POI Ae. a ‘ a a a ee ¢ ces Se s ‘ eee Ae ee ee p< — > * ee SR tee a: poem aah =X <_< ’ ‘ oar <4 ¥ RRs pORS Seng ee eR ee “mie * HERS AY! w “LT pe Ure & FEIN S a ABZ, ero ¥ rs WES aor <= POS Ves Ss BS) PAN iC EN SY 2 DY) Si PR 7 ol Si ch ee 3 : = oa ms Ss | iv a ee )/d j = =A as LW, & 5 we g ae 6 ye ) t 3] 1 al > 6 2) tN CON A Ge as ae ER Wim Sy ack NGS LCE COVEN er WZZzz35 ye aw IVE SSO &PPUBLISHED WEEKLY ¥, ENS co TRADESMAN COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 25) YAS EST. 1883 35 SPEC Se S SE LCR SSS LEHR SSIES SSF Forty-eighth Year GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1930 Number 2467 Library St Public Reference Library, The sun is rising on the morning of the first day of the New Year. What can I wish that this New Year can bring me> A few friends who understand me; a work to do which has real value; a mind unafraid; an under- standing heart; a sense of humor and the power to laugh. And the patience to wait for the coming of these things, with the wisdom to know them when they come. W.R. Hunt nina tin Ais Aliant Alen tlle. tle otlie al le al ale ale ole a ee HOUSANDS of women consider Semdac as a household necessity. For years Semdac Liquid Gloss has been a standard polish in homes throughout the Middle West. With the combina- tion of Semdac Liquid Gloss and Semdac Furni- ture Dressing you can make two sales where you formerly made one. Stock these products... display them... watch the ease with which they sell. STANDARD OIL COMPANY (Indiana) General Offices: 910 South Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 1707 _ RENEWS? ea O ‘ easy | Sales , FURNITURE Tai Tc ee as OT ares | S Uiey dius toed UAW, | POLISHES: ae a3 aA eleaz! ails WOODWORK a nt a Sei. ¢ as St ay X FURNITURE Dee Le Rte i7u ke on a a dlecam gtr. may. mag. DRESSING LIQUID RAN SS & af ISSO) sm “e Forty-eighth Year GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1930 Number 2467 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN E. A. Stowe, Editor PUBLISHED WEEKLY by Tradesman Company, from its office the Barnhart Building, Grand Rapids. UNLIKE ANY OTHER PAPER. Frank, free and fearless for the good that we can do. Each issue com- plete in itself. DEVOTED TO the best interests of business men, SUBSCRIPTION RATES areas follows: $3 per year, if paid strictly in advance. $4 per year if not paid in advance. Canadian subscription, $4.04 per year, payable invariably in advance. Sample copies 10 cents each. Extra copies of current issues, 10 cents; issues a month or more old. 15 cents; issues a year or more id, 25 cents; issues five years or more old 50 cents. Entered September 23, 1883, at the Postoffice of Grand Rapids as second class matter under Act of March 3, 1879. JAMES M. GOLDING Detroit Representative 507 Kerr Bldg. Questions and Answers of Interest To Grocers. 1. Question: How is milk chocolate made? Answer: Milk chocolate is made of ground cocoa bean 7 parts; powdered cane, sugar 9 parts; milk powder 6 parts; cocoa butter 3 parts. The ma- terial is very finely rolled at a tem- perature of from 60 to 70 degrees C. The finished mass is immediately moulded. 2. Question; Of what use is garlic in the diet? Answer: Garlic is more of a condi- ment than a food and its use stimu- lates the appetite and promotes diges- tion. It quickens the circulation, ex- cites the nervous system and acts as a tonic. 3. Question: What is the difference between jam and preserve? Answer: “Jam” is the term applied to that class of preserves in which the whole fruit pulp is cooked with water and sugar without regard to the pres- ervation of the shape of the fruit, while a “preserve” retains in some measure the original form of the fruit. In jelly the fruit tissue is removed and the body is more solid. 4. Question: With what group of merchandise will nuts sell fastest? Answer: Nuts, generally speaking, have the greatest sales when displayed with fruits and vegetables. 5. Question: Are foods containing gelatine injurious to the health? Answer: A gelatine, although not a life sustaining food, is used in consid- erable quantities in hospitals and is recommended by physicians as an arti- cle of diet because of its quality of making other foods more palatable or more easily digested. 6. Question: Does America throw away enough food to feed a nation? Answer: The opinion is expressed that the average American family wastes in a year sufficient food to keep another family of equal size. Among the chief articles wasted are meats, only the choicest portions being con- sumed; such table vegetables as let- tuce, celery, and other undressed items; milk, great quantities of which are permitted to sour and be thrown away without being utilized. 7. Question: Why isn’t it possible to use a cigar box a second time? Answer: The Bureau of Internal Revenue says that the law prohibiting the use of a cigar box a second time was made in order to prevent dealers from refilling the box and using the same revenue stamp. By doing this they would be evading the tax on cigars. 8. Question: How did nectarines originate? Answer: A nectarine is a variety of peach which is distinguished by the smoothness of its skin and its pulpy flesh. The Department of Agriculture says that nectarines are sports from mutation of the peach. They some- times occur on a single branch and specimens have been seen one-half of which are peach and the other half nectarine. Nectarines occur chiefly in California and Oregon. 9. Question: Are bananas from seeds or sprouts? Answer: The species grown for fiber and for ornament usually produce seed and are propagated by planting seed. The edible banana of commerce has a perennial root from which the plan is perpetuated by sprouts or suckers. 10. Question: How high above the floor should store lights be hung? Answer: According to illuminating engineers store lights should be hung from nine to eleven feet above the floor in order to give the best lighting effect to the store and the merchandise. 11. Question: How much sugar, tea, and coffee does the average family use? Answer: According to a survey made by the Department of Labor, the aver- age annual consumption per family is: sugar, 147 pounds; tea, 8 pounds; cof- fee, 40 pounds. 12. Question: When are hams at their best? Answer: A well cured ham is usually in perfection when one year old.— Kentucky Grocer. ——__>~>____ Battle of the Experts. No single thing has done more to bring the process of justice into dis- repute than the exhibitions which have been made in court by medical experts. The public has come to feel that such testimony is given in accordance with the side for which the expert is retain- ed and that it is little better than bought. But the expert is not the only one to blame for the public’s distrust of expert medical testimony. Juries have taken advantage of the situation and have used whatever part of such tes- timony they chose in order to render a verdict dictated by-their sympathies. In the notorious Remus case in Cin- cinnati the experts were not to blame grown at all. No psychiatrist, it appears, tes- tified that Remus was insane, while several testified that he was sane. Nevertheless the jury solemnly brought in a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. : In its report last week on the medical aspects of crime a subcommittee of the National Crime Commission re- views the action taken in various states which have tried to improve conditions in this matter. Appointment of ex- perts by the courts has been urged, but in Michigan and Illinois the Supreme Courts have held that judges have no such power. It has also happened that judges have not shown the best judg- ment in selecting experts. As an illus- tration the report cites the appointment of lunacy commissions in New York, which, it observes, “reached the pro- portions of a public scandel,” Mississippi has gone so far as to abolish the defense of insanity, a step which, as the report notes, runs coun- ter to the traditions of the English common law, which never contemplat- ed putting on trial a person who was mentally irresponsible. In Colorado, if the plea of insanity is introduced the judge must commit the defendant to a State hospital for thirty days so that an impartial opinion, based upon adequate examination, can be had. None of these arrangements makes it certain that no defendant will be placed on trial who is mentally unfit. Massachusetts, which has led the way in reforms without number, has such a law. It provides that whenever a person is indicted by a grand jury for a capital.offense or whenever a person who is known to have been indicted for any other offense more than once or to have been convicted of a felony is indicted by a grand jury or bound over for trial in the superior court, the clerk of the court in which the in- dictment is returned or the clerk of the district court or the trial justice, as the case may be, shall give notice to the department of mental diseases, which shall have such person exam- ined. This law is said to be working satisfactorily. The defendant is. still entitled to expert witnesses, but the existence of an impartial and competent report has almost invariably led de- fense counsel to abide by its findings. The “battle of the experts” has dis- appeared. —_+~++___ Seven New Readers of the Tradesman. The following new subscribers have been received during the past week: E. A. Johnson Store Co., Ishpeming. B. K. Leslie, Gwinn, Simon Kapteyn, Byron Center. Mrs. W. Dolloff, Alma. Lakeside Biscuit Co., Toledo. M. V. Brown, Schoolcraft. Karafil’s Grocery, Battle Creek. Attacking the Root. While nothing but praise can be given to the wonderful work being done in so many quarters to cope with the hardships thrust on so many un- fortunate citizens through unemploy- ment in this major depression, there must remain a certain regret if the present emergency brings only ‘em- porary measures of relief. Millions have been donated in the cause of char- ity, but there is yet to be announced an appropriate sum for carrying out an exhaustive investigation of the basic causes of unemployment and for taking the steps necessary to fortify the Na- tion against a similar crisis in the fu- ture. It has been pointed out here before that many welfare and_ education projects are financed by huge founda- tions and are accomplishing great things, although the basic cause of a good deal of the privation, sickness and lack of opportunity which exists is neg- lected—an adequate pay envelope at all times for the deserving. It would appear that those who are so generous in promoting social wel- fare in all its details hesitate at tack- ling the fundamental problem because of some fear that their own interests may suffer by any attempt to stabilize employment and to raise earnings and to shorten the hours of labor. All modern industrial thought and practice set such fear at naught. The task of investigating the prob- lem of unemployment is not a diffi- cult one and the action decided upon to reduce it would find thousands of agencies at hand to co-operate. All that is needed is adequate financing and a group of leaders whose proposals would receive respect, consideration and effective support. —_———_--2s2>____ Home Wares Sales To Gain. A revival of activity in the whole- sale division of house furnishing lines is expected next month in practically every major branch of the trade, sell- ing agents said. The beginning of the new year is the signal for the furniture producers to prepare for their annual openings of spring lines, and major exhibits have been scheduled in Chi- cago, Grand Rapids and New York for January. Glass manufacturers will hold their annual trade exhibit at Pitts- burgh during the week of Jan. 12, while lamp producers will open their annual trade show in Chicago during the same week. Although floor coverings manufac- turers held their exhibit a month ago they will start their salesmen -on the road for spring business at the end of this week. In other house ware lines the purchase of goods for mid-winter sales is expected to provide activity for those not holding trade openings, MICHIGAN TRADESMAN December 31, 1930 OVER THE TOP FOR 1931. Use a Combination of Hindsight and Foresight. “Around the corner and under the trees’—a popular song gives us the theme of our preachment for to-day December 31, for when we get up in the morning it will not only be another day—but another year. There’s a little story of the dean of a college who left a sign on his office door, “Back in ‘half an hour.” Some one wrote just-under it, “What for?” We'll all be on the job, some of us on the Ist of January, 1931,—the ma- jority of us on January 2, 1931, and we can well ask, “What for?” If we are to continue with the same old routine, the same dry-as-dust hab- its; if we are figuring on retrenchment and a reign of lassitude, why make the start? Right now is high time to glance back over our right shoulder, take a survey of what has been, and through the mistakes, the successes and experi- ences of the past determine to use all of these as stepping stones for reach- ing the heights in the New Year, which is “just around the corner.” Ninteen Thirty was a period to test the stamina of everyone in business. There’s no use trying to camouflage the facts. Here and there were bright spots, as for instance: Over 3,000,000 passenger cars and more than 500,000 motor trucks with a total retail value in excess of three and a quarter billion of dollars—that is the production and sales job which the automobile industry will have accom- plished by midnight Dec. 31, 1930. In addition, automotive plants will have produced well over two billion dollars worth of replacement parts and sup- plies to keep in operation the 35,000,- 000 vehicles now running throughout the world. These huge figures may be a bit bewildering, yet they constitute the actual record of the constructive achievement of the world’s largest manufacturing industry during a year of depression. There has been much said, perhaps with a modicum of truth, that the automobile has, in a way, been responsible for a large share of the financial backsliding of the country. Truth is that folks have been extrava- gant as to the purchase and operation of automobiles; that extravagance will assume a normal basis in the future, and as the figures reveal for 1930 the industry fared not so badly, even at sub-normal. In a hasty retail survey in Grand Rapids, a dozen druggists interviewed said (taking the whole as an average): “This Christmas wasn’t as bad as we expected; pretty fair, to tell the truth.” There was that attitude of expect- ancy for the worst to happen, more fear than fact. Amor several leading independent grocers holiday business was greater than last year: and in other retail lines, while the purchase of the higher priced lines fell off, the total volume of sales kept up well. Stocks have been depleted. This ap- plies to the warehouse of the jobbers and wholesalers, the manufacturers and the mills. Buying must be the order of the new day—and this is one of the hopeful and encouraging signs for 1931. There is one lesson which was neces- sary and which it seems was learned by not only the public, but by the mer- chandising world in 1930, and that was the practice of economy and the elim- ination of waste. In the great: packing houses, the meat industry, they say they utilize every part of the hog but the squeal—and the monopolistic chain store system stresses the fact that it is ‘by a process of elimination of waste that they are able to sell undersigzed packages of soup and beans for less money than the independent sells his standard packages. If the recognized economic loss of waste has been figured and curtailed this has been one decided advantage. Viewing 1931 on the basis of in- creased revenues and greater sales vol- ume, with resultant profits, just what can be done? What should be done? There has been a great deal of dis- cussion in many trade journals, at as- sociation mee‘ings and by individuals as regards the value and the benefits of diversification of stocks. More va- riety of lines within the stores. In this regard one of the latest trade develop- ments, a late 1930 development by the way, which will have far reaching ef- fects, may be cited here. Quick-frozen packaged meats have been brought to a practical and mar- ketable stage. It was jokingly remark- ed when this idea of quick-frozen packaged meats finally culminated, one could “buy meats in a drug store.” That time has arrived and to-day one of the big features in Pittsburg mer- chandising circles is the fact that Henry Bluestone, who owns and con- ducts the Spalding drug store, at Penn and Negley avenues, in that city, has installed a complete Kelvinator-Leon- ard refrigeration outfit and he is selling meats and selling a lot of them. He is making this an advertising bally-hoo and states it is paying handsomely. He procures his meats from one of the Chicago packers. Weights are stamped on the packages and meats are sold like packages of gum or boxes of can- dy. They can be carried in the over- coat pocket, these chops, steaks and slices of ham, with no danger of soil- ing the garment. The drug store has served a lot of meat over the fountain counters in various forms and this is but a step farther. The object lesson should im- press itself on any wide awake retailer, whether he be in the drug, hardware, grocery, dry goods or electrical busi- ness. Not that every store in America should flock to quick-frozen meats, but if the druggist can sell meats, the grocer can sell drugs, the hardware man can sell jewelry, the jeweler can sell electrical goods. There has already been a hewing ‘down of “trade lines.” The old fash- ioned general store carried out this idea of diversification to the limit. We would find at the cross roads a store wherein we could purchase rubber boots, beefsteak, loaves of bread, silk hose, perfume, calico, sugar, nails, plows, in fact a cross cut section of one of the mail “skindicate” catalogues, Nothing that human needs demanded seemed to be overlooked. Then came the era of specialized shops, one going into hardware, one to dry goods, the independent grocers, butchers, bake shops and the rest. With commercial rivalry so keen as it is to-day, dealers have felt themselves forced to meet this issue. There have been encroachments all along the line. Numerous firms in one line of trade or the other have complained that this idea of one store handling another store’s wares was not “fair,” but in 1931 it seems a fair prediction to say that ithere will be more diversification and more additions of “outside” lines than ever before. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. The druggist ought not to have a monopoly of the junk shop idea. If we find after inventories our stocks are slow, if we discover we have left in the store numerous slow moving or even dead items, then the right gesture will be to clean up on this mass of dead investment of money, turn it into cash and with that cash seek out the new, wanted lines, whether they be “legitimate” or not, “Meats in a drug store” is considered legitimate by the packers, the public ‘buys, the druggist profits. That’s the picture, take it or leave it. It will have been observed also, in 1930, that the leading stores in the larger towns, at least, were doing more newspaper advertising than in strictly normal times. They looked upon ad- vertising as a business tonic. If busi- ness was sick advertising would re- juvenate it—and checking the record of resultant sales from this heavier ad- programme reveals the fact that extra ad-efforts paid. So here is another object lesson for the days and months ahead—constant planning in advance for advertising and sales events. 1931 will see more advertising than did 1930. From coast to coast we will read in magazines, in trade journals, and in newspapers, serious, humorous and otherwise, “New Year Resolutions,” every one trying to originate some wonderful array of words that “I re- solve this, that or the other.” The one resolution of the modern day merchant on the threshhold of 1931 should be simply, “I will be reso- lute.” Resolute to accept the lessons of the past and with firm faith face the future, determined to conquer the problems ahead, guided by the facts and figures of the past. “I will be resolute, I will not falter, or be afraid, I will gird up my loins and fight the good fight, thus making sure unto myself that I shall go over the top in 1931.” To be reso- lute is to win! Hugh King Harris. ——__~++___ A gentleman is a man who is clean inside and out; who neither looks up to the rich nor down to. the poor; who can lose without squealing and who can win without bragging; who is con- siderate of women, children and old people; who is too brave to lie, too generous to cheat, and who takes his share of the world and lets other peo- ple have theirs, Sixteen Ways To Trace the Skipping Debtor. Few debtors, who move _ without paying money owed, are successful in completely covering their trails. Six- teen methods of tracing these dead- beats are listed below. All have been used successfully by an. alert retail merchant. _ Send a telegram to the debtor’s last known address, and note the report made by the telegraph company. Try the gas, electric and telephone companies for change of address, credit records and references. Find out if the debtor belonged to a lodge or club. Investigate the State records of au-. tomobile owners’ and driver’s licenses. Endeavor to locate records of other property owned in the city. Check the chattel mortgages record- ed, and confer with other creditors. Follow the clues presented by the movements of other members of the family. Enquire at the nearest school re- garding the children, if any, and their change of address. Secure former addresses from old directories and question those in the vicinity. Interview the local postman and other postal authorities for possible forwarding addresses for mail. Try to find what trucking company moved the furniture, and what its rec- ords show. Make investigation at places where the debtor was formerly employed. Enquire of railroads and other trans- portation companies. Enquire at the church to which the debtor’s family belonged. Try the expedient of sending a dummy express package, and watch the report made. Secure all data available through the telephone company. —_~+~++___ Saving Costly Steps. Every dealer should give study to store earrangement and _ equipment which will save costly steps. Saving steps means saving time and _ time means wages, your largest item of ex- pense. If you can save one-fourth of the time of each of four clerks, enabling them to do the work of five, you save probably $1,500 a year which, taking a net profit of 3 per cent. as a basis, equals the net profit on $50,000 in sales. Poor store arrangement is a com- mon cause of many unnecessary steps. By having the items most often called for handiest to the serving counter you save many steps in the course of a day. Place the scales where they will Save steps. This equipment is cheap- er than man power. It will give you ten years’ service for less money than you would pay an additional clerk in One year, It saves the time of your experienc- ed clerks, which is worth more to you than the time of a new clerk. It en- ables your clerks to wait on more customers in a given time, making them more valuable to you. It enables you to handle more business with your present force, giving you the net profit on new ‘business, plus the saving in clerk hire, December 31, 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 3 Automobile Insurance SHOULD BE PURCHASED IN The 7 Your Home Company P because it An Asset to Michigan. Is Steadily growing. Establishing offices in other states. Increasing in strength. Rated by BESTS INSURANCE GUIDE at the highest possible rating. AND ALSO Has a SURPLUS to POLICY-HOLDERS of over $300,000.00 Has a Capitalization of $250,000.00 SED sis T he Preferred Automobile Insurance Co. Home Office Under the BIG RED DOME Phone Exchange No. 8-1374 4 MOVEMENTS OF MERCHANTS. Onekema—Werle & Nelson have en- gaged in the fuel, feed‘and cream buy- ing business. L’Anse—John Sanregret, of Pequam- ing, succeeds Frank Micin as owner of the Chocolate Shop. Perry—Emmett Wilson, who recent- ly purchased the L. G. Rothney gro- cery stock has sold it to Albert Rann. Grand Ledge—Mrs. Francis M. Hoag has engaged in the grocery busi- ness on Lamson street under the style of the Neighborhood Grocery. Lansing—Roehm & Laubscher, drug- gists on East Grand River avenue, are remodeling their refreshment depart- ment and installing a kitchenette. Kent City—Jess Olmstead has sold his hardware and implement stock to G. Humphrey, of Casnovia, who will continue the business at the same loca- tion. Portland—Floyd Martin has resigned as manager of the local A. & P. store and engaged in the grocery and meat business with Newman Hartwig as partner. Benton Harbor—The Mamer Cor- poration, dealer in building materials, has filed a petition in bankruptcy. Lia- bilities are listed of $86,674.08 with as- sets of $175,323.21. Menominee—Rudolph Cherney, local merchant, gave his entire stock of un- sold toys to the children of the needy families, making the deliveries person- ally the day. before Christmas. Laingsburg—Baldwin & Price, meat dealers, have opened a branch meat market at Morrice, under the manage- ment of Mr. Baldwin. Mr. Price will conduct the Laingsburg market. Lansing—Samuel’s, Inc., 102 North Washington avenue, has been incor- porated to deal in women’s apparel with a capital stock of $10,000, $1,000 being subscribed and paid in in cash. Flint—The Barton-Packer Co., Inc., 214 West Second avenue, vulcanizing machinery and tire accessories, has been incorporated with a capital stock of $6,000, all subscribed and paid in. Lansing—James Vlahakis, who for seventeen years has conducted the Lansing Cafe, 203 South Washington avenue, has opened a second restaurant, the Rex, at 505 East Michigan avenue. Detroit—An involuntary petition in bankruptcy has been filed in U. S. District Court here against Ben Rush, men’s furnishings, by Fixel & Fixel, at- torneys representing Edson Moore & Co., $428; Commodore Shirt Co., $111; Commercial Shirt Corp., $183. Shepherd—William Moody, of Alma, has purchased the interest of his part- ner, Russell Stilgenbauer in their un- dertaking business, conducted in con- nection with Mr. Stilgenbauer’s furni- ture store. Mr. Moody will continue the undertaking business under his own name. Lansing—A recent meeting of the Lansing City Council modified the zon- ing ordinance so that Swift & Co. can build an $80,000 branch at Shiawassee and Larch streets. Revision of the ordinance was required to make possi- ble the manufacture of sausage. Con- struction will start immediately. Lansing—R. G. Nichols has resigned MICHIGAN TRADESMAN his position of manager of the radio department of the F. N. Arbaugh Co. and engaged in business at 129 East Kalamazoo street under the style of the Majestic Household Shop, carrying a full line of Majestic products, in- cluding radios and refrigerators. Ionia—T. S. Baird, who has been in partnership the past twelve years with H. W. Hiler, in Hiler & Baird, haber- dashers, has sold his interest in the stock to Murl Hiler, son of his former partner. In exchange, Mr. Hiler will withdraw from the Hiler & Baird store at Hastings, Mr. Baird assuming his interest. The new arrangement will become effective Feb. 1. Mt. Morris—Fred Powell, senior partner of Fred Powell & Son, hard- ware and furniture dealers, died in this city recently at the age of 67. He was a pioneer in the hardware business in Michigan, having opened a store in Beaverton in 1896. Later he moved to Gladwin, where he remained in busi- ness nineteen years. In 1921 he moved to Mt. Morris, where he and his son opened the present business. Mrs. Powell and a son will continue the business. Bloomingdale—Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Merrifield celebrated their 50th wed- ding anniversary Christmas eve. Mrs. Merrifield is the daughter of the late Augustus and Emily Haven, early pio- neer settlers, and was born in Bloom- ingdale. Mr. Merrifield came to Bloom- ingdale from New York and has been in the hardware business here for for- ty-six years. They have six children: Mrs. E. O. Uncapher, Marion, O., A. H. Merrifield, Denver, Colo., Mrs. Verne Congdon, Mrs. Malcolm Dicker- son, Bloomingdale; Mrs. Robert Cur- tiss, Gobles, and Mrs. Winship Hodge, Brownsville, Texas. There were twen- ty guests present at the party, Manufacturing Matters. Lincoln Park—The F. L. Lowrie Lumber & Finish Co., 1515 South Fort street, has decreased its capital stock from $500,000 to $250,000. Detroit — The Brown-Norris Co., 2950 East Woodbridge street, manufac- turer of tools, has increased its capital stock from $10,000 to $100,000. Charlotte—The plant of the former Fenn Mfg. Co., recently purchased by the L. L. Johnson Lumber Co. will open for business Jan. 5, with a force of about fifty men. The company will specialize in the cutting of dimensional lumber, Saginaw—The American Banking Machine Corporation, 120 North Washington avenue, has merged its business into a stock company under the same style with an authorized cap- ital stock of 10,625 shares at $1 a share, $1,200 being subscribed and paid in. Muskegon—The Shaw-Walker Co. has acquired through purchase, more than 50 per cent. of the outstanding stock in the Master-Craft Corporation, of Kalamazoo. Shaw-Walker’s com- -plete line of steel office furniture and cabinet files will now be supplemented with the Master-Craft line of binders, loose leaf sheets, etc., thus making it possible for the combined firms to out- fit any office completely. Master-Craft will handle alliprinting and lithograph- ing for the combination. ——_~+<-~+____ Information Service of the News. Detroit, Dec. 30—The Detroit News, as you doubtless know, has never made any strenuous effort for outside circu- lation, particularly oytside the State. Its management realizes that its bread is buttered by the advertising patron- age of Detroit enterprises which, in turn, make their profit off local con- sumption. The great mass of its 360,- 000 circulation is therefore concentrat- ed in Detroit and, as a consequence, very few people of the city pass the day without seeing a copy of the News. Yet, curiously enough, enquiries come to us from practically every large city and every state of the Union simply because the report has been spread that one can find out something about al- most anything by applying to the News. I get a good many enquiries from the Pacific coast from people who have either lived in Detroit or whose an- cestors were early residents, seeking information ahout them. Last sum- mer a letter came from a lady in Bing- hampton, N. Y., asking for whom Burlingame avenue, of Detroit, was named. In reply I gave a rather ex- tended biography of Rober Burlingame, who came to Detroit in the 1830s, at- tended school in a little log school house on Julius alley and later in the first branch of Michigan University on Bates. street. He was so bright that a number of wealthy men provided a fund to send him to Harvard law school. In Detroit he made a reputa- tion as a boy orator and debater under the tutelage of Dr. Douglass Hough- ton. He made good at Harvard. Made fervid speeches in behalf of Louis Kossuth, the Hungarian patriot, in the 1850s. Was one of the ablest cam- paigners for the candidacy of Abraham Lincoln and became a friend of Lin- coln. Was appointed minister to Austria-Hungary, but, because of his Kossuth activities, he was declared persona non grata. So he was sent to China, where he won the confidence of the Chinese emperor and his staff and ‘brought a delegation to the United States to make a treaty. China asked that he be permitted to accompany the delegation to Europe and make treaties there for he was the first man to con- vince them that treaties would be their only hope of protection from exploita- tion and partition. He made treaties with Great Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark and was in St. Petersburg making one with Russia when he died of pneumonia. The United 'States sent a warship to bring his remains home. They laid in state in Faneuil Hall and all Bos- ton turned out to follow his remains to Mt. Auhurn cemetery, where a fine monument preserves his record. It just happened that the Burlingame family was about to hold a re-union celebration and few of them knew much about their distinguished rela- tive. So my little yarn was read and greeted with enthusiasm and I got a letter of appreciation that was worth more than my labor. About the first telegraphic copy that I handled for a newspaper was the news announcing the shooting of Gar- field in the summer of 1881 and the sheet you sent concerning that affair revived old memories. I was present in Hartman hall when ‘McKinley de- livered his speech on the tariff. It is amusing to note that the old partisan bitterness was still lingering in the Grand Rapids Eagle. The terms “copperhead” on one side and “bloody- shirt,” etc., on the other were still em- ployed, although they were becoming frayed at the edges. Old Wilbur F. Storey was a strange man—a slave of curious concepts as to the duties and Detroit December 31, 1930 functions of a newspaper. His dictum was that it was the business of a newspaper “to print the News ard raise hell,” and the old man did a lot in both ways. Wauld not have any itimate friends because, in that case. he would have to protect them i publicity when they went astray. He was a strange character. He never spoke a word of commendation for any valuable service, but the slightest slip would open his vials of wrath and vituperation. Accumulated a great fortune and a wide fame, but lost his mind and died a pauper in the sort of wealth that makes life worth living— the love and esteem of his fellow men. The letter of B. W. Hewitt interests me greatly because it again takes up the trail of the Campau-Johnson fam- ily. Generally speakine. they were a pretty sordid and cantankerous bunch. Theodore, a brother of Adelaide John- so1 and Daniel J. Campau, senior. married against the will of the family, as did Adelaide. D. J. remarked that he hoped Theodore would die young, as he would like to give him a hemlock coffin so he would “go through hell a-cracking.” You have probably sat before an open fire of hemlock and have seen it snap out sparks and coals. The Hewitts, as I remember, were the big family of Maple Rapids fifty vears ago—owned the bank and everything. George B. Catlin. ——»~~-___ Another Cosmic Ray. Sometimes it seems that science will not be satisfied until every research worker has discovered a ray of his own, named and described it and speculated freely concerning its origin, cause and effect. Dr. Victor Francis Hess,. of Austria, contributes the latest sugges- tion of a cosmic ray and gives detailed description of its force and wave length. Its force he considers to be ten times as great as that of radium, and since he was for two years director of the research laboratory for an American radium company, it may be assumed that he knows the habits of radium, The wave length of his new ray he thinks to be the shortest known to science—possibly one one-thousandth that of the radium ray. And the shorter the ray, the harder it hits and the farther it goes. If Dr. Hess is right in his experiments and speculations, the ray he has identified originates in the fixed stars and is still powerful enough when it reaches the earth to penetrate eighty inches of lead plate with a loss of only half its strength. This is cryptic stuff for the layman, but the scientists have lately said so much of these cosmic rays that the world is aware of invisible and unmanageable forces beating upon it from the depths of space, unheeded by the five senses but demonstrable by the delicate ex- periments of the laboratory. —_—_s2>->___ Success in life consists of doing, each of us, what only we can do, When this is accomplished, sacrificing nothing of the elements of decency or kindness, retaining the love and respect of friends and gaining the gratitude of many a man whom we have helped by the way, then men reach the end of life with a supreme satisfaction of having done their duty.. There have been doubts expressed in modern times as_ to whether life is worth living or not, but such doubts are never heard from the lips of men who have tried to be help- ful to others as well as themselves in the struggle for existence. > _* ~ ‘ \ * A ene SP ence pT ee _____ Review of the Produce Market. Apples—Current quotations are as follows: spies! A Grade: 20) $2.50 Spies, Commercial 1.50 Spies; Haney 228 3.50 Baldwins, A. Grade 2.3 28) 2.00 Baldwins, Commercial ______.___ 1.25 Melntosh, A Grade. = 2.50 McIntosh, Commercial _____.. | 1.50 Snows: A Grade 2.00 Snows, Commercial 1.25 Banana; A Grade (2005) 3 2.00 Banana, Commercial _____..__ 1.25 Delicious, A Grade 2 2.50 Delicious, Commercial __________ 1.75 N. W. Greenings, A Grade ____. 1.50 N. W. Greenings, C Grade ______ 1.00 R. I. Greenings, A Grade ________ 2.50 R. I. Greenings, Commercial ____ 1.50 Grimes Golden, A Grade ________ 2.00 Grimes Golden, Commercial ____ 1.00 Hubbardstons, A Grade ________ 1.75 Hubbardstons, C Grade ________ 1.25 Jonathans, A Grade 2.) 4 2.50 Jondthans, © Grade 3 1.25 Rapes] A Grade 2 2.25 Shiawassee, A Grade ___._______ 2.00 Shiawassee, Commercial ________ 1.25 Talman Sweets, A Grade ______ 2.00 Talman Sweets, Commercial ____ 1.25 Cooking Apples, all varieties _____ .75 Bananas—5'4@6c per Ib. Butter—The market has declined 2c per Ib. Jobbers hold 1 Ib. plain wrap- ped prints at 29c and 65 Ib. tubs at 28c for extras and 26c for firsts. Cabbage—85c per bu. ‘Carrots—85c per bu. Cauliflower—$2.50 per crate of 12 to 16 home grown. Celery—40@60c per bunch for home grown. Cocoanuts—80c per doz. or $6 per bag. ; ‘Cranberries—Late Howes, $4 per %4 bbl. Cucumbers—No. 1 hot house, $2.50 per doz. Dried Beans—Michigan jobbers are’ quoting as follows: C@ Fi ree Geans 2 $4.65 Engnt Red Baidey 7.50 Date eed Midatgy 7.25 Eggs—Jobbers pay 23c for No. 1 fresh and 18c for pullet eggs. Cold storage operators offer their supplies on the following basis: XX candled in cartons --------__ 21c ON candied 2-5 19¢ Mm candied <0 2 Oe 16c Cheeks 2 ee 15c Grapefruit — Marsh Seedless from Texas is sold as follows: DA oo $4.50 4 4.25 Ze ee 4.00 SQ tee ee 3.75 Extra fancy sells as follows: G4) ee $3.50 O42 ee ee 3.50 70 3.50 SQ a ee 3.75 Gy ee 3.25 Choice is held as follows: A ee $3.25 CE ee a5 AO ee 525 SO eee 325 SO 3.00 Grapes—$2.50 for Calif. Emperors in 25 lb. sawdust lugs. Green Onions—60c for Shalots. Lettuce—In following basis: Imperial Valley, 4s, per crate ___-$4.50 Imperial Valley, 5s, per crate ____ 4.50 Hot house leaf, in 10 Ib. baskets __ 1.00 Lemons—To-day’s quotations are as follows: good demand on the S60 Supkict 2.28 ee $6.50 S00; Sunkist 9658 2 6.50 S00 Red (Ball =) 2 oe 5.50 S00 Red Ball 2 5.50 Limes—$1.75 per box. Nuts— Michigan Black Walnuts, $1.50 per bu.; Hickory, $2 per bu. Oranges—Fancy Sunkist California Navels are now sold as follows: ee $6.75 ee 6.00 TO 5.50 Os 4.75 ee 4.25 Ze 3.75 ee 345 5) a Se cee 3.75 Floridas extra fancy are held as fol- lows: Mee $3.00 Me 3.00 M6 3.00 2) a 3.00 2 ee 3.00 LO 2.75 i) Se ee 2.75 Ce 2.75 Onions—Spanish from Spain, $1.75 per crate; home grown yellow in 100 Ib. sacks, $1. Parsley—50c per doz. bunches. Peppers—Green, 50c per doz. for California, Potatoes—Home grown, $1.10 per bu.; Wisconsin, $2.25 per 100 Ib. sack; Idaho, $2.50 per 100 Ib. sack; 90c per 25 tb. sack. Poultry—Wilson & Company pay as follows: Pay Sorings 21c Peavy fowls 20c Peet te 15¢ WeKS) 2 14c Cee 12c Spinach—$1.25 per ‘bu. Squash—Hubbard, $3.50 per 100 tbs. Sweet Potatoes—Indiana, $2.85 per bu. Tangerines—$1.75 per 34 bu. basket. Tomatoes—$1.40 for 6 1b. container, hot house. 1 Turnips—$1.25 per bu. for new. Veal Calves — Wilson & Company pay as follows: Roney 12c Geode 10c Medittie 3 8c Poor 2 8c 22> 2>_____ Questions and Anwsers of Interest To Grocers. Is there any fruit tree that will pro- duce two crops in one season? The fig tree is distinguished from almost all others by the extraordinary property of producing two crops of fruit in the same year on distinct shoots, in climates congenial to its growth, Where did the name cantaloupe come from? Cantaloupes, are so named from Cantaloupe, Italy, where the melons were first grown in Europe. What kind of meat is preferred by Americans? A survey made indicates that beef is first in favor, with pork second. Is canned market? reindeer meat on the While it does not appear on the mar- ket at present, the availability of rein- deer meat for canning has been pointed out. Reindeer meat is a staple food for the Northlanders and is pronounced excellent by epicures in warmer cli- mates. _ What part of the weight of a fowl is lost in dressing it? The weight of a fowl after head, feet, bones and inedible entrails have been removed is from 15 to 20 per cent. Do fish sleep? The Bureau of Fisheries says that fish do not sleep. At times they remain quiet in pools and streams. Can a fish remain alive after being frozen in a cake of ice if the ice is melted naturally? It is possible for fish to remain alive after being frozen in a cake of ice. There is an instance where goldfish remained alive after being frozen in a pond all winter. In Siberia there are rivers containing fish, which are buried in the mud and which are frozen all winter, but are alive in the spring. How many eggs are there in a shad roe? In the average shad roe there are from 30,000 to 40,000 eggs. What is the difference between white and black pepper? White pepper is practically the same as black pepper except that the outer shell of the berry has been removed by friction, after soaking in water. What is the difference between an extract and a spice? An extract is the essential oil from the blossoms, fruit, roots or whole plant suspended in alcohol solution. When used the alcohol evaporates leay- ing the aromatic flavor and odor, A spice is the essential oil contained in aromatic vegetable substances such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and pep- per. The essential oil is released by abrasion or contact with moisture, IN THE REALM OF RASCALITY. Questionable Schemes Which Are Under Suspicion. Gwinn, Dec. 24—Feeling certain that vou are interested in the outcome of the Gale and Ward affair here in the Upper Peninsula recently I am en- closing clipping from the Marquette Mining Journal, issue of Dec. 9. I be- lieve their arrest and subsequent con- viction are directly traceable to the Michigan Tradesman. Just one week after these fellows “nipped” the folks here in Gwinn we read your exposure of Gale in the Tradesman. My father got in touch immediately with the State police at Marquette, who picked them up five weeks later at Sidnaw. We feel that our county prosecutor, C. E. Lott, did a very commendable job in handling these chaps. Clayton Quayle. The Marquette Mininy Journal con- tains the following concerning the black hearted scoundrel: Leo Gale, arrested recently by State police on a charge of obtaining money under false pretenses by representing himself and a partner as agents of a burglary insurance firm, was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, the money to be distributed to the defrauded persons when a list of those who “bit” is ap- proved by Captain Ora B. Demary, of the State police. Gale was required to pay $400 of the total at once, which he did, and the balance in monthly pay- ments of $25 each. False and misleading advertising al- leged against the following. Ozment’s Instruction Bureau, St. Louis, conductor of a correspondence school for preparing students for civil service examinations; circulating al- leged false and misleading statements relative to the Government positions open for appointment, hours of ser- vice, salaries, etc. Beacon Manufacturing Company, New Bedford; Mass., manufacturer of machine-made blankets; using Indian names together with depictions of In- dian scenes, on labels and in advertis- ing matter. Dorman Mills, Parsons, W. Va., manufacturer of blankets containing from six per cent. to fifty per cent. by weight of wool; using the words “Part Wool” on labels and in advertising matter, without indicating in any way the percentage of wool. The L. L. Cooke School of Electric- ity, Chicago, Ill., conductor of corre- spondence school for the teaching of electricity, circulates false and mis- leading statements relative ta reduced alleged to be prices and gratuities given, salaries, personal instruction, etc. Alleged Lottery: Dilling & Company, Indianapolis, manufacturer of candy. George H. Ruth Candy Company, Inc., Brooklyn, distributor of candy. Mells Manufacturing Company, New York, manufacturer of candy. Gutman Brothers and others, New York, distributor of chewing gum. Chocolate Factory, Winona, Minn., manufacturer of candy, a punch board being supplied for the disposal of some of the assortments. Falsely claiming curative properties: Howard B. Drollinger, New York, manufacturer of an electrical device. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN The price study which was being conducted in the city of Memphis was completed the last week of the month. The work is similar to that undertaken in Washington, Cincinnati and Des Moines. Information obtained from schedules from various chain store or- ganizations is being tabulated and put into shape, priliminary to analytical study of the data. A corporation publisher of a monthly magazine having general circulation throughout the United States has en- tered into a stipulation agreement with the Federal Trade Commission based on the company’s publication of al- leged false and misleading advertise- ments of a number of concerns against whom the Commission had ordered complaints on the basis of such adver- tising. Among the advertisements carried were those of a corporation and an individual selling alleged cures for asthma; an individual selling an al- leged treatment for the cure of pyor- rhea; a corporation selling an alleged treatment for a women’s ailment; a corporation selling an alleged remedy for treatment of stomach and _ heart diseases, nervous debility and catarrh, and an individual selling an alleged remedy for the cure of dropsy. The publisher waived its right to be made party respondent in each of the com- plaints and stipulated that pending their disposition it would not publish advertisements of the products re- ferred to which contained statements alleged by the Commission to be false and misleading. The publisher agreed that it would be bound by and obey any cease and desist order that may issue on any of the complaints. Cliquot Club Company, of Millis, Mass., is ordered by the Federal Trade Commission to cease advertising that its ginger ale has been or is aged six months or six months in the making, unless or until it actually has been or is of that age prior to its sale. The Commission found that until April, 1929, Cliquot advertised in per- iodicals and through radio broadcast- ing that ginger ale was unripe and injurious unless it had been aged six months and that the product offered for sale had been aged six months, and had derived a fullness of flavor and mellowness of tone as a result of such ageing process. In April 1929 the company discon- tinued its practice of representing that its ginger ale had been aged six months and adopted as a substitute therefor the phrase “aged six months in the making,” which it continued to employ in its advertising. However, the ‘Commission found that such ginger ale has not been and is not aged six months or six months in the making. A flavoring mixture called the concentrate, from which the finished ginger ale product is made, has been and actually is aged six months in storage tanks. After ‘the concen- trate has been so aged it is mixed with other ingredients of the product, but is in weight about one-fifth of one per cent. of the product. The Commission found that the finished beverage is neither aged six months nor six months in its making nor is any other part of it than the so- called concentrate aged six months or any definite period of time. The Commission hold that the repre- sentation regarding the age of the bev- erage tended to deceive the public and divert trade from competitors and fur- nish to wholesaler and retail dealers the means by which they are enabled to mislead customers into believing that the ginger ale is six months old when offered for sale. An advertising agency handling the advertising account of an individual who manufactured and sold an alleged treatment for the cure of pyorrhea has entered into a stipulation and agree- ment with the Federal Trade Commis- sion. The agreement is based on the agency’s activities in procuring the in- sertion and publication of a false and misleading advertisement for the indi- vidual against whom the Commission had ordered a complaint based on ‘a charge of false and misleading adver- tising. The agency waived its right to be made party respondent in the case, and stipulated and agreed that if com- plaint' shou'd issue the proceeding based thereon may go forward with the same effect as though the agency were a party thereto and that the agency will be bound by and obey any cease and desist order that may be issued thereon. —_~2~+-+____ Keeping Lettuce Fresh. In handling lettuce the problem is to keep it not only fresh, but looking fresh. As the lettuce is picked over, the heads open up more or less, especially if they are not extra hard. They be- come ragged and outer leaves have to be trimmed off. This takes time and also takes away from the attractiveness of the lettuce. At one store each head of lettuce has an ordinary rubber band snapped about it when it is put out on the vegetable rack. The rubber band is large enough so that it doesn’t fit too tightly or cut into the letuce. The band holds the head together. As the head is sold the rubber is removed to be used again. At this store the bin used for lettuce is lined with burlap. The burlap is dampened and as the lettuce is sprayed from time to time through the day, it remains damp, holding moisture well. The heads are turned down against this damp burlap and keep fresh much longer than when turned up. The display looks neat, December 31, 1930 too, with its regular rows of firm look- ng lettuce heads. >< ____ Weather Reports Help His Sales. “IT make good use of the daily weath- er report,” explained a Chicago grocer. “It is one of the best outside aids I have in making or saving me money. “Any merchant who has run a gro- cery store knows that weather affects the trade in his store; that certain goods sell better when the weather is to be hot and other things move more readily when the temperature drops. Especially do I watch carefully the forecast for Saturday and for Monday. “In the winter months when the thermometer goes far below freez- ing point and a storm wave is predicted for Saturday I know at once that the weather will be a great factor in my sales for the day. If stormy there will be fewer people out and I better stock up slowly until I am sure of the day’s development. On the other hand, if the forecast is for somewhat warmer and a sunny day I know that I will need larger stocks of my perish- able goods. —_+~-~-+___ Eat "Em Raw. One of the basic principles of the modern science of nutrition is that foods, which can be eaten safely in the raw state, should be eaten raw. The main purpose of this advise jis to pro- vide a balanced diet in vitamins. The potency of some of the vitamins is diminished, if not destroyed, in the cooking process. For this reason, oys- ters and clams are foods, unexcelled in value, because they can be eaten in the fresh and raw state. When eaten raw, they are a good source of all of the vitamins. Furthermore, oysters and clams have a delectable flavor and taste, seldom equaled. Canned sea foods, such as salmon, tuna and sar- dine, are cheap and excellent foods. A cheaper or better source of proteins would be difficult to find. Furthermore they are rich in minerals and vitamins. —_—_>~+<-____ Antedated the Law. Visitor (looking over fraternity house): Don’t you know roller towe’s are against the law? Brother: Yes, but that one was put up before the law was passed. —_2-~.___ If you watch the clock when you're twenty, you are apt to be a watchman when you're sixty. DEPENDABLE “PUTNAM” _ SERVICE THE NEW YEAR 1931 LOOKS GOOD TO US It Is Your Opportunity to Prove THAT RELIABLE MERCHANDISE Bovucutr anv Sow INTELLIGENTLY AT A REASONABLE PROFIT Makes for Good Business and a Successful Merchant. PUTNAM’S C A N DPD YY Grand Rapids. Mich. NATIONAL CANDY co., INC. opr . fore ay pre . Poort December 31, 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN THEY MEET THE ISSUE. Mutual Fire Insurance Companies Organize Adjustment Bureau. Organization of the Michigan Ad- justment Bureau, Inc., to operate throughout the State in the adjustment of fire, automobile and casualty insur- ance losses, is announced from Lan- sing. Incorporators are A. D. Baker, L. H. Baker, G. A. Minskey, C. E. Mc- Alvay, and L. B. Tobey. Offices are in the Mutual building, 208 North Capitol avenue. Officers elected at the first meeting of the directors are: L. H. Baker, president; G. A. Minskey, vice-presi- dent; C. E. McAlvay, treasurer, and L. B. Tobey, secretary. The company’s operating staff will consist of, H. C. ‘Cunningham, man- ager; I. W. Anderson, automobile ad- juster, and Dean W. Kel'ey, general counsel. Mr. Cunningham is resigning his position as manager of the Jack- son branch of the Western Adjustment H. C. Cunningham. Co., of Chicago. Mr. Cunningham is known as one of the ablest adjusters in Michigan and brings to his new office a valuable experience and repu- tation, and the friendship of many in- surance men throughout the State. Mr. Cuningham will move from Jackson to Lansing, with his family, early in the new year, and take up his permanent residence in Lansing. Official Announcement. Lansing, Dec. 27—I take pleasure in announcing that the Michigan Adjust- ment Bureau is organized and ready for business Jan. 1, 1931. The Bu- reau will co-operate with the National Adjustment Bureau of Chicago and Federation of ‘Mutual Fire Insurance Companies and solicits adjustments from all members: of the Federation and, indeed, from a!l non-stock com- panies doing business in the State. We can give prompt service on adjustments anywhere in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, We have secured H. C. Cunning- ham, who has been manager of the Western Adjustment Co.’s Jackson branch, where he has had four assist- ants under him, as our manager. He is one of 'the ablest adjusters of Mich- igan. We have known him for a num- ber of years and the character of ‘his work has made him our first and only choice. He is forty-two years old, a ‘man of fine presence, possessing abun- dant energy and enthusiasm for his new work. I feel that we could not have made a better choice. Our aim will be the application of mutual principles and ideals to adjust- ments; in other words, careful, un- hurried, thorough work done at the lowest possible cost consistent with quality. Our advance estimates on expense show that we can start ap- proximately on the level at which the old line adjustment bureaus have been operating and it is our hope to reduce that cost as our volume _ increases. Losses referred to us by telephone or by wire will have the prompt atten- tion of Mr. Cunningham. L. H. Baker, President. More Personal Announcement. Lansing, Dec. 29—I was much in- terested in your recent writeup of the adjusting situation in Michigan. Ap- parently you are well posted on the developments which have led up to the Organization of our new Bureau. The purpose of the stock --npanies in denying to the mutuals and reciprocals the service of the Western Adjustment and Inspection Co. and the Under- writers Adjustine ‘Co. was apparently to embarrass the mutuals. In this they will ‘be disappointed because the im- mediate result has been the opposite and I have every reason to think that the -ermanent effects will also be very much to the -dvantage of the non- stock insurance carriers. Under the new conditions we have an absolutely free hand to apply the well-known principles of mutual insur- ance to the adjustment of losses. Mr. Cunningham, our manager, has built up a reputation for able, fearless, cor- rect adjustments and is known as a studious, honorable and kindly man. There is no abler adjuster in the State of Michigan and I feel confident that the character of the work turned out by this Bureau will be of the highest. I enclose a copy of our letter an- nouncing the Bureau to our associates, both in and outside of Michigan, as well as a clipping from the Dec. 19 issue of the Lansing Capital News, and a portrait of Mr. Cunningham is also going forward under another cover. L. H. Baker. —_2-+ +___ Hard Times and the Hen. Hard times mean nothing to a hen. ” She just keeps on digging worms and laying eggs, regardless of what the newspapers say about conditions. If the ground is hard, she scratches hard- er. If it’s dry, she digs deeper. If she strikes a rock, she works around it. But always she digs up worms and turns them into hard-shelled profits, as well as tender broilers. Did you ever see a pessimistic hen? Did you ever know of one starving to death waiting for worms to dig themselves to the surface? Did you ever hear one cackle because times were hard? Not on your life; she saves her breath for digging and her cackle for eggs. —_++.__ You. You are the fellow who has to decide Whether you'll do it or toss it aside; You are the fellow who makes up your mind— Whether you'll lead or will linger be- hind— j Whether you'll try for the good that’s afar Or be contented to stay where you are. Take it or leave it. There’s something to do! Just think it over. It’s all up to you. Home Baker Fliour Quality+Price=S at- isfied Consumers. Made to our own formulae. Satisfaction Guar- anteed. : Sold to Independ- ent dealers only. LEE & CADY MICHIGAN TRADESMAN December 31, 1930 HAPPY NEW YEAR. New Year's Day does not come everywhere on January 1. Among the Chinese it varies according to their lunar calendar, falling between January 10 and February 19. In all Christian countries it falls nominally on the first day of the year but in the Gregorian calendar the first of January occurs twelve days earlier than in the Julian, and consequently Russia and Greece, which still employ the latter calendar, celebrate on the 13th of January. Even the approach to uniformity among civilized nations was not at- tained at one stroke. The ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians and Persians began the-year at the autumnal equi- nox, September 22. The Greeks at the time of Solon held the new year fes- tival at the winter solstice, December 21, but in the time of Pericles, 432 B. C., they changed the.date to the summer solstice, June 21. The Ro- mans also dated the beginning of the year from the winter solstice until Julius Caesar in reforming the calen- dar changed it to the first of January. The Jews begin their civil year with the first of the month of Tishri, which corresponds roughly to our Septem- ber, but in ecclesiastical reckoning the year dates from the vernal equinox, March 22. This is astronomically the beginning of spring and the date is therefore a logical one. March 25 was accepted by Christendom in medieval times. In England December 25 was New Year’s Day until the time of William the Conqueror, who changed it to his coronation day, January 1. Later the English, like the rest of Christendom, began the year in March. In 1582 the Gregorian calendar restored January 1 as the “gateway of the year.” Catholic countries adopted the change immediately; Protestant countries were slower. England acquiesced in 1752. Customs in connection with the be- ginning of the year are almost as numerous as those of the Christmas season. The custom of exchanging presents on New Year’s Day is fairly common. Persians exchange presents of eggs. The ancient Druids distrib- uted branches of the sacred mistletoe the night before New Year’s. The widest custom is the ringing of bells. Then there are various quaint observ- ances: the “first footers” of Edinburgh among the callers; the rush, as the last carol of December 31 dies away, to the nearest spring to catch the “cream of the year,’ in Bromyard, the Worcestershire border of Hereford- shire; the “pitcaithly bannocks,” or cakes, of Scotland and the rye loaves of Thrums richly filled with fruit and peel. There is also the calling inherited from the early Dutch in this country. The entire first month of the year was dedicated among the Romans to the god Janus, who had two faces, one looking forward and one backward, to show that he~stood between the old and the new year. On the first day of the month they were careful of every word and act, so that each might be a happy augury for all the days of the following year. Our New Year also has a Janus touch, since every one looks backward and forward. One of the most nearly universal . SLR LENT SI NOTA BS LR ET HRT SRE ES fo ES RESPITE ae oma eestor eee customs of the day is that of exchang- ing greetings.: Not in any merely formal fashion but with all sincerity the Tradesman wishes its readers a Happy New Year. SOME FAVORABLE FEATURES. Reduction of the rediscount rate to the unpredented level of 2 per cent., some slight gain in employment, a frac- tional rise in commodity prices and a somewhat longer schedule of year-end closing in industry were features of the general business situation during the past week. The weekly business index was little changed, although the ford shutdown and other curtailment will mean ‘a new low before an ‘up- ward movement develops. The rediscount reduction of the Re- serve Bank in New York was regarded more or less as a gesture to encourage business and to instil more confidence regarding bank conditions. Money has been easy enough for months to at- tract business enterprise, but the trou- ble undoubtedly has been that surplus production in most lines has discour- aged initiative, and in real estate there is still considerable . liquidation . ex- pected. With inventories so important this year, it was natural to find more than the usual buying hesitation this month, Advance orders have suffered, but the feeling in business circles is that some of these deferred transactions will be placed soon after the turn of the year, particularly as buyers grow more con- fident that prices are about at bottom. There is not apt to be, however, any- thing in the nature of the purchasing boom that was predicted before the true state of the depression was real- ized. Commodity prices have firmed a little at the record low which they have recently made. The Annalist index stood at 115.7 last week, with only fractional changes in all but the farm product and building material groups. The variations in the groups are even more striking, with a low of 89.4 for the miscellaneous list of commodities and 142.5 for fuels. Building materials, after several months of firmness, are now sliding downward. MHard coal, coke and gasoline are the fuels which seem immune to the general deflation. MIGHT FIND SOFT SPOT. In describing the progress made so far in completing reports from the re- tail census of distribution, John Guern- sey, the retail executive who is in charge of the compilation, gives some of the preliminary findings in the cur- rent bulletin of the National Retail Dry Goods Association. While he explains that the survey is weeks away from a National total figure as set, enough is known to indicate that the total retail business will exceed $60,000,000,000 and “probably enough more to surprise all who have given it serious thought.” Of more significance than these sta- tistics, however, are certain observa- tions which Mr. Guernsey makes. It is becoming apparent, as city after city is studied in relation to rough stan- dards which we have set up.” he writes, “that each city shows a definite and measurable weakness or disproportion in one or more kinds of business. Each city differs from almost every other city as to the particular kinds of business which are overdeveloped or underdeveloped. Each abnormality sug- gests an investigation by a live depart- ment store in that city or by a chain organization prepared to open small stores to discover the soft spots in that city which would stand intensive de- velopment and the hard spots which offer stiff competition and could be avoided.” He suggests that such investigations would bring much better results than to continue the hidebound policy of promoting the store as a whole and all its departments. Chain expansion might gain, he also points out, by put- ting a store of one kind in one city and of another type in another com- munity, depending upon the opportuni- ties in each area. This is merely another way of urg-. ing that the stores pay greater atten- tion to consumer demand, knowing what the public wants or would desire, and then satisfying it. VOLUME BELOW LAST YEAR. Holiday business ran pretty well in line with expectations. Even when the actual figures for department and chain stores are issued, a complete picture of the trade results for the country as a whole will be lacking, since the bulk of the business is still done by small firms. The latter, as a rule, have been slow to adjust them- selves to changed conditions and have probably suffered higher sales losses than their larger and more progressive competitors. Bearing this important consideration in mind, there are many reports from large stores stating that while they failed to equal dollar volume done last year because of lower prices, they either equaled or exceeded the num- ber of transactions of a year ago. If this was a frequent performance, then it may be estimated that sales volume in dollars this Christmas ran about 20 per cent. under the total for 1929 as a daily average, the month having one more business day. Immediately after the holiday clear- ances and special promotions were launched and emphasize the sharp price reductions with which the stores are striving to improve on dollar volume. It seems more than likely that these events will attract unusually good con- sumer response because so many shop- pers were waiting for special econo- mies. But it is worth while stressing that qualities will also come in for particular scrutiny. Careful shopping, by which is meant a lot of looking be- fore buying, was a feature of holiday purchasing likely to be continued. Enthusiasm is the greatest asset in the world. It beats money and power and influence. Single-handed, the en- thusiast convinces and dominates where wealth accumulated by a small army of workers would scarcely raise a tremor of interest. Enthusiasm tram- ples over prejudice and opposition, spurns inaction, storms the citadel for its object, like an avalanche, over- whelms and engulfs all obstacles. It is nothing more or less than faith in action. REDUCING WORKING HOURS. In a statement issued in connection with a board meeting of the Pequot Mills last week, Ernest N. Hod, treas- urer, urged a shorter work week in the cotton textile industry if it is to pros- per. His summary of the general in- dustrial situation was worthy of quo- tation. He said: “The remarkable mechanization of industry, which should be such a blessing to the world, has not helped the worker as it ought to have done. Men have been kept at work, in many cases, almost the same number of hours as before and hundreds of thou- sands in the different industries have been thrown out of employment. Neith- er has it helped the manufacturer, as, with the number of hours operated, it has simply brought about overproduc- tion and created a competitive situation so acute that no profits are possible for the trade as a whole. “This age of mechanization, as it has been handled,” he went on to say, “has helped virtually no one except that perhaps the consumer has. bene- fited to some extent. Yet the progress of mechanization and industrial~ de- velopment cannot be stopped, nor should it be. It does need to be con- trolled for the benefit of all concerned.” While some of these assertions are a little extreme (profit, for instance, is not wholly lacking), the thoughts expressed are entertained quite general- ly. There is almost universal disap- pointment that we are suffering instead ot benefiting from progress, and there is widespread recognition of the ridicu- lous situation by which we are equip- ped to turn out huge surplus, with millions eager to have these products but having no way of purchasing them. Either we must cut production to our needs or else find a way to im- prove purchasing power throughout the world so that our surpluses may find ma -:kets. THE SECOND FIASCO. Sears, Roebuck & Co. invaded Trav- erse City, fixed up a store in the Hannah & Lay block regardless of expense, stayed a few months—long enough to put the concern $50,000 in the red—and moved the stock to the Soo, where the same programme was repeated. The Tradesman has frequently pre- dicted that Sears, Roebuck & Co. would never meet with much success in establishing branch stores, because when ‘buyers can see for themselves the kind of trash this house handles by being able to inspect the goods be- fore purchasing they will, in most cases, pass up the opportunity to deal with the cut-throat concern. It is a matter of common knowledge that Sears, Roebuck & Co.’s_ brief career in Traverse City cost the con- cern at least $50,000 and from all the information the Tradesman has been able to obtain the Soo undertaking was equally unprofitable. The Grand Rap- ids house is doing very little ‘business, considering the expense involved. Even fraudulent advertising such as the Tradesman exposed a month or two ago, has not enabled the institution to make’ any headway in attracting the attention of the buying public, 4. 2 q Ae t Ht 7 4) + > Le \ | | { eh i | <+- ~ y a ——- nn ete a~ orien — a * « ” ” { 4 . y® * f ~ ~ 4 ¢ @ tie . } a ° i e , a~ pean — nage “ * ” ‘ « | . { ys *, 9 e December 31, 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN OUT AROUND. Things Seen and Heard on a Week End Trip. Last Saturday’s mail brought me a letter from ‘Clayton Quayle, of Gwinn, announcing that Richard Quayle, the leading merchant of that town, has been laid up by a stroke, the outcome of which is still in doubt. On account of the vigor of the man and the whole- some life he has led I confidently look forward to his complete recovery. The letter is as follows: Gwinn, Dec. 26—It is with much regret that I am obliged to tell you that my good father is forced to re- main away from the business because of a stroke suffered some six weeks ago. ‘Part of the time he has been confined to the Ishpeming hospital. The last three weeks he has been at home. Needless to say we miss him at almost every turn in the road. You will please find enclosed our check covering subscription, $3. You may also enter on vour list the fol- lowing: E. A. Johnson Store Co., Ishpeming B. K. Leslie, Gwinn, rendering them bills direct. Our entire family is so completely sold on the Tradesman that we preach its merits unceasingly. Our earnest hope is that you mav be spared to “hang on” or rather “fight on” for at least three years longer, thereby real- izing your fond wishes. Clayton Quayle. (Mr. Quayle was born on the Isle of Manx and came to this country many years ago. His original occupation was that of an iron miner. Because of his unusual intelligence and ambition he was encouraged by the mine own- ers for whom he worked to open a general store at Gwinn, where he has scored one of the greatest successes in the mercantile history of the Upper Peninsula. He has always been first and foremost in every movement for the public good. He is an outstanding Methodist and is known all over the State for his devotion to his beloved church. I am not sure, but I think he is a distant relative of- Bishop Quayle, of St. Louis, whose espousal of Meth- odism gave him an international repu- tation among the members of that de- nomination. Mr. Quayle has a bright and energetic son whom his father has given careful training in the mercan- tile business, so there will be no halt- ing in the functions of the store if Mr. Quayle should be incapacitated for giving it the active service he has ac- corded his business ever since he opened his doors to the public. My attention has recently been called to the puerile efforts a local person is making to build himself up at the expense of another who has long been a leader in his particular field. Instead of undertaking to create a business on its merits, he evidently assumes that he can secure a following by destroying the business of the suc- cessful man by falsehood, deceit and underhanded methods of the most in- famous character. Of course, he will not succeed in his undertaking, but will -achieve the same disastrous fail- ure which has confronted him in every previous undertaking. The night be- fore Theodore Tilton made his “final disclosures,” as he designated them, against Henry Ward Beecher, Anna Dickinson acquainted the great preach- er with the situation at the close of an evening meeting in Plymouth church. Mr. Beecher straightened up to the majesty of the man he was and re- marked: “If Theodore thinks he can build himself up on my ruins he is mistaken.” Subsequent events fully justified ‘Mr. Beecher’s prediction. Theodore died in a garret, unloved and detested. Elizabeth eked out a miserable living by taking in sewing. Henry Ward continued to receive the plaudits of the people as the greatest orator of the age and was mourned by uncounted millions on both sides of the Atlantic when he was called to meet his Maker. I am sorry to note that Senator Van- denberg has again lined up against President Hoover and voted against the confirmation of Mr. Hoover’s ap- pointee to the position of Secretary of Labor. Of course, he did this as the devoted slave of the American federa- tion of labor, whose president insulted Mr. Hoover and the American people by threatening the chief executive with extinction by the cohorts of union labor because he did not permit the head of the union labor gang to dom- inate the appointment. Because of his subserviency to this infamous organization of marpiots, traitors, slackers and slovens, Senator Vandenberg is soon to face a real situation in his business household. When the Lansing Journal was taken over by Mr. Halsted some years- ago the funds to complete the purchase were furnished by Lansing manufactur- ers conditional on the newspaper be- ing deunionized. Mr, Halsted kept faith with his financial backers and replaced his union slackers with inde- pendent workmen, who are not bound by union rules to give their employer half as much actual accomplishment as non-union men do for the same ratio of compensation. Recently the pub- lication passed into the hands of a merger with Grand Rapids and Battle Creek daily papers, Mr. Vandenberg being a large stockholder in the new undertaking. Now the American fed- eration of labor is demanding that Mr. Vandenberg unionize the Lansing paper. If he does, the organization will lose the confidence and support of the men who have made the publica- tion valuable and result in their trans- ferring their patronage to a competing newspaper. If he does not, the unions will threaten to destroy him, political- ly, but threats are as far as they can g0, because the idle mouthings of union blather-skites never amount to anything. The political strength of the unions is not in numbers, but in the unfounded fear which politicians harbor concerning the ability of union leaders to deliver the goods, which they never can do. When George A. Davis announced his candidacy for the Grand Rapids Board of Education thirty years ago, he refused to permit the use of the union label on his elec- tion cards. Union leaders assured him they would defeat him hands down, but he was elected by a large majority. They have threatened him with defeat ever since, but the decent people in the city see to it that the threats never become effective. So long as Senator Vandenberg keeps up his affiliation with the union labor crooks he will find himself lying on a bed of thorns, because his reliance on the support of union labor is as uncertain and un- reliable as the shifting sand dunes of Lake Michigan. ‘Saginaw, Dec. 24—In reference to the article on page 9 of the last issue of the Michigan Tradesman I wish to correct an impression you have when you say that you have a right to as- sume that no more Loose-Wiles goods will be found in chain stores. You certainly are wrong in this as- sumption, as any biscuit house doing a Nation wide business, also National advertising, cannot refrain from selling chain stores. They sell Nationally owned and locally owned chain stores and we have no control over the Loose- Wiles Co. All biscuit manufacturers recognize local chains, but all of them do not sell Nationally owned chain stores, in many instances because they have never had the opportunity. In our own case, we have never liked the large chain store idea and for this reason have never sold them and we do not sell them now, while we do the same as other biscuit houses—recognize and sell smaller chain groups. Our house will manufacture the Schust line, the same as before, and will sell some Loose-Wiles fancy package goods, making our one and two pound crackers the same as we always have. We will sell them under our own name. The.Schust Co. has been instrument- al in making it possible for the inde- pendent retailer to get 17% per cent. discount by purchasing $150 worth of goods a month; most of the others get 15 per cent. discount. The chain stores only receive 17% per cent. discount, the same as all large independent re- tailers do, and there is very little dif- ference between the 15 per cent. man. _ As before stated. we do not sell Na- tionally owned chain stores. However, we do not guarantee that we never will because we never know what the future may bring. During the past five vears we have been obliged to expand our business into other States in order to keep our plant in full operation on ac- count of the tremendous inroads of the chain stores and there may be a pos- sibility that sometime in the future it will be necessary for us, as well as all other biscuit manufacturers, to recognize chains if they wish to keep their plant in operation. You may say for us to the grocery trade that we are 100 per cent. for the independent merchant and will -do everything within reason to promote the welfare of the independent grocer. Edward Schust, President Schust Co. I am grieviously disappointed over the statements made in the above let- ter, because it shows me very plainly that the alliance the Schust Co. re- cently made with the Loose-Wiles Co. is a very unfortunate one for the inde- pendent grocers of this and adjoining states. Of course, I could hardly ex- pect to see the tail wag the dog, but considering the loyal manner in which the retail grocery trade of Michigan has stood by the Schust Co., I cannot see how the management could pos- sibly betray the trust imposed in it by consenting to make an alliance with an organization which has always favored the chain store, to the detriment of the independent grocer, never giving any independent dealer (except a very large one) an opportunity to compete with the chain stores in handling its goods. Mr.‘Schust recently stated that he and his associates own a substan- tial interest in the Loose-Wiles Co. and that the Loose-Wiles Co..own a substantial interest in the Schust Co. So long as this mutual status of own- ership continues the two organizations must be considered as one in action, policy and result. When the Loose- Wiles Co. sells the chain stores at prices lower than it sells independents, the Schust Co. shares in the profit of the transaction and voluntarily assumes the onus of discriminating against the independents which the Loose-Wiles Co. places at a disadvantage by its bad business methods. I have more respect for an organization which comes out boldly and publicly an- nounces its bias for the chain stores than I have for a manufacturer who undertakes to ride two horses at the same time and confines part of his transactions to the independent mer- chant, while at the same time he is sharing in the profits his side partner makes in selling to the chains. If I understand the situation correct- ly there is only one retail organization which has handled this buying prob- lem in a satisfactory manner and that is the Pennsylvania association under the management of William Smedley, who died about ten days ago. Mr. Smedley evolved the so-called “Penn- sylvania Plan,” by means of which the independent grocer has had his buying so effectually: handled that he did not suffer from the competition of the chain octopus. In the absence of any carefully worked out plan Michigan grocers have been at the mercy of every crook, crank, schemer and rack- eteer who came along. They have contributed good money at frequent intervals to cross the itching palms of these gentry, only to find later on that their money might just as well have been thrown into the fire. I propose to make a personal investigation of the Pennsylvania Plan at the earliest op- portunity which presents itself and re- port the result of my findings to my readers. The United States Treasury put out a short time note issue last week at 134 per cent. The offer was seven times over subscribed. Since the finan- cial horizon became dark and threaten- ing manufacturers, jobbers and retail- ers have bent every energy to meet existing conditions and have reduced the cost of living to their customers from 10 to 46 per cent. The average worker can live comfortably to-day at 20 to 25 per cent. less than it cost him for the same articles a year ago. Com- mon labor has declined in the mean- time from 50 cents per hour to 25 cents per hour—and the market is over- supplied at that. About the only classes of laborers who still refuse to lower their ratio of compensation are the labor union profiteers and rack- eteers who still demand their old wage and—bound down by infamous union rules—do less than half what they ac- complished when they were paid a third of what they now insist on re- ceiving. Bricklayers, for instance, in- sist on $1.50 per hour for eight hours work—$12 per day—and lay 400 bricks. Not many years ago they were paid $3.50 per day and laid 1,200 bricks per day. So long as they insist on de- 10 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN December 381, 1930 manding the inordinate wage scale which they forced on the country dur- ing the hectic days of the kaiser’s war —when patriotic citizens were fighting for their country while union men un- dertook to ruin it—no one has any possible incentive to do any building or construction work which involves the employment of union labor at any stage. The same condition applies to plasterers, carpenters, plumbers and other trades which have been union- ized in the cities. The only way to bring these thieves to time is to STARVE THEM TO IT and I hope and pray that all honorable men will refuse to be plundered by union labor racketeers and join hands in accom- plishing this result. There are plenty of men outside the ranks of union labor who take the same stand business men do at this time, who have voluntarily reduced their compensation to a rea- sonable basis. These men should be favored by every good citizen and given all the employment possible, to the end that they may go through the present period of stress in comfort, even if they are compelled to discard some of the luxuries of life. Because I have had considerable to say about the Grand Rapids Associa- tion of Commerce of late I am dis- posed to reproduce the following letter, which reached me this week: Holland, Dec. 27—-Want to congrat- ulate you on your splendid Dec. 24 number of the Michigan Tradesman. Have read it with a great deal of satis- faction. Glad we still have some men with backbone and other elements that make up a full grown man. Especially was I interested in your column Out Around on page nine. Why in all things do the merchants and manufacturers of Grand Rapids stand for all the applesauce that is be- ing handed out to them concerning their industrial and trade extension possibilities? They hired a so-called expert industrial commissioner to land industries for Grand Rapids at a sal- ary, I understand, that could hire two secretaries who would bring results. One little sewing plant for one year’s work at $7,500 per year is quite an ex- pensive industrial addition. It might not come with much grace from me, but I would like to tackle one of those commercial jobs myself. I would be willing to tackle the job on a salary and commission, based on the payrolls secured for Grand Rapids. We small town secretaries are sometimes overlooked when a big town needs a man to fill an important position, but a secretary in a small town covers more ground and is compelled to know more about his job than a big town man knows about his job or the needs of the city he may serve. Thought I would pass this word on to you as it might be such a thing that in your contacts you might get the powers that be in commercial centers of Grand Rapids to look to the West for their success and prosperity. ‘Chas. A. Gross, Sec’y Chamber of Commerce. I hold no brief for any officer of the Association of Commerce, but I think the criticism of the new executive who was engaged for the purpose of bring- ing new factories to the city is a little unfair, because the critical period we have had to face since he was engaged has not been conducive to changes of location by factory owners generally. He spent several months charting the city and acquainting himself with the ete ae eee cans class of manufacturing industries which would find it advantageous to transfer their manufacturing departments to this city. Now if he could have a year of normal business conditions he could quickly demonstrate whether or not his accession by the Association was a wise move for all concerned. Because he has made good in other communi- ties I believe he will make good here if given ample opportunity. The or- ganization has been very unfortunate in the selection of its executive officers during the past twenty years. It looks now as though the future holds prom- ise of better conditions. The dead wood which has confined its attention to making speeches and writing flat- tering notices of its worthless accom- plishments will be cleaned away and new blood introduced into the mori- bund institution, Iilustrating the unparalleled growth of lacquers which really only com- menced to come into their own since 1924 as a practical, durable and lasting finish. The growth of lacquers as an industry, in these years, is recorded as follows, in the United States: 3,590,000 gallons produced in 1924 4,337,000 gallons produced in 1925 22,000,000 gallons produced in 1926 30,000,000. gallons produced in 1927 47,500,000 gallons produced in 1928 In Canada, the production in 1928 was 1,200,000 gallons. The Canadian production on their soil was small, largely due to the fact that lacquers were being made in this country and shipped into Canada. The largest pro- portion of these lacquers is used by radio manufacturers, case goods manu- facturers and interior lacquers of the industry for mechanical purposes. One of the biggest moments in the lacquer industry is the accelerated production and conservation of floor space and the eliminating of a long-drawn-out pro- cess Of extended acreage production for drying. There are only a few lacquer companies who have gone real- ly into the technicalities of lacquer production as to its qualities and these are standardized for durability, bril- liance of color, adherence to correct- ness of all various colors of woods and varying from high-gloss to satin finish. In this respect the manufacture of lacquers which will give a correct flow, tough filament, must necessarily be determined by the balancing of the various solvents and non-solvents in relation to gum pigments and other re- lated solutions on which lacquers are built so that in the very near future, lacquers will be bought on the basis of standards and the entire elimination of the thirty-six hours, formerly re- quired in filaments of woods by the use of paste wood fillers, shellacs, etc. There is only one lacquer which has met these requirements and been ac- cepted by the United States and Can- adian patent offices. H. L. Morton, of this city, has been able to produce a system entirely eliminating paste wood fillers which contain pigments and oils foreign to woods. Mr. Morton’s prod- uct produces the same lasting finish as those technically prepared by the early Egyptians and which are found only to exist in the Ruhr valley of Egypt, the burial place of King Tut, which dates back more than five thou- sand years. E. A. Stowe. 27>. ____ Sweet Potatoes Second Largest of Truck Crops. Recent Government research shows that sweet potatoes have several un- usual features placing them high in the list of valuable foods, according to an oral statement Dec. 18 by D. Breese Jones, principal chemist of the Bureau of Chemistry and Soils. Experiments show, he stated, that sweet potatoes are primarily an energy food. The edible portion of raw sweet potato, he pointed out, has an average fuel value of 570 calories, approximately, where- as the white potato has an average fuel value of 385 calories per pound. The following additional information was also furnished by Mr. Jones: Sweet potatoes contain, on an aver- age, 18 per cent. starch and from 4.5 per cent. sugar. A characteristic of the sweet potato is that it is rich in diastase, a substance that changes starch to sugar. At ordinary tempera- tures the diastase shows but little ac- tivity, but at 55 degrees to 65 C the sugar formation is extremely rapid. Frequently when sweet potatoes are cooked nearly all the starch is changed into sugar. Therefore, sweet potatoes are really a saccharin rather than a starchy food. As compared with other root vege- tables sweet potatoes rank high in protein, containing an average of about 2 per cent. Some varieties contain even more than 3.5 per cent. In nutri- tion the quality of the protein as well as the quantity must ‘be considered. The sweet potato protein has but re- cently been isolated and studied by the Bureau of Chemistry and ‘Soils. This protein was found to be a good source of some of the acids which are known to be essential to the growth and sat- isfactory nutrition of animals and which are lacking in the protein of some seeds and grains. Sweet potatoes are richer than white potatoes in true protein. Other investigations show that the vitamin content of sweet potatoes is an important consideration in their food value. With the exception of car- rots, sweet potatoes are distinguished from other commonly used edible roots and tubers by their high content of vitamin A. They contain enough vitamin A to justify classifying them with the leafy veegtables as a source of this vitamin. Yellow sweet potatoes contain more of this vitamin than the white varieties. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of vitamin B (using the old terminology) and vitamin C. Sweet potatoes can serve as a source of antiscorbutic food when fruit and green vegetables are not readily avail- able. However, allowance should be made for loss of vitamins in cooking. Further experiments in the Bureau of Chemistry and Soils have shown that, when properly dried, sweet po- tatoes can’ be ground into a meal or flour which can be preserved indefi- nitely and does not lose its flavor when used in making pies and custards. Sweet potato flour can be used as a bread improver, for a substantial in- crease in loaf volume occurs when about 142 per cent. of sweet potato flour is added to the wheat flour, and * continue. there is no loss of standard in color, taste, or texture. The Bureau of Chemistry and Soils has also worked out a sweet potato syrup. In view of the new knowledge of the food value of the sweet potato, and the new products from them, the rapid in- crease in their use may be expected to Sweet potatoes have already risen to second place among the im- portant truck crops of the United States, ‘being exceeded only by the white potato in amount produced and consumed. They are one of the prin- cipal foods in the Southern States where approximately 1,000,000 acres are devoted to their commercial culti- vation while almost as many more are raised on small farms or in home gar- dens. Sweet potatoes are now avail- able over a long period, due to im- proved methods of storing. ——_»~+~+_____ Oysters Served in 90 Per Cent. of Homes. A recent survey made by the Bureau of Fisheries showed that 90 per cent. of the housewives in this country serv- ed oysters in some form and in order to insure healthy and nutritive oysters, every precaution is being taken to pro- tect their growth. The first place for. the enforcement of these sanitary conditions is natural- ly in the oyster bed. Frequently it is found that pollution of the water in which these beds are located has set in, and at once the fish commissioners set about to see that none of the oysters are taken from such beds. This water can be purified, and tests have proved that the oysters can be transplanted to some other locality and not be tainted in any way. The care of these oysters is very close and every possible symptom of pollution is watched. The State fishery officers co-operate in this work, and when the oysters are shipped they are protected by interstate commerce laws. The packing is the ‘best that can be secured, and with the modern methods of freezing these oysters, there is scarcely any chance of them spoiling in transit. ee So Say We All. _ Grand Rapids, Dec. 27—It is gratify- ing to note such communications as the one sent you by 'M. Hale Company, South Haven, with reference to the products carried by the chain stores and sold at less than the independent merchant can purchase them. They should all profit by the experience ac- quired by the M. Hale Company dur- ing their seventy-five years of active merchandising. If all independent merchants would place all their efforts upon the prod- ucts which are not prostituted by the chain stores I am confident that their efforts. would be well rewarded. One manufacturer deserving favor- able mention and I think the full hearted support of the independent merchant is the Purity Oats Co. They have adopted a policy which assures the independent merchant a real weapon against indiscriminate selling by all the merchants selling Purity Oats. In closing I must compliment you on your untiring battle against the chains and also that I could not get along without the Tradesman for one week. It is a publication I read very assiduously from cover to cover. 'W. M. Nelson. eee ena meen Sete a ae ce ers cane aeeencz—vomerrmenseateatyie eres tvres ee renee ene * ° “ 4s | Oa Fes ak e 1 3e | le { * i . | } e ® December 31, 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 11 Vitamin Content As Aid To Health. Guidance to housewives in selecting the family diet now may be given through greater understanding of the relationship between health and vita- mins, says Dr. Hazel Munsell, senior nutrition chemist of the Bureau of Home Economics of the Department of Agriculture. Dr. Munsell points out the various foods containing those vitamins necessary to good physical condition. Vitamin A, for example, she says, is essential to growth, and it is found in dairy products, eggs, liver and green, leafy. vegetables. The lack of this vitamin, according to Dr. Munsell, re- sults in the weakening of the body tissues and in increased susceptibility to bacterial infection, particularly of the epithelial tissues, which manifests itself in the condition of the eyes. Green lettuce is a richer source of vitamin A than is white lettuce, while the same applies to yellow and white corn and to green and bleached as- paragus, she points out. Further information also made avail- able by Dr. Munsell follows: Vitamin B, or the antineuritic vita- min, prevents a disease in humans called beri-beri, and in fowl, polyneu- ritis. Vitamin B is also necessary to keep the digestive tract in order and maintain a good appetite. This vita- min is widely distributed in fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, as well as extracts of wheat or corn germ, yeast, rice polishings, and cereal grains. Vitamin G is the antipellagric vita- min. A deficiency of this results in retardation of growth and loss of weight. When there is a total defi- ciency of this vitamin in the diet, pella- gra may develop—this disease is char- acterized ‘by soreness of the eyes and mouth, and general weakness. Sources of this are lean meats, yeast, germs of cereals, and fruits such as tomatoes and bananas. Vitamin ‘C is the antiscorbutic vita- min and is essential in the prevention of scurvy. ‘The disease is character- ized by soreness and stiffness of the joints, with a tendency to hemorrhage, soreness of the gums with losing of the teeth, and fragility of the bones. It former!y somewhat prevalent among babies and almost universally appeared among adults in times of famine or on long sea voyages. On diets deficient but not entirely lacking in vitamin ‘C, children become irritable and lacking in stamina, do not grow normally and are less resistant to infectious diseases. Shortage of vita- min C is known to be an important factor in the prevalence of tooth de- cay and of much of the so-called rheu- matism in children and adults. Good sources of this vitamin are citrus fruits, raw cabbage and turnips, and toma- toes, raw, cooked or canned. Vitamin D is the anti-rachitic vita- min. It promotes the assimilation of calcium and phosphorus and thereby controls the development of bones. Deficiency in this in the growing child may: result in rickets, soft bones, and poor teeth. The best-known sources of this are cod-liver oil, egg yolk, and liver. -Various foods can be given anti- rachitic properties by ultra-violet ir- radiation. The requirements for this vitamin in the diet may ‘be cut down if was the body is exposed to sunlight or artificial ultra-violet light. Vitamin E is the reproductive or anti-sterility vitamin. It is widely distributed in natural foods and _ is found in vegetable oils, although it is’ practically absent from cod-liver oil. Other sources are fresh lettuce, yellow corn, cotton seed, and the germ of wheat. —_>++___ Reduced Consumption of Candy. Candy consumption in December rises each year about 141 per cent. above normal, S. L. Kedzierski, of the Merchandising Research Division of the Department of Commerce, stated orally. In the first ten months of 1930, the consumption of candy fell off 8.7 per cent., whereas consumption in 1929 in- creased 1.98 per cent. over 1928, ac- cording to Mr. Kedzierski. Retail confectioners transact about 17 per cent. of their business in De- cember when people are laying in their supplies of Christmas sweets. The consumption of candy in months having no holidays is called normal consumption, he explained. Novem- ber is the peak month for manufac- turing wholesalers of candy. Mr. Kedzierski made available the following additional information: The total sales of manufacturing wholesalers in 1929 amounted to about $268,000,000; the sales of manufactur- ing retailers, $21,000,000; and sales of manufacturers of chocolate products, $40,000,000; the total amounting to $329,000,000. All holidays influence the consumer’s demand for confectionery. Easter de- mands show the next greatest increase to Christmas, bringing up the con- sumption for the month in which Easter occurs to 42 per cent. above normal. Boxes for gifts, and hard candy for children increase in sales most at Christmas. The sales of chocolates, such as solid bars and drops, do not show the same seasonal demand as other con- fections, for these are used more reg- ularly as food and not especially as gifts. The peak in this type of goods comes in September and October. This is probably due to general opening of schools when adjacent stores replenish their stocks, Information niade available at the Information Office of the Food and Drug Administration shows the Fed- eral food and drug inspectors examine warehouses and candy factories. ‘Can- dies, like most other food products, are sometimes adulterated and mis- branded. The law, however, prohibits the use of terra alba, barytes, ta'c, chrome yellow, or poisonous color or flavor, or other ingredients deleterious or detrimental to health, or any vinous, malt or spiritous liquor or narcotic drug. Now there are 12 colors that can ‘be used in candy and are harmless. Each batch of color made by the manu- facturer must be tested by the Food and Drugs Administration, and, when it passes the test, it is certified. Besides purity, the inspectors look for inaccurate labels. Chocolate cov- ered cherries are sometimes artificially colored and flavored and must be so labeled. When fruit-flavored hard candies are labeled so as to imply the presence of real fruit juice they must contain the real product. Pictorial designs of fruits may not appear on the label unless the candies actually contain the fruit. ee To Make Many By-products Out of Grapes. Salvatore Castorina, an experienced Italian chemist, who has had several years’ experience in California wineries has been given a permit by the Prohi- bition Bureau at San Francisco for the crushing of 10,000 tons of low grade grapes, to be made into crude argol. The work will be done at the 'Wood- bridge winery, which has been- fitted up with new machinery. From crude argol are made cream of tartar, tar- taric acid and a number of other prod- ucts. Practically every part of the grape is utilized, including the seed. The list of possible by-products total- about 250, of which perhaps twenty are of commercial value. ——_> ~~ A Business Man’s Philosophy. He who finds pleasure in his job is the luckiest fellow, and most of us in business really good time out of it. I have been running have a pretty a business for fifteen years and in this time I have written not less than 10,- 000 words every month. Every line of copy has been written at my office desk. If I had to pay for the privilege of occupying this desk I should do so, because it affords a fine opportunity to observe the most interesting phase of all human activity. Men and women are at their best when they are at work. William Feather. One of a Series of Advertisements Now Appearing In Leading Michigan Newspapers. SENSIBLE $ Combination: Lochinvar: Bo-Peep: Valeur Bittersweets: Golden Dollar: A. E. BROOKS Ask Us To Have Representative Call Other Brooks’ Chocolates, all $1 a package retailers: 11b. Assorted Chocolates and |4 Ib. Juicy Cherries. 1 Ib. Chocolate Coated Nuts, Nougats, Valeur Bittersweets and Creams. 1 Ib. Assorted Milk Chocolates. Milk and Dark Chocolates, Assorted. Is Your Choice of the Unusual, Kitchen-Fresh and Delicious ¢ Classic S Chocolates Fruits, Caramels, A big 144 Ib. package. & CO., Grand Rapids, Mich. BROOKS’ Classic Choc- olates (Hard and Chewy Centers, Milk Coated). ers of the age. It has stood the test of time and the most discriminating tea drink- Sold only by The Blodgett-Beckley Co. MEMBER INDIA TEA BUREAU Main Office Toledo Detroit Office and Warehouse 517 East Larned Street 12 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN December 31, 1930 FINANCIAL Hysteria Is Not a Mortal Ill. Medicine makes some nice distinc- tions in diagnosing a disease that busi- ness doctors should follow in treating the malady now confronting an hys- terical nation. When you call in the family doctor you want his examination to answer two questions: Is the disease curable? How long will it take? If you can get a favorable answer to the first you will not press for an exact response to the second. You will not take too seriously the pronounce- ment that the patient is simply hys- terical. So long as the organs all func- tion properly you feel satisfied. Your anxiety diminishes when you know that the patient is sound in body. For, you know that hysteria is no mortal disease. You know that given a little time it will pass. With all its unpleasant- ness it is the one ill on a long list that will heal if the calendar is given an opportunity to work its own cure. Now many a sober man in this country has worked himself into a state of hysteria through broodings over this depression. Ills present do not satisfy his capacity for grief. He flys to ills not yet experienced. He is like the woman with her operations. He discusses them at the dinner table, in Pullman cars and at the club. Each man tries to match the story he hears with one that is worse. What Wall Street needs to learn is that no hysterical doctor can calm a patient. What the country needs to understand is that in seeking so strenuously to time its emergence from this depression it is emphasizing the wrong element of the case. Rather it should from the lessons of a long history recognize that we are suffering from a disase that is definitely curable. It is no case of angina pec- toris. Physically the country is just as ‘strong as it was. Its body economic is intact. It is simply taking fright at conditions no worse if indeed as bad as the conditions Britishers have been facing for a decade, but facing with a philosophy rarely found nowadays on this side of the water. Paul Willard Garrett. [Copyrighted, 1930.] ——_+->—___ Test For Investment Trusts. In a fashion typically American in- vestors have swung from one extreme to another in their attitude toward in- vestment trusts. The obstinate prejudice against in- vestment trusts now met with is just as unreasonable as was the pre-depres- sion exuberance. The investment trust is not and never was a newly invented Aladdin’s lamp, a miracle working medium for getting rich quickly. It is an old and tried form of investment, an invest- ment governed by the soundest prin- ciple yet discovered—diversification. It is unfortunate that the investment trust idea took root in this country during the biggest inflation period in history. Because of the mad orgy of speculation in stocks investment trusts could not keep their securities from becoming unduly inflated. Things Sa i were made worse because the public, not understanding the proper place of an investment trust, believed it to be a new form of speculation and used it accordingly. But in this history is only repeating itself. In England, the home of the investment trust, there was a similar misunderstanding at the start. [Some years ago the English investment trusts went through a period similar to that being experienced by American trusts. But in England to-day the invest- ment trust is the highest form of in- vestment. It is predicted that in this country the investment trust will one day be thoroughly understood as a safe and sound haven for surplus funds. The way investors have dumped their investment trust certificates in the past year would lead one to believe that the plan had failed here. It has not failed. Many of the American trusts are in splendid financial shape and are using the present depression to buy prime securities at 50 cents on the dollar. The recent announcement that one large investment trust had formed a pool, inviting stockholders to partici- pate, to buy and sell its own securities is a good illustration of the faith its sponsors have in the future of Ameri- can companies. The trouble has been with the so- called trading corporations, those that were little more than blind pools or- ganized by opportunists to take ad- vantage of the bull markets, and not with jegitimate investment trusts. The investment trusts have, of course, suffered because of the ill-ad- vised practices of a few groups. Those investors who take the trouble to make a real study of the investment trust idea and who investigate carefully be- fore they buy will find some of the greatest bargains existing in the lists of investment trusts. [Copyrighted, 1930.] ee How Will Rate Reduction Aid? Stripped of its psychological import the move to the lowest rediscount rate in Reserve history, giving this country the most attractive existing money level in the world, is medicine equally potent in its power to cure a specific economic malady now eating at the body industrial. Nine men in ten will find themselves cheered by this seventh successive cut in the rediscount rate without know- ing exactly why. They will rightfully look on it as a bold expression of con- fidence by the Reserve authorities in the banking situation at a time when the country needs assurances. They will rightfully regard it as still another evidence of the Reserve’s intention to exert its utmost influence toward re- covery. They will also rightfully read into the adoption of a rate so low an invitation to the rest of the world to take part of our surplus gold. Without knowing anything of tech- nicalities nine men in ten will be en- couraged ‘by a move from the Reserve that in essence says it possesses a bil- lion dollars in free gold available for any legitimate trade use. The secrecy with which the move was planned, its announcement just before the holidays, the unexpected break in the news at a season when sentiment was running low all contribute to these psychologi- cal benefits. Nobody will minimize these. But they do not tell the full story. One man in ten will want to dig deeper. Here and there will be found an eco- nomist or business man in search of the economics behind this latest declaration from the Reserve Bank. To him it may be said that the channel through which perhaps the greatest good likely to come from the creation of a 2 per cent. rediscount rate at this time is the bond market. It is the consensus of well-informed men in the financial district that be- fore any lasting recovery can come bonds in this country must be restored to a better market. Indirectly busi- ness sooner or later must reach through the bond market to investors for funds with which to lay the foun- dations in industry for prosperity. Pre- sumably banks will find in the new rate an added enthusiasm to enter the market for long-term issues. When pressed to raise funds for emergencies presumably they will move with great- er caution in liquidating ‘bond accounts and turn with greater enthusiasm to the Reserve system for aid. Expressed in a homely way, the Re- serve entertains no illusions of its ability to make the horse drink, hut it i3 sweetening the invitation. : Paul Willard Garrett. [Copyrighted, 1930.] ——_2--____ The man who “flies off the handle” is as useless as the hammer that does the same. he ripe safety and helpful service of the Old Kent are available 24 hours a day --to those who bank by mail. A telephone eall -- 4355 =-- will start the machinery of opening an ae- count. Thereafter, it’s easy. Try it! OLD KENT BANK Grand Rapids’ Oldest and Largest Bank MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA GET FACTS DIRECT Let First Hand Information Rule Your Investments Petter, Curtis & Petter, Inc. offers you accurate, thorough and up-to- the minute information instantly, on any security you desire. Stocks and bonds—local, national and international—listed and un- listed. Direct wire connection with Spencer Trask & Company, mem- bers of the New York and Chicago Stock Exchanges, New York Curb Market and with branches in all leading financial centers of the world.. A capacity to serve that wins everlasting confidence. — PHONE 4774 — EITER, URTIS& ETTER Investment Bankers and Brokers Grand Rapids Muskegon L. A. GEISTERT & CO. Investment Securities GRAND RAPIDS— MICHIGAN 506-511 GRAND RAPIDS TRUST BUILDING Telephone 8-1201 a December 31, 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 13 New Year Will Benefit From Liquid- ity of Position. Depression running through this en- tire year has created a state of mind sympathetic to the establishment of losses on books and to a reduction in costs. Establishment of 1931 losses for income tax purposes, writing down in- ventories, liquidation of assets and cleaning out bad loans each in turn has aggravated the distress this month in the security markets. Psychological- ly we are in that stage of depression in business when men desire to be on a cash basis or its equivalent. No matter which way business goes in 1931 the new year will benefit from the liquidity of the position economic that this curious psychology late in 1930 is creating. Immediately ahead the calendar at this season normaily promises nothing sensational by way of changes in in- dustry, but it sometimes does throw light on the market in bonds. Business prophets in this country might proceed on safer ground if instead of a leth- argic market in ‘fixed interest-bearing obligations we were witnessing a vig- orous market in bonds. In analyzing that market they are torn between ex- tremes. To them a bulge in ‘bond prices in the last few days equal to a full 30 per cent. of the range for this entire year is an episode as extraordinary as the unexpected and preceding down- sweep earlier in the month. Actually neither the sharp decline of early De- cember nor the sharp advance of the last week throws much light on 1931. Each was the result of pressure in a thin market. It took no voluminous quantity of sales at the time of the suspension of the Bank of United States to drive bond prices down precipitously, and it took no great buying wave subse- quently to put bond prices up. Ac- cordingly, we must still await 1931 with its expected huge surplus of in- vestment funds to see whether the banks in order to earn a maximum re- turn for their stockholders might not be obliged whether they like it or not to go back in a substantial way into bonds. Paul Willard Garrett. [Copyrighted, 1930.] —>- > ___ Importance of Counier Display Should Be Stressed. What do you offer by way of sug- gestions to the retailer to give more concern to his counter display? The value of the counter as a direct selling help cannot be too strictly urged. If the distributor will offer a hint to his customers, it will make his sales larger. A recent report to this effect includes some good pointers. It is passed along for the value it may be to the dis-' tributors, A recent grocery store investigation showed that the placing of merchan- dise in the store made a tremendous difference. Invariably when their prod- uct was set on the shelf back of the counter, below the eye level, the store manager would report little or no sale. When it was on the shelf behind and above the counter, there would be some demand, but when it was on the coun- ter, the sale would reach quite con- siderable proportions. This only proves the value of set- ting things right out in front of people to make them sell, and the best place to do this is the counter. —_>+-___ Corporations Wound Up. The following ‘Michigan corporations | have recently filed notices of dissolu- tion with the Secretary of State: United ‘States Sand Paper Co., Detroit. Heiden Realty Co., Detroit. Rieck 'Co., Detroit, Gas Power Publishing Co., ‘St. Joseph. Schoolcraft McKinney Land Co., De- troit, Birmingham Motor Sales, Birmingham Federal Commercial & Savings Bank, Port Huron. American Oil Corp., Jackson. Bryant Heater & Mfg. Co., Detroit. Four Drive Tractor Co. Inc. Big Rapids, Beck-Berg, Inc., Pontiac. Mac Carburetor Co., Detroit. Rankin & McGuire, Inc., Detroit. Lockwood Home Builders, Flint. Industrial Finance Corp., Detroit. U. S. Wholesale Furniture Co., Detroit Community Ranches, Inc., Kalamazoo. Electrical Clay Products Co., Grand Rapids. National Dry Kiln Corp., Detroit. Gartner’s Inc., Calumet, Gratiot Tire Realty Co., Detroit, Detroit Wilks Distributing ‘Co., De- troit. Developers, Inc., Detroit. Persis Iron Co., Ontonagon. Center Square Corp., Detroit. Racine Rubber Co., Inc., Detroit. Nu Lo Drive, Inc., Detroit. —_———__vo? >____ Natural Gas. Plans are under way for a much wider use of natural gas by the method of piping it over long distances from the oil fields to the great cities to dis- place or supplement artificial gas asa source of heat. Until the cost of laying the pipes and maintaining them is ac- curately known, no one can tell wheth- er natural gas can be sold at a price which will enable it to compete with the gas made where it is used. When the use of natural gas began there was no measured consumption of it in some communities, but a charge ot $1 a month was made, with the consumer free to use as much or as little as he chose. In other commun- ities the price was 25 cents a thousand. As recently as 1913 the price in Pitts- burgh was only 28 cents. As the use of electricity for lighting becomes uni- versal, it may be possible for the dis- tributors of natural gas to get access to the mains already in the streets and thus prevent a great economic waste that would result from the laying of new mains to supply the consumers. —_—#_~~++___ One Way to Sell Salad Dressings. The appeal to the taste, while not a new idea, will nevertheless remain a novelty if not overdone. The follow- ing plan is calculated to sell both may- onnaise and tuna fish. Spread tuna fish on crackers and top with a little mayonnaise. Put under a glass cheese cover with a sign invit- ing customers to help themselves. Of course you will want to place stacks of canned tuna fish and mayonnaise nearby perhaps featuring a combination price on the two items. 22? >_______ Lewis A. Smith, of Petoskey, renews his subscription to the Tradesman and says: “I have taken the Tradesman since 1900-—or for thirty years and consider it the best trade journal pub- lished and I don’t mean maybe.” The Measure ot a Bank The ability of any banking institution is measured by its good name, its financial resources and its physical equipment. Judged by these standards we are proud of our bank. It has always been linked with the progress of its Community and its resources are more than adequate. Q GRAND RAPIDS SAVINGS BANK “The Bank Where You Feel At Home’’ 16 CONVENIENT OFFICES GRAND RAPIDS NATIONAL BANK Established 1860—incorporated 1865 — Nine Community Branches GRAND RAPIDS NATIONAL COMPANY Investment Securities Affiliated with Grand Raplide National Bank 14 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN December 31, 1930 SLICED BREAD ON INCREASE. Big Bakers and Chain Stores Sell Cut Loaf. Month after month of 1930 has wit- nessed a higher production of “sliced” bread, described in Advertising & Selling of March 5. Especially notable is the adoption of this method of mar- keting by the larger bakeries, each finally convinced that the sliced loaf is more than a passing fad. Continental Baking Company for example, has re- cently equipped forty of its bakeries with slicing and wrapping machines. General aysl Ward are taking similar action. ‘So are some of the chain stores, such as H. C. Bohack of Brook- lyn. Such a radical change in selling methods has brought a period of ac- tivity to those who supply bakeries with the equipment. Some new type of slicing machine is announced almost every month. New packaging meth- ods are developing. Bakers are study- ing the most effective means to pro- mote sales volume for the new product —which has, apparently, not only brought increased volume to those who put out the sliced loaf but has also stepped up the sale of all breads. ‘Slicing began in earnest about two years ago when a baker in St. Louis conceived the idea of placing the sliced loaf in a shallow cardboard tray, then wrapping it in waxed paper. This simple plan was the impetus to an astonishingly rapid spread in the pro- duction of sliced bread, so that now it is practically country-wide. Slicing machines, with a battery of wrapping equipment, now slice and wrap 3,500 loaves an hour. The cost is approximately $3,000 a unit. The accepted slice is one-half inch thicks, so that the standard 10 inch loaf makes eighteen or twenty slices, the number varying with the mode of slicing the ends. To slice and wrap the loaf adds to the manufacturing cost from 0.6 to 1.0 cent a loaf. Best practice prices the sliced loaf one cent above the unsliced, although during 1930 ‘bakers have tended to make no difference in the price. Their reason for this is that their costs for raw materials, especial- ly flour, have been steadily going down, and inasmuch as prices for bread have held to former levels, it is possible for the bakery to absorb the fractional cent for slicing the loaf. Yet consumers seem willing to pay the cent. In Baltimore, personal inter- views with more than 4,000 housewives this year revealed that one-fourth of them are willing to pay even two cents more for the slicing. Odd to say, it was found that the foreigners, the Negroes and the Jews of Baltimore—racially, Jewish house- wives are the most frequent purchasers —together with people living in the poorer sections of the city, are more willing to pay the additional price. Women in higher income groups saw no reason for a price differential. Ac- cording to retailers, about 68 per cent. of the sales are to “poorer” families. Some 72 per cent. of the retailers who cater to this poorer trade deal in sliced bread. This information confirms the opin- ion that use of sliced loaves predom- inates among families of the poorer type. This does not mean, on the other hand, that sliced bread does not enter the better homes, for in Balti- more one-half of all*homes buy it to some extent. Indeed, the proportion of high grade homes buying it is too large to be ignored by the baker. The larger manufacturers ‘find it wise to supply familiar brands in sliced form in order to prevent the women trying a competing brand just because it is available sliced. Much curiosity has always attached to slicing, because the reasons are not clear why people prefer that type of loaf. The reasons are so Obvious and simple that they have been overlooked. First, kitchens do not always have sharp knives. To cut bread means a messy lot of crumbs; more often than bakers realized the slice was more crumbled into a hunk than cut into a smooth piece. It has been reported that the equivalent of four slices from the loaf was sometimes lost in crumbs and broken bits. The busy mother could not always stop to spread a slice of bread for the children between meals. Yet she hesitated to send a youngster to the breadbox with permission to use a knife. She sent them instead to the cookie jar, or persuaded them to eat a soda cracker, although she knew that bread and jam are more desirable for the child’s diet. Now, with a loaf ready sliced, the child may be trusted to spread on the butter and jam. That this does result is rather confirmed by the enthusiasm of grocers for the slices. They declare that sliced loaves have appreciably increased the sale of jellies and jams. Then, too, working-class mothers are always making sandwiches—for the husband who:leaves home hurriedly in the morning, for the elder children who go to high school, for yet older ones who are at work. “Sandwiches,” say these women, “take twice as much bread as we eat on the table.” Into this need the evenly sliced loaf, uni- formly half an inch thick, crust un- broken and surface always smooth for buttering, fits nicely—Angus E. Gra- ham in Advertising & Selling. ——2->>___ An Entertainment Center. At a time of falling stock market prices and general business uncertainty the vision of a radio city which has been vouchsafed us in the plans of the Rockefeller and Radio Corporation in- terests is reassuring. It is a project grandiose in its scope and predicated upon a demand for entertainment which only a prosperous and wealthy community could possibly supply. The plans may still be only on paper, if they have advanced that far, but we interpret them as a superb gesture of confidence in the future. The outline of this new center, which is scheduled to be completed in three years, places a heavy strain upon the imagination even in this age of scientific marvels. Upon an area made up of three complete blocks two build- ings are.to be erected, with a garden plaza between them, topped by a sixty- story tower and undermined by a sub- terranean parking space. The four theatres and possibly a symphony hall will seat perhaps 25,000 persons, and the plays, variety shows, musical com- edies, moving pictures and concerts which will be presented amid all this munificence will be broadcast to all the word by radio and in time, we doubt not, by television. The project is no mere merger of various entertainment features. It goes far beyond that. It is to be a great cultural and architectural monument. It is to symbolize the wedding of elec- tricity and the arts, it will signalize the final triumph of the radio as a vital force in our National life. If it were not for the names of the men who are behind the undertaking it. would be easy to dismiss the whole thing as a fantastic dream of the city of to-mor- row. But its sponsors are men whose business it is to give reality to dreams and men who have been immensely successful. We do not doubt that the radio city will be built and surpass all expectations as the world’s greatest entertainment center. —__~>~++___ Berkshire Denies Machine Cut. Rumors which have been current in the market recently that the textile machine division of the Berkshire Knitting Mills would reduce prices on knitting machinery shortly after Jan. 1 is denied vehemently by officials of the company at Reading. The officials declare there is no foundation to the rumor and that no such step is con- templated by the Berkshire company. 65,000 INVESTORS NOW OWN NORTH AMERICAN TRUST SHARES Investors who study the policies of North Amer- ican Trust Shares real- ize the outstanding ad- vantages of this largest, true, fixed, investment trust in America, Faith in its future, its safety and other im- portant features, and a completely satisfactory income, has resulted in constantly increasing sales, Each monthly volume of sales shows an in- crease over last year. A.E.Kusterer& Co. The Oldest Investment Banking House in Western Michigan 303-307 MicHiGAN Trust Bio«e PHONE 4267 SS - by HART STRAWBERRIES, SSS — Look for the Red Heart on the Can LEE & CADY Distributor Adding Machines, Typewriters, Etc. Used, Reconditioned and Rebuilts. $60 L. C. Smith $39. Portables $45. Used Machines $15 up—l yr. Guar. Rebuilt Office Machines Co. 8 So. Ionia. G. R. Mich. 41518 Phone 61366 JOHN P. LYNCH SALES CO. SPECIAL SALE EXPERTS Expert Advertising Expert Merchandising 209-210-211 Murray Bldg. Grand Rapids, Michigan ‘Fenton Davis & Boyle Lwestment Bankers vy Detroit Grand Ranids Chicago Plan in 1931 To diversify your invest- ments and consult the In- vestment Banker in that wise program. Fes ii pniraniicireh eoreelnakeataouinsnseadeanceete ee December 31, 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 15 MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE Carelessness in Community Fire Con- trol, Bedminister is a village of about 100 people in Pennsylvania. Last month a fire occurred in this village. The vil- lage has no fire protection and im- mediately called for help from the out- side. Seventeen fire companies from neighboring towns and villages with 250 firemen responded. On the way to the fire at a road intersection, two of the fire engines collided. One fireman was killed and eight were injured. When the fifteen remaining com- panies arrived in Bedminister, there were no wells available from which water could be obtained. Not a thing could be done. Why not better organized commun- ity fire control? From fire alarm service to arrange- ments for covering towns and cities un- protected, there is room for very ef- fective work in thousands of commun- ities over the country where the Bed- minister story can well be re-enacted to-morrow. Why seventeen companies respond- ing to this call for help? Why was there not some informa- tion in the hands of these seventeen companies beforehand indicating that a trap to Bedminister would be iruit- less? Why no attention in Bedminister it- self at least to preparing some large well from which a water supply could be obtained? Write the remaining questions and comments yourself. —>-+ > All Lacquers Are Hazardous. Lacquers are of two kinds, alcohol shellac lacquers, having a flash point above that of the alcohol or other sol- vent in them, and the amyl acetaie lacquers, consisting of soluble nitro- cellulose, dissolved in amyl acetate (so- called banana oil) and other solvents. Some of these lacquers may contain 50 per cent. of low flash point solvent, the odor of which is completely masked by the amyl acetate. All lacquers are hazardous, the hazard varying as the flash point. Un- less known to have a high flash point they should be considered hazardous and only a minimum quantity allowed outside the stock room or vault, a Chiefs Must Warn Public. Fire chiefs who have made a special study of fire safety and know whereof they speak have been entirely too mod- est in pressing their conclusions upon the attention of the people they serve. Too many fire chiefs are afraid to make enemies, forgetting that a judi- cious selection of enemies is an asset. For instance, ‘when a fire chief hesi- tates to warn the citizens of his com- munity against purchase of cheap and unreliable fire extinguishing devices, he may avoid making an enemy here and there but he has scarcely lived up to his obligations of office and certainly he is not asserting that leadership and guidance which the public has a right to expect of its servants. For years we have been watching the careers of fire chiefs throughout the United States. We have observed ‘the actions of those who have emerged from the crowd in their municipalities and have come to cccupy commanding positions of local leadership. Without exception these are the men who have by experience and study come to know that they know and to assert aggres- sively the expectations of community leadership in safeguarding the pubii: interest in matters of fire control. The fire chiefs perform a real public service when they prevent the evil of false se- curity which comes to the man who has purchased a cheap and unrelialbie fire extinguishing device. Sulphur Comparatively Harmless. Sulphur, if kept from contact with fire or certain chemicals, is compara- tively harmless. It ignites at the rather low temperature of 480 degrees F. and a relatively small spark may cause ig- nition, which may escape detection for some time. In drug rooms of dye works and mills, in pharmaceutical works and all plants where oxidizing agents, such as potassium or sodium chlorates or ni- trates, are kept or used, great care should be observed that these sub- stances do not come into contact with sulphur (as for example, by allowing spilled material to remain upon the floor), as the mixture may be ignited or exploded by rolling a truck over it, or by walking upon it. Yellow phosphorous is not common- ly met with, but may be found in wholesale drug and chemical houses and in laboratories. It is kept under water in glass bottles which should be enclosed in tin cases. In laboratories it may be found in apparatus used for gas analysis, in which case this type of enclosure is impossible. It should be remembered that this material be- comes hazardous if the water is allow- ed to freeze. Red phosphorus is harmless as re- gards friction, and is not hazardous unless highly heated or brought into contact with flame or some oxidizing agent.

++___ It is more important that an em- ployer should be liked than that he should have brains. My biggest job is to keep my organization and my customers on good terms with each other. 444 Pine Street THRIFTY PEOPLE who insist on getting the most for their money place their fire insurance with the Finnish Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Calumet, Michigan. WHY? Because this company furnishes them with insurance at cost. This is done by paying the policy holders a rebate of 40% of the paid premium when the policy expires, thereby reducing the cost of the fire insurance to only 60% of what it would cost in any stock company. You're welcome to join us too, and save money. THE FINNISH MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY CALUMET, MICHIGAN Phone 358 Affiliated with 320 Houseman Bldg. The Michigan Retail Dry Goods Association Insuring Mercantile property and dwellings Present rate of dividend to policy holders 30% THE GRAND RAPIDS MERCHANTS MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY Grand Rapids, Mich. OUR FIRE INSURANCE POLICIES ARE CONCURRENT with any standard stock policies that you are buying The Ne cots 3 O% Less Michigan Bankers and Merchants Mutual Fire Insurance Co. of Fremont, Michigan oe WILLIAM N. SENF, Secretary-Treasurer 16 PROMOTING AGRICULTURE. How State of Michigan Aids in the Work. The organization of the State De- partment of Agriculture was an effort by the executive and legislative branch- es of State government to gather in one department all of the activities of a regulatory nature affecting agricul- ture, horticulture and kindred activi- ties. (Many boards and commissions were abolished and their duties and authorities transferred to the newly- created Department. The agricuitural activities of the State of Michigan can be properly di- vided into two classes, namely, educa- tional and regulatory; and I think it can be truthfully stated that those en- gaged in educational work should never be called upon to assume police authority such as must be assumed, to a limited extent at least, in the en- forcement of regulatory laws. The ‘Michigan State College and its kindred affiliations carry on educational work, and the State Department of Agricul- ture looks after those matters that are regulatory in their operation. For the purpose of expediting the work of the Department, a Division of Chemical Laboratories and four Bu- reaus were created, namely, Bureau of Foods and Standards, Bureau of Dairy- ing, Bureau of Animal Industry, and Bureau of Agricultural Industry: The State Department of Agricul- ture has had many fruitful years of accomplishment since it was organ- ized in 1921, but perhaps the activities and accomplishments of no one year stand out more prominently than do our customers are becoming “FRESH COFFEE CONSCIOUS” MICHIGAN TRADESMAN those of the year 1930, which is just drawing to a close. In addition to other duties the chem- ical laboratories have received, an- alyzed, and reported upon foods, dairy products, drugs and medicines, poi- sons, beverages, feeding stuffs, and fertilizers. The people of the ‘State of Michigan early realized the necessity of regulat- ing the manufacture and sale of food products, and in 1893 created a Food Department, which is now a part of the State Department of Agriculture. Two years later a State food law was enacted which was among the first such enactments among the states. How well this law was framed is demonstrated ‘by the fact that in all the years that have followed, little or no change has been made in the orig- inal law. The activities of the Bureau of Foods and Standards are best understood when we take into consideration that it is charged with the duty of inspect- ing food manufacturing plants, canning factories, grocery stores, meat markets, slaughter houses, lunch rooms, restau- rants, boarding houses, roadside mar- kets, conféctionery and ice cream places, bakeries, cold storage plants, soft drink works, vinegar mills, com- mercial] fisheries, Summer resorts, con- cessions at fairs and parks, together with fruit and vegetable warehouses, shipping points and markets. Matters pertaining to grading laws of fruits and vegetables also come under this Bureau. The Division of Weights and Meas- ures, which is under the Bureau of Foods and Standards, has to do with ! ‘HE tremendous national and local advertising cam- paigns behind Chase & Sanborn’s Dated Coffee are bringing the advantages of serving fresh coffee to the all weights and measures, including the dispensing of gas and oil. During the last year there were 17,626 places in- spected, 389,320 devices were approved and 57,467 were condemned. When we take into consideration that there are 57 cheese factories li- censed by the Bureau of Dairying, 40 condenseries, 230 creameries, 279 ice cream factories, 440 milk depots, 5,067 milk dealers and 1,269 shipping sta- tions, some idea can be gained of the task which the director of the Bureau has in carrying out the duties imposed upon him by the Legislature in regard to the production, manufacture and sale of dairy products. The work of the Bureau of Animal Industry covers all the different phases involving livestock disease con- trol, supervision of ‘State institution farms and herds, slaughter house and meat, rendering plant inspection, gen- eral supervision of all veterinary ac- tivities and many others. Perhaps the outstanding accomplish- ment of this Bureau at the present writing is that it has placed Michigan on the modified accredited list in re- gard to the eradication of bovine tuberculosis. Michigan is the third State to attain this goal. The import- ance of this work is best indicated by the fact that as counties were accredit- ed, demands were made by outside dairymen for stock from that county. From June 30, 1925, to June 30, 1930, 61,780 dairy cows were exported from Michigan and the value of these dairy cows amounted to $1,500,000. The Division of Agricultura] Statis- tics, which has to do with the prepara- tion and issuing of statistics in regard attention of your customers. Housewives are becoming “Fresh Coffee Conscious”. They are demanding freshness in coffee as well as in the other foods they buy. Chase & Sanborn’s Dated Coffee is always fresh. Twice a week Standard Brands delivery service brings it direct from the roaster to you. You buy just enough each time to take care of the demand for a few days only. Never any great amount of money is tied up in this fast- id moving item. 5 BIG REASONS why you should push STANDARD BRANDS Products 1—Prompt service and fre- 3—Quick turnover and quent deliveries, quick profits, 2—Small stocks properly 4—A reputation of fresh- regulated and small in- ness with every product. vestments, 5—Nation-wide advertising, Capitalize on the modern trend—and the influence the great advertising campaigns are creating in your neighborhood. Recommend Chase & Sanborn’s Dated Coffee to all your customers. CHASE & SANBORN’S dated COFFEE... Distributed by STANDARD BRANDS INCORPORATED December 31, 1930 to agricultural conditions, has had a busy year. Ten thousand men and women all over the State of Michigan are co-Operating without compensa- tion in carrying on this work. The work in connection with or- chards and nurseries and all matters pertaining to control of plant insects and diseases has had added problems, among them being the control of the cherry fruit fly, first cousin to the Mediterranean fruit fly which has caused so much disturbance in the State of Florida. In this activity alone, 1,619 premises upon which cherries were produced were inspected; these orchards were located in 26 counties and there were 720,215 cherry trees in- spected; 753 samples were taken and 192 of these samples were found to contain cherry maggots. The cherries from these trees were rejected and treated in a manner to destroy the in- sect. The Department is interested in all drains affecting more than one county. At the present time $10,000,000 worth of drains are under construction. The campaign for the eradication of the American foul brood in honey bees for the last two years has resu!ted sat- isfactorily and Michigan is now con- sidered to ‘be the best honey producing State in the Union, The work of the seed laboratory in analyzing samples of seed for farmers and seedmen, and the requirement that the analysis be placed on the tag at- tached to the bag which contains the seed, is a worth-while work and the general results have been very satisfac- tory. In addition to protecting the public by compelling the vendor to ‘ & ‘ re 4 > oe “ . | rE es 7m. a» =o" se December 31,. 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 17 state the true analysis on the tag, it protects honest seedmen from dis- honest competition which sometimes takes place when regulatory laws are absent. Herbert E. Powell, State Commissioner of Agriculture. ———--~>____ Holiday Greetings From an Old Friend. Muskegon, Dec. 27—Holiday greet- ings from one who has been a reader of your paper since he was a cub gro- cery clerk in Eaton county back in the ’90’s. You may remember me as being as- sociated with M. ‘McLachlan (a prince among men) for some fifteen years, then with Mr. Davenport, and for the past four and a half years in a little school of my.own here in Muskegon. It may interest you to know how the Tradesman enters into our school work. Every week I dictate the up- lifting sentiment on the front cover to my shorthand classes. Then we use considerable of the material in the magazine for dictation purposes. Your personal section in which you tell of little trips around the State, are of especial interest to my students. After I am through with it for dictation pur- poses, it is placed upon the reading table and I note it is freely used by the students. The staff of our school mag- azine, Too Hoo—To Who, scan _ it every week. I believe every business school should have the Tradesman as one of its working tools. Knowing your interest in all matters journalistic, I am sending you with this letter the Christmas issue of our school magazine. We get this out quarterly. About a year ago I was severely in- jured by an automobile and was out of school for a number of months: so a magazine staff was not organized, and no issues have appeared for the past year. So many requests have been received from the alumni, high school officials and other friends of the school, that we have resumed publica- tion again. The magazine is largely a good will builder, although it has a potent influence in producing business for the school. You will notice that, outside the cover, frontpiece and one letter head, the work is produced entirely by the members of our secretarial classes, thus furnishing practical work for them. The editor-in-chief of the magazine, Miss LeBeau, is a recent graduate of the Muskegon high school, is of French extraction, and possessed with a splendid analytical and discriminat- ing mind. She asked me if she might write an editorial discussing the men- tal attitude of boys and girls of high school age, during the year 1929, as she saw it. I said, “Go to it,” and her ideas appear on pages 5 and 6 of the magazine, I had not thought of just the way in which young people thought of the present depression, but in talking with prospects for the January opening, and from the correspondence with young people outside the city, I am finding much truth in what she says. If this attitude of mind is becoming prevalent among both young people and adults, it is a very encouraging symptom. I am wondering what you are finding in this regard. In the twenty-six years I have been in private school work, I can recall no other year, even in other periods of de- pression, when I found it so difficult to handle the personal equation. It has been hard enough to make a living, but even harder to keep up the morale of staff and student body. ‘Since about Thanksgiving, there has been a grad- ual change for the better in this re- gard, even with industrial conditions at low ebb. If you find time to go through Too Hoo—To Who, you will see that the morale of the schoo! is back to normal, which makes the work so much more enjoyable, and bodes well for the future. . Should you find anything in the magazine of particular interest to you, Mr. Stowe, I believe it would greatly encourage Miss LeBeau and her staff if you would write her a bit of a let- ter; and any constructive criticism would be welcomed too I am sure. Keep up the good work you are do- ing, Friend Stowe. I hope you live to ‘be a hundred years old and that you will retain that sense of permanent values, love of fair play and exhibition of rugged honesty which have so en- deared you in the hearts of those who know you best. Arthur E. Howell. ee ee er ei Preventing Accidents on Highways. Whether we realize it or not, the principal advantages of wider and straighter traffic ways, and of uniform- ity or similarity in traffic regulations, is the speeding up of the vehicular traffic so that congestions can be avoided. The public authorities having charge of the roads and streets are making every effort to improve the physical conditions by making the thorough- fares straighter, wider and more direct. We are working through a number of organizations to at least secure sim- ilarity and, if possible, to secure uni- formity in the traffic regulations and in the methods used in handling traffic. These improvements, although they are a relief, do not in themselves pre- vent accidents. The greatest obstacles to the prevention of accidents are the habits, lack of alertness and incompe- tency of drivers and pedestrians. These conditions can be corrected only by education, training, and the elimination of the incompetent. . The older we are the harder we are to train. The greatest opportunity for the pre- vention of accidents lies in the educa- tion and training of children who will be the future users of our streets and highways. Habits of thought and ac- tion drilled into the minds of children will be the big factors in the safety situation of the future. Our schools must include safety education as a regular part of their work. I realize that this is not a simple matter. As yet, the teachers have not been trained along this line and naturally are un- ready to teach the subject. The time is at hand when this subject should be made a part of the training in our nor- mal schools. The study material or lessons may not be fully developed as yet, but a number of organizations have some very able men at work on this and any schools that are ready to go ahead with this study can secure sufficient material for beginning the course. The teaching of safety should not be limited to school work, as exceedingly effec- tive work can be done through iboys’ and girls’ clubs and scout troops. Another reason for safety training in our schools is that we are spending large sums of money to maintain the schools and it is certainly good busi- ness to protect our investment by training the children to protect them- selves. We are spending considerable time and a good share of the education- al budget in teaching our children how to protect their bodies-against physical abuses. Why not complete the pro- gram and teach them to protect them- selves against accidents? W. F. Rosenwald. C.F. Mueller Company Announces a 40c per case reduc- tion from list, on all their package products except Cooked . Spaghetti, and 5c ABC’s. At this new low price we know you will ma- terially increase your sales because of the interest your customers will show in these goods. : C. F. MUELLER COMPANY JERSEY CITY NEW JERSEY The Modernized Store Succeeds The successful merchant keeps abreast of the times. That’s why he is successful. Terrell’s steel display shelving, tables, racks, counters and special fixtures will put YOU in the progressive profit-making class. For modern, sanitary, lasting, flexible store equipment, use Terrell’s. — LET US HELP YOU MODERNIZE YOUR STORE — | TERRELL’S EQUIPMENT COMPANY GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN tlt tenn tnnntline\ 18 DRY GOODS Michigan Retail Dry Goods Association. President—J. B. Mills, Detroit. First Vice-President—Geo. E. Martin, Benton Harbor. Second Vice-President—J. T. Milliken, Traverse City. Secretary-Treasurer—Thomas Pitketh- ly, Flint. Manager—Jason E. Hammond, Lansing. Advance Models of Spring Coats Look Like Dresses. An early, and to say the least, startling rumor to the effect that there were to be practically no Spring coats this year—only jackets—has been suc- cessfully flouted by the appearance of as grand a collection of Spring coats as one could wish, and so decidedly new-looking that the “perfectly good” one left over from last Spring had bet- ter be agile in dodging their revealing company. ‘Generally speaking, the 1931 Spring models in coats are more like dresses than coats. Indeed, there are most attractive hybrids that may-be either —that may be worn as coats in chilly weather and as dresses on warmer days. Styles are, for the most part, very simple, but cut and fit are so smooth and so suave that the results are more distinctive than any amount of embellishment could produce. The educated eye will recognize the influence—and frequently the original design—of Vionnet, Patou, Bruyere and Chanel occurring most persistently in Spring coats. Vionnet, for instance, is partial to the coat skirt that wraps well over, and the diagonal closing, features adapted by a great many coats. Patou has introduced quite wide box pleats, running from collar to hem in the back, stitched down to a point about the back of the knees and then released. Bruyere’s scarf-collared coat, the big hit of the French collections of last February, is not without its successors and adaptations in this Spring’s collection. Chanel’s coach- man coat, one of her most successful designs, shows its influence in wide- revered, notch-collared, well-buttoned effects in Spring sports coats. Patou introduced collarless coats that promise tc lead all the rest in popularity. And, for those who pre- fer a collar, he showed separate scarfs and little pelerines of flat fur. The simple, narrow roll collar is one of the smartest of the Spring. The array of scarf and jabot effects is quite breath-taking. And there are numer- ous interpretations of Paquin’s bib- like collar. The reign of the cape lingers on, its smartest version in smal] pelerines either of cloth or of fur that are cut to fit just over the top of the arm. About sleeves: there is less elabora- tion than in Winter coats. One of the most popular sleeves is a Vionnet con- ception, perfectly plain, cut slightly wide at the wrist, a very modified bell. There are some long, narrow cuffs, cut almost to the elbow. Occasionally a band or a cuff appears just around the elbow. Sometimes a row of buttons runs up from the wrist to the elbow. Modified gauntlet cuffs are fairly fre- quent. A complete lack of shoulder seams —a prevailing trend in Spring coats— does not prevent a smooth and careful fit. There are some three-quarter length MICHIGAN TRADESMAN. sleeves in Spring coats, sometimes plain, sometimes bordered in fur, most of them the result of the success of Goupy’s short-sleeved jacket suit, a new note from the Spring collections. One of the most important features of most of the Spring coats is the belt. In its newest form it is of self fabric and is wide and crushed. There is little or no blousing above the belt, as coats are cut to fit more snugly than they have been previously. Leather belts are also in good favor. A soft, pebbly surfaced material that has featured largely in Winter outfits now appears for Spring in a lighter weight version. Monotone tweeds and flat, fine wools are being advanced. And prominent among them are two new crepes, thin wools as flat and supple as silk. When fur is used on Spring coats the chances seem to be that it will be galyak. Certainly this sleek and shin- ing pelt is leading the lot at present. Other flat furs, such as caracul, gala- pin, broadtail, baby leopard, are repre- sented. The color story for this Spring starts, as it has for so many seasons, with biack leading numerically. But not ‘by much, for navy blue, always a Spring color, is way ahead of all its previous records both numerically and fashionably, and is giving black a very close run for its money. Both of these colors appear in combination with white frequently. Next would seem to be beige, then greens, ranging from soft, almost olive shades, to a bright turf green, and then—well represented —gray. This last color, after threat- ening to become popular for several seasons, seems very likely to do it this Spring.—N. Y. Times. —_>++>___ Ensemble Theme Prevails in Smart Outfits. No matter how smart your traveling costume may be, if a railway station, a steamship pier, not to mention an air- port, is going to find it the center of a group of battered and bedraggled lug- gage, the effect is going to be lost! The new luggage is pretty exciting. Trim in line, delightfully efficient, ele- gant in looks, it adds a glamour even to the most humdrum of trips. It is highly specialized—if you want it so. That is, there are shoe cases, and hat boxe_, and shoe-and-hat combination suitcases, suitcases that have hanger arrangements, suitcases that include a separate container for toilet articles, fitted and unfitted suitcases, overnight bags of every size, special luggage for air travel, and special designs for mo- tors, and—well, we could go on and on, Perhaps the most important factor in smartening up luggage has been the introduction of color. The reign of the serviceable black is over. Blues, greens, beige tones, grays, and bright reds are high in favor. ‘Striped canvas has been utilized to make trunks and bags and even newer are those of heavy linen, waterproofed and sturdy, gayly striped, that have appeared to accompany travelers to fashionable Southern resorts. Luggage of canvas patterned in an all over design that is quaintly reminiscent of grandma’s day ds in tune with the present-day cos- tumes that have borrowed freely from the fashions of the same period. And speaking of materials in addi- tion to the familiar leathers, in new colorings, there are suitcases and bags of crocodile, of alligator, of natural sharkskin—a most indestructible fish when converted into a piece of luggage, it develops—made over modern light- weight frames, in smart colors, to diversify the scene. : The ensemble theme that is so im- portant in clothes, features in luggage as well. It is possible to get any- where from two to fourteen pieces of matched baggage. Or if one wishes to combine colors, one may introduce a piece of striped canvas luggage into a group of brown, black or beige bag- gage with a nice effect! In which case, one would match the corners and trim of the striped piece to the material of the other pieces. Fittings for suitcases and overnight bags have acquired really amazing swank. It is possible to produce from even a small-sized suitcase an array of bottles, jars and general dressing table equipment that would contribute charm o he most exacting boudoir. Cloisonne, metal, enamel and combina- tions of the last two are especially effective in topping bottles, backing brushes, combs and mirrors, making handles for nailfiles and such. In these details too, color is important. Sometimes fittings match, sometimes they harmonize, and at others they ap- pear in bright contrast to the exterior of the case. —>+--—___ Swim Suit Prices Reduced. Two bathing suit manufacturers have reduced their prices on the rib- bed, pure worsted, Bradford spun num- ber from $12 to $11 in line with the level established some time ago by one of the leading producers and followed shortly after by another important mill, it was reported in the market yesterday. ‘Corresponding downward revisions have been made in the high- er priced suits also. Recently an un- derwear mill, breaking into the bath- ing suit market for the first time, in- troduced a similar style at $10.50, but since it is this manufacturer’s first of- fering the market was not established at the new level. Sales of bathing suits have increased considerably in recent weeks, according to reports. — 7+ >____ Eleven New Colors For Spring. Eleven colors will be featured on the Spring hosiery card of the Textile Card Association, according to Man- aging Director Margaret Hayden Rorke. The new shades comprise sandee, putty beige, Avenida (a light neutral brown), Mayfair (a medium beige), nubrown, cafe (a coffee hue), reve (a mauve tone), tendresse (a grayish beige), matinee (a medium gray beige), dusk gray and tanblush (a sun tone). The colors, which will shortly appear on the seasonal card of the organization, are in harmony with the key shades selected by the color co-ordination committee of the Na- tional Retail Dry ‘Goods Association. —_2-.+___ The struggle for existence is the most interesting part of existing. —-2s2->____ None of us objects to flattery pro- vided we are the object of it. December 31, 1930 Accessory Surplus Held Small. ‘(Re-orders on popular-price acces- sories during the month, coupled with a cautious production policy, leaves surplus stocks of these items quite small. This is said to ‘be particularly the case in women’s handbags and most types of novelty jewelry. Cur- rent stocks will be readily absorbed in the buying being done by retailers for post-holiday promotional events. New lines in both of these fields are now being prepared and will be ready for showing with the turn of the year. Christmas turnover of gloves and rayon and pure dye underwear was good, and considerable additional buy- ing ‘by retailers is anticipated. —_»- .___ Better Orientals More Active. A few hurried calls for high-price Oriental and Chinese rugs have come into the primary market during the last week. While extremely “spotty,” the demand has furnished a fair business to importers during the usual holiday lull. Orders are attributed to holiday buying. Medium-price merchandise is affected by the same seasonal inactiv- ity which slowed the sale of domestic floor coverings since the second week of this month. Domestic manufactur- ers and importers both look for an up- turn in demand after the holidays, but many in the market believe orders will be delayed until February. —_+->—___ Jobbers Expect Stable Prices. Jobbers throughout the country are beginning to display greater confidence in the price of merchandise and ex- pect that, at the end of another season at least, quotations will be more stabil- ized than they have been for the last decade. A prominent trade associa- tion executive states that lack of con- fidence in prices has characterized the wholesalers’ buying activities during recent years, compelling him to adopt hand-to-mouth purchasing tactics. But when the jobbers feel that prices have attained a fairly well stabilized level they will operate with more confidence and place larger orders. ———_+-.__ Groups Seek Trade Remedies. Business men attending trade as- sociation meetings in the next quar- ter will hear less about “what’s wrong with business” and more about “what’s to be done about it” than they have in the past year, a trade group execu- tive pointed out yesterday. Remedial steps are slated for extensive discus- sion at every association meeting slated for the coming three months, he said, and those in charge of programs are striving to enlist as speakers those competent to suggest corrective meas- ures. —_+-.__ To Delay Home Ware Openings. Manufacturers of housewares and novelty home furnishings items will offer their regular Spring lines of mer- chandise from one to three weeks later than usual next year. The producers, according to reports, intend to profit by their experiences of last January, when they rushed to place new goods on display and found that buyers were not interested in placing early com- mitments. The purchasing emphasis next month will center entirely on sales merchandise, they said. December 31, 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 19 SHOE MARKET Michigan Reta ! Shoe Dealers Association. President—Elwyn Pond, Flint. Vice-President—J. E. Wilson, Detroit Secretary—Joe H. Burton, Lansii.g Asst. Sec’y-Treas.—O.* R. Jenkins. Association Business Office, 907 Trans- portation Bldg., Detroit. Balanced Stocks Produce Profit. It really is a tragedy to hear of these big stocks that are still permitted to exist by shoe store owners, who either do not keep books or else do not know the plain story their books are telling, Stories of stocks which inventory at an alleged cost within 10 per cent. to 20 per cent. of the annual sales at retail are too common to be healthy for the industry as a whole. Three years ago we started reducing our stock to where it would ensure a three to four times turnover. Depart- mentizing a stock, together with a per- petual inventory, simply forces a shoe merchant to weigh each number in an endeavor to determine definitely the genuine value of that line to the store, It is the weighing of line by line and pair by pair that brings to light the shoes which serve to weigh down our stocks unnecessarily. This surveying process cannot be done just at the end of a year or month. It is the week- by-week and even daily sizing up of the condition of the stock on _ the shelves that counts. The old saying that “a watched pot never boils” does not apply to a watch- ed shoe stock. Three years ago, we had forty-two creditors; now we have eight for the entire store. This means only five lines of shoes for our men’s, women’s and children’s departments. There are just three price lines in both the men’s and women’s sections. The turnover in 1928 was 3.18, with 1929 going quite a bit better. Back in 1927, it was less than two times, Three years ago, the lost sales were nearly twice as many as they are to-day. The reason for this is that we now have a well balanced, well-sized stock. With the situation mapped out in advance, it is pretty hard to go wrong, for we know exactly where we are going and how we are to get there. Any shoe merchant can operate his stock on a three to four times turn- over without getting the goods on the shelves down to the thin danger point, if he will only find out a few of the main factors. The first is to determine what lines are selling, what are most profitable and why. That takes a little research and some thinking. Even to those unaccustomed to this mental strain, it will be at least worth a try, Hurrah sales are not essential; in fact they are a detriment: so forget the red ink banners and the “Half Price” advertisements. Clean house by getting rid of the odd lots in some ethical manner. Perhaps the toughest point that many of these fellows will have to learn is that a considerable stock of their shoes, regularly inven- toried at bill cost, would not be taken out-of their store as a gift by charit- able organizations. A composite size sheet of the active shoes, and one representing all the “bugs and bats’ will tell a pretty in- teresting story on why so many odd lots are still on the shelves. This com- parison will also serve as an excellent buying guide. The modernizing of the store’s in- terior and windows, together with burning plenty of lights at all hours, will have a tendency to wake things up while the stock reorganization pro- cess is going on. Then the value of these accessories to live business will be so apparent that they will become a fixture. As a start toward surveying the stock, it might be well to list each line on a filing card, then to cross off the sizes as sold. This daily checking should be done by the boss himself for the first six months. After he has thumbed the cards for that period, it will dawn on him that the proportion of bad end sizes is due to his inefficien- cy as a buyer——H. W. Fox in Boot and Shoe Recorder. ——_2 +. Some Comments on the Newspaper of To-day. As usual it will take me three or four weeks to dispose of the Trades- man’s anniversary issue. It is worth reading carefully; and this is not say- ing that any issue is less worthy, ac- cording to its size. Just at present I am moved by the letter of J. W. Fitzgerald in the Tradesman of Dec. 10. I sometimes wonder if in my limited sphere of study and investigation I obtain com- prehensive views of various matters, but the drastic exposition of the state or condition of the press of to-day by a man of Mr. Fitzgerald’s age (84) and length of newspaper service tends to confirm my views. No matter what the various occupa- tions I have followed or the many in- terests which have demanded my atten- tion, I have never lost or abated my concern for the upward trend of the press in the cause of public better- ment. I have been encouraged only to be disappointed. It seems as if the tide had set the wrong way. Period- icals which I once read with pleasure and approval are some of them now not only a disappointment but an of- The wrong kind of men are now in charge. A farm paper to which I was once a contributor as well as reader is now in different hands. I once wrote the editor in disapproval of a certain policy. It was answered kindly and courteously, giving the editor’s opposite views. He has been dead many years, a man of great ability and much esteemed. To-day the paper bears a different title. The name which was loved has been discarded along with old-time virtues. Each month it publishes an array of letters or extracts of letters of praise or con- demnation. Of course, the latter are a minority of the total published, and the editorial comments thereon are flippant, sarcastic or devoted to ridi- cule. Such editors are unworthy of the positions they hold. More than four years ago I wrote the publishers of a certain Michigan paper, setting forth in detail the meth- ods of real estate sharks who were operating in this vicinity. Farmers were approached with words of praise for their farms. They were informed that there were chances to sell at prices double or treble the owner’s fense. estimated value. Some farms were listed for sale, some were sold on con- tract as the farmers believed, but which in some cases proved to be only a small option. My letter was answered courteously and contained a promise that the attorney for the publishers would investigate the matter and give the readers his report. For months I watched for that report. It did not appear. The swindlers worked the field to the limit. Some farmers quit farming, sold off farm equipment, moved elsewhere. After the so-called sale was made, the farmer was told he could stay on the farm and have all the proceeds of his labor thereon, if he would pay taxes and insurance and remit the interest to which he was en- titled on the unpaid balance. The in- tent and purpose of the real estate agent was to bind the farmer so he could not sell his farm to anyone else, and should some water power project or golf ground enterprise or sub- division plan be carried out the real estate man would sell and reap the profit. If nothing of the kind de- veloped the buyer defaulted and the farmer got ‘back his farm with one or more year’s taxes due, with depreciat- ed buildings and minus the rental or income he might have had from it. And that is just what has happened in this vicinity. That farm paper was dere- lict to duty after being notified of the matter. It might headed off similar schemes in other places where The paper has been sold again and consolidated have the paper is circulated. I have lost the interest I once had in it as a sub- with another farm paper. scriber, subscription agent and once one of its typesetters. Less than a year ago a school teach- er told me of her disappointment in the paper which she liked so much in her home in the West, then having as its head Henry Wallace, one time U. S. Secretary of Agriculture. There is one thing to brighten the picture. The village weekly paper with its patent insides or plate matter is still worthy of support. Much news and instruction can be obtained from it, and generally there is little or nothing to condemn. It is not usually a leader of public thought so far as its editor is concerned, but it has its in- fluence without editorial comments. It is sometimes like a collection box, con- taining only what the people contribute with little or no urging by the pro- prietor; and again it betokens an ac- tive, outreaching spirit in charge, which invites and impels people to work for the common good. E. E. Whitney. 22? >______ Says Chain Maintains Freeze-Out Fund. Thomas Tilley, formerly manager of a unit of the Safeway chain in Omaha, testified last month at the enquiry into chain practices being conducted by the Nebraska attorney-general, that each unit of the ‘Safeway chain contributed one-fourth of 1 per cent. of its total receipts to a “freeze-out fund.” This fund, he explained, is used to cover the losses of units used to put independent competitors out of business. The enquiry is the result of charges brought by independents that chains sell at different prices in different towns in violation of a state law. MIcHIGAN SHOE DralERs MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO. MUTUAL PROGRESS CASH ASSETS We Lo) eee a Maer ee eae $ ao 151,393.18 ae 241,320.66 Meanwhile, we have paid back to our Policy Holders, in Unabsorbed Premiums, $425,396.21 for Information write to L. H. BAKER, Secretary-Treasurer LANSING, MICHIGAN 460.29 7,191.96 85,712.11 RETAIL GROCER Retail Grocers and Meat Dealers Associa- tion of Michigan. President — Gerritt VanderHooning, Grang Rapids. First Vice-Bresident—William Schultz, Ann Arbor. Second Vice-President—Paul Schmidt, Lansing. Secretary — Herman Hanson, Grand Rapids. Treasurer—O. H. Bailey, Sr., Lansing. Directors — Ole Peterson, Muskegon; Frank Marxer, Saginaw; Le'gh Thomas, Ann Arbor; M. C. Goossen, Lansing; R. J. LaBarge, Pontiac. Some Further Sidelights on Italian Merchandising. My story of preparation of coffee in Rome was incomplete. I told only of grinding it in the 1i’1 ol’ household mill, but naturally there was the roast- ing first. Some of the old fellows like me will recall how their mothers used to “brown” coffee in a frying pan. Some called it burning coffee—and the re- sult usually justified such a term. For coffee, to be properly roasted, must be kept in constant motion. Even a full second of rest will result in burning. Knowing this from my own roasting experiences, I had to devise a method to meet the condition. So I put about 12 ounces of raw coffee into a flat bottomed pan with cover over the gas flame and patiently kept it agitated. Every few minutes I removed the cover to blow out the chaff. In about twenty minutes came the familiar crackling sound of the Santos constituent and soon I had a fine, even, golden brown. Result was so correct that I felt quite pleased with this first experiment. I'll report on the drink next time, but inasmuch as the drink of coffee— its excellence, that is, or lack of ex- cellence—depends 75 per cent. on fresh roast and that a good \Santos base with milds for flavor is standard practice, I hope for fair results. Meantime, I’m having a lot of fun. The metric system, so much mooted in America these days, is used through- out continental Europe. The anti- podes thereof is found in England, al- Ways a nation to go its own way, calmly, regardless of what anybody else may think. Those who feel that our system is so complicated that much improvement would result if the metric system were adopted should take a look at England. They would then see that by contrast our ways are simplicity itself. Much depends on habit and custom. The English have no difficulty with their vast variety of weights, measures and money; and I have some trouble to realize what is meant by certain marks in Italy. The kilo (Italian, Chilo, because ch in Italian stands for k, which letter they have not) is just over two pounds, 2.05 to be exact; so that is not hard to calculate. But I have seen signs of “L 0.65 a l’etto” and have not got that clear yet. I tried it buying grapes yesterday and got so little that I told the vender of “ver- dura” (green goods) to give me a mezza or meta chilo. Then I paid about 18c, showing between 17 and 18c per pound. When it comes to packaging, that’s a joke. Except in the coffee store, I have not seen a paper bag and seldom even Wrapping paper in any food shop. My half kilo grapes were handed to MICHIGAN TRADESMAN me laid loose in a bit of newspaper which I made shift to wrap around them. This merchant, who has a well stocked perishables stand, has no sign of wrappings and indeed actually prefers to deliver by boy on wheel, special, at once or more speedily, to making any provision whereby cus- tomers may carry their purchases. The grocer keeps no kitchen soap or sal soda, although one gets ammonia —which he keeps in bulk, by what means I know not, and draws for one in any old bottle, without removing the previous label—at the grocer’s. Part of my fun comes through wrapping my own goods so they can be carried home. The sort of hardware, house- hold goods merchant, with a few elec- tric lamps (“bulbs”), brown soap, tumblers, small line of pots and pans, some of strangely unfamiliar shape, design and purpose, toilet paper, gave me 2.40 worth of brown soap and about 1.50 worth of sal soda. But don’t be alarmed. Translated into real.money, the total charge was around 19c. But as he prepared to weigh the sal soda, he also began to make a cornucopia—what the Scots storekeeper calls a paper poke. I gesticulated to him to let me have the paper. I put it into the scale pan, had him weigh the goods thereon, then proceeded to make such a grocer’s parcel as those of my generation learn- ed to make—one that held and carried home. He was tickled pink, particu- larly when he turned to get his shears to cut the twine and found, when he turned back again, that I had tied a firm knot and broken the string, as we learned to do it a thousand times daily without injuring our fingers. Not only is this pure fun, but good will, full understanding and bright ac- quaintance is thereby promoted. Thus one gets close to the heart of the peo- ple of Italy—something no dweller in an Italian “American” hotel can ever accomplish. I hope to get at the reasons why writing paper for my typewriter costs less than half what I pay in San Fran- cisco, while yet the most ordinary crepe toilet paper costs 25c per roll— not a large one at that—and other kinds range upward to 50c. Thus, too, I shall learn why one store furnishes plenty of good wrapping paper and twine for purchases and others use only newspapers with no twine at all. This last shows why Roman as other Italian women—and men, too, when shopping—carry fabric bags of gener- ous size in which to lug home their purchases, First day’s eating supplies included half chilo rice, like good Carolina grade, for 8'4c; small bottle Colman’s Savora for 20c; a big, pot-bellied, wicker covered bottle of white sweet wine—vino bianca di castello—which seems to hold an endless, inexhaustible supply, for 28c; two cans No. 2 size Italian tomatoes, which they call pomidoro, for which Italy is justly famous and of which she exports large quantities to the United States, which also packs more tomatoes in tins than any other country in the world, for 14c, or 7c per tin; a 2% tin of peaches which proved to be of such excellent flavor in syrup so good that we are (Continued on page 31) December 31, 1930 Welcome, Nineteen Thirty-one! Though your life has just begun, We hope you'll bring to all our friends Health and wealth before it ends. - Western Michigan Grocery Company ; GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN GRAND RAPIDS PAPER Box Co. Manufacturers of SET UP and FOLDING PAPER BOXES SPECIAL DIE CUTTING AND MOUNTING G R AN D RA,PIDS MICfHIGAN PARCEL FREIGHT SERVICE Cheaper than Freight or Express on small parcels up to 20 Ibs. 4 Fast Services Daily To Big Rapids and North on U.S. 131. East to Belding, Greenville, Edmore, Alma, and Saginaw District. NORTH STAR LINE, INC. R. E. TIMM, Gen. Mgr. Crathmore Hotel Station, Phone 81138 Grand Rapids, Michigan In More Homes Everyday AROLSOoM America’s dinest Bread 7 7,4 SANCTUM BAKORIUM \ lj NEWS » The day is fast approaching when home-baked bread will be as obsolete as the horse- drawn street car of old. a = Always Sell LILY WHITE-FLOUR “*The Flour the best cooks use.’ Also our high quality specialties Rowena Yes Ma’am Graham Rowena Pancake Flour Rowena Golden G. Meal Rowena Buckwheat Compound Rowena Whole Wheat Flour Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded. VALLEY CITY MILLING CO. Grand Rapids, Mich Leading Grocers always have a supply of POSTMA’S RUSK as they are in Demand in all Seasons Fresh Daily POSTMA BISCUIT CO. GRAND RAPIDS. i. ji y I I Ke Rusk Bakers Since 1882 MICHIGAN . MR. GROCERY MAN! ARE YOU SELLING BRAAK’S HOMELIKE COOKIES For a quick turnover let us supply you from our 25 varieties. Established 1904 Call Phones 939 Spring Lake, Michigan We deliver within a radius of 100 miles. «Qe ae a ge December 31, 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 21 MEAT DEALER Michigan State Association of Retail Meat Merchants. President—Frank Cornell. Grand Rapids Vice-Pres.—E ©. Abbott, Flint. Secretary—E. J. La Rose, Detroit. Treasurer—Pius Goedecke, Detroit. Next meeting will be held in Grand Rapids, date not decided. Kaiser Introduces Frozen Meat in Milwaukee. Frank A. Kaiser, ‘Milwaukee grocer and delicatessen dealer, with a store on the city’s ‘West side and another in Wauwatosa, saw the necessity of changing his Milwaukee store from a grocery and delicatessen shop to a complete food market. He carried a complete grocery and bakery line as well as cold meats for quick serving. He realized, however, the desire of the housewife to buy everything in one store and, as a re- sult, installed an eight-foot freezer case, the product of a local concern, and became the first dealer in Milwau- kee completely equipped to merchan- dise packaged meats. The cost to Mr. Kaiser of making this installation was small compared with the meat business the new case has brought him. At a cost of ap- proximately $1,350 and without the necessity of employing extra help, Mr. Kaiser now offers to the public a full line of frozen meats. He handles four grades, and almost all cuts and kinds, including brains, sweetbreads, liver, spare ribs, ground meat, etc., as well as the commoner cuts. So well pleased is Kaiser with his results that he plans to install a sim- ilar case in his Wauwatosa store. The installments on his $1,350 investment are being paid entirely out of profits from his meat sales, he says. It is significant, he thinks, that he is enjoying a tremendous repeat busi- ness. His delivery business has also taken a jump, he says, because the customer knows that when she tele- phones for frozen meat, she will get the same quality at all times. Furthermore, the patron is showing a greater inclination to send her chil- dren to Kaiser’s for meat for she knows that it is safe to do so and that her boy or girl will receive the same quality of meat as if she herself went to make the purchase. Also Kaiser is able to realize a uniform profit on his meats. There is no shrinkage, spoil- age or waste trimmings to contend with. Meat in the freezer, which is kept at from zero to ten above, is found to ibe as good after thirty days as the day when it was placed in the case. Kaiser advertised the sale of pack- aged meats over the radio for one month daily at 11:30 in the morning in connection with a shopper’ program. He announced that the Kaiser Delica- tessen had installed new refrigerating equipment to serve all customers with fresh quick frozen meats. The an- nouncement emphasized the fact that they were not cold storage meats in the usual sense. The case is also used for the handl- ing of eskimo pies, popsicles and brick ice cream, which were not handled by the store before. These products have been added without sacrificing a foot of floor space or requiring any addi- tional help. x The case, as pointed out by. Mr. Kaiser, is cooled by conduction and the meats suffer no freezer burn. One hundred pounds of frozen meats to the lineal foot can be packed in the ser- vice or lower compartment. In tests made-over a six-weeks’ period, a tem- perature of ten degrees below zero was maintained, keeping the product in per- fect condition. H. C. Brunner. ——_+++____ How To Fail in Business. Pay no attention to costs. Don’t keep accurate accounts. Be discourteous to customers. Neglect your personal appearance. Be content with partial success. Run unnecessary risks. Worry over trifles. Be careless. Waste your spare time. Always knock your competitors. Avoid all public and social affairs, Buy only from “good fellows.” Never admit you are wrong. Follow a hit or miss policy in ad- vertising. Be erratic rather than systematic. Don’t use modern office- and store appliances. Never study the methods of success- ful merchants. Always be “out” to salesmen. Don’t plan your work. Be unfair to employes, Neglect your business education, Be easily discouraged. Be a confirmed pessimist. Be self-satisfied. Travel only the beaten paths. Never boost your community. Ignore the appearance of your store. Underrate your competitors. Don’t use seasonable window dis- plays nor change them very frequently. Never permit your business to in- terefere with your pleasure. Never use the “dealer helps” of manufacturers. Ask every customer: “Do you want something?” Regard all promises lightly. Believe the public must come to you. If at first you don’t succeed, let it go at that, —_2e?-2>____ Serve Self System Is Used For Frozen Meat. The serve yourself method of mer- chandising is being applied to quick- frozen meats in Muncie, Ind. The Piggly-Wiggly store at Charles and Kilgore streets keeps the frozen cuts in a case divided into eight com- partments. On the lid of each com- partment is a list of the cuts inside, and on the wall nearby is a price list. Customers are invited to open the case and help themselves. Since the weight of each cut is printed on the package, the customer can figure out the price for herself. —_~+-+___ Mills Trading on Blankets. According to reports, the blanket market is operating under the levels es- tablished by the mill which named prices recently, and that goods are be- ing sold from 2% cents on the part wool line to 15 cents on the all wool division under the new prices. There is said to be particular pressure on all wool blankets in anticipation of the arrival of several additional manufac- turers in the field. OPPORTUNITIES NEVER BEFORE OFFERED TO FURNITURE PURCHASERS An entire building devoted to the sales of Furniture made exclusively by Grand Rapids Manufacturers. WHOLESALE and RETAIL. The Furniture Galleries of Grand Rapids, Inc. 25-27 Commerce Ave., S. W., Grand Rapids, Michigan. += emo Se rt) (20) 4am 0.4m 0-4 04m OGD OGD OGEDC oe 0 —O- 4200. mow. GRIDDLES — BUN STEAMERS — Everything in Restaurant Equipment Priced Right. Grand Rapids Store Fixture Co. 7.N. IONIA AVE. Phone 67143 N. FREEMAN, Mgr. URNS ANNOUNCING A new installed wash room of our own, enabling us to furnish you daily with fresh Carrots, Beets, Parsnips, Turnips, Celery, Etc. Give us a trial. VAN EERDEN COMPANY 201-203 Ellsworth, S. W. Grand Rapids, Mich. Manufacturers of Sausage and Meat Products. Wholesale only. HERRUD & COMPANY 542 Grandville Ave., Grand Rapids, Mich. VINKEMULDER COMPANY Grand Rapids, Michigan BRANCH AT PETOSKEY, MICH. Distributors Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Cranberries, Grapefruit, “Yellow Kid” Bananas, Oranges, Onions, Fresh Green Vegetables, etc. ORDER THIS QUICK SELLING LINE FROM YOUR WAGON DISTRIBUTOR. In times when families are trying to economize, Noodles do not stay long on the grocers’ shelves. Mrs. Grass has worked out numerous ways of making delicious dishes from her Noodles and the recipe folders are packed in each package. Because every package of Mrs. Grass’ Genuine Egg Noodles makes steady customers for your store, we urge you to write to us to get the name of your nearest Wagon Distributor. I. J. GRASS NOODLE CO., INC. Dept. M. 6021-7 Wentworth Ave., Chicago, Ill. EGGS - EGGS - EGGS Low prices increased demand. On request we will be pleased to quote finest quality Candled Aprils and Mays. We are always in the market for Strictly Fresh Eggs, at full Market prices. We can supply Egg Cases and Egg Case Material of all kinds. KENT STORAGE COMPANY - GRAND RAPIDS MICHIGAN TRADESMAN December 31, 1930 HARDWARE Michigan Retail Hardware Association. . President—Louis F. Wolf, Mt. Clemens. Vice-Pres.—Waldo Bruske, Saginaw. . Secretary—Arthur J. Scott, Marine City. Treasurer—William Moore, Detroit. Suggestions in Regard To Winter Sporting Goods. Winter sporting goods are a popular feature of the Christmas gift trade. Their sales possibilities, however, do not end with the holiday season, and they are worth energetic selling effort for a considerable time after Christmas. In- deed, sales can be made throughout the greater part of the winter months. Winter outdoor activities as a rule come after rather than before the Christmas holiday. They are not re- stricted even to the holiday week be- tween Christmas and New Years. As long as snow and ice last, outdoor sports continue popular. And while a good deal of the community demand for sleds, hockey outfits, skates and similar articles has probably been met in connection with the sale of these lines for Christmas gifts, many dis- appointed youngsters — and a good many older folks—will be still in the market. The people who have been overlooked by Santa Claus will now proceed to look out for themselves, Here is a where a little pushful sales- manship will do the sporting goods department of the hardware store a lot of good. Too often the hardware dealer lets the demand for winter sporting goods die won right after the holiday. He features these lines for his Christmas trade; but he argues that there is no use bothering with them afterward. That is a mistake. The business in these lines after the Christmas holiday may not be very large in comparison with the Christmas sales. But this is a time of year when every bit of business helps; and con- siderable business can undoubtedly be done in these most seasonable lines. The trade is there; and the man who will get it is the man who plays up and features these lines while the winter is still young and before outdoor activi- ties have lost their first zest. Timely goods are always most sal- able early in the season. The shrewd merchant starts to push his seasonable lines a week or two before the season really opens, and as a result business in these lines starts when it should. He pushes hard in the early part of the season. Consequently, his hold- over stock is reduced to a minimum. This is sound business, and shows a clear understanding of the buyer’s at- titude. The youth who wants hockey skates and shoes and didn’t get them for Christmas will buy them a lot more readily in early January when most of the winter is still before him than in late March, when the winter is pretty well over. So that late December and early January is—weather conditions being propitious—an excellent time to feature and push these lines. There is a further element in the situation to consider. A large propor- tion of the winter sporting goods are sold to or for young people. The boy and girl may have expected, but failed, to get some coveted article for a Christmas present. It is in the early hours of the youngster’s disappoint- ment, when he or she is most clamor- ous, that the parents or friends are most likely to make the belated pur- chase. Let the matter go a monttl. or more, and the old folks are far more likely to say, “Better wait until next Christmas.” So that now is the time to display and advertise such lines. To begin with, look over your stock, so as to know just what you have. Next, put on a good display. Place these lines inside the store where every customer who comes in cannot miss seeing them, and display them there in such a manner that people are really attracted by them. Finally, see that your salespeople, when they get the chance, push these lines energetic- ally and intelligently. In the sale of sporting goods, it’s important to know the goods. A friend of mine just before Christmas was looking for hockey skates and shoes. She decided for reasons of her own to buy them separate. I suppose she visited half a dozen stores. She found a shoe she liked. Then came the ques- tion, “What size skate should I get with this size shoe?” In four or five stores she met clerks who had the vaguest kind of ideas on the subjects —‘“Maybe” this and “I guess” that. In the sixth store a clerk who knew was able to tell her exactly. She made her purchase there; and she’ll make other purchases there from time to time because she has dicovered that those people actually know, and don’t just guess. It is just as important to know ice skates as it is to know baseball or foot- ball supplies at other seasons of the year. The average sporting enthusiast prefers to deal with the salesman who knows something of his favorite pas- time. So it will be worth while for salespeople to get posted regarding the goods and the sports to which they belong, if they are not posted already. There was a time when the sale of sporting goods was pretty well restrict- ed to skates, hockey sticks, pucks, pads and gloves, snow shoes and sleds. The range of these lines has since been steadily widening. New sports requir- ing new equipment have become pop- ular; and old pastimes have been re- vived. Skis, toboggans, etc., for out- doors are in demand; and basket ball, boxing gloves and punching bags for indoor amusements. Many hardware dealers stock and sell pennants, sweat- ers, sweater: coats, leather coats and caps, toques, hockey shoes, moccasins, heavy socks and similar lines which, in a sense, dovetail into their growing sporting goods trade. Of course the popularity of certain lines is bound to fluctuate: for public demand is a fickle thing, especially where young people are concerned. In some communities where skates have been popular a run on snowshoes or skis has been known to develop. The wide-awake hardware dealer watches the trend of public interest, tries to anticipate new developments, goes short on lines that are going out of vogue, and profits by his viligance. The hardware dealer is not, how- ever, compelled to follow public de- mand blindly. He can do a good deal to stimulate interest in new outdoor pastimes, and in outdoor sports as a whole. This sort of missionary work is most easily done, not by direct ad- vertising, but by going out personally and organizing or helping organize the various local sporting activities. One sporting goods dealer carried on business in a community where there was no skating rink of any kind. He hired men to sweep a section of the river, strung electric lights, and provided benches. The result was a very popular outdoor rink where people could indulge in ice skating. Naturally, the dealer reaped his reward in in- creased sales of skats and skating ac- cessories. The rink was available for hockey games. It was, however, rather cramp- ed for that purpose; and as the game took hold, an agitation began for an indoor arena. This materialized in time. That particular town, with mod- ern and up-to-date facilities for winter sports, is a market for a far larger quantity of sporting goods. Climatic conditions and weather con- ditions of course have a lot to do with shaping the possibilities. Hockey de- mands good ice. So does skating. For tobogganning there must be _ hills. Ditto for skis. Snowshoes aren’t much use in country where there is little snow. Basketball is a popular winter sport where there is an indoor arena of sufficient size available. The dealer must know what his community has, or what it can readily get, in the way of facilities before he starts to boom and popularize some particular winter sport. Newspaper advertising and window display are both helpful in pushing the sale of winter sporting goods. News- paper advertising can be both direct and indirect. The indirect advertising, which costs nothing except perhaps a little effort, is in the form of news reports of various sporting activities. If your town has a local hockey or basket ball team or league, regular newspaper reports of the activities of these organizations will help stimulate popular interest in these sports, and in athletics generally. Quite often, particularly in the smaller communities, the newspapers are a bit careless or neglectful about cover these events. In Michigan Hardware Co. 100-108 Ellsworth Ave., Corner Oakes GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN 4 Wholesalers of Shelf Hardware, Sporting Goods and FISHING TACKLE Automobile Tires and Tubes Automobile Accessories Garage Equipment Radio Sets Radio Equipment BROWN & SEHLER COMPANY Farm Machinery and Garden Tools Saddlery Hardware Harness, Horse Collars Blankets, Robes Sheep Lined and Blanket - Lined Coats Leather Coats GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN Wholesale Only. 342 Market St., S. W. Manufacturers and Distributors of SHEET METAL ROOFING AND FURNACE SUPPLIES, TONCAN IRON SHEETS, CONDUCTOR PIPE AND FITTINGS. We Protect our Dealers, THE BEHLER-YOUNG CO. EAVETROUGH, Grand Rapids, Mich. A , 4 a oan * ; *: wh J x Be a € , + q o____ If Nature had not made us a little frivolous, we should be most wretched. It is because one can be frivolous that the majority do not hang themselves. It is sweet to tbe foolish on occasion.— Voltaire. Corduroy Tires Our success _ is founded on the sale of up to date, qual- ity merchandise where. the saving in selling cost is passed on to our customers who or- der by mail or wire, at our expense, di- rect. Made in Grand Rapids Sold Through Dealers Only. CORDUROY TIRE CO. Grand Rapids, Mich. SARLES Detective Agency Licensed and Bonded Michigan Trust Bldg. Grand Rapids, Mich. Jennings’ Pure Extracts Vanilla, Lemon, Almond, Orange, Raspberry, Wintergreen. Jennings Flavoring Extract Co. Grand Rapids, Mich. I. Van Westenbrugge Grand Rapids - Muskegon (SERVICE DISTRIBUTOR) Nucoa . KRAFT ) CHEESE All varieties, bulk and package cheese ‘*‘Best Foods”’ Salad Dressings Fanning’s Bread and Butter Pickles Alpha Butter TEN BRUIN’S HORSE RADISH and MUSTARD OTHER SPECIALTIES Sand Lime Brick Nothing as Durable Nothing as Firepreof Makes Structure Beautiful No Painting No Cost for Repairs Fire Proof Weather Proof Warm in Winter—Cool in Summer Brick is Everlasting GRANDE BRICK Co. Grand Rapids. SAGINAW BRICK CoO. Saginaw. 24 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN December $81, 1930 HOTEL DEPARTMENT News and Gossip Concerning Michigan Hotels. Los Angeles, Dec. 27—Every hotel man in Michigan knows W. L. (Billy) Cartwright. For years he has been conducting hotels in Michigan during the regular resort season, going to Eustis, Florida, every fall to conduct his own property, the Grand View Hotel. In Michigan, at Harbor Springs, he conducted the Emmett House, and of late years Ramona Park. Now I learn that his Florida property was gutted by a fire just at the time of year when he needs it most and I extend to him my sympathy. However, I am willing to assume that he will go right ahead with repairing the dam- age and come in under the wire in good shape, for that is the kind of a fellow Billy Cartwright is, and that is just the way he does things. Will Rogers savs these guys who have been telling about prosperity be- ing just around the corner have, for the past year, been 100 per cent. wrong, but he radiates a lot of truth when he speaks of the disgusting wave of -extravagance that has flooded this country ever since the World War. If the dear public can be brought back to their senses by the enawing of hunger, the sensation will not have altogether teen wasted. Everybody has been trying to get along without work and to secure extensions on in- stallment payments, and the “shark” has done the rest. Labor saving de- vices may have had their effect on the labor market, but we have had a period of invention ever since the civil war, and the labor contingent has not been visibly affected. I hope nobody is go- ing to suggest that we go back to the pestle and flail, just because someone has over-estimated his selling ability and manufactured too many shoes or golf balls. Business stagnation is rather more than a state of mind, but crape hanging is not going to help much. Maybe a few predictions will, so let’s try them. Out here in Los Angeles Christmas turned out to be a break for the pee- wee golf courses. All those whose electric current had not been shut off turned their courses into Christmas tree marts, which will be about the last station along the road to oblivion. Some of the daily papers and an oc- casional magazine, have much to say about the seeming high price of bread as compared with the cost of flour. Now, my friend, Charlie Renner will undoubtedly tell you that there are approximately 313 one pound loaves of bread which may be developed out of a barrel of flour, but he will also ad- vise you that breadmaking is a very small item in the product of most bakeries, and the greatest profits are derived from the food items which contain the least flour. People now- adays talk about the staff of life, and some of them occasionally use some of it, but at best the demand is limited and other products such as potatoes and beans are now used as substitutes. Education may help some, but the pub- lic, as a rule are getting away from the use of bread. Many Christmas cards have reached me Out here from friends in Michigan and other Middle States, with remem- brances from Hawaii, and the Gover- nor of New Mexico. Mostly hotel friends, however, and I take this meth- od of returning thanks for the spirit of thoughtfulness shown. At a recent meeting of dining car officials held in New Orleans, Fred Oliver, in the Pere Marquette service, was elected president of the National organization. Mr. Oliver has been in the dining car service for many years. At one time he operated Portage Point Inn, at Onekama. The University of Southern Califor- nia announces that it is going to add a police administration and training course to its present curriculum. It may work out, but when we consider that most of the judges who now lum- ber up the benches and retard, rather than accelerate the administration of justice, came from this source, the prospects are not so flattering. The paper napkin is rapidly going into disuse. I alwavs despised it and claimed that no _ self-respecting res- taurant or hotel man would permit of their use. Nowadays there is less rea- son than ever for their use. The towel supply people make the invest- ment in the textile napkins, laundry them and supply them at a cost of bit a trifle more than that of the paper variety, which was never a napkin in any sense of the word. Forty per cent. of California hotels are either in the hands of receivers or practically so. Another 40 per cent. never have over a 40 per cent. occu- pancy. If anyone suggests an invest- ment in this class of securities always remember that it is not with criminal intent. It’s just another case of bats in the belfry. Some of the Western railroad lines want the Interstate Commerce Com- mmission to allow them to reduce their coach fares to two cents per mile, in order that they may. compete with the bus lines. If the railroads were sincere they would acknowledge to the public that they have completed a scientific investigation and that two cents per mile, after taking into consideration cost of operating autos, is just about what that class of transportation costs the user, and that is just about what he is willing to pay, and not one farth- ing more. The principal trolley line in California, with a trackage of 1500 miles, at the request of the Railroad ‘Commission, made a test something like two years ago. and also found this to be true. If only the railroad offi- ciais could have looked into the future when they were ignoring the traveling public, what a much better feeling would prevail among the stockholders of such corporations. The hotel employe is a public ser- vant, in a way, and when he displays austerity towards his guests, is making a mistake which a lot of them are slow to forgive. Sooner or later they trans- fer their affections to some other ho- tel, and the manager never knows what the trouble really is. And yet, on the other hand, it is rather difficult to es- tablish a rule or any set of regulations which altogether fit the emergency. No two guests can be handled in the same way just as no two diseases will re- spond to the same treatment. Every guest who walks into vour hotel is an individual prohlem and he should be handled as such. If possible, without smearing him all over with salve, find, out what he wants and then do your level best to supply it. Do not give him just what Mr. Jones likes and wants, because Mr. Jones may have an erratic taste, even if the example before you has not. A lot of substan- tial guests have been driven away from hotels because of overzealousness on the part of the employe. You have a couple of hundred rooms. Some of your guests come to you because of the glad hand, but there are a lot of others who do not object to a sincere handshake but have no desire to be slobbered over. Sincerity is what ap- peals to them. They will resent, many times, the bestowal of special courtesies to which they are not particularly en- titled, believing it to be a form of cheap advertising. Tt requires tact to meet the puble. If you do not possess it make an effort to acquire it, but in- Warm Friend Tavern Holland, Mich. Is truly a friend to all travelers. All room and meal rates very reasonable. Free private parking space. GEO. W. DAUCHY, Mer. “A MAN IS KNOWN BY THE. COMPANY HE KEEPS” That is why LEADERS of Business and Society make their head- quarters at the PANTLIND HOTEL “An entire city block of Hospitality” GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Rooms $2.25 and up. Cafeteria -t- Sandwich Shop Park Place Hotel Traverse City Rates Reasonable—Service Superb —Location Admirable. R. D. McFADDEN, Mgr. ;* HOTEL KERNS LARGEST HOTEL IN LANSING 300 Rooms With or Without Bath Popular Priced Cafeteria in Con- nection. Rates $1.56 up. E. S. RICHARDSON, Proprietor NEW BURDICK KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN In the Very Heart of the City Fireproof Construction The only All New Hotel in the city. Representing a $1,000,000 Investment. 250 Rooms—150 Rooms with Private Bath. European $1.50 and up per Day. RESTAURANT AND GRILL— Cafeteria, oe Service, Popular ces. Entire Seventh Floor Devoted to Especially Equipped Sample Rooma WALTER J. HODGES, Pres. and Gen. Mgr. HOTEL OLDS LANSING 300 Rooms 300 Baths Absolutely Fireproof Moderate Rates GEORGE L. CROCKER, Manager. CODY HOTEL GRAND RAPIDS RATES—$1.50 up without bath. $2.50 up with bath. CAFETERIA IN CONNECTION NEW Decorating and Management Pacing FAMOUS Grand Circus Park. Oyster Bar. 800 Rooms - - - 800 Baths Rates from $2.50. HOTEL TULLER HAROLD A. SAGE, Mgr. Occidental Hotel FIRE PROOF CENTRALLY LOCATED Rates $2.00 and up EDWART R. SWETT, Mgr. Muskegon «te Michigan In Kalamazoo It’s PARK-AMERICAN George F. Chism, Manager MORTON HOTEL Grand Rapids’ Newest Hotel 400 Rooms -t 400 Baths RATES $2.50 and up per day. Columbia Hotel KALAMAZOO Good Place To Tie To HOTEL CHIPPEWA HENRY M. NELSON, Manager European Plan MANISTEE. MICH. Up-to-date Hotel with all Modern Conveniences—Elevator, Ete. 150 Outside Rooms Dining Room Service Hot and Cold Running Water and Telephone in every Room. $1.50 and up 60 Rooms with Bath $2.50 and $3 “We ave always mindful of our responsibility to the pub- lic and are in full apprecia- tion of the esteem its generous patronage implies.” HOTEL ROWE Grand Rapids, Michigan. ERNEST W. NEIR, Manager. Republican Hotel MILWAUKEE, WIS. Rates $1.50 up—with bath $2 -up Cafeteria, Cafe, Sandwich Shop In connection va ~ a v ‘ : fs t. a a~7 i * e af .. he Pa q 4 >? } ; * é af » December 31, 1930 clude the art of discrimination as well, for your guests may also be unused to the unusual. A hotel journal in publishing an ar- ticle on ‘“‘What a President Eats,’ without comment makes a statement to the effects that President ‘Hoover, in addition to other items. consumes each morning six eggs for his breakfast. Some critics will at once assume that this -shows a decisive leaning toward gluttony, but may there not be a good and sufficient reason, whv, from a de- sire on the president’s part to stimu- late the egg industry, he feels that the faithful hen is hardly getting just com- pensation for her industry? In other words is not making expenses. George 'W. Woodcock, manager of the Muskegon ‘Country Club, accom- panied iby his delightful wife, have finally arrived in Southern California, to enjoy a much merited vacation. They started overland about the first of the month and have been visiting friends on the way out. They have already been initiated into the Muske- gon Club here, have gotten their bear- ings and will have a good time. So will I. George, who latterly conduct- ed Hotel Muskegon, until it was ob- literated by fire, was for a long time manager of Hotel Stearns, Ludington, and a neighbor of mine. He has made a wonderful success of his conduct of the Muskegon Club, as everyone who knows the Woodcocks had every rea- son to expect. Nowhere in all the world will one see so many lunching emporiums as here in Los Angeles. It seems as though eating is a major occupation out here, and the methods of feeding are sure diversified. Prices are very reasonable. Some of the most genteel places in the city have been serving complete turkey dinners for fifty cents and claim to be getting across on ac- count of the volume of business they are doing. ‘ Some of this lunching requires a highlv artistic proficiency to be suc- cessful. Take soda fountain lunching for instance—one of the most compli- cated affairs ever invented by man. You wedge into the place between crowds of women holding babies, bun- dles and the ever evident snopping bag, which is part of the California regalia, and you crawl up on a stool before a marble counter after the fashion of an Indian in a James Fennimore Cooper “Leather Stocking” tale. You may be sly and gradual—in fact you must be— to capture one of these stools. You may have to resort to strategy or de- ception to get ahead of the other fel- low, but the game is worth the name. Once seated you are ina strange world. Gazing down into an abyss of ice cream freezers, empty glasses, plates of lettuce, mayonnaise, sliced tomatoes and ham, all in a jumble, but out of chaos will be evolved a sand- wich .or salad, at a price. You may escape without the necessity of repair- ing to a cleaner, but you will never be the same, and you will continue to wonder why you ever madé the des- perate attempt to capture a meal at a drug store lunch counter.* Here is another varietv of entertainment—the near-beer bar lJuncheon—where you stand up at a counter and say, as in olden days, “beer” and you get a de- coction, the composition of which is wrapped in mystery, also the taste. But these affairs, nowadays, seem to “revive” pleasant memories, as do the hot-dog and hamburger offerings. But they also remind one that once upon a time we entered a great room, check- ed our belongings and proceeded to the din of passing dishes to imagine that we were about to dine with the gods, as it were. We used to think those were the days, especially when the orchestra would start something to interfere with our line af conversa- tion. In every field the art of dining MICHIGAN TRADESMAN has its complications. ‘Maybe, after all, the time will come when the min- istering of food will be via the capsule route, drug store lunches, and _ hot tamales will be forgotten, and that most agreeable of occupations, dish washing, will only be mentioned in history. When the winter comes to Califor- nia the nomad tourist turns toward the desert. Seashore and mountains, with their promise of cool breezes may lure thousands durin~ the summer months, but chilly days remind week end tour- ists and amateur explorers of the myriad attractions of the desert. Hid- den in the desert stretches of Imperial Valley are scores of fascinating spots whose ‘beauty—sometimes vivid and exotic, or, often, savage and forbidding —bring memories of the days when California was not a great state, but an unknown country, the subject of roseate myths of a fabulous Golden El Dorado. So the other day when a friend of mine suggested visiting the “Land of Little Rain,” I readily fell for the suggestion, and we staked off a two-day proposition for Imperial Valley, not but what we had covered this territory, on the installment plan, on various occasions. Leaving Los Angeles at 8 a. m., we drove through Riverside and over the picturesque Cayote Pass to Banning. Mile after mile of orange groves line the high- way, and heavily loaded trucks attest to the activity of the citrus region at this season. From Banning, half a mile above the sea level, the road seems to descend to the desert coun- try. At Whiteside, a little town hud- dled on the edge of the desert, we made a right hand turn and at noon stopped at Palm Springs, ‘California’s fashion- able resort. Palm. Canyon, where semi-tropical vegetation runs wild, lies six miles beyond Palm Springs. There we stumbled upon a delightful oasis with a tiny trout stream almost hid- den in the dense grove of palms on the floor of the canyon. Returning to Palm Springs, we took the road to Indio. Just ‘before we reached that desert city a sign bearing the name “Biskra” marked a side road which led into the chapparral, or heavy undergrowth. Following a dirt road through mesquite and sage, we reached this oasis of Biskra, which is said to bear a marked resemblance to Algerian scenery. Palm trees. rank upon rank, give the illusion of a mirage to motorists, unused to the sight of barren land of the desert. From Biskra we journeyed to Indio. The Coachella Valley offered another fascinating vista. Thousands of acres of palm trees loaded with dates, ac- companied by cotton fields interest you much, if you are susceptible. Just about dusk we were assured by ap- pearances that we were approaching the world-famed Salton Sea. Half a mile from the highway, the inland sea appeared in the growing darkness like a huge slab of ebony lying on the alkali-covered earth, fascinating and wierd. We-were glad to -stop. over night at Brawley, feeling like we had completed .a. full day’s stunt. Early next morning we drove through Holt- ville toward - Yuma, Arizona, and twenty odd “miles from Holtville we fougd the célébrated sand dunes which have been ‘dubbed the . “American Sahara.” tains of sand are familiar to thousands of moving picture fans because. they have also been ‘used as backgrounds. tor many a film. popularly supposed.:to have been photographed in the Desert: of Sahara. Returning-to Holtville, we took a header ‘toward E! Centro, know- ing that the menu of the ‘Barbara Worth Hotel would contain something which the desert waysiders could not proyide. It was there. Thence to San Diego, with a side trip to the Yuha Basin, -the great volcanic plain whose curious Java rocks provide an endless variety of pictures for the ex- plorer, Resuming our trip we con- These great shifting’ moun-’ tinued to Coyote Wells. Another painted sign, this one saying “Painted Gorge,” drew us again from the main highway. Painted Gorge, like many unnamed canyons in its vicinity, abounds in fossils deposited when Im- perial Valley was a part of the ocean bed. The walls of this particular can- yon, Or gorge, are tinted every color in the rainbow. Perpendicular cliffs— solid granite walls—are never failing sources of interest to the geologist. The highway from here into San Diego which almost overhangs the Mexican border, continues for several miles before it plunges into the San Diego Mountains. We wanted to look up Uncle Louie, but it was getting late, and as we were passengers only, did not urge any deviation from a two-day program, going via Imperial Valley and returning by the coast route of which I have _ heretofore spoken. Frank S. Verbeck. The Post Tavern, Battle Creek, has prepared a stock of “crying towels” and is ready to co-operate with any- one who wants to cry about the times. On one side of the towel is printed, “The next Bozo who comes weeping to you crying ‘Bad Business’ hand him this crying towel, direct him to a quiet corner and tell him the advantages of buying now.” The Tavern is ready to give the towels free of charge to anyone who wants them. ——~+++___ Items From the Cloverland of Michi- gan. Sault Ste. Marie, Dec. 30—Now that Christmas is over, we are happy to have escaped without any serious ac- cidents which were so numerous throughout the ‘State. The merchants did a fairly satisfactory Christmas trade and the spirit of Christmas was manifested everywhere. Charity work- ers did much to supply the needy which are always with us. Local or- ganizations all joined in doing their bit. The weather was ideal, making it easv on the coal pile. Turkeys were plentiful, but with no surplus. Condi- tions generally made this one of the best Christmas days we have celebrat- ed in several years. Sears, Roebuck & Co. sprang a sur- prise on our community the day after Christmas. Without any previous an- nouncement, they moved their entire stock to Detroit and closed the store. The local manager said the store is closing permanently, but had no fur- ther statement to make. This branch of the main Chicago store opened here in May of this year when elaborate alterations were made to the building owned by D. K. Moses, who conducted the Leader department store. When the store doors were swung open $75,- 000 worth of merchandise was on dis- play on the shelves and elsewhere. The Store employed between thirty and thirty-five clerks, although this force was cut down considerably some’ days after the opening. It is understood that the company holds a long term lease from Mr. Moses. It will make but little difference here, as we still ‘have enough chain stores to care for . the trade here. [I think this is the stock the Chi- “cago. cut-throat concern originally lo- cated at Traverse City. They rented large space in the Hannah & Lay building and opened for business with a great flourish of trumpets, but at “the end of six months pulled out bag and baggage and removed the stock to the ‘Soo, where the flamboyant state- ments they made when they invaded Traverse ‘City were repeated. I think these two fiascos have cost Sears, Roe- buck & Co. not less than $100,000. This house is very successful in selling shoddy merchandise and cataloging ‘goods it is not permitted to handle, but when it comes to conducting: branch stores in cities.of medium size it falls down completely. I shall expect to hear of many other fiascos by Sears, Roebuck & Co. during the next few weeks.—Editor Tradesman. ] She says the reason they rope off the aisles at a wedding is to prevent the groom from getting away. Looks as if Engadine is to have a new hotel. Announcement is made that a new hoiel is to be built on the lot between the ‘Clocerland cafe and the A. Floria residence. This will be the first hotel since the Cottage Hotel, owned by R. R. McDonald, went out of ‘business. The new hotel will be built by the Freeman Lumber ‘Co. The Cloverland cafe is being remodeled to accommodate a pool room and barber shop. Facts are better than opinions for starting an argument because facts usually stop an argument. Fred Shaw, of the Gamble-Robinson Co., accompanied by his wife, left Monday for Sparta to visit Mr. Shaw’s parents, who are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Cloverland readers all join in wish- ing the Tradesman and its many read- ers a Happy and Prosperous New Year. : Peter Sabas has rented the Stribling store, 427 West Portage avenue, re- cently occupied by Oscar Benoit, and will open a confectionery store and barber shop. William G. Tapert. ————_2-2-.~.> Department Store’s Offer Is Accepted. Detroit, Dec. 30—At a meeting called to consider the composition offer of the Colonial Department Store, 27 State street, John McNeil Burns, at- torney for the company, added to the offer of 15 per cent. cash and 85 per cent. preferred stock the option that any creditor desiring to do so might have in lieu of the preferred stock 25 per cent. in notes endorsed by Nathan Schrieber and Samuel Goldberg, offi- cers, and secured by an assignment of the common stock of the corporation the notes coming due as follows: Five per cent. 30 days, 2% per cent. April 15, 1931, and 2% per cent. June 1, 1931, 5 per cent. Oct. 15, 1931, and 5 per cent. Dec. 20, 1931, and 5 per cent. March 15, 1932. The offer was accepted by 120 cred- itors voting $89,456 in favor and 20 creditors voting $19,767 against. Ed- ward B. Levy and Archibald Palmer, New York attorneys, conducted the examination of the debtor until after 6:30 p. m., when the vote was finally taken. -———-e 2? 2>____ Prima Facia Evidence. “Mother, was your name Pullman before you were married?” “No, dear, why do you ask?” “Well, I just wondered. I see that name on a lot of our towels.” Hotel and Restaurant Equipment H. Leonard & Sons 38-44 Fulton St, W. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. CHARLES RENNER HOTELS Four Flags Hotel, Niles, Mich., in the picturesque St. Joseph Valley. Rumely Hotel and Annex, La- Porte, Ind. Edgewater Club Hotel, St. Joseph, Mich., open from May to October. All of these hotels are conducted on the high standard established and always maintained by Mr. Renner. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN December 31, 1930 DRUGS Michigan Board of Pharmacy. President—Orville Hoxie, Grand Rapids. Vice-Pres.—Clare F. Allen, Wyandotte. Director—Garfield M. Benedict, San- dusky. Examination Sessions — Beginning the third Tuesday of January, March, June, August and November and lasting three days. The January and June examina- tions are held at Detroit, the August examination at Marquette, and the March and November examinations at Grand Rapids. Michigan State Pharmaceutical Association. President—John J. Watters, Saginaw. First Vice-President—Alexander Reid, Detroit. Second Vice-President — F. H. Taft, Lansing. Secretary—R. A. Turrell, Croswell. Treasurer—P. W. Harding, Yale. Chain Stores Vs. Federated Control. Federated control through the joint action of independent pharmacists was held out as a solution of the difficulties which independent pharmacists are facing in meeting competition from chain drug stores, by President Glenn Frank of the University of Wisconsin, in an address delivered before the Wis- consin Pharmaceutical Association at its Golden Jubilee Meeting. “More and more all phases of Amer- ican life tend to follow the principle of combination,” said President Frank, “and more and more the chance, the choice and the conduct of the individ- ual American is determined by associa- tions, organizations and combinations.” “A lush growth of legal corporations is seen on all- hands,” continued Dr. Frank. “Gigantic mergers are the or- der of the day. Pouplar opinion regard- ing the Sherman Anti-Trust Law is less riotous than it once was, if, in- deed, it has not reversed itself. Fac- tories, utilities, railways, banks, stores, theatres, newspapers—all head toward larger and larger operating units through merger and syndication. And where direct merger is impossible a hundred and one indirect means of in- terlocking the fortunes of smaller units of enterprise are resorted to. More than three-fourths of the capitalization of all the banks in the United States is to-day lodged in the hands of a dozen financial concerns. This control of three-fourths of America’s bank cap- italization implies at least a marked influence on the credit policies of the remaining fourth. “The upshot of all this is that Amer- ican life daily drifts away from the old individualism toward a new group- ism. Some of the most astute and liberal intelligences of our time are convinced that this drift is inevitable, and that legislation can do little more than to heckle and harass its advance. I find John Dewey, for instance, say- ing, “Political control may be needed, but the movement cannot be arrested by legislation. The forces at work in this movement are too vast and com- plex to cease operation at the behest of legislation.’ I agree with Dr. Dewey. Unless I am far afield in judgment the America of to-morrow will act through highly organized groups, Whether we like it or not, this seems clearly in the cards, “The problem that must now be faced is this: What is to be the nature of the control of this group action? As I see it, that control can be either of two types. It can be feudalized control or it can be a federated con- trol. “A feudalized control will mean an ever narrower control by the few. It will mean that the individual merchant must surrender to chain systems con- trolled by a few owners from a few centers. It will mean that banks, fac- tories, theatres, newspapers and the other basic enterprises of our time must follow suit. In some fields this feudalized control may be not only necessary but salutary; but anything like a wholesale application of it to the total economic life of the Nation will mean not only the death of the old individualism but of all individualism. “There is the alternative of a fed- erated control of this inevitable group action. I mean control by the federat- ed action of otherwise independent units of enterprise. I mean the sort of control exercised by the United Grocers on the Pacific Coast, who, by pooling their resources and their re- sourcefulness, have beaten the chain stores at their own game, without sur- rendering any of the essential virtues of their former isolated independence. Federated control of group action means taking advantage of all the bene- fits of group organization without sub- mitting to the tyrannies of a new feudalism. It means the death of the old individualism, yes! But it means the birth of a new individualism sur- rounded by the protection of co-opera- tive strength.” 2-2? >_____ Be sure you see the point before you laugh. UTLEY SL oe LNT EET ETT LLL ED GRAND RAPIDS STORE EQUIPMENT Gas Versus Drug Prices. We may well pause and wonder at the spectacle of National, state and city governments becoming greatly ex- ercised over the recent cut-rate war on gasoline, when that popular commodity sold for less than half its usual price in the metropolitan centers of the coast and in some of the smaller cities as well. These cut prices were said to be “ruinous” to the oil industry. If con- tinued for long, they undoubtedly would be just that. But no National, state or city of- ficials get excited over the “ruinous” cut prices prevailing in the drug busi- ness. Why? Does it make a difference whether the industry “ruined” is controlled by vast corporations, rather than consist- ing of a lot of individual retailers? Apparently it does. . One of these days when a sufficently large percentage of our retailers are so organized that they can be counted upon as a unit and act in unison, there will, perhaps be more of an interest taken by National, state and city of- ficials in the condition of the drug in- dustry. % Two very interesting things happen- ed in the gas war which was apparent- ly started by some of the larger com- panies to stamp out some undesirable competition, One of these was the fact, regardless of the price at which gas was sold, the retailer was protected as to his profit, at least in a measure, In other words, the “retailer got his’ no matter what gas sold for. How different this is from the drug situation, where condi- tions are reversed and where the re- tailer bears all of the brunt of a cut- rate war. The other interesting thing was the way prices went up over night to the “pre-war” level when the powers be- hind the throne decided to call a halt to the price war. To-night “gas 10 cents” on every side; to-morrow, “gas 21% cents” everywhere, No manipulation there—of course not. The idea! No price agreements. Certainly not! No understanding among the producers. Positively none! Everyone just got tired, producers and retailers alike, and all at the same time. They all thought the same thoughts (individually, not collectively, of course), and as individuals decided CORPORATION GRAND RAPIDS ~ MICHIGAN UREA ETT PTT ATT Succeeding GRAND RAPIDS SHOWCASE CO. UE LEE ULL REPEL DRUG STORE FIXTURES Planned to make every foot of store into sales space. WELCH-WILMARTH CORPORATION HUA TUM TI TTI DRUG STORE PLANNING Recommendations to fit individual conditions. upon the same action. Strangest of all, they all decided, as individuals, on the same retail price for their particular community. What a farce! Let a manufacturer of a drug store item try to control his resale price in the same wav and see what would happen. Why should the oil industry be permitted to do it when it is specifically unlawful in other lines? It is folly to let a cut-rate war “ruin” the oil industry. But it is folly, like- wise, to permit that industry to first start a war to run out competition and later stop it overnight, by united agree- ment and action and then make “fish” of other industries by saying “thou shalt not” do the same thing, If it is folly to ruin an oil industry, why isn’t it just as much folly to allow ruinous price cutting to continue un- abated in one of the Nation’s largest retail industries? Where is the differ- ence in principle? 22. >_____ The “Common Cold” Virus. Hunting the biggest game is often big sport, sometime for very little men. Hunting the smallest game is the specialty of Johns Hopkins scientists. They think they have found it in the virus of what is called “the common cold,” but since the creature: is wholly invisible to the most powerful micro- scope he isn’t yet regarded as worthy of a name. The ordinary cold rarely kills a hu- man being all by itself. But it opens ‘the way for bigger brothers, the bacil- lus influenzae of diphtheria, the bac- terium pneumosintes of grip, the cocco bacillus of whooping cough, and the pneumo-coccus of pneumonia, And all without their assistance the virus of the common cold produces as much human discomfort as any ill the flesh is heir to. Millions sneeze or wheeze or cough for months in our climate. The person who has only one or two colds a year is lucky. With the John Jacob Abel $150,000 fund at their disposal, the Johns Hop- kins’ bacteriologists will hunt this in- visibility to its lair, where it may be isolated even if unseen. With isola- tion may come a preventive virus for inoculation. Later a law of states or of the Nation to compel every man, woman and child to be inoculated. That is the ultimate aim of modern bacteriology. POT LCL! s oe e nt nein in December 31, 1930 MI CHIGAN TRADESMAN 27 Constant Advertising : . When he is loyal to hi 1 a -” Irvin Cobb is a humorist, but he’ = ga aks sity WHOLES RRE ; : es and not false to the ones wi ALE DRUG PRI also a keen-eyed analysit of humanity. he works. - aaa CE CU NT “Nothi : i i : * a ene ie = fashioned as fast When he intelligently co-operates Prices quoted are nominal, based on market the day of issue. (. oS : » unless it is a society with the other members of the organ- Acids Cotton Seed drama or an egg,” : ee an ---- 1 35@1 60 Benzoin Comp’d @2 4 gg,” is one of his more ization. Boric (Powd.)-.10 @ 20 Cubebs -.______ 5 00@5 25 Buchu : cu recent observations. ; : Boric (Xtal) -.10 @ 20 Higeron --_____ 4 425 Cantharides ____ Oo a2 ia: : see . When he is studying and preparing Carbolic -------- 38 @ 44 Hucalyptus -_...125@1 60 Capsicum _..____ = 2 usiness history is littered with the himself for a higher position with bet. Saistie Tazz uo 85 Fear | pare. 2 00@2 25 Catechu ----___- @1 ia stori i . a6 : erries_ @4 175 Cinchona ________ oe ne of firms that thought their repu- ter pay. Nitric ---..-_--- 9 @ 15 Juniper Wood ~ 1 50@1 75 aaa. bs - hoc Med tations so firmly established that they Oxalic —-------- 15, @ 25 par extra ---- 1 $3@1 65 Cubebs — | : : -—__«+~<—__ Sulphuric ------ 3%@ 8 Lard, No. 1 _--125@140 Digitalis. 3 os could not get “old-fashioned.” Why He Cried Tartaric ....---- 43. @ 65 Lavender Flow__ 6 00@6 25 Gate @2 04 j Competition is too keen to let past A 1 Ze ee is ion Gar'n_ 1 25@1 60 Guaiac _—____"-" @2 3 reputation substitute for sal _#& male quartet was singing planta- Ammonia Linseed “tolled bh oO 3 Teciine — es Toh Bice labia ch sales. tion melodies. As the affair proceeded, Water, 26 deg...07 @ 18 Linseed, raw, bbl. — @ an Iodine ac @1 25 : ying habits change from day to a man ina front seat was seen to wipe Water pa S 2 45 Lp ene bid, less 85@ 98 Iron, Clo. S al 86 a : ater, eg.-- ed, raw, ino 2 ’ ce : his eyes and a few moments later burst Carbonate 4 -_ 25 Mustard, aeuiik'ca os = mos ------------ @1 44 New buyers come into the market into tears. ; Chloride (Gran.) 08 @ 18 ive oa ----~- 1 25@1 35 Nux Vomica ---- oi 80 as new generations come forward. The manager of the quartet who had Balsams Olive,“ Mala a oatne. Camp. be ny reo ges Constant advertising is what will observed the incident slipped around Copaiba -.------ 1 00@1 25 one mak a. — ioe De 40 keep reputations new-fashioned and at and touched the man on the shoulder. a ee 4 fb 00 green. 2 es @1 92 the same time add the newcomers to “Sir, said he, “our quartet deeply Peru neem 3 208 80 Oren “ate Paints i the old customers. appreciates the compliment you have °° 2.00@2 25 Origanum; com‘ 1 o0Se o (lee red dry — 13% @14% CES ee ce paid it by this display of emotion. You Barks Poe oe i 3008 7 : white ‘On Mole i Keep the Store Bright. are a Southerner, no doubt?” Cassia (ordinary). 25@ 30 ye pure ____ 13 50@14 00 Ocere hrc bbl. .@ 2% Most folks are more or less “finicky” “No,” gulped the man, “I am a oe =e ¢ Sandelwood, B 126@1 60 Red Venet'a ‘Amn. 3440 7 i about their food. And same applies to ™USician.” Soap Cut Sowa en t......uwene bog anaes Eng. 4@ 8 ¥. practically all kinds of goods, whether —_>> + 38¢ ------------- 20@ 30 eee true 2 00@2 2% Whiting, bbi, oR a i drugs or whatnot. We want articles T 1 it Ta Not Easy. Berries Spearmint ------ 6 o0g6 = Rogers Prop. 891, , : . : oO seat : rm ___ ae a j we buy clean and sanitary, and this uni- To pet ges Cubeb -----.------ @ 99 Fany —. ae 0097 25 Msceiil : Gand deste fine ack gin over— oa a «= tar var. 65 celllaneous 2 ; ve os os cai To admit error— Juniper _.-----.-.10@ 20 Turpentine, bbl. __ 6 a Acetanalid _____ 57@ 75 al extends its influence to the store itself. To b Prickly Ash -—--- @ 7% Jurpentine. less 59@ 72 cae moe cu oe , A bright, cheery store with the goods a ' uaneea et 6 00@6 25 ground ~~~ es 09 ’ neatly arranged on shining shelves = ae or pia Extracts oa < Wintergreen, auaas — an Oe ‘ creates a pleasing impression and the = . a Licorice, powd. -- 60@ 70 Winton Se Tol 00 Borax xtal or ema: ; impulse to buy is given a big push O Pe. KoneKierate Worm Seed '____ 6 00@6 S cone —-- 6@ 13 ms 4 ah The druggist who realizes how great is To keep on trying— Flossers Vee (ete alomel en 2 7208 82 Arnica ____------ 15@ 80 Capsicum, pow’ = the, effect of external appearance and Bi ae and then act— Chamomile Ged.) io 40 Potasslum Carmine "°°" 4, dvo9 oo takes the time and trouble to increase paieie by mistakes— ee See @125 Bicarbonate 35@ 40° ‘Gloves 2 ¢ Be ieee Gk Bie cise cat To forgive and forget— Bichromate _--- 1s@ 25 Chalk Prepared. 144 °° ok shortly di ; : To shoulder a deserved bl Guse Bromide ---______ 69@ 35 Shloroform “ue ae / * k shortly iscover that his sales will ame, Acacia, 1st ______ @ 60 Bromide Se 54@ 71 Choral Hydrate 1 an ne : move wp accordingly. —But It Always Pays. aeert, ang | @. 50 on cava. ao 28 a Pe 12 s5O43 . o jee +++. cacia, Sorts __ 35@ 40 ~or xta, POW @ 2% Gorka jitter --- 60@ 96 When Is yi a Succeun? Advice To Clerks. Sone a eect 7 - Cyanide ple Ss a te S, list, less ont ‘ j When he folises i Ganda ence hac Put in a full eight hour day of good Aloes (Cape Pow.) 25@ 35 LSoearatsl Eeccarycagay Per Age eee pai : io i ‘ conscientious work and don’ aoe Cae How) Oe MN Pras o— 24 Coane ces ee , enemies. an ont worry, Asafoetida 50@ 60 Bee yellow 35@ 45 Ge Sublm 2 25@2 30 5 : : e, r artar ‘ tice be dads nei eaceck ts ead and then sometime you will get to be ee a mE Sulphate hoe 250 40 Cuttle porn = rr a ' pay far poor service. boss and can work sixteen hours a day ausine cee =. -@. 60 : oe Bonn 64O = “ : uaiac, id . 7 o 8 ae Whee he docs not wait ul to - ome ao Os Roots Kmery, All Nos. 10° 9s f 3 ; : : Ta ee Kino, ps ‘ Alkane ry, Po . | morrow to do the things that should The world is for the man who is able Myre enna ol 1b Blood, ‘powdered. 400 is oo Salts, “bbls, 03%, be done to-day. t Myrrh, powdered @125 Calamus _____ 2 Som Salts, less 3% @ i o put more butter on its bread. Opium, powd. 21 00@21 50 Hlecampane, pwd. 5@ 65 Ergot, powdered Gat of gael ce Gentian peed, nk Ee Witte ate Shelling. “Orange s6@ 65 Ginger, African, “°@ % Honmaldehyde, ib no 2 ee Shellac. White 55@ 70 | powdered.” Gelatine _"~"__" §0@ $8 cc gon GL Ginger Jeu oe Glassware, loss 55m 9% Tragacanth _.. 2 00@2 35 Gineee! phomorenindg “@ & Geeerare, full case 60% LEDGERS — Punpentine ———.' "@. 80 “powdered agg go Sisuber Stn See, Ul S — JOURNALS — RECORDS clams pay $8Qy $0 Glaus, Salts ote of Insecticides Decne powd. -- 5 50@6 00 Glue, Brown Grd 160 a ee 40 Glue, White. a%0 22 Ae : icori 35: 1 DAY BOOKS — CASH BOOKS Smee ca 8G # Gra meeee Be 8 Goma ot Be be | Blue Vitriol, less 08@ 15 F0ke, Powdered in @ 40 ae MEMORANDUM BOOKS, Retail 5c and up | Simecuai #2 © Eaters pows, «gs te seals oy or & ae LETTER FILES —LETTER CAP—C somomagred —---;,16@ 2g Sarmaparilia ond. ©) yaad Aeciaio —" 20g 30 : CARD | iets She" Soe keno go Meee, Se _-—---- 09@ 23 Squills, powdered 709 80 oe J. INDEX—ORDER BOOKS—PE. I [ Y D AY Paris. Green ._.. 26%@46% Eomnente, powd... 20@ 25 Vomica “er 33 » |. erian, powd. -. @ 60 panna. mica. pow. 15@ 4 BOOKS—TALLY BOOKS—AUTO AND | au, "” 6 oe ener. Whitey 168 ts sawiared Quascig SUNY. 209 25 ak. WAGON DELIVERY BOOKS—INCOME | Sige Buk". ag i ‘nine, “powdered 09 1 Rocnells soits "9 te . ooze -— ma & ..W.. BG 3@ _ 3 a Sage, powdered-_. @ 3 C ne ... 2 6 TAX RECORDS seine Alex 0 Sa poe ue 8 oie Uva Ursi --__-. " 20@ 2% 275 08m. green _—_ ino 3 cast _ Complete Assortment. Ask Our Salesmen, Oils = - eo —— eit — = 5 Soap, white Castlla or See Samples in Our Sample Room. cn ee oenugreek, pw 6@ 2 soda “abn DAT —— Qt 60 artificial 3 00@3 25 Lobelia, powd. __ @1 20 Soda, Bicarbonate 3%@ 10 ' Almonds, Sweet, Mustard. yellow 17@ 25 Spirits Camphor @ fue 1 50@1 80 P usard, black... 20@ 25 Sulphur, on @1 20 4 Almonds, Sweet, oppy --_. 15@ 30 Sulphur. Subi ~~~ seaming, gras Sethe * BG" Ramana — RS . crude -- m tie Sunflower -_______ Turnentine oa oe s Amber, rectified 1 50@1 75 18 ia 2 00@2 25 Worm, American 3 40 Vanilla Ex. pure 1 50@2 aa Bergamont q Worm, Lavant _ 6 50@7 00 Venilla i ‘ Cajeput -------- 2 00@2 25 Zine Su egete 2 25@2 50 phate __ Hazeltine & Perkins Drug Co. Cassia ——---- $ vogs 25 Tinctures oo ; ; Cedar Leaf ..-__ 2 00@2 25 A er Cigar Co. B . Grand Rapids Michigan Manistee a ‘oo. se Cao "60 oves —...._..... Fn eee Cocoanut —-—--- 27%@ 36 pose aati Soha 3? z bose so Cadillacs __ 78 Hy “ Cod Liver —_-_- 1 40@2 00 “Belladonna. @144 _ Panatelae ee a -- 800@8 25 Benzoin --_______ @228 Commodore ~~ oe and are intended to be correct at time of going to liable to change at any time, MICHIGAN TRADESMAN GROCERY PRICE CURRENT These quotations are carefully corrected weekly, within six hours of mailing press. Prices, however, are and merchants will have their orders filled at mar- ket prices at date of purchase. For price changes compare with previous issues ae = ADVANCED Beef Veal Lard DECLINED AMMONIA MICA oR es Be es 6 25 10 1 per doz. 9 40 . pails, per doz. 12 60 . pails, per doz. 19 15 . pails, per doz. 19 15 APPLE BUTTER Quaker, 24-21 oz., doz. 2 10 Quaker, 12-38 oz., doz. 2 35 BAKING POWDERS Arctic, 7 oz. tumbler 1 35 Royal, 10c, doz. -----_ 95 Royal, 4 oz, doz. ---_ 1 85 Royal} 6 oz., doz. -.-. 2 50 Royal, 12 oz., doz. -. 4 95 Royal, 1 Vege ase 40 Calumet, 4 oz., doz. 95 Calumet, 8 oz., doz. 1 Calumet, 16 oz. oa 2 i0 e 5 Ib., doz. Caiemet’ 10 ib., Goz. 18 60 Rumford, 12 oz.. doz. 2 40 Rumford, 5 Ib.. doz. 12 50 K. C. Brand Per case 10c size, 4 doz. --.... 3 70 15c size, 4 doz. ---—- 5 50 20c size, 4 doz. —----- 7 20 25c size. 4 doz. ------ 9 20 50c size, 2 doz. ---... 8 80 i 6 85 BLEACHER CLEANSER Clorox, 16 oz., 24s -- 3 8 Lizzie, 16 oz., 126 ..-- 2 16 BLUING Am. Ball,36-1 oz.,cart. Quaker, 1% oz.. Non- f doze: reeze, Boy Blue, 36s, per cs. Perfumed Biuing 4 oz., 128 ist Lizette, 10 oz., — Lizette, 10 oz., 248 ~. 2 BEANS and PEAS Brown Swedish Beans 9 90 1 00 E Ki White H’d P. Beans 5.50 Col. Lima Beans ---- 9 75 Black Eye Beans -- 16 00 Split Peas, Yellow -. 6 50 Split Peas, Green ---_ 7 00 Scotch Peas ------.. 4 95 BURNERS Queen Ann, No. 1 and white Flame, “No. 1 and 2, doz. BOTTLE CAPS Obl. Lacguor, 1 gross pkg., per gross -.._ 16 BREAKFAST FOODS Kellogg’s Brands. oa Corn Flakes, No. 136 Flakes, No. 124 2 85 Pep, No. 224 _.._..__ 2 70 Pep, No. 202 -_...... 2 00 Krumbles, No. 424 _... 2 70 so » No. 624 2 45 Bran Flakes, No. 602 1 50 Rice , 6 ox. _. 2 70 Rice 1 oz. -. 110 Kaffe Hag, 12 1-lb. AORN 15 All Bran, 16 oz. _____ 2 25 All Bran, 10 oz. ~_____ 2 70 All Bran, % oz. ____ 2 00 ROLLED OATS Purity Brand Instant Flake, sm., 48s 3 70 Instant Flake, lge., 18s 3 50 Regular Flake, sm., 48s 3 70 Regular Flake, lg., 18s 3 50 China Instant Flake, Aree. dae 25 China Regular Flake. dnrge. 125 2 25 Chest-O-Silver Instant Flake, large, 12s __ 3 35 Chest-O-Silver Regular Flakes, large 12s -_ 3 35 Post Brands. Grape-Nuts, 24s -.____ 3 80 Grape-Nuts, 100s -.._ 2 75 Instant Postum, No. 8 5 40 Instant Postum, No. 10 4 50 Postum Cereal, No. 0 2 25 Post Toasties. 36s _. 2 85 Post Toasties, 24s -. 2 85 Post’s Bran, 24s _.. 2 70 BROOMS et Jewell, doz. i pee cas Standard Parlor, 23 lb. 8 25 Fancy Parlor, 23 Ib... 9 25 Ex. Fancy Parlor 25 lb. 9 75 Ex. Fcy. Parlor 26 lb. * ne Toy ---____.____._.__ Whisk, No. 3 -_------ 2 75 BRUSHES Scrub Solid Back, 8 in. -... 1 50 Solid Back, 1 in. ---- : 75 Pointed Ends ~-...... 1 25 Stove ee 1 80 No: 2)... 3 Paste 2. 2 60 Shoe No. 4-0 =... 8B a8 No. 2-0 8 80 BUTTER COLOR Dandelion —..--.--..-. 2 85 CANDLES Electric Light, 40 Ibs. 12.1 Plumber, 40 Ibs. -.-.. 12.8 Paraffine, 6s ---.-- --~ 14% Paraffine, 12s -~.----- 14% Wicking ..._..._.._. -~ 40 Tudor, 6s. per box -. 30 CANNED FRUITS Hart Brand Appies No. 2 5 75 Blackberries ND. 2 6. Pride of Michigan -... 3 25 Cherries Mich. red, No. 10 ~-..11 75 Red, No, 10. 12 25 Red, No: 2 ......... 415 Pride of Mich. No. 2_. 3 65 Marcellus Red -_-... 3 10 Special Pie ~~... 2 60 Whole White -.__--_-_ 3 10 Gooseberries No. 10 8 00 Pears 19 oz. glass ~....-____ 5 65 Pride of Mich. No. 2% 4 20 Piums Grand Duke, No. 2%4__ 3 25 Yellow Eggs No. 2%4_. 3 25 Black Raspberries m0. 2 3 75 Pride of Mich. No. 2_. 3 25 Pride of Mich. No. 1.. 2 35 Red Raspberries Oe 3 35 Ne 3 75 Marcellus, No. 2 ....- 3 75 Pride of Mich. No. 2.. 4 6 Strawberries No: 2. 4 25 NO. 8 3 00 Marcellus, No. 2 _.___ 3 25 Pride of Mich. No. 2__ 3 75 CANNED FISH Clam Ch’der, 10% oz. 1 35 Clam Chowder, No. 2_ 2 75 Clams, Steamed. No. 1 3 00 Clams, Minced, No. % 2 25 Finnan Haddie, 10 oz. 3 30 Clam Bouillon, 7 oz.. 2 50 Chicken Haddie, No. 1 2 75 Fish Flakes, small _. 1 35 Cod Fish Cake, 10 oz. 1 55 Cove Oysers, 5 oz. _. 1 75 Lobster, No. %4, Star 2 90 Shrimp, 1, wet —__.__ 215 Sard’s, % Oil, Key _. 6 10 Sard’s, 4% Oil, Key __ 5 00 Sardines, % Oil, k’leas 4 75 Salmon, Red Alaska_. 3 76 Salmon, Med. Alaska 2 8§ Salmon, Pink, Alaska 1 35 Sardines, Im. \%, ea. 10@22 Sardines, Im., %, ea. 25 Sardines, Cal. __ 1 35@2 25 Tuna, %, Curtis, doz. 8 60 Tuna, %s, Curtis, doz. 2 20 Tuna, % Blue Fin _. 2 25 Tuna, 1s, Curtis. doz. 7 00 Bacon, Med. Beechnut 2 70 Bacon, Lge. t 4 50 Beef. No 1, Corned <_ 2 80 Beef No. 1, Roast __ 3 00 Beef, 2 oz., Qua., ali. 1 3 Beef, 3% oz. Qua. 2 25 Beef, 5 oz., Am. Sliced 3 00 Beef, No. 1, B’nut, sli. 4 50 Potted Ham, Gen. 1 45 Vienna Saus. No. % 1 36 Vienna Sausage, Qua. 930 Veal Loaf, Medium __ 2 25 Baked Beans Campbells Van Camp, smali Van Camp, med. CANNED VEGETABLES Hart Brand Baked Beans Medium, Plain or Sau. 80 No. 10, Sauce —_______ 5 60 Lima Beans Little Dot, No. 2 _.. 3 10 Little Quaker, No. 10.14 00 Little Quaker, No. 1. 1 95 Baby, No. 2 ......-.. 2 80 Baby, No.1 1 95 Pride of Mich. No, 1.. 1 65 Marcellus, No. 10 -__. 8 75 — Kidney Beans Oe 20 ee --— 6 50 INO. DB 3 70 No. 2 1 30 NO. 8 2 ee String Beans Little Dot, No: 2 _.-. 3 30 Little Dot, No. 1 -... 2 50 Little Quaker, No. 1_. 2 00 Little Quaker, No. 2__ 2 90 Choice Whole, No. 10_12 . Choice Whole, No. 2__ 2 Choice Whole, No. 1__ 1 80 Cut, No. 10 10 50 Ut, Ne. 2 oo 2 10 i No. 22 -- 1 60 Pride of Mich. No. 2._ 1 75 Marcellus, No. 2 ____ 1 50 Marcellus, No. 10 ____ 8 25 Wax Beans Litlet Dot, No. 2 ____ 2 75 Little Dot, No. 1 ____ 2 00 Little Quaker, No. 2__ 2 65 . 2. 2 50 Choice Whol, No, 1._ 1 75 Cut, No. 10 ~_-.______ 10 50 Cut. No.8 o25 3 8 Cut, No. 1... 3% | = 4 45 Pride of Michigan -__ 1 75 Marcellus Cut, No. 10_ 8 25 Beets Small, No. 2% —_____ 3 00 Marcellus Cut, No. 10. 3 00 2 50 Pride of Michigan __ : ne Marcel. Whole, No. 2% 1 85 Carrots Diced, No. 2 ~_..___ -- 1 40 Diced, No. 10 -.______ 7 00 Corn Golden Ban., No. 3__ 3 60 Golden Ban., No. 2.. 2 00 Golden Ban., No. 10.10 75 Little Dot, No. 2 -... Little Quaker, No. 2_ Little Quaker, No. 1. Country, Gen., No. 1_ Country Gen. No. 2__ Pride of Mich., No. 5_ Pride of Mich., No. 2_ Pride of Mich., No. 1_ Marcellus, No. 5 ____ Marcellus, No. 2 _.__ Marcellus, No. 1 at Deh bet bet ni Bet eet OTD Pet fat ft Be ~] oe Fancy Crosby, No. 2.. 1 80 Fancy Crosby, No. 1. 1 45 Peas Little Dot, No. 2 ___. 2 60 Little Dot, No. 1 _-_. 1 80 Little Quaker, No. 10 12 00 Little Quaker, No. 2__ 2 40 Little Quaker, No. 1__ 1 65 bifted E. June, No. 10_10 00 Sifted E. June, No. 5_. 5 75 Sifted E. June, No. 2._ 1 90 Sifted E. June, No. 1__ 1 40 Belle of Hart, No. 2_. 1 90 Pride of Mich., No. 10_ 9 10 Pride of Mich., No. 2._ 1 75 Gilman E. June, No. 2 1 40 Marcel., EB. June, No. 2 1 40 Marcel., EB. Marcel., E. Ju., No. 10 7 50 Pumpkin NO. 420 5 50 PUR ae es 1 80 No. 2 1 45 Marcellus, No. 10 _-.. 4 50 Marcellus, No. 24% .__ 1 40 Marcellus No. 2 ___._ 1 15 Sauerkraut GG. 20 oe 5 00 NO. 2% 2 4 gp nO: 2 ee 1 25 Spinach No: 3% 2 2 50 m0. @ a 80 CS Squash Boston, No. 3 ________ 1 80 Succotash Golden Bantum, No. 2 2 76 Little Dot, No. 2 ..__ 2 65 Little Quaker ._______ 2 40 Pride of Michigan ____ 2 15 Tomatoes NG 30: So 6 60 No. 24 2 2 25 I Bs 1 65 Pride of Mich., No. 2% 2 25 Pride of Mich., No. 2_. 1 60 CATSUP, Beech-Nut, small ____ 1 60 Beech-N: large -... 2 40 ut, Lily of Valley, 14 oz.__ 2 25 Lily of Valley, % pint 1 66 1 Sniders, 8 oz. -_______ 55 Sniders, 16 oz. ______ 36 Quaker, 10 oz. ..____ 1 35 Quaker, 14 oz, —_.___ 80 * Quaker, Gallon Glass 12 00 Quaker, Gallon Tin —_ 7 26 CHIL! SAUCE Snider, 16 oz. -._____. 15 Snider, 8 oz. -.-_____. 2 20 Lilly Valley, 8 oz. _. 2 25 Lilly Valley, 14 oz. __ 3 25 OYSTER -gipcatceaags Sniders, 16 oz. ______ 15 Sniders, 8 oz. ______ 2 20 CHEESE Roquefort ~_..-_________ 62 Wisconsin Daisy ______ 21 Wisconsin Flat ________ 21 New York June _______ 32 Sap Sago 200 40 TOO es 22 Michigan Flats __..____ 21 Michigan Daisies ______ 21 Wisconsin Longhorn __ 21 Imported Leyden ______ 28 1 ib. Limburger ___ _ 26 Imported Swiss 56 Kraft Pimento Loaf __ 29 Kraft American Loaf _. 27 Kraft Brick Loaf ______ 27 Kraft Swiss Loaf ______ 35 Kraft Old Eng. Loaf__ 44 Kraft, Pimento, % Kraft, American, % Ib. 1.90 Kraft, Brick, % Ib. __ 1 90 Kraft Limburger, % Ib. 1 90 Kraft Swiss, % Ib. _ 2.00 CHEWING GUM A Black Jack __.. 65 Adams Bloodderry ____ 65 Adams Dentyne —___.. 65 Adams Calif. Fruit __ 65 Adams Sen Sen _.____ 6 Beeman’s Pepsin -_____ 65 Beechnut Wintergreen_ Beechnut Peppermint__ Beechnut Spearmint __ Doublemint —.-.________ 65 Peppermint, Wrigleys -_ 65 Spearmint, Wrigleys __ 65 Juicy Fruit -._.______ 65 —* P-K 65 Reo). Cite Droste’s Dutch, 1 Ib... 8 50 Droste’s Dutch, % Ib. 4 50 Droste’s Dutch, % Ib. 2 35 Droste’s Dutch, 5 lb. 60 Checolate Apples ..._ 4 50 Pastelles, No. 1 __-. 12 60 Pastelles, % Ib. ~_-__- 6 60 Pains De Cafe _______ 3 00 Droste’s: Bars, 1 doz. 2 00 Delft Pastelles _.____ 15 1 lb. Rose Tin Bon ROG oe 8 00 7 oz. Rose Tin Bon ee 13 oz. Creme De eas oS ae ae ec lara 20 12 oz. Rosaces -....._ 10 80 % lb. Rosaces -....... 7 80 % |b. Pastelles __..__ 3 40 Langnes De Chats -. 4 80 CHOCOLATE Baker, Caracas, %s .___ 37 Baker, Caracas, %s _... 35 sLOTHES LINE Femp, 50 ft. _.. 2 00@2 25 Twisted Cotton, 0 ft 25 Sash Cord -..___ 2 50@2 75 COFFEE ROASTED Old Masi 1 Ib. Package Melrose 222 9 caberty 220 17% iar 31 NearOW 2 30 Morton House ______ $8 ROMO 6 28 imperial: a. 40 Masestic 3 3 Boston Breakf’t Blend 27% McLaughlin’s Kept-Fresh M. Y., per 100 ...___ 12 Frank’s 50 pkgs. __ 4 25 Hummel’s 50 1 ib. 10% CONDENSED MILK 7 00 Leader, 4 doz. Eagie, 4 doz. __...___ 9 00 MILK COMPOUND Hebe, Tall, 4 doz. -._ 4 50 Hebe, Baby, 8 doz. __ 4 40 Carolene. Tall, 4 doz. 3 80 Carolene, Raby —____. 3 50 EVAPORATED MILK 410 y 4 00 Quaker, Tall, 4 doz.__ 3 75 Quaker, Baby, 2 doz. 3 65 Quaker, Gallon, % doz. 3 70 Carnation, Tall, 4 doz. 4 20 Carnation, Baby, 8 dz. 4 10 Oatman’s Dundee, Tall 4 20 Oatman’s D’dee, Balby 4 10 Every Day, Tall ___. 4 20 Bvery Day, Baby .... 4 16 December 31, 1930 Pet, Tal os 4 20 Pet, Baby, 8 oz. ____. 410 Borden’s Tall ________ 4 20 Borden’s Baby _______ 410 CIGARS Airedale. 0 35 00 Havana Sweets _____ 35 Hemeter Champion __38 50 Canadian Club ______ 5d us Robert Emmett _.__ 75 v0 Tom Moore Monarch 75 00 Webster Cadillac ____ 75 vv Webster Astor Foil__ 75 vv Webster Knickbocker 95 Webster Albany Foil 95 0v Bering Apollos ______ 95 00 Bering Palmitas __ 115 0 Bering Diplomatica 115 0( Bering Delioses ____ 120 00 Bering Favorita ____ 135 vv Bering Albas ____ 1hu: CONFECTIONERY Stick Candy Pails Pure Sugar Sticks-600c 4 0( Big Stick, 20 lb. case 18 Horehound Stick, 6c __ 18 Mixed Candy Kindergarten _____.____ : eager 13 French Creams _____.__ 15 Paris Creams ____._____ 16 (Grocers ll Fancy Mixture _______. 17 Fancy Chocolates 5 lb. boxes Bittersweets, Ass’ted 1 75 Milk Chocolate A A 1 75 Nibble Sticks ____... 1 75 Chocolate Nut Rolls — 1 85 Magnolia Choc _____. 1 25 Bon Ton Choc. ______ 1 50 Gum Drops Pails ATSB ee 16 Champion Gums _____. 16 Challenge Gums ______ 14 Jelly Strings -.._______ 18 Lozenges Pails A. A. Pep. Lozenges __ 15 A. A. Pink Lozenges _. 15 A. A. Choe. Lozenges... 15 Motto Hearts _.._______ 19 Malted Milk Lozenges __ 21 Hard Goods Paiis Lemon Drops 19 O, F. Horehound dps... 18 Anise Squares ________ 18 Peanut Squares __.____ 17 Cough Drops Bxs Pinan eo 1 35 Smith Bros 58 1 45 buden's 1 45 Package Goods Creamery Marshmallows 4 oz. pkg., 12s, cart. 85 4 oz. pkg., 48s, case 3 40 : Specialties Pineapple Fudge ______ 18 Italian Bon Bons ______ 17 Banquet Cream Mints_ 2% Silver King M.Mallows 1 15 Handy Packages, 12-10c x0 COUPON BOOKS 50 Economic grade 2 6¢@ 100 Economic grade 4 60 500 Economic grade 20 00 1000 Economic grade 37 50 Where 1,000 books are ordered at a time, special- ly printed front cover is furnished without charge. CREAM OF TARTAR 6 Ib. boxes ...____ Ce | DRIED FRUITS Appies N. Y. Fey., 50 lb. box 15% N. Y. Fey., 14 oz. pkg. 16 Apricots Evaporated, Choice ____ 16 Evaporated, Fancy ____ 20 Evaporated, Slabs ____. Citron 10 lb. box Currants Packages, 14 oz. ______ 17 Greek, Bulk, lb. ______ 16% Dates Dromedary, 36s ______ 6 76 Peaches Evap. Choice Peel Lemon, American ______ 28 Orange, American _____ 28 Raisins Seeded, bulk ________ -08 Thompson’s s’dless Blk 07 Thompson’s seedless, 50) OB nes OO Seeded, 15 oz. WW. - 10 California Prunes 90@100, 25 lb. boxes__@05% 0@ 25 Ib. boxes__.@06 b. 18@24, tb. boxes..@16% ai a. - roa wan. December 31, 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Hominy ; Pearl, 100 lb. sacks __ 3 50 Macaroni Mueller’s'' Brands 9 oz. package, per doz. 1 30 9 oz. package, per case 2 60 £ Bulk Goods Elbow, 20 lb. ______ 614@8 Egg Noodle, 10 Ibs. __ 14 Pearl Barley Be ae ese ees ot 00 Barley Grits -_.______ 5 00 Oe 3 76 i age Hast bidia 22 10 Tapioca Pearl. 100 lb. sacks __ 09 Minute, 8 0z., 5 doz. 4 05 Dromedary Instant __ 3 50 Jiffy Punch 3 doz. Carton ________ 2 25 Assorted flavors. FLOUR Vv. C. Milling Co. Brands ddly White <2) Harvest Queen ________ Yes Ma’am Graham, RG 2 20 Lee & Cady Brands American Eagle ____ Home Baker ___.___. FRUIT CANS 4 Mason F. O. B. Grand Rapids Half pint 22) 7 50 One pine 2025 7 75 One quart _______ = 9 10 Half ealion: 2. 12 15 Ideal Glass Top Half rae ee te 9 O pint: 2 one quart Half gallon __________ 15 : GELATINE ' Jell-O, 3 doz. 0 2 85 Minute, 3 doz. ___.__ 4 05 Plymouth, White ____ 1 55 Quaker, 3 doz. ______ 2 25 SURESET PRODUCTS Made in Grand Rapids Sureset Gelatin Des- sert, 4 doz. -_._____ 3 20 JELLY AND PRESERVES Pure, 30 lb. pails _... 3 30 Imitation, 30 Ib. pails 1 85 Pure, 6 oz., Asst., doz. 90 Pure Pres., 16 oz., dz. 2 40 JELLY GLASSES 8 oz., per doz. OLEOMARGARINE «+ Van Westenbrugge Brands Carload Distributor Nucoa, 1 1b. 2014 Nucoa, 2 Ib. -_---.__- 20 Wilson & Co.’s Brands Oleo Certified: 22 24 Ge 18 Special Rell. 19 MATCHES Diamond, 144 box __ Searchlight, 144 box_. 4 Vhio Red Label, 144 bx 4 Ohio Blue Tip, 144 box 5 Ohio Blue Tip. 720-1c 4 00 *Reliable, 144 3 144 2 *Pederal, 144 ________ Safety Matches Quaker. 5 gro. case___ 4 25 MULLER’S PRODUCTS Macaroni, 9 oz. ------ 2 20 Spaghetti 9 oz. -_---- Elbow Macaroni, Egg Noodles, 6 0z. -__- Egg Vermicelli, a Egg Alphabets, 6 oz._. 2 20 Ege A-B-Cs 48 pkgs... 1 80° NUTS—Whole Almonds, Tarragona__ 19 Brail, Large 2.0. 23 Fancy Mixed ________ 22 Filberts, Sicily ______ 20 Peanuts, Vir. Roasted. 11 Peanuts. Jumbo, std. 13 Pecans, 3, star —_____ 25 Pecans, Jumbo —_____ 40 Pecans, Mammoth __ 50 Walnuts, Cal. _... 27@29 EficKory 2.20 07 Salted Peanuts Bancy, No. t 2 14 Shelled Almonds Salted ________ 95 Peanuts, Spanish 125 Ib. bags —______ aee Filberts _______ = 32 Pecans Salted _ - 87 Walnut Burdo ________ Walnut, Manchurian __ 55 MINCE MEAT None Such, 4 doz. ___ 6 47 Quaker, 3 doz. case __ 3 50 Libby, Kegs, wet, Ib. 22 OLIVES 4 oz. Jar, Plain, doz. 1 10 oz. Jar, Plain, doz. 2 14 oz. Jar, Plain, doz 4 Pint Jars, Plain, doz. 2 75 Quart Jars, Plain, doz. 5 1 Gal. Glass Jugs, Pla. 1 5 Gal. Kegs, each ____ 7 3% oz. Jar, Stuff., doz. 1 6 oz. Jar, Stuffed, doz. 9% oz. Jar, Stuff., doz. 1- Gal. Jugs, Stuff., dz. PARIS GREEN TAS oe es 34 Ee ee a ee 32 2B and: Ge oo 30 Pp RRIMED Ig Hcp Bel Car-Mo Brand of bibs Ting 22202 3: 4 35 8 0z., 2 doz. in case __ 2 65 15 1D. patie 2 20 1D: pails 8 PETROLEUM PRODUCTS From Tank Wagon Red Crown Gasoline .. 19.7 Red Crown Ethyl _._. 22.7 Solite Gasoline _______ 22.7 in fron Barrels Perfection Kerosine __ 14.6 Gas Machine Gasoline 38.] Vv. M. & P. Naphtha__ 18.8 1SO-VIS MOTOR OILS In Iron Barrels Bight 2.0 77.1 Medium: 771 Heavy 2.0 i7.1 Ex: Heavy (2027 V7.1 larine Iron Barrels PONG 2 65.1 Medium 220 2.050 65.1 EIGAVY. oe 65.1 Special heavy ________ 65.1 Wxtra heavy 232-3. 65.1 Polarine “Hr -. 65.1 Tranmission Oil 65.1 Finol, 4 oz. cans, doz. 15 Finol, 8 oz. cans, doz. 2 30 Parowax, 100 Ib. _.__ Parowax, 40, 1 Ib. _. 8.55 Parowax, 20, 1 lb. __ 8.8 12 pt. cans 3 00 12 qt. cans 5 00 PICKLES Medium Sour 5 gallon, 400 count __ 4 75 semdac, semdac, Sweet Smail 16 Gallon, 2250 ~_-___ 27 00 5 Gallon, 7680 ________ 9 75 Dil) Pickles Gal. 40 to Tin, doz... 10 25 No. 2% Tins —...-_ 2 26 32 oz. Glass Picked__ 2 80 32 oz. Glass Thrown 2 4 Dill Pickles Bulk ° cer enes seco areren 5 25 16 Gal., 650 ----._____ 11 25 45 Gal., 1300 ----____ 30 00 PIPES Cob, 3 doz. in bx. 1 00@1 20 PLAYING CARDS Battle Axe, per doz. 2 65 Torpedo, per doz. .._. 2 50 POTASH Babbitt’s, 2 doz. ____ 2 75 FRESH MEATS Beef Top Steers & Heif. ____ 19 Good St’rs & H’f. 1544@17 Med. Steers & Heif. __ 13 Com. Steers & Heif. __ 11 Veal POR oss oo a 15 Good 2222 ee es 13 Medium 2.000 11 Lamb Spring Lamb __________ 18 ood 16 Mutton CO0G 12 Medium (22000 11 ROOT 20 es 10 ork Boin, med. 2, 17 Butts (oe 15 Shoulders 22% 13 Svareribs 2205 13 Neck bones ____________ 05 Trimmings 623 30s 10 PROVISIONS Barreled Pork Clear Back __ 25 00@28 00 Short Cut Clear26 00@29 00 Dry Salt Meats DS Bellies __ 18-20@18-17 Lard Pure in tierces _______ 11 6 . tubs -___advance % . tubs ____advance . pails ___advance % - pails __._advance % 5 Ib. pails ----advance 1 3 Ib. pails ____advance 1 Compound tierces quo TEER Compound, tubs _____ 12 Suasages Boloena: 0 16 Diver ore 18 Frankfort 00 20 BOG 208 31 Veal 2 aa ea 19 Tongue, Jellied ________ 35 Headcheese _______- 77 18 Smoked Meats Hams, Cer. 14-16 lb. @24 Hams, Cert., Skinned IG-18 1b, fe @23 Ham, dried beet Cae” = eS @38 ornia Ha fe Picnic Boiled sig rs ee 20 2 Boiled Hams _______ a Minced Hams ______ @18 Bacon 4/6 Cert. 24 @31 Beef Boneless, rump 28 00@36 00 Rump, new __ 29 00@35 00 ee eee 7 Se 55 Sewers ca 10 RICE Fancy Blue Rose So 65 Fancy Head _________ 07 RUSKS Dutch Tea Rusk Co. Brand. 36 rolls, per case 09% YEAST CAKE Magic, 3 doz. __ 2 70 Sunlight, 3 Coa; 2 Sunlight, 1% doz. ___ 13 YEAST—COMP&,z Fleischmann, ~g¢ 30 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN December 31, 1930 How the Henderson Plan Looks To Padberg. We must admit that. Mr. Henderson is rendering a public service. He is educating the public on the menace of chain store systems. He includes them all. He is opposed to mergers, monop- olies; combinations of any kind, that will drain community resources, and cause unemployment. He brings the story into the home. The wage earner is taking heed and slowly but surely being weaned away from chain stores. He is being educated on the neces- sity of building his home town. ‘He is told of his duty toward his children if they should have equal opportunities in the race of self preservation and to live according to an American stand- ard. Mr. Henderson fearlessly exposed the unfair practices of manufacturers, the extension of preferential prices and rebates, short weighing, etc. It is the first time the independent retailer has found someone to take up his cause, in a manner that placed him in his proper light before his customers. He is no coward. For many years, mag- azine writers, economists, radios, etc., have lauded the chain store superiority and efficiency, over the independent retailer. His associations were his only de- fenders. With the limited means at hand, it was impossible to do the job right. He knew if he could educate the housewife to bring his story into the home, chain stores would lose their power, because he was on the right side. Education was the next panacea. Educate the retailer and chain stores can’t hurt him, was heard on ali sides. After an experiment, the educators were found wanting. In almost every case they were in it for money. Trade papers and association writers took up the independent retailers’ causes, but they did not reach the home. of our leaders were afraid to mention chain stores in their attack against them. Henderson, with Station KWKH at his command, covering thirty states, “and if we help him to get increased wave length, will cover the United States,” first demonstrated his power without cost. He put on his program; it appealed to the intelligence of mass- es; the rich and poor. Realizing the impossibility of continuing without money, he asked for $12 per year from anybody who would contribute; no coercion, but voluntary. The fact that over 38,000 responded, in less than a year later, over 800 attended his first convention, everyone present proud to be a contributor, and ready to continue, proves their faith in him. He has of- fered ‘Station KWKH free to associa- tion leaders to tell the chain stores story in their own way. Therefore, before waving Henderson’s offer aside, let us give it serious thought. Let us consider Henderson’s plan. He wants to organize a National Merchants’ Association, consisting of ail lines including professionals, bank- ers, etc., to rid the country of the ap- proaching menace of centralization of business and money. He wants to __grpetuate the initiative of our Ameri- Bran Fsaple and perpetuate America, as = ee opportunity. He asks ‘Many everybody to join hands in this pro- gram. This is the first organization of its kind. We have all special lines of business organized, each feeling they owe the other nothing. Working inde- pendently, sometimes antagonistic. Lo- cal Merchants’ Associations, including every line, can be found in smaller communities, seldom in big cities. Many states have found it necessary to organize state associations, that ip clude all lines in order to get united action. But no one can point to a Na- tional Merchants’ Association, one that accepts members engaged in every line of business. ; Oue of every $12 collected in a state affiliated with the Modern Minute Men of America, Mr. Henderson will re- turn $3 to the officer designated by as- sociations, to tbe used as they see best. He broadcasts the retailers’ story daily. While I am not authorized to say, I believe he will extend the use of KWKH to officers of other Nation- al, state and local associations, provid- ing they have a story to benefit the in- dependent merchant. This will not interfere with existing associations. Now, under Mr. Hen- derson’s plan, every line or craft should continue its own organization. He knows that each has problems to solve peculiar to its special calling. There- fore, it would be ridiculous to do any- thing to disrupt them. However, the chain store fight can only be won when all forces are joined together. We fre- quently call an outsider to help us win our fight. Now, if that is necessary in time of distress, it surely is practical to be prepared, to be ready at a moment’s notice. Then, if all association and trade papers will work in unison, edu- cate the public on the importance of working together to build up their own community, to spend their earnings at home, to organize local associations in their own behalf, for their own good, the fight will be won. Many of our readers may differ with this statement. To those, let me say: Don’t ridicule or criticize unjustly, un- less you have some practical plan to offer. If so, please mail it to me. Let us enter into this with a spirit of fair- ness, animated only by a desire to rescue our people from the destructive fangs of chain store systems. L. F. Padberg. —_»>+-_ Sales On Credit Continue To Gain: In Retail Stores. The general trend of recent years in retail credit conditions continued in- to the first half of 1930, with the per- centage of cash sales decreasing slight- ly and those on open and installment credit making small gains, the Depart- ment of Commerce announced Dec. 24 in making public its first semi-annual retail credit survey. The survey, covering seven types of retail stores in twenty-four cities, show- ed that net sales for the first six months of 1930 decreased 6.7 per cent. in com- parison with the corresponding period in 1929. The Department pointed out in this connection that “retail prices in general have fallen during the period under consideration” and that the re- duction in the valuation of sales “does not indicate that the quantity of goods sold changed in the’ same proportion.” The survey (Domestic Commerce Series No. 42) disclosed that twenty- one of the twenty-four cities studied showed decreases in total sales, and that the total sales of the stores of Detroit showed the greatest decrease—16.5 per cent. for the first six months of 1930, as compared to the corresponding pe- riod of 1929. Credit sales increased slightly in pro- portion to cash sales during the periods studied, the survey declared. Open credit sales (regular charge accounts) were 48.3 per cent. of total sales in 1929 and 48.9 per cent. in 1930. It was found that women’s specialty stores did a larger proportion of their business on open credit than any other type of store included in the survey. The De- partment’s announcement in connection with the survey follows in full text: Despite prevailing business condi- tions during the first half of this year, there was no important change in re- tail credit conditions in department stores and related lines, according to reports obtained by the Commerce De- partment in its first semi-annual retail credit survey, made available to-day (Dec. 24). The proportion of total sales which were made on a cash basis decreased slightly, while the proportionate sales on open and installment credit made small gains, all of which changes were seemingly in line with the general trend for some years past. The report made public to-day is the first of a series which, according to present plans, will be issued by the Department of Commerce each six months covering sales through seven lines of trade in twenty-four cities. This current credit survey is being conducted at the instance of the Na- tional Retail Credit Association. The establishments referred to in the an- nouncement issued to-day are depart- ment stores, women’s specialty, men’s clothing and shoe stores. Bad debt losses on credit accounts were higher than those revealed by a similar survey in 1927 but averaged less than 0.6 per cent. of open credit sales for these four types of stores. Bad debt losses on installment sales were pro- portionately higher than in 1927 rang- ing from 1.5 per cent. of total sales on. installments for department stores to 5.4 per cent. for women’s specialty shops; the average for four lines of trade mentioned being 1.76 per cent. Returns and allowances, revealed in the first National retail credit survey as an important adjunct of credit exten- sion, were found generally to be in- creasing in 1929 and 1930 as compared with 1927. The increase in the first half of 1930 over the similar period of 1929 was moderate for open account sales while the similar figure for installment sales varied between the different types of stores, department stores registering a decline while returns and allowances on installment sales in women’s special- ty shops increased from 8.7 per cent. in 1929 to 13.9 per cent. in 1930. - The promptness with which accounts were paid during 1929 was not deter- minéd in this survey but a comparison of the figures reported for department stores in 1930 with similar data for 1927 indicates a somewhat greater lax- ity in paving open account obligations and a tendency to reduce the amount due on installment accounts more rap- idly than in 1927, Department stores were the heaviest losers among the lines of trade studied in the matter of fraudulent buying as well as fraudulent checks. This infor- mation, gathered for the first time in connection with this survey, reveals losses of 0.2 per cent. of total sales for department stores through fraudulent buying and 0.1 per cent. estimated loss from fraudulent checks. Copies of the report, “Retail Credit Survey, January-June, 1930,” issued as Domestic Commerce Series 42, may be obtained for 10 cents from the Super- intendent of Documents, Washington, D. C., or the district offices of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Com- merce, located in principal cities. —_—_——_2eo-2_____ Religious Antipathy. Would you marry an atheist? Would you vote for one for President? Would you as soon do one of these things as the other? If you are an “average” American Protestant you would be almost as willing to marry an atheist as to vote for one for President, your antipathy to both being strong. But if a Roman Catholic is in question, your disinclination to vote for him for President is only two-thirds as great as your disinclination to marriage, This is the finding in a study made by H. Paul Douglas for the Institute of Social and Religious Research of New York City and just published in a book entitled “Protestant Co-operation in American Cities.” Paradoxically enough, relationships which take direct ecclesiastical form arouse much less antipathy than these others. There is much less disinclina- tion to allowing a member of another faith to make a religious address in one’s church or even to partake of the Sacrament as there administered. In economic relations “religious dis- tance” counts for little, the employment of a person of another faith, even in a confidential position, being generally acceptable. One of the most interesting—and sig- nificant—points in the study is that ministers tend to show considerably greater antipathy to members of other denominations than male church mem- bers do, except when these are church officers. Women church members, it is found, show greater antipathy of this kind than any male group, going far beyond the average in this respect. Such an attitude is only natural in view of women’s keener interest in the church. It is not always broadminded- ness that makes one sympathetic or at least not antipathic to other organiza- tions; the same attitude would result from lack of deep attachment to one's Own organization, Must Be High Stepper, Old Lady (to street car motorman): Please, Mr. Motorman, will I get a shock if I step on the track? Motorman: Nio, lady. Not unless you put your other foot on the trolley -Wire, sia IN 08 A oie > Scited:: eae a hs eee oe ok ee we mt Ed eed + n es eS = ae ae “SS > December 31, 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 31 Proceedings of the Grand Rapids Bankruptcy Court. Grand Rapids, Dec. 22—In the matter of Rockarwy Chop & Oyster House. for- merly Vienna Cafe, a _ copartnership. Bankrupt No. 4312, the first meeting of creditors was held Dec. 12. The bankrupt copartnership was present by Alex Vul- garis, and represented by attorneys Cor- win. Norcross & Cook. Creditors were present in person and represented by William B. Perkins, Jr., and Roger Wykes, attorneys and represented also by Grand Rapids Credit Men’s Association. Claims were proved and allowed. The vartner present was sworn and examined without a reporter. Fred W. Mare. of Grard Rapids. was elected trustee. and his bond placed at $100. The first meeting then adiourned without date. In the matter of Ralph C. Shumway. Bankrupt No. 4305, the first meeting of creditors was held Dec. 15. The bank- rupt was present in person and repre- sented by attorney F. C. Cogshall. Cred- itors were present in verson and repre- sented by attorneys Bultwood & Bolt- wo'd and by G. R. Credit Men’s Associa- tion and Central Adjustment Association. Claims were proved and allowed. The bankrupt was sworn and examined with- out a reporter. S. C. De Groot. of Grand Rapids, was named trustee, and his bond placed at $200. The first meeting then adiourned without date. In the matter of Virgil Morris. Bank- rupt No. 4314. the first meeting of cred- itors was held Dec. 15. The bankrupt was present in person and represented by attorney Richard C. Annis. No creditors were present or reprsented. No claims were proved and allowed. No trustee was appointed. The bankrupt was sworn and examined without a reporter. The first meeting then adjourned without date. and the case has been closed and returned to the district court. as a case without assets. In the matter of Abram N. Shook, doing business as A. N. Shook & Sons, Bankrupt No. 4217. the first meeting of creditors was held Dec. 12. The bankrunt was present in person and represented by attorney Edward J. Bowman. Creditors were represented by Grand Rapids Credit Men’s Association and Central Adjust- ment Association. Claims were proved and allawed. The bankrupt was sworn and examined without a reporter. S. C. De Groot. of Grand Rapids, was elected trustee, and his bond placed at $300. The first meting then adjourned without date. In the matter of Alvin L. Jackson. Bankrunt No. 4299. the first meeting of ereditors was held Dec. 12. The bankrupt was present in person and represented by attorney Christian A. Broek. Cred- itors were represented by attorneys Lou Iu. Landman: Willis B. Perkins. Jr., and Corwin. Norcross & Cook. Claims were filed only. The bankrupt was sworn and examined without a revorter. The meet- ing then adjourned to Dec. 29, for further proceedings. In the matter off Garrett Van Allsburg, Bankrupt No. 4304. the first meeting o* creditors was held Dec. 12. The bankrupt was vresent in person, but not repre- sented by attorneys. No claims were filed. No creditors were present, but renresented by attorneys Bunker & Ro- goski. The bankrupt was sworn and ex- amined, with a reporter prsent. Chris Schrier. of Muskegon, was named trustee, and his hond placed at $100. The frst meeting then adjourned without date. Dec. 22. We have to-day received the schedules, reference and adjudication in the matter of Salih Abdalla, Bankrupt No. 4342. The bankrupt is a resident of Grand Rapids. and his occunation is that of a grocervman. The schedule shows assets of $1,275 of which. $775 is claimed as exempt, with liabilities of $3,646.18. The first meeting of creditors will be ealled and note of same made herein. The list of creditors of said bankrupt is as follows: Citv of Grand Rapids ______._____ $ 50.00 Columbia Furn. Co.. Grand Rapids 300.00 Old Kent Bank. Grand Rapids ____1,500.00 Hoekstra Ice Cream Co., Grand R. 400.00 Filis Bros. Produce Co.. Grand R. 180.63 Chas. Hogue, Coopersville __-_____ 51.30 Tee & Cady. Grand Rapids _____ 146.43 Rademaker-Dooge Grocery Co.. Grano Ranids 0 68.30 VandenBerge Cigar Co.. Grand R. 86.73 Folger Bottling Works. Grand Rap. 25.28 Western Mich. Grocerv Co.. G. R. 30.00 P. D. Mohrhardt Co.. Grand Rapids 329 00 Rvseamn Bros., Grand Ranids ____ 35.00 Walter E. Miles Coal Co.. Grand R. 3600 Hekman Riscuit Co.. Grand Ranids 75.00 Voight Milling Co.. Grand Rapids __ 23.30 Ferris Coffee & Nut Co.. Grand R. 35.71 Phillin 7. Peters. Grand Rapids __ 58.00 We have to-day received the schedules. reference and adindication in the matter of Ravmond L. Voltz. Bank- runt No. 4342. The bankruont is a resi- dent of Grand Ranids. and his occunation is that of a manufacturer. The schedule shows assets of 8350 of which the full amonnt is claimed as exemnt, with lia- hilities of $1.584.32. The court has writ- ten for funds and unon receipt of same Dec. 23. the first meeting of creditors will be ealled. Dec. 22. We have to-day received the pdiudication. reference and creditors reti- tion in the matter of John B. Stemm. Barkrunt No. 4308. The bankrupt is a resident of Cassonolis. This is an invol- untary matter and the schedules have been ordered filed. upon receipt of same list of assts and creditors will be made herein. In the matter of George Arthur Bartz. Bankrupt No. 4303. the first meeting of creditors was held Dec. 15. The bankrupt was present, but not represented by at- torneys. No creditors were present or represented. Claims were proved and al- lowed. No trustee was apppinted. The bankrupt was sworn and examined with- out a reporter. The first meeting then adjourned without date, and the case has been closed and returned to the district curt. as a case without assets. In the matter of Calvin Parcher. Bank- rupt No. 4302. the first meeting of cred- itors was held Dec. 15. The bankrupt was present in person and represented by attorney William J. Gillett. No cred- itors were present or represented. One claim was proved and allowed. No trus- tee was appointed. The bankrupt was sworn and examined without a reporter. The first meeting then adjourned with- out date. and the case has been closed and returned to the district court. as a case without assets. Dec. 24. We have to-day received the schedules, reference and adjudication in the matter of Leland Castle. Bankrupt No. 4344. The bankrupt is a resident of Sturgis. and his occupation is that of a dealer in automobiles. The _ schedules show assets of $6,361.57 of which $1,750 is claimed as exempt. with liabilities of $28.613.74. The court has writen for funds and upon receipt of same the first meet- ing of creditors will be called. note of which will be made herein. Dec. 22. On this day was held the first meeting of creditors in the matter of Howard F. Dark. Bankrupt No. 4313. The bankrupt was present in person. but not represented by attorney. No creditors were present or represented. One claim was proved and allowed. No trustee was apnointed. The bankrupt was sworn and examined without a reporter. The first meeting then adjourned without date, and the case has been closed and re- turnd to the district court. as a case without assets. On this day also was held the first meeting of creditors in the matter of Harry L. Robbins, Bankrupt No. 4307. The bankrupt was present in nerson. but not represented by attorney. No creditors Were present or represented. No claims were proved and allowed. No trustee was appointed. The bankrupt was sworn and examined without a reporter. The first meeting then adiourned without date. and the case has been closed and returned to the district court. as a case without assets. Dec. 22. On this day was held the first meeting of creditors in the matter of Carl Rose, Bankrupt No. 4319. The bank- rupt was present in person and repre- sented by attorney Louis H. Grettenber- ger. No creditors were present in per- son, but revresented by G. R. Credit Men’s Association. Claims were proved and allowed. The bankrupt was sworn and examined without a reporter. Fred W. Mare, of Grand Rapids. was named trustee. and his bond placed at $100. The pba meeting then adjourned without ate. Dec. 26. We have to-day received the schedules. reference and adiudication in the matter of the Mamer Co.. a cornora- tion, Bankrupt No. 4241. The bankrunt concern is located at Benton Harbor. The schedule shows assets of $175.323.21 with liabilities of $84 674.08. The first meeting of creditors will be called and note of same made herein. Dec. 26. We have to-day received the schedules. reference and adindication in the matter of Archibald E. Ellis, Bank- runt No. 4345. The bankrunvt is a resi- dent of Grand Rapids. and his occupation is that of a tailor. The schedule shows assets of $550 of which the full amount is claimed as exempt. with liabilities of $1,762.85. The Court has written for funds and upon receipt of same the first meeting of creditors will be called and note of same made herein. The list of ereditors of said bankrunt is as follows: Commonwealth Loan Go.. Grand R. $252.00 Rentlev’s Inc.. Grand Rapids ____ 10.00 Depenhorst. Holland _ _. 7.20 Eeoromy_ Tire & Battery Shop, Grond: Renids 22) 5.00 Tke Hollemans. Grand Ranids ____ 655.29 G. R. Drv Cleaners. Grand Rapids 655.39 Juincoin Dairy, Grand Rarids __ 5.87 Dr. &. E. Sehnoor. Grand Rapids 50.00 Dr. Ivan L. Tavlor. Grané€ Ranids 41.50 louis Timmerman. Grand Ranids 15.00 V. C. Ice & Coal Co.. Grand Ranids 17.50 Howard C. Woodworth. Grand Ran. 47.50 Dec. 22. On this dav was held the first meeting of creditors in th matter of Harrison S. Dewey. Bankrunt No. 4316. The bankrupt was not nresent. owing to iness. but was renresented hv attorney George B. Kingston. Creditors were renresented bv attornev George R. Kings- ton. Creditors were renrecented by at- tornevs Dunham. Cholette & Allaben ard Roltwood & Boltwood. and hv G. R. Credit Men’s Association. Claims were proved and allowed. Shirley C. DeGroot. of Grand Rapids. was elected trustee. and his bond placed at %2.000. The first meet- ing and examination of the bankrupt then adiourned to Jan. 12. In the matter of Millard F. Beebe. Rankrunt No. 4340. The first meetine c* creditors has been called for Jan. 13. In the matter of Clarence B. Jones. Bankruvt No. 4273. The first meeting of creditors has been caled for Jan. 18. Tn the matter of Homer LL. Rexforc Bankrupt No. 4326. The first meeting of creditors has been called for Jan. 13. In the matter of Henry Bulthuis. Bank- rupt No. 4136. The first meeting of cred- itors has been called for Jan. 13 In the matter of the Mamer Co.. a corpo- ration, Bankrupt No. 4341. The first meeting of creditors has been called for Jan. 12. In the matter of Salih Abdalla, Bank- rupt No. 43432. The first meeting of creditors has been called for Jan. 12. In the matter of Anthony H. Koning. Bankrupt No. 4330. The first meeting of creditors has been called for Jan. 12. In the matter of Peter Bergman, Bank- rupt No. 4333. The first meeting of cred- itors has been called for Jan. 12 >> Some Further Sidelights on Italian Merchandising. (Continued from page 20) not sure they did not excel our own, for 34c; and a No. 1 flat can of apri- cots, not yet tried, for 17c. As formerly stated, all shops are small affairs. But a most peculiar thing is that the meat dealer is a pork merchant, or he keeps only lamb and poultry or beef. His line is so limited that his entire assortment is listed in printed form on his wall with plain prices. But the astonishing thing to me is that beef is all boned. One buys the flesh only and the price is sur- prising. I do not know what cut I got that first day, but it was around half a chilo, or about one pound, it cost me 28c, it was pure lean beef, and it was so perfectly tender and ‘fine flavored that I personally ate more of it than I have eaten of any other beef any- where in the last year at least. You will see from all this that it does not cost such an awful lot to eat in Italy. And I’ll have further details on this later. Two things in closing this week: First, that the horse meat merchant keeps no other meat and must plainly announce himself as a seller of “equina” flesh. Second, that El Duce has succeeded in discontinu- ing the reprehensible practice of dick- ering and bargaining on most mer- chandise. All goods in regularly es- tablished shops are plainly marked with one price. This helps a lot in trading. It is one of the most marked- ly progressive of the many forward steps taken under the impetus and guidance of Signor Mussolini. Paul Findlay. —_2e2-->______ To-morrow. To-morrow is a long way off. To-morrow has never, in all of the centuries of existence of this old world, yet arrived. To-morrow is just around the cor- ner, and yet, like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it is always just a little beyond reach, When you go to bed at night look- ing forward to what you plan on doing ‘ to-morrow, you wake up in the golden sunlight or murky cloudiness of to-day, and the to-day in which you should have done what you had planned to do to-morrow, has passed into yester- day and the task is still before you. To-morrow is a habit; and like all a Do You Wish To Sell Out! CASH FOR YOUR STOCK, Fixtures or Plants of every description. ABE DEMBINSKY . Auctioneer and Liquidator 734 So. Jefferson Ave., Saginaw, Mich Phone Federal 1944. habits, if permitted to run at large too long, becomes a disease. To-morrow is a condition of the mind. It is easy to fall into the way of thinking ‘To-morrow,’ but the world was not built on things done to-morrow, it was built on things done to-day, If you have a plan for greater busi- ness, put it into effect to-day. If you have done something which has offended your conscience and has wounded those near and dear to you. Go to them to-day and tell them you are sorry. To-morrow may be too late. Your life, your success, your destiny is just what you, yourself, would have it. “Procrastination is the thief of time,” and the man who values time is the successful man. Respect, therefore, time, and honor yourself by doing those things which should be done to- day, to-day. —__~+~+<-___ Dollar Now Worth $1.21. There has ‘been a decrease of ten per cent. within the past year on retail food prices according to statistics re- cently issued from Washington. In the same announcement it was stated that wholesale prices have dropped over 15 per cent. within the past year. This sets the purchasing power of the dollar at $1.21; equivalent to the 1926 dollar. The natural interpretation of these facts would be that money is scarce. Economists know, however, that money is plentiful but dormant, “side- tracked” by fear and the bugbear of uncertainty. These same economists offer the medium of advertising as the one and only sure method of bringing back the good-will of the consumer. The low prices should be an asset to the distributors in their efforts to bring back this goodwill—New Eng- land Grocer. —_>++___ Probably Correct. Mother: When that naughty boy threw stones at you, why didn’t you come and tell me instead of throwing them back at him? Willie: What good would it do to tell you? You couldn’t hit the side of a barn, Business Wants Department Advertisements inserted under this head for five cents a word the first insertion and four cents a word for each subse. quent continuous insertion. If set in capita! letters, double price. No charge less than 50 cents. Small display adver- tisements in this department, $4 per inch. Payment with order is required, as amounts are too small te open a ts. For Sale. Or Exchange For Merchandise —A 100 acre farm. Good buildings. Plenty of fruit. Sixty acres improved. 514 miles from Tustin. On good road and trout stream. Address A. D. Hancock. Otsego. Mich. 366 _ WANTED—Stock of general merchan- dise, in exchange for sixty acres in Mt. Pleasant oil field. Address No. 367. c/o Michigan Tradesman. I OFFER CASH! For Retail Stores—Stocks— Leases—all or Part. Telegraph—Write—Telephone L. LEVINSOHN Saginaw, Mich. Telephone Riv 2263W Established 1909 DETROIT DOINGS. Late Business News From Michigan’s Metropolis, At the first official meeting of the newly organized Women’s Apparel Club of Michigan held recently, Mil- ton Aronheim, 2035 West Euclid avenue was elected president. Dan Niemyer, 512 United Artists building, was elected secretary. The club is comprised of representatives of Na- tionally known manufacturers, import- ers and distributors. Several local firms are represented as ‘well as those in all parts of the United States. According to Mr. Aronheim it is the aim of the new organization to co- operate with local wholesale firms in an effort to bring to the attention of more buyers the growing importance of the Detroit market. Especially is this true of the women’s wear field. “Hundreds of the best firms in the country are represented in this city,” said Mr. Aronheim, “but owing to a lack of co-ordination it has never been possible for buyers to visit Detroit with any degree of certainty there would be available for inspection sev- eral lines at the same time. This will be changed and announcements have already been mailed to the trade in the surrounding territory calling attention to the first co-operative apparel dis- play to be held at the Statler Hotel, On Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, January 18, 19 and 20. The entire 14th floor of the hotel has been leased for the occasion.” Mr. Aronheim stresses the vatue to the merchants of such an exposition. In addition to the displays which give them opportunities to see and compare the style offerings for the coming spring season there is also the educa- tional advantage of mingling and dis- cussing their mutual problems with merchants in the same line of business. “And,” added Aronheim, “it is usually the alert, successful merchant who takes advantage of such opportunities to broaden his business knowledge.” Besides the regular routine several en- tertainment features are planned. An involuntary petition in bankrupt- cv has been filed in U. S. District Court here against J. Brushaber ‘Sons. retail furniture, by Griffin, Heal & Emery, attorneys, representing Detroit Majestic Products Corp., $857: Ser- vice Engineering Co., $376; Tullar Envelope Co., $111. An involuntary petition in bank- ruptcy has been filed in U. S. District Court here against Irwin Donald Shop, retail dry goods and furnishings, by Fixel & Fixel, and Max Kahn repre- senting Roggan Bros. & Co., Inc., $85; Rothschild Bros. Hat Co., $357: Cur- lee Clothing Co., $107. The creditors’ committee of the Colonial Department Store, recently petitioned into bankruptcy, formed at a meeting of creditors in New York on Dec. 18, has sent a letter to cred- itors stating that it has been decided -to oppose tthe offer of 15 per cent. cash and 85 per cent. in preference stock submitted by the debtor concern, and soliciting the co-operation of the gen- eral creditor body in an investigation of the store’s affairs, which is to be *de ‘by the committee. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Convinced that it will take to the National Automobile Show its great- est motor car, both from the stand- point of design and value, the auto- mobile industry is keenly waiting the effect its effort produces upon the pub- lic. A huge volume of buying in New York would actually surprise the in- dustry, but it logically does anticipate a public reaction that will connote a substantially progressive consumption throughout the year 1931. That there will be at least nineteen different series (not makes) of cars equipped with free-wheeling transmis- sions in ithe National Automobile Show is assured. Word comes now that this innovation in gearsets finally will en- ter the low-priced six cylinder field, on a car selling in the $750 class. The three eight cylinder products of the sponsoring company already are so equipped. The news adds considerably to the interest in free-wheeling progress. It means ‘that the development in one year has invaded every single price tier save the lowest. A week before the big exhibition, and yet not a word comes from 'Chrys- ler, Dodge, De Soto, Oldsmobile, ‘Oak- land-Pontiac and Graham! Yet all are known to be ready to offer im- proved lines. Even Plymouth, pre- viously reported certain to stand on changes made during the Summer and Fall, now is said to be ready with sev- eral interesting refinements. While Peerless already has intro- duced its standard line, and its multi- cylinder car will not be ready until Spring, the Cleveland company will have a new de luxe series on its Mas- ter Eight chassis for exhibition in January. With every factory’s laboratory deeply concerned with the transmis- sion in one way or another, Wade Morton’s ‘“Powerflo” device will ‘be studied with interest by every De- troiter at the New York show. The former race driver has a device that is declared to eliminate gear shifting al- together. Even in the most congested traffic, it is said, the gear need never be shifted from high. The only change comes when reversing, With Chevrolet employing nearly 31,000 and adding a night shift at an- other Detroit plant; with Hudson hav- ing 9,200 men on its pay-roll, and ‘Cad- illac announcing that it will have 7,000 at work the first week in January, the employment situation here continues to improve. It appears more probabie that December production will be in the vicinity of 200,000 units. This will give 1930 one month in which the comparable period of 1929 is exceeded, from the standpoint of production. That American car manufacturers will not repeat the experience of Brit- ish motor makers in waiting for a law making safety glass compulsory equip- ment is the construction placed upon the voluntary adoption of this feature on many more 1931 models. ‘The trend toward safety glass is one that will be quite conspicuous among the latest cars. Gasoline economy is a subject about which show visitors may expect to hear more than during motor shows of recent years. Recent Mercantile News From Ohio. Toledo—Schules filed in U. S. Dis- trict Court at Toledo in the bankruptcy case of the World Millinery Co. show liabilities totaling $6,135, none of which is secured. The only creditor listed for $500 or more is Gould & Rohr, of To- ledo, $900. There are 101 creditors listed. The assets scheduled $5,773, in- cluding stock of hats, $1,850; furniture and fixtures, $3,561; accounts receiv- able, $356. Harry W. Voss, of Toledo, has been appointed receiver by Referee Fred H. Kruse, with authority to con- duct the business, Youngstown---An involuntary peti- tion in bankruptcy has been filed in the U. S. District Court at Cleveland against Bitts Rogers Co., clothing and jewelry, a partnership composed of Morris Bittman and Martin J. Ditt- man, by Attorneys Doyle, Fisher & Stroh, representing Joel S. Koch Co., $1,000; . Arden Co., $63; A Cohen & Sons, Inc., $400. Cleveland—Harry Altschuld, trading as Reliance Hat & Cap Co., retail men’s furnishings, has filed a voluntary peti- tion in bankruptcy in the U. S. District Court here, listing liabilities of $5,222 and assets of $2,563. Findlay—The involuntary petition filed in U. S. District Court at Toledo, against the Alis Shop, Inc., women’s ready-to-wear, alleges that branch stores were operated at Jamestown, N. Y., Erie, Pa., Winchester, Ky., Lexington, Ky., and Huntington, Ind. The petition further states that the assets are reported to be about $25,000, but their information and belief is that the value is about $42,000. A petition for the appointment of a receiver was also fixed and Robert Fox has been ap- pointed receiver, with his bond fixed at $10,000. The order of appointment authorized him to continue the busi- ness. At the same time the petition was filed, the debtor company filed an answer admitting the allegations of ‘the petition, the insolvency of the com- pany. The answer further requests that the matter be referred to a referee to call a meeting of creditors to con- sider an offer of composiiton proposed to be made by the Alis Shop, Inc, The offer which is to be made, as nearly as can be determined at this time, is to be 15 per cent. cash and 5 per cent. in 90 days to be evidenced by a prom- issory note, Cincinnati—Charles Longini, 63, head of the Charles Longini & Sons Co., wholesale shoe dealers, died here re- cently. He was one of the founders of the Mann-Longini Shoe Co., from which firm he resigned two years ago to form his own company. His widow, Mrs. Henrietta M. Longini:; a daugh- ter, Miss Bernice Longini, and two sons, Ira and Charles, survive him. Cincinnati—P. ©. Morgan, retail shoes, 615 Central avenue, has filed a voluntary petition in bankruptcy in the U. S. District Court here, listing liabil- ities of $8,487 and assets of $3,600. Cincinnati—An involuntary petition in bankruptcy has been filed against Isaac Spievack, trading as Spievack Garment Co., by Attorney Burch Pe- ters, Geissmar & Defosset, representing Nox All Waist & Dress Co., $200; Wm. ‘recently December 31, 1930 Avedon & Co., Inc., $598, and Wein- berg Baron, Inc., $247. Cleveland—Weinstock & Weiss, fur- riers, 1706 Euclid avenue, list liabilities of $146,197 and assets of $67,938. There are seventy-eight creditors with un- secured claims. Cleveland—The Ames Co., where liquidation has been in progress for several weeks, suspended operations last week. Several buyers were on the store premises but no official word could: be secured on the future dis- position of the Ames Co. premises. A women’s specialty store has been lo- cated at this site for a number of years. I. N. Strump, general manager of the Ames Co., is in New York on business. The credit office of the store remains open this week, —_2++<-_____ Minimum Wage Scale. The Tri-Cities Chamber of Com- merce at Grand Haven, has induced highway commissioners of Michigan to stipulate a minimum wage scale in future contracts so that contractors will not be able to take unfair advan- tage of workers. The new policy was brought on. in- directly by a contractor who was biild- ing a bridge near Grand Haven. and who announced a wage scale of 25 cents an hour. The Tri-Cities Cham- ber investigated and then recommend- ed to highway commissioners that a minimum wage scale be prescribed in future contracts. The commissioners accepted the recommendation and an- nounced that future contracts of this nature .would stipulate a minimum wage of 35 cents an hour. ———_2s?->_______ . Retailers’ Expenses. The Domestic Distribution Depart- ment of the National Chambe- of Commerce has revised and enlarged its pamphlet “Retailers’ Expenses.” The new edition contains common op- erating expense figures for thirteen lines of retail business. The figures are expressed in percentages of net sales for ten expense classifications. The various studies in the thirteen lines cover percentages of gross mar- gin, net profit, and rate of stock turn- over as well as other valuable data. Copies may ‘be obtained for 50 cents. ere Displays of Local Goods. The Utica, N. Y., Chamber of ‘Com- merce, through its industrial depart- ment and its retail merchants council Staged a display of locally manufactured goods. The displays were made in the windows of Utica re- tail establishments, and a silver ‘cup was offered by a local bank to the con- cern having the best display. The event included a joint luncheon of the Chamber of Commerce with Kiwanis and other local service or- ganizations. —_>~__ New Officers of Lansing Association. Lansing, Dec. 30—At the last meet- ing of the Lansing Retail Grocers As- sociation, the following officers were elected: President—Edward W. Mohrhardt. First Vice-President—M. C. Goossen Second Vice-President—Olney A, Sabwsky. Secretary—O, H. Bailey, Jr. Treasurer—E. R. Ayers. Arrangements are being made for a banquet the middle of January: .when the new officers are ‘to be installed,