The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-04-16
BY Roger W. Babson

time in his life, my father was a
small.town merchant. Hence, I
have always been interested in and
sympathetic toward the problems of
retailers. All of US come into clos
err contact with the business OF re-
failing than we do with any other
| type OF enterprise or industry.
From the cradle TO the grave, we
are all customers OF retail stores.
Appreciate Your Retailers
The retail business should not be
thought OF as being confined sole.
ly to department stores, drug
stores, specially shops, grocery
chains and a few other familiar
stores. The matchmaker who occu.
pies only desk space is as much
OF retailer as is the head OF a
| large department store. This is
likewise true OF the boy behind the
soda fountain, true OF the photo
grapher, the shoe repairer. the op-
tician or any one of many thou.
sands OF small businessmen. All
are earning their living through
performing services for consumers
and by providing various kinds OF
goods for the buying public
For the most part, the days of
the old-fashioned merchant are
over. Misplace has been taken by
the chains which have long struS
gled to build up and maintain their
present efficient system of distribu,
ton. These chain stores-and the
large department stores-are per.
forming a real service and are here
to stay. With the aid of Chambers
of Commerce, Boards Of Trade, Ad-
yertising Associations and Retail
Groups. the art OF retailing has
been placed upon a high profess
sional and ethical basis. Except
for necessary Federal regulations
and health and safety laws. re-
tailers should put up with only a
minimum of state supervision.
Held Avoid Further Regulation
In my boyhood days the small
local merchant occupied an import
ant place in the retail trade. lie
still can hold this position but the
nature of his business is changing
considerably. His opportunity now
rests with lines which require per.
sonal attention and expert know.
ledge, Even the chains are finding
this out which explains why there
are ten per cent less chain stores
today than ten years ago. Some OF
the big chains have closed 90 per
cent of their stores. For every old
door OF opportunity closed, two
new doors are opened to young peo-
pie in character, energy and vision.
OF course, We are living in an
age OF red tape. But | sincerely
hope that our Federal.imposed re-
gulations will not be followed by a
wave of state bills and laws re-
stricting the many auxiliary SER
vices associated with retailing.
These small businesses comprise
the foundation of our retail indus
try and should remain as free from
interference as possible. Certain
ly, nothing should be done that
would raise the cost of doing bust
ness. State bureaucracies, sup
ported by fees from retailers for
examinations and licenses, would
be difficult TO get rid of. Ratior-
ing and price ceilings may be ne
cessary for many goods sold
through retail channels: but such
federal controls are very different
from what might be handed down
by oUr separate states.
The Current Picture
The customary spring shopping
season got of with a good start.
1t is being aided by a late Easter
and | look for generally good re-
tail trade this month 1t may be
below a year ago in terms OF vol
ume; but last year was abnormal
ly high. For the most part, retail
inventories are adequate today.
Lack OF transportation though is
a serious handicap in making avail
able in every part OF the country
sufficient merchandise to meet ris-
ing consumer demands. This. how.
ever, should cause people to buy
at home and again get acquainted
with their local merchants instead
OF depending upon mail-order cata-
logues and a Saturday trip to big
centers.
In 1871, consumer expenditures
for goods and services totalled
| S74,600, 000. 900. This was an in
crease Of $7.S00,00O,00O over 1910.
For 1912, the Commerce Depart
ment estimates that a record total
OF SsI, 900,00O.000 was spent by con-
sumers. For 1943. this peak is
very apt to be topped in dollar
volume. 1t seems probable to ex-
pect t'tt consumers are going 10
spend as much as possible OF their
higher incomes for goods and ser.
vices provided through retail out.
lets. These funds, however, are
very apt to be spent for fewer
items. This may result in constant
ly rising prices although the perio.
die release OF frozen goods. like
refrigerators and bicycles, plus the
retarding influence of ceiling
L0NDON-AP-The Germar-coB-
trolled Paris radio reported here
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