no names.
Early the folio wing week
Stevens had a telephone call from
one OF the leading department
store proprietors Of the city, say
ing that a delegation of retail
merchants wished to call on us
about that editorial, and asking
that we fix an hour. Stevens
promised to call this man up later
and arrange for the meeting He
then consulted with me. He was
very appIehensive. / told him
just how had secured the in
formation, but would not disclose
the name Of my informant.
Prove Contention or Retract
: That afternoon at o'clock the
delegation arrived, about ten of
them, including the proprietor Of
the very shoe store where the
shoes had been sold for $21.
Others in the party were the
biggest merchants in town. The
spokesman demanded that we
either prove our contention was
correct, or else retract. and limited
something about withdrawing adj
vertising.
You're not giving us much adj
vertising as 1t is" I told him,
! and the story is absolutely true,
based on facts that can be proved.
Not only that" 1 added, "but Z
have other facts of like nature
that would not look well in print.
The people are getting tired of
paying exorbitant prices: and so
far as / am concerned I'm ready
to go ahead and print a few
things that will open their eyes"
Stevens, who was standing back
of the group as I said this, shook
his head in negative protest, but
/ paid no attention to him. / was
angry. you gentleman are run
ming your stores for profitm
exclaimed. 1--WE are running the
Saturday Night for profit, too;
but also to benefit the city Of
Dallas if we can"
Stevens, much to my chagrin, fin
ally agreed to run an editorial in
the next issue, not exactly re-
tracing the first, but setting
forth the high costs Of doing bust
ness and why prices in general
had scared. The delegation left,
victorious.
That night / walked alone for
three hours back and forth in the
little park near where we lived,
trying to decide whether should
stand for the retraction or resign
my job. / knew that most news
papers carefully refrained from
attacking business methods; fol-
lowing that policy because the
existence of a newspaper depends
on the good will Of advertisers;
at least, that good will must go
along with the good will Of the
reading public.
Ito Be Continued Tomorrow