The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-08-22
Gone Up, Going Up

Here's nice dining room suite, ="
the furniture salesman tells them.
The price went up several weeks
ago. 1t will go up more in few
more weeks. Honestly, the time to
buy is right now"
Mr.. and Mrs. Young America may.
or may not. believe the salesman.
but he's telling the truth.
You see he explains. we've
signed the NRA pledge and we're
living up to 1t. We've been cut to
forty hours a week on our same pay
and the boss has hired two more
statesmen. They've had TO raise two
of the girls back there to the fur
niture code scale and expenses have
gone up
Then, too, the wholesaler and
the manufacturer have raised the
prices. They've had TO. With the
blanket code in effect, the furniture
makers have had to raise the wage
scales. and raw material costs have
gone way up. This bedroom suite
over here used to sell for $50. Now
we have to get $50. Next month it
may be $40"
Tells Same Story
The owner of the furniture store
tells you the same story.
Look here" he says. here's our
records. Here's a mattress, just
cheap cotton mattress. On June
Is we were paying S2.7O for that
mattress. Now. look, on Aug. it
cost us S420. That is an increase
OF more than so per cent.
ITS that way all through the
furniture industry Manufacturers
tell me that their raw material costs
have gone up and. with the blanket
codes working, it has boosted prices
way up.
The prices are going higher, too.
The increase in that cotton mattress
perhaps can be laid 10 the cot
ton code. which was the first to 60
in. But here's a better mattress.
On June Is. we were paying $3.50
for it. Today it costs US S7.55.
Conditions Are Different
The furniture business isn't like
a department store trade. Our mer-
chandise isn't replenished so easily.
A man buys hat and it may last
him six months or year and then
he must purchase a new one When
a person buys furniture. he some
times keeps 1t ten years, or longer
And so. our markup. or what you
would call profit, is larger
The percentage is higher 1t
would shock you. but it's really
reasonable. But we're talking about
prices. You see the combination Of
events which forces prices up.
Here's a letter from an eastern
manufacturer, with whom we do a
good deal of business. Read it."
Here's what it says:
Gentlemen: We wrote you on
Aug. 4 in connection with increase
Of prices which we must have on
your order No. - to take care of
increased labor cost under the
Presidents recovery act.
May Cancel Order
In laying out these advances we
absorbed a considerable portion of
these costs ourselves, giving you the
benefit of the portion OF the order
which had been manufactured prior
10 acceptance of the code.
In view of the conditions at this
lime. we can not hold this matter
open indefinitely. Unless we have
YOUR definite acceptance of these in
creased prices in our hands before
August Is, we must Of necessity con-
slider your order automatically can
celed.
I'VE are sure that you realize that
this acceptance is wholly 10 your
advantage and that your failure 70
accept will neceSSitate your going
out into the market and purchasing
this merchandise at. greatly aG-
vanced prices
Help to Business
The retail owner shrugged his
shoulders.
That's one OF the things We are
I'D against. Some manufacturers
won't even accept an order. It's
treat, though. Business is a whole
ct better. People seem TO be will
ing to buy even at higher prices.
why don't you so out and talk
10 the rug man across the street?
Maybe he'll give you something
about his business. Rugs are 60
ing I'D even more than furniture. I"
NEXT-The Rug Mans Side.