The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-09-20

buyers on a "Buyer'S PleQg ticipation in a continued driv uniustified increases in pric
 Carrying a strong endorsement by the merchandising division of the N. R. D. G. A., copies of the Buyers Pledge" were in the mails today to all stores in the assoclaJlon's mem- bership. They were accompanied by a careful analysis of the current position of retailers in the national defense program and a warning from Lew Hahn, general manager, that 'the future of your business, and of the entire retail trade, may be involved in the way in which re- tailers throw themselves, and the strength of their organizations, be- hind the governments effort to pre- vent the abnormal conditions whlcn will be created by the preparations for national defense from unduly increasing the cost of living to the civilian population"
 "Governmental authorities regard the preservation of the morale o1 the civilian population as one ot the vitally important factors of nation al defense" MT. Hahn declared. Ihe authorities have an inevitable and legitimate interest in preventing anything like spiraling of prices and wages and the dislocatlons which such development would cause"
 Acting under the conviction that retailers and producers through mu- tual understanding and determined action can voluntarily keep the cost of living within reasonable pounds during the defense program, the Ma tional Retail Dry Goods Assoclatlon sought through the signing ot the "Buver,s Pledge" by thousands ol store buyers to make them active agents in the markets agalnst un- warranted price increases. Buyers will carry copies of the Piedge with. them when they visit marKetS' under the plan, and use it to sho" that they are pledged to their stores not to join the forces Whlcn nllellI cal1se prices to rise rapidly. Ihese and other phases of the program were enthusiastically endorsed py the board of directors ot the Mer- chandising Division of the N. R. U. e A. at a meeting in the assocla- ton offices, presided over oy S!oney solomon. chairman of the dlVlslon' and vice president and general mer- chandise manager, ADranam @ Straus, Inc, Brooklyn.
 The text of the Buyers Pleoge to His Store" is as follows:
 Tn view of assurances, Whlcn have come from Washington tnat general production capacity is ann HIe. that the National Defense Council has organized to antici- nate unusual demand in any specl- fic line by increasing production and that any temporary rise m prices might have a disastrous effect, I Buyers Name), Buyer of (line purchased) for (nrm name), of (city), desiring to sup mort the National sSefense cam paign, do hereby pledge myself to my store management to do all within my power to prevent un- iustifiable increases in the price of merchandise at retail. To heip ureyent the vicious spiraling of nrices I will carry ous the follow ing program recommended by
 THE NATIONAL RETAIL DRY
 GOODS ASSOCIATION
 II will vigorously resist any price advances in the wholesale market which seem to me without justification.
 9. will promptly report to my superiOrs in the store any price increase which seems unreaS0n- able.
 3. I will report efforts by manu- facturers and their salesmen to stampede me into buying unusual quantities by talk of shortage.
 4. I will not speculate in mer- chandise.
 5.I will not place "blank check" orders but will insist on the quo tatiOn of firm price.
 6. I will instruct my saleSpeOpIe not to talk to their customers about threatened shortages and forbid them to urge consumers to Buy now before prices go up."
 Signed,
 (Buyer).
 For stores which need quantities of the pledge, the N. R. D. G. A. is making it available at cost, printed on substantial cards ill two colors. In addition to the actual pledge, the cards will contain statements from President Roosevelt anc Harriet FL hot, consumer representative on the National Defense Commission, as to the necessity for keeping the cost of living in hand during the defense period.
 The words of President Roosevelt printed on the pledge are: 'The need to keep prices in check is as strong, if not stronge1, than it was a year ago." and Prevention of any runaway rise in the cost of living is an important phase of national de- Tense" Miss Elliot is quoted as say Ing: We must work together to re- strain ourselves by a self-im- posed determination to abstain from speculative proflteering
 The campaign to enlist the active services of store buyers in keeping prices in line with purchasing power and demand, is begun ir the middle of the National Retail Demonstra- ton. sponsored by the N R. D. G. A., and dedicated this year to unity in support of the national defense program" Tn the announcement sent out today. stores were asked to call meetings immediately of their entire merchandise staffs to secure the pledges of buyer cooper ation and to impress the impor- tance Of the drive upon them.
 There is no suggestion in the mnffar. kaRaFa 4fhaV that Fnanufaa-