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__—_ Maintenance of High Wages Prevent Business Revival. Manufacturers on the whole no long- er consider high wages as a guarantee of prosperity. Many feel that if wage reductions had been made quickly and universally (when commodity prices fell), the economic situation in general would have established its more quickly. balance Artificially maintaining wage rates while the bottom fell out of prices, they now feel, has retarded the inevitable adjustment rather than help- ed it. Malcolm J. Rorty, economist and former vice-president of Interna- tional Telephone & Telegraph, ad- dressing the Institute of Politics at Williamstown: “Labor even less than capital can afford to push the blighting effect upon business recovery that will result from attempts to maintain wage rates that begin to appear hoplessly out of line with the new level of prices.” These are voices of friends, not enemies, of labor. They give utterance to truths of importance to all classes of society. Men in public office and a good many business leaders have ex- pressed other views. Either because they felt constrained by their positions to give countenance to the pular theory that a high standard of living can be maintained only if the wage rate is maintained, regardless of the price level of commodities. Or because they have clung to the belief that price deflation was temporary. In the second case they have failed to take account of the lessons of price history. In the first case they have failed to take account of the demonstrable fact that adherence to a wage scale established when prices were inflated after prices have been deflated must diminish the number of wage jobs and so tend to curtail con- sumer buying. But economic law has had its way in spite of attempts to check its progress and adjustments have been made in many industries re- gardless of protests, else the outlook for labor as well as for capital would be far less bright than it now is. MEN OF MARK. Arthur E. Wells, Vice-President of Grand Rapids National Bank. Arthur E. Wells was born on a farm in Garfield township, six miles South of Traverse City. ‘His father was of English and Scotch descent; his mother was of German descent. When he was four years old the family moved into Traverse City, where Mr. Wells obtained a common school education, graduating from high school on the scientific course. He subsequently took a regular commercial course in the Traverse City commercial college. During vacation, and for some time subsequent to his school work, he worked in the general store of the Hannah & Lay ‘Mercantile Co. (Mr, Wells came to Grand Rapids and entered the employ of the Citizens Telephone Co. as private secretary to Manager Tarte. Two or three years later he was made purchasing agent. Three or four years later he was made auditor, which position he filled five years. He was then elected Secretary, which position he filled seven years. Altogether he was associated with the Citizens Telephone Co, nineteen years, On the consolidation of the Citizens Telephone Co. with the Michigan Bell Telephone Co., he was elected Secre- tary of the Grand Rapids Trust Co., which office he has filled for eight con- secutive years, In January of this year Mr. Wells was elected director of the Grand Rapids National Bank and on August 17 he was elected Vice- President, He will devote the major share of his time to his bank position, still retaining the position he has filled for eight years with the Grand Rapids Trust Co. ‘Mr. Wells was married to Miss Cora Davis, of Grand Rapids, July 19, 1910. They have a son twenty years old, who has just completed Junior College and goes to Ann Arbor this fall to per- sue the literary course. When he has completed that course, he will take a course in the law department. The family reside in their own home at 616 Lake Drive. Mr. Wells is a member of the First M. E. church and has been a member of the official board for eight or nine years. He is a third degree Mason through affilia- tion with York Lodge. He is also a member of the Chapter, Mr. Wells insists he has no hobby, but those of us who know him best think his greatest hobby is hard work, close application to business, fidelity to his employers and loyalty to his friends, If there is one quality, more than an- other, which (Mr, Wells possesses to a marked degree, it is dependability. If he makes you a promise, you can rest assured that it will be kept. You never need have any fears that it will be forgotten or that you will have to remind him of it. He has established a reputation which too few men pos- sess for thorough and complete de- pendability in all the walks of life and all the relations he sustains with his fraters and fellows. As a close friend and associate of the late Charles E. Tarte and the late Robert E. Graham he has naturally absorbed many of the good qualities of both gentlemen. He does not form MICHIGAN TRADESMAN his conclusions quickly or on super- ficial information. He weighs every proposition brought to his attention with great care and thoroughness and does not form his opinion until he has weighed it from all standpoints, When the opinion is formed, it is formed for good and all the arguments which can be advanced to induce him to revise his conclusion is time and_ effort wasted, The ‘Tradesman believes that in his new environment Mr. Wells will gradually develop a banking mind which will enable him to solve any problem which may be brought to his attention in such a way as to reflect credit on his natural shrewdness and sagacity, A $20 tax per store for 11 to 20 stores, A $25 tax per store for 21 stores, will not materially increase the oper- ating cost of any chain organization. But in the neighboring State of Ohio a bill has been drawn up on the same lines with these tax rates: Application fee, all stores, $0.50. Tax per store, 1 to 2 stores, $3.00. Tax per store, 3 to 5 stores, $20.00. Tax per store, 6 to 10 stores, $25.00. Tax per store, 11 to 20 stores, $35.00. Tax per store, 21 stores and up, $50.00. The medicine is doubling in bitter- ness, and as yet only two states have been heard from. During a time when most states are suffering a loss of in- Arthur E. Wells. Chain Taxes Are Certainly Increasing. The reecnt decision of the United States Supreme Court in upholding, by a five to four decision, the right of the Indiana State Legislature to tax the Chain Store a nominal sum may be but the first pill of many bottles which the chains must take to pay up for their past “wild oats.” This Indiana medicine, which is to tax the chain in proportion to the num- ber of units in the State, is not ex- cessive and should have little effect on the operating expense of even a large chain whose units are located entirely in the Hoosier State. : A $3 tax per store for 1 or 2 stores, A $10 tax per store for 3 to 5 stores, A $15 tax per store for 6 to 10 stores, come, and when legislators are looking for a “spot” to raise additional reve- nue and at the same time least disturb their vote-coralling ability, it appears that the Supreme Court, by its decision, has introduced to State legislators everywhere the “Chain Store Tax,” to help them in distress. With fifteen states legislatures now in session, there will probably be many similar bills presented within the next few months —to the anguish of the chain store. The chain store must now take its medicine. Tardy, yes, but legislatures and local or state governments are not rapid-moving organizations such as are modern chain store enterprises. The many small rebuffs by the chain to the community have collected for years. September 2, 19381 Political Farmers. In announcing its “return” to the support of the equalization fee, the American Farm Bureau Federation gets behind the movement to revise or repeal the present farm-relief law and substitute one of the two quack remedies which the Western radicals have been so insistently urging for the last ten years. The other is the export debenture, of which more will also be heard at the next session of Congress. This is the danger inherent in Senator Reed’s proposal to abolish the Farm Board. Mr. Reed is strongly opposed to the eqcalization fee and the deben- ture, regarding both as schemes for Governmental subsidies, and so is President Hoover. But a Congressional majority that would end the Farm Board might also authorize these pa- ternalistic schemes to take its place. That is what the Western political farmers who failed to get their way in the last Congress are now working for and they are counting on a larger number of supporters as a result of the 1930 elections. And in the playing of this political game under the guise of helping the farmer the Farm Bureau Federation is prepared to go the limit. That is the plain meaning of its an- nouncement. ——_-~> > Electric Goods Market Active. Buyers’ preparations for September homewares sales enlivened the whole- sale market for electrical household ap- pliances last week. A volume of orders larger than in any previous week of the Summer was written by local jobbers. Chief among the items called for were percolators to retail at $7.95 and $9.95 and toasters which can be sold at $3.95 and $4.95. The average order was for normal quantities. Although there was a slight increase in the demand for regular Fall goods, the volume ordered is still considerably below the figures for August, 1930. ———__2+____ No Fall Underwear Cuts Seen. Despite the steady recessions in raw cotton, any reductions in the price of heavyweight ribbed underwear for Fall during the remainder of the sea- son are regarded as unlikely in the pri- mary selling market, In the first place, as the season is so advanced, jobbers who purchased large quantities of goods early would be caught with heavy stocks in the event of a cut and would suffer inventory losses. In addition, mills have lost so much production due to delayed buying that wanted delivery dates are difficult to fill and manufac- turers are in a strong position from the standpoint of stocks and output. —_—_>>.___ Clearing Out Luggage Stocks. Clearing out of seasonal stocks is well advanced in the luggage trade and attention has switched to items for school opening and regular Fall lines. While the stocks in the hands of manu- facturers for close-outs has not been large, the trade has suffered from keen price competition and narrowing profit margins, Women’s ‘fitted overnight bags, gladstone types and suitcases of imitation leather have been the volume sellers. New grains in pigskin and cowhide are outstanding in the current offerings, Sales of steamer trunks have reflected the decline in tourist travel. September 2, 1931 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Biggest 2 Days on Record THANKS TO THE GENERAL FOODS SALESMAN Ain , the General Foods Salesman has rung the cash register bell to the tune of more sales to the public. This time, it’s the M. System Store, Anson, Texas, and the letter says: eo time your salesman called on me he would show me handbills from other merchants and the great results they got from handbills. So I decided to give them a trial. Friday and Saturday I sold more merchandise than in any two days in the past, and I am giving Mr. Moore and the handbills credit for this success.» Iswr THERE SOMETHING HERE FOR YOU? ‘Ask the General Foods Salesman” Pe KK KKK kK KKK <<< <<< <<< <. Packaged Cigarette Sales Wane. The increase in the price of pack- aged cigarettes by the leading manufacturers the latter part of June, $6.40 to thousand, and the consequent general adoption of a four from $6.85 a retail price of ‘l5c a package, was a factor in the 1,200,- 000,000 in the packaged cigarette pro- duction in the United States last month. Apparently the public dis- approved of the Some of them felt too poor to pay it. To reach this market, George W. Hill, president of the American Tobacco Company, who did not initiate the increase, has reduced 3ull Durham smoking tobacco from eight to five cents a sack and is seeking to revive the Bull Dur- ham brand and the war-time habit of “rolling your own’ in an advertising campaign in 1,900 newspapers, in which will be spent about $1,000,000 in a four-week period. Manufacturers of ettes must pay a cents per package. decline of some increase. dissatisfied the price of packaged cigar- Federal tax of six To the “regular” retail price of fifteen cents is added another tax in certain states, such as Iowa and Tennessee, ranging from 1 on the other hand, the Federal tax is only 18 cents per pound, or only a bit more than one cent for the smallest sizes of sacks and cans, This form of smok- ing is also taxed slightly by certain states, ‘but chiefly on cigarette papers. to 5 cents. On loose tobacco, Each five cent sack of ‘Bull Durham contains enough tobacco for about fifty hand-made cigarettes. The com- pany has reduced the price of Rizla + cigarette paper—150 leaves to the book —to five cents and is offering twenty- four leaves free with sack, Bull Durham maybe rolled easily; it is also used as a pipe tobacco. each > + -e Cheap Flatware Demand Revives. Revival of the demand for low-end silver-plated flatware was an unexpect- ed development in the silver market this week. Retailers, seeking mer- chandise which can be retailed around 15 cents a piece in forthcoming promo- tional events, through the market and placed orders for large auantities of the cheap flatware. Other items on which buying activity was marked were pewter pepper and salt shakers and shakers of plated silver. Sets which can be sold around $1 were the types favored. shopped Pewter and silver hollow ware continue active in the $5 ranges. -———_+++_____ Menominee—The J. W. Wells Lum- ber Co. has decreased its capital stock from $1,300,000 to $500,000. DETROIT DOINGS. Late Business News From Michigan’s Metropolis. Sid Styer, who will be one of the exhibitors at the Exposition and Women’s Wear Market to be held at the Pantlind Hotel, Grand Rapids, Sept. 8 to 11 was the salesman re- sponsible for the apprehension of a band of professional shop-lifters oper- ating in Northern and Eastern Mich- igan a short time ago. Mr. Styer, more than any single individual not in an official capacity, has aided in exposing and driving from Michigan the sharp- ers and swindlers who have been prey- ing on the storekeepers. He is the State representative for the S. M. & R. Co., of Chicago, manufacturer and importer of leather bags, purses and novelties, , If reports gathered from the Amer- ican Legion activities in Boston can be taken at face value merchants in this city can look forward to one week of increased sales volume during the Legion convention to be held here this month; 100,000 delegates are expected. Secretaries Manley Sprague, of the Women’s Apparel Club of Michigan, and Dan Niemeyer, of the Michigan Apparel Club, announce receipt of let- ters from all parts of the State from merchants notifying them of their in- tentions to attend the expositions and markets to be held in Grand Rapids on Sept. 8 to 11 at the Pantlind Hotel. According to Leslie A. Hopkins, Pres- ident of the Michigan Apparel Club, this will not be a mixed exposition but will be two separate markets, each oc- cupying different floors for the displays of the women’s and children’s apparel and the men’s and boys’ wear. The collaboration of the two organizations consists in holding the affairs at the same time and under one roof for the convenience of those merchants who carry both types of merchandise. More than 700 buyers visited the Women’s and Children’s Apparel Ex- position and Market during the first two days, Sunday and Monday, at the Statler Hotel. Approximately 200 lines were displayed and according to many authorities the showings were the best ever made in the Central West. Sales were brisk but not up to the volume of the exposition held in February. Buyers were keen on the scent for out- standing styles and values and found these in abundance on the two full floors of merchandise displays. Nov- elty manufacturers reported an excel- lent business for the first two days. Because of the many beautiful show- ings, Milton Aronheim, president of the Women’s Apparel Club of Michi- gan, sponsors of the event, stated that it will be difficult to pick the prize winner for the most attractive exhibit at the exposition. Live models brought over a ‘battery of newspaper photog- raphers. Detroiters as a result will have an opportunity to see what is new in the fashion world. The second ex- position opens in Grand Rapids, at the Pantlind Hotel, September 8 and ends September 11. ‘Chain stores continue to expand in this city, Seven leases to organizations in various mercantile pursuits, were re- MICHIGAN TRADESMAN ported last week by the Real Estate Board. D. Davidson, who has been ill for several weeks was one of the exhibitors at the Detroit exposition, the first time he has been out since being confined to his home, Mr. Davidson deals in women’s dresses and has made new connections with Eastern manufactur- ers and had some of the new lines on display. He is located in Metropolitan building. Nate S. ‘Shapero, who purchased the wholesale drug stock of Williams- Davis-Brooks & ‘Hinchman Sons, pro- poses to continue the business under the same style. They have organized a new company with $1,000, all paid in, Shapero holds 98 shares ($980) and Samuel.H. Rubinov and Victor W. Klein one share each. Display and sales rooms for the office furniture business of Sable’s Office Outfitter establishment are now open at 322 and 324 West Lafayette boulevard, The company took pos- September 2, 1931 session of their new quarters Aug. 28. The new Kiefer-Whaling shop for men has been opened on the ground floor of the Buhl building, having moved from the old location at 617 Woodward avenue. The new and en- larged quarters have made most pleas- ing impressions on the old customers as well as the new. An involuntary petition in bankrupt- cy has been filed against the York Credit Clothes Shop by John McNeil Burns, CANNED FRUITS — ’ ; ELL, just ask any haberdasher whether a display of white ties will draw trade into his store. He’ll certainly tell you “No!’—for the simple reason that most people don’t care for white ties. His shop may be conveniently located and up-to-date. His clerks obliging and efficient. All these things count. But they don’t count enough to sell white ties to people who don’t want white ties. To get the greatest number of cus- tomers into a store you have to feature what the greatest number of people want —whether it’s neckties or canned foods. And what the greatest number of people want in canned foods is DEL Mon re. Tests have proved over and over again that a great many more people prefer Del Monte Products than any other similar line of canned foods. They’re buying DEL Monte Products somewhere. If VEGETABLES — COFFEE — What's a WHITE NECKTIE got to do with selling GROCERIES? (\ There will always be acertain number of people who'll buy white neckties— and a certain number who'll buy an unknown brand of canned foods. But if you want the greatest possible number of calls, just remember that DEL MONTE’S uniform quality and its year in and year out advertising has given it a leadership unequaled by any other complete line of canned fruits and vegetables. not in your store, then in the other fellow’s. That may not be a pleasant fact. But it is a fact nevertheless. What’s more, the woman who goes to another store for one purchase usually makes a lot of others before she leaves. After all, isn’t it good business to take advantage of this preference yourself? Why not have a complete assortment of Det Monte Products on your shelves? Let people know you have them. Feature them. Then compare Det Monre sales with any brand you’ve ever handled. See for yourself how much further Det Monte takes you toward get- ting the greatest possible canned food volume. & OTHER FOOD PRODUCTS September 2, 1931 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN An involuntary petition in bankrupt- cy has been filed in the U. S. District Court against the Royal Credit Clothes Shop by John McNeil Burns. The composition offer of 20 per cent. has been withdrawn in the case of Clarence Gottesman. Order of an ad- judication was filed and the Union Guardian Trust Co. appointed trustee. An involuntary petition in bankrupt- cy has been filed in the U. S. District Court here against Joseph F. Elias, women’s ready-to-wear, by Finkelston, Lovejoy & Kaplan, attorneys. The petitioning creditor is Sheinberg & Prince, Inc., $2,776. The Union Guardian Trust Co. has been made trustee in bankruptcy for H. & C. J. Reinheimer, retail millinery. No assets have been scheduled as yet. An invitation has been extended to General John J. Pershing by Colonel Walter C. Cole, chairman of the Coun- cil of National Defense of the Board of Commerce, to attend the dedication ceremonies for the new high school to be named in honor of General Persh- ing. The John J. Pershing school is located at 18875 ‘Ryan ‘Road near Seven Mile Road and will be dedicated September 23. The Council of Na- tional Defense of the ‘Board has been designated to dedicate new elementary and high schools by the Detroit Board of Education. The program will be in charge of the council’s committee on historic memorials, of which Thomas K. Wright is chairman, When General Pershing visited Detroit in January, 1928, he was presented with a copy of a resolution by John Web- ster, then president of the Board of Education, stating that the next high school to be built in Detroit would be named in honor of General Pershing. It is expected that General Pershing will be in Detroit September 23 to at- tend the National convention of the American Legion. The dedication program as now arranged includes ad- dresses by ‘Governor Wilber M. Brucker, Mayor Frank ‘Murphy and Edward S, Evans, president of the Board. There is a spirit of aggressiveness in the automobile industry’s approach to Autumn. With the conviction that business is in part merely dormant, not dead, manufacturers are going to make a determined effort to rouse it into action. Both they and suppliers of raw materials are optimistic about a sea- sonal pick-up in production and con- sumption with resultant benefit to the general business situation. Concrete evidence of such thinking in the auto- mobile industry is Oakland’s $500,000 advertising campaign, the largest ever launched by an automobile company at this particular season. The campaign is to run through ‘September and October, an eight weeks’ drive for business. Still another reflection of the same sentiment is Nash’s “Guest-Ride Week” to be conducted during the first week of this month. It is a ven- ture that will be handled on a Nation- wide scale. Its primary purpose, ac- cording to company executives, is edu- cational, to acquaint the public with general automotive design progress and current values. Chrysler is the latest in the auto- mobile field to modify its service policy. Beginning “Sept. 1, the manufacturer guarantees to owners to replace defec- tive parts without charge for either the part or the labor involved. The war- ranty covers ninety days, or 4,000 miles of driving. Heretofore the labor costs have been borne ‘by owners. As reflecting the sustained demand for higher-priced cars, Cadillac’s fig- ures showing that the V-12 has ac- counted for 28 per cent. of the com- pany’s sales since it was introduced were of considerable interest in De- troit. Shipments of the car since last October total 4,577. Positions with General Motors, as soon as they are ready to enter the business world, were promised to the 104 boys from every State in the Union brought here last week as a reward for their victories in the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild coach-build- ing contest. The promise to the boys was made by Alfred P. Sloan, presi- dent of the General Motors Corpora- tion, ‘Green, as well as blue, now seems likely to overtake black as the pre- dominant finish for motor cars. With the campaign for more color winning new converts ‘steadily, a complete re- vival by the ‘first of the year now is regarded as certain. —__>++ _ We Stand Corrected. Chicago, Sept. 1—Was quite sur- prised in reading an article entitled ‘How the Chain Stores Fool the Con- sumer,” on page 32 of your August 26 issue, to notice the reference to de- ception claimed on a_ well-known brand of salt. On Sept. 14, 1929, we announced to our trade that we were changing the weight of our package. We attach hereto one of the announcements. This change was made because the independent merchants in some sec- tions of the country were unable to sell our package at less than 12c and make a satisfactory profit. We felt to aid us in securing further distribution and larger sales, we could market a package which could be sold by the independent merchant profitably at 10c. At ithat time a few persons writing articles against chain stores discovered both our 26 ounce package and our Z pound package in stores and im- mediately jumped at the conclusion that the 26 ounce package was packed only for chains. This was not the case, because we discontinued our 2 pound package entirely the day we be- gan distributing the new 26 ounce package. Several trade papers which were writing articles on the subject of chain stores wrote us and asked about the new package. In each case we ex- plained the situation to them and naturally they did not make any state- ments in their article concerning our change. I have always felt that the Michigan Tradesman was thoroughly reliable, but it is evident you have published this article without going into the mat- ter thoroughly. C. L. Ostrom, Adv. Mgr. ‘Morton Salt Company. —_7. +> Lost Time. The profiteer’s wife gave a musical evening. ‘She was uneasy at the be- ginning because the music didn’t start. She went to the conductor of the or- chestra she had engaged and said: “Why don’t your men begin to play?” “Oh, they are tuning up.” “Tuning up? Why are they doing it now? I ordered you a week ago.” ~~ _____ Get soft and you'll find the going hard, Leave Your Family An Assured Income If you have had investment worries during these last two years you don't want your family to go through the same experience later on. Speculative investments may be all right for those who can afford to take risks but they have no place in the recommenda- tions that we, as executor and trustee of your estate, would make for your family. Let us explain to you in detail how we invest family funds left in our care under wills. THE MICHIGAN TRUST co. GRAND RAPIDS FIRST TRUST COMPANY IN MICHIGAN BRITAIN’S MOVES WATCHED. Formation of the British Co-opera- tive Government and the huge loan ar- ranged to take care of the troubled financial condition of. that country were developments of the week which once more swung attention to foreign af- fairs. England met her credit crisis promptly,, although the circumstances leading up to it have been operative since the war and pronounced since 1926. Comment on the British position in many quarters has emphasized, of course, that the “dole” was the prime factor in her trouble. The cost of un- employment insurance to the govern- ment was somewhat more than $400,- 000,000 in the last fiscal year. Our own expenditure for charity and char- ity work was probably as much if not more. The British military expenditure was a good deal in excess of this figure. All but those who see the beginning and end of all evil in unemployment insurance, are quick to point out that British troubles can be laid at the door of dwindling export industries, back- ward management and obsolete equip- ‘ment. Her doctrine of “muddling along,” which has not a few followers in this country, is also criticized. The credit however, sprang from factors similar to those suffered by Germany—too much short-term credit used as a basis for long-term loans. The domestic situation was little changed during the week. The weekly business index reflects this “dead cen- ter.’ Commodity prices were weaker, although the dip of the averages was not pronounced. Building activity has receded further, with contract awards for the first half of the month running 30 per cent. under the July daily aver- age and 60 per cent. under the August, 1930, level. Automobile manufacture is still lagging, but promises to be the main factor in pushing ahead business recovery when. it starts. crisis, BUY NOW ADVOCATED. Another echo of the “Buy Now” movement was heard in the advice last week of the second largest mutual sav- ings bank to depositors urging them, after setting up proper reserves, to spend their excess savings instead of hoarding them. The Emigrant Indus- trial Savings Bank, after calling atten- tion to its effort in 1928 to encourage people to save and to resist the temp- tation to spend recklessly, pointed out to its 249,000 depositors that the con- sumer’s dollar is worth at least 16 per cent. more in buying power to-day than in 1928. “Keep on deposit all you should have as a reserve against emergen-. cies.” the bank counseled. “If that is not yet large enough (it should be equal to at least six months’ salary), add to it. But if you have a surplus above all likely needs, make careful purchases of things you want for per- manent use while prices remain low.” Judicious spending, the bank added, will help to set the wheels of industry turning more rapidly and restore em- ployment to thousands now out of work. This rather unusual advice from a bank attracted widespread and: favor- MICHIGAN TRADESMAN able comment and was used by some leading retail stores to emphasize the price reductions which they have been able to pass along to customers. “At the same time, the savings banks doubt- less would benefit from having trade and industrial activity stimulated by increased purchasing, since their prob- lem just now is to find profitable em- playment for their excess funds. This message to depositors seems to emphaize, if that is necessary, the im- portance of finding some way to un- leash the buying power which is known to exist but which is frightened. A Nation-wide movement to this end is suggested. A CRACK IN THE FLOOR. Below the surface of the great oceans there lies more land by far than is comprised in the area of all the conti- nents. It is not altogether an unknown country. The sea bottom is constantly studied and its general contours are familiar to geologists. It is known, for example, that the Atlantic Ocean lies above an immense plain, surrounded by an incline that rises very slightly for some hundreds of miles to the con- tinental shores. In a few places are mountains under the seas, tops of which are lonely islands. And here and there are extraordinary depressions, deeper by a mile or more than the general ocean bottom. One of these lies between Cuba and Honduras and is called the Bartlett Deep. Not much is known of it ex- cept that it is two miles deeper than the ocean floor and is like a gigantic crack, a thousand miles long and about fifty wide. It is suspected to be of volcanic origin, and it is thought that seismic disturbances may still begin in its dark depths, four miles below the surface of the sunny Caribbean Sea. This is a problem of importance, for an uneasy and unreliable fault in this location may make it inadvisable to pursue any further the project of a Nicaraguan Canal. There are some ge- ologists who think it possible that an earthquake in the Caribbean might drain the water from the lakes which are to be linked to form the canal. The navy proposes to find out as much as possible about conditions and contours in this submarine trench by an exhaustive hydrographic survey. Curiosity concerning the sea bottom might be enough to account for this undertaking, but it has a more prac- tical occasion in the necessity for exact knowledge concerning earthquakes and their effect on the affairs of commerce. RAW MATERIAL REDUCTIONS. A letter from a reader asks a ques- tion which has probably occurred to not a few business men, in view of the record low prices at which many raw materials are selling and the rather backward tendency of prices for finish- ed products to follow those reductions. He points out that it is not quite clear why raw cotton should show a decline from .1125 cents to .0685 cents in the year, while printcloths have dropped only from 4% to 4% cents. “Certainly the cost of the raw cot- ton represents. at least 50 per cent. of the cost of printcloth, and yet there seems to be very little reflection of the decline in raw cotton in the price of the manufactured article.” : A similar case in point, he adds, seems to be the decline in gasoline from .143 to .113 cent per ‘gallon, whereas crude oil has declined from $1.18%4 to 55 cents per barrel. The explanation of the cotton goods manufatcurers would probably be that printcloths have been under price pressure due to overproduction when the staple was selling at a higher price and consequently have not reflected the drop of almost 404 per cent. in the cost of the raw material. On the other hand, it is more than likely that cot- ton goods prices will be marked down in more conformity with the raw ma- terially immediately after the next crop report. As far as gasoline prices are con- cerned, there is only the explanation of rather evident price control by the large producers and the wasteful dis- tribution methods which increase costs. Gasoline might be much cheaper, since the yield from the raw material has been greatly increased in recent years, and the cost of that raw material is much lower. TIN FALLEN ON EVILS WAYS. Along with silver and copper, tin has fallen on evil ways and now an interna- tional “tin pool’ is announced, with Bolivia, Nigeria, the Malay States and Holland participating. This latest attempt at curbing the law of supply and demand has two factors in its favor: The agrement is relatively flexible and the four coun- tries involved control the bulk of the world’s present tin output. Tin de- posits, however, are pretty widely scat- tered over the earth. The United States has tin deposits in Texas, Cali- fornia, South Dakota, North Carolina and Alaska. Larger, more easily work- ed deposits elsewhere about the world, however, have thus far made it un- profitable to mine tin in this country. But anything like a tin shortage, par- ticularly if artificially brought about, would set the engineers to work on not only those deposits but on those of Bohemia, Russia, Spain, Portugal and Japan. DRY GOODS CONDITIONS. Preparations for school openings and a start on purchases of Fall offerings accounted for a little better tone to retail trade activity during the past week. Consumer response to new ap- parel styles was reported as encourag- ing, considering conditions, and led to some re-ordering by the stores. School and college goods will find an increased demand this week. While trade is probably a shade bet- ter for the week, there is not enough improvement to indicate much gain over previous estimates for the month. The decrease in July under a year ago for the department stores in this sec- tion was 6.2 per cent. For the first half of the month the stores in the metropolitan zone fell about 11 per cent. behind last year’s figures and, if anything, the loss is now probably a little larger. To make up for this declining vol- ume, a survey of retail policies indi- September 2, 1931 cates that promotions for the Fall will be even more intensive than they have been. A good deal is heard about guarding quality more carefully and placing less emphasis upon price, but many stores will apparently try to safeguard qualities but keep on ham- mering away at prices just the same. Tn the wholesale merchandise mar- kets there was increased activity during the week on Fall offerings. On lines which have been offered by the stores and found satisfactory in a selling way, re-orders have been placed. Millinery is far ahead of other divisions of the women’s wear market in sales and fur- nishes a good example of what new styling can accomplish. has slowed up a little, but the home- furnishing lines are more active. Men’s wear CONSUMERS’ WELFARE. In his address before the Institute of Politics at Williamstown, W. T. Grant, of the chain store system of that name, formulated an adaptation of the ford doctrine of successful He emphasized that business how to run a business. must make a profit and gave his own formula of splitting up the consumer’s dollar to that end, Putting profit at a rigid 10 cents, he explained that a cost of 75 cents was set for the merchandise and every ef- fort was made to get the best value possible for that sum. Through ar- bitrarily fixing the profit, the retailer might then concentrate upon serving the consumer to the best of his ability. In his opinion the difference between the merchant of the old school and the robber “is that they use different tools with which to extract money from their victims.” Another suggestion which Mr. Grant had to offer, in addition to giving first consideration to the consumer instead of to profit, was that the schools might introduce education along the lines of fundamental business practice. In this the of those in business who have not even the slight- est grasp of cost and profit methods might be greatly reduced in the future to the benefit of trade and industry as a whole. He might have added that the trade organizations could very profitably undertake the work within their own field, both to members and non-members, while they also endeav- ored to have the educational include such training. some way number system PLAGUES AND RELIEF. Word from Sardinia, indicating that a plague of locusts in that land is so severe that the insects are interrupting travel both by rail and automobile, shows that the farmers of America’s Northwestern states are not alone in their troubles with voracious insect pests. Parts of Sardinia, it seems, suf- fer almost annual invasions by the locust and have to plan their crops and harvests accordingly. News of such disasters, however, is less comforting to the Dakota and Minnesota farmers who have lost their crops to the grass- hoppers than word from Washington that their problems will be met. ee No man’s opinion is entirely worth- less. Even a watch which won’t run is right twice a day. September 2, 1934 OUT AROUND. Things Seen and Heard on a Week End Trip. Out ‘Around Saturday took us to Rockford, Greenville, Gowen and Trufant—the country of good beans and potatoes. ‘Beans are practically ready to harvest, but late potatoes must have some more rain soon if they are to function properly. I found one change at Rockford since my last visit to the town, F. L. ‘Roosa has sold his grocery store and oil station at the ‘Northwest corner of the town to Grant A. Rice, who appears to be on the job with both feet. H. J. Ras- mussen has moved his grocery stock from Greenville to Trufant. He moved and installed his fixtures also, so his stock on the corner presents a very handsome appearance. I was pleased to learn last week that the bankers of Montcalm county held a meeting last Wednesday evening and unanimously decided to stand by each other in case a run on the bank should develop at any of the banking institu- tions of that county. This is the high- est form of co-operation which can be practiced by our friends of the banking fraternity, A call at Twin Lakes disclosed that G. O. Oslund had engaged in the gro- cery business in the store formerly occupied by F. L. Scott, who is now engaged in the same line of business in Muskegon. Henry Lyman is erect- ing a new brick store building, 24 x 40 feet in dimensions, which he hopes to have ready for occupancy by Oct. 1, To the superficial observer it looks as though one grocery store is quite enough to meet the requirements of Twin Lakes and that a competing store would spoil a nice business for both. Both Kroger and A. & P. have been invited to use the store, but both declined with the words, “Only busi- ness for one store.” If Mr. Lyman had erected a little factory building and financed it to the extent of employing a half dozen men to produce some staple article, he would have done the town of his adoption much more good than to erect a store building for which there is no imminent demand. Geo, E. Kelly, General Manager of Lee & Cady, accompanied by wife and son, spent the last week end in Grand Rapids and left Monday for Walloon Lake, where they expect to remain about ten days. ‘William Berner and wife will join them Saturday of this week and remain over labor day. The red and white organization of Kalamazoo expects to hold their offi- cial opening ‘Saturday, Sept. 12. Some of Lee & Cady’s competitors are un- dertaking to convey the impression that their alliance with the red and white organization is equivalent to Lee & Cady embarking in the retail store business, but an inspection of the red and white in either Detroit or Kalama- zoo would soon convince them of their error. ‘Grand ‘Rapids people have missed gone voice during the past summer MICHIGAN TRADESMAN which has stunned thousands of good citizens who have deplored the absence of his clarion utterances on all civic questions which require the leadership of an expert in order to properly for- mulate and clarify public opinion. I refer, of course, to Charles ‘W. Gar- field, who has suffered from illness, pain and weakness to such an extent for several months that his physician and friends have decreed it wise to keep him in retirement, so far as pos- sible. He is now greatly improved in health, but does not regain his strength as rapidly as it was hoped he would. He spends a few hours at the Grand Rapids Savings Bank every morning, but has to guard against the animated discussions which have been a char- acteristic feature of his life for nearly three-quarters of a century. Of course, we are all very happy to have him with us where we can look at him, even if we have to be careful to refrain from conversation of an excitable char- acter. Mr. Garfield has filled the position of oracle so many years in this commun- ity that we are delighted to have him with us again, even if he has to speak in a low tone and confine his expres- sions to subjects of the utmost im- portance. Washington friends write me that all the brains in the La Follette family ceased to function when /Mrs. Robert M. La Follette died two weeks ago: that she furnished the brain matter which gave her husband the standing he acquired in the political world and that her two sons—one United States Senator and the other Governor of Wisconsin—will soon seek their level, now that the talented and resourceful mother is no longer able to shape their policies, write their speeches and otherwise give them what they do not themselves possess, I am sorry to see the ‘Pennsylvania Retail Grocers Association—which, by the way, is a real organization with several thousand members—abandon the Pennsylvania plan. The discon- tinuance of the Pennsylvania Merchant is, of course, a move in the right direc- tion, because the publication of official organs by mercantile associations has always been regarded as akin to black- mail of the most reprehensible char- acter. No organization composed of high-minded men can afford to soil their hands and smirch their souls with the tactics invariably employed by the promoters of official organs to intimi- date advertisers into sending blood money for advertising which is not ad- vertising but blackmail, pure and simple. It will be interesting to learn what plan our Pennsylvania friends adopt in place of the Pennsylvania plan, which I thought would be con- tinued for a long time. Instead it has been decided to proceed to the forma- tion of a plan to create an organiza- tion and promotion department estab- lished under a manager who will op- erate under the supervision of a board appointed by the President. The plan is the outcome of a committee appoint- ed by the Tri-State Co-operative Buy- ing Organization, composed of J. A. Edgar, W. M. D’Miller and Charles W. ‘Miller. It was upon Mr. Edgar’s motion that the resolution was adopted and it was through his efforts that a highly capable man has been secured to fill the new post, namely, Charles H. Von Tagen. The new plan is to be put into effect immediately, the com- mittee in charge being J. A. Edgar, W. M. D’Miller, Oliver Stout, Harry W. Shaffer and J. V. Loughram, I regard President Edgar as about as level headed a man as there is in the grocery organization field and con- fidently expect good results from any plan he sanctions, People who have never visited Getz farm, or who have not seen it in the glory of recent years, have only four more days to see the wonderful fea- tures on exhibition there under the management of Mr, Getz, who has evidently grown weary of catering to the public at no cost to the latter. People who are familiar with Mr. Getz’ financial resources assure me that his fortune will schedule from $30,000,000 to $50,000,000. ‘The man- agement of such an estate entails such a large expenditure of nervous energy that Mr. Getz cannot be blamed be- cause he wishes to relinquish an annual undertaking which necessarily causes him much annoyance, along with the pleasure it gives him to entertain from 10,000 to 60,000 people daily for 100 days each summer, If you are going to build your home community in the way it ought to be you have to be a cheerful man and look on the bright side of life. There are too many people like tthe fellow who said “This world is a dangerous place to live in; mighty few of us get out of it alive.’ [ think everybody ought to be cheerful and happy. I believe that the Creator intended that we should be, yet everybody is not. Why? Because sometimes we want a happiness that doesn’t belong to us. Because of jealousy and covetousness. We see somebody else enjoying some- thing. We think we ought to have it. We forget that happiness, like a broken crystal, is scattered in a million pieces, far and near, and now and then along life’s shining pathway, some shining fragments fall, but there are so many pieces no one can ever find them all. But if we will cultivate a cheerful dis- position and make the best out of every situation we could be happier. We can look on the bright side of things. Like the fellow who heard Walter Jenkins sing, and he said he would make a great hit in “The Singing Fool,” if he could only sing. You must have a cheerful loyalty to your home town. Every man ought to say of his home town: “This is my town. It may not be the biggest; but that may be because I am not as big a man as I ought to be. If it isn’t perhaps I am not as fine a man as [ should be. Heaven help me to be a bigger and a better man.” Who is it that gives you police pro- tection, provided you have it? Who is it who gives you educational advan- tages? Who is it gives you church facilities? Who is it gives you the op- portunity to make a living, if it isn’t your home town? No man has a right 9 to live in a town and not believe that it is a good town. In the second place a man has to co- operate. You may have heard the story of the old Northern Michigan pioneer and his wife. They had had many spats One morning it was about the coffee. hey started for church in the wagon, They drove for some time and finally the good wife said, “See how well these two horses get along,” and he said, “If we had one tongue between us we could do the same.” You do have to get into agreement. It pays to have an under- standing and live up to it. Like the sheriff who went out to get a murder- er who was in a cafe and he took an old negro with him, and he said, “Now you go in there and run that rascal out.” Sam darted his head into the cafe and then he darted it out again and said, “Ef you see two fellers run- nin’ out ob dat cafey, you shoot de second one.” I tell you when you co-operate in work and help somebody else you are helping yourself more than you are somebody else, like the two fellows who got off the train at Kalamazoo the other day. One said, ‘““Won’t you take my suitcase to the Columbia Ho- tel and let me take yours?” He said, “T don’t mind.” When they got to the hotel the fellow said, “I reckon you think that was a strange request.” He said “Yes.” “Well,” said the first fel- low, “the police in Kalamazoo are on the job and I had two bottles in there.” “That’s all right,” said the other fel- low. “I had six in mine.” He was get- ting more help than he was giving. You must co-operate and pull to- gether in your home communities to see that the health laws are enforced. There are six hundred thousand pre- ventable deaths in this country every year; two ‘hundred and fifty thousand little children die every year for the lack of proper food. ‘There are two hundred and_ seventy-five thousand idiots in this country, not counting the writer. Most of them are children of diseased parents. Three hundred thousand people are going to be buried in consumptives’ graves. The fire bell rang in Grand Rapids this afternoon. What happened? Men rushed out with costly machinery, down the street, reckless of life and limb, to put out a fire in some old frame building which ought to have burned perhaps ‘ten years ago, and yet young men walk our streets on fire with damnable diseases which may be transmitted to your offspring, for aught you know, and we stand idly by to let nature take its course. I would rather be shot with a clean bullet than to be sprayed with the dis- ease germs which some people indis- criminately scatter everywhere they go. Disease germs are no respectors of persons, and unless your home town is different from any other ] have ever seen, behind some man’s store there are old newspapers, paper bags, felt hats, shoe leather and parts of auto- mobiles rotting there, breeding dis- ease germs which may come into your SE an a ae 10 home before Christmas and take away the idol of your heart. Ten years ago, I believe it was, this Government appropriated eighty-one million dollars for the rivers of the country which had been running from the time of Adam and Eve. I am not saying they appropriated enough, they need more, but at that time they ap- propriated thirteen hundred thousand dollars for protection against fire, seven million dollars to stamp out animal diseases and less than one-half million dollars for the protection of child life. Eighty-one million dollars for the rivers, less than half a million for the protection of children. A farmer was told by his wife who was going out for a few minutes that if the baby cried he should rock the cradle, but he didn’t hear it. He was reading the newspaper. But when the pig squaled he threw down his paper to see what was the matter with the pig. Why? Because that pig’s daddy was a thoroughbred. There are many men more concerned about whether their hogs shall be thoroughbred than whether their children should be. Plenty of room for dives and dens, Plenty of room for prison pens; Gather the criminals in. Plenty of room for shops and stores, Mammon must have the best; Plenty of room for the running sores That rot at the city’s breast, Plenty of room for the lures That lead the hearts of youth astray, But never a place for the lads, No, never a place to play. So give them a place to play. It is better to spend money for a playground than a court and a jail, after the harm is done. Give them a chance to play. If you postpone to-day for to-morrow you will pay a larger bill for a darker ill, so give them a place to play. Men ought to cultivate a love for the beautiful. Why is it that the women look so much better than the men? It is because they uncover the beauti- ful—some of the boldest of them do. You know some years ago they used to say if a man would hide behind a woman’s skirts he was a coward. Now he has to be a magician. It used to be said that beauty is skin deep—it is knee high, all right. But men look as if the Lord had made them as ugly as He could, then jumped at them and scared them. If you don’t watch out some of you are going to get into the situation of one of my friends. An earthquake came along and he said, “The end of the world is coming, we must pray.” Some one handed him a looking glass in the excitement and he said, ‘Great God, it is too late, the devil has me.” J think every reader of the Trades- man will be interested in the remark- able article on sales legislation, pub- lished on pages 16 and 17 this week. Mr. Ripley is a life-long merchant and is at present a member of the Legisla- ture from Muskegon county. He has other topics of mercantile interest which he proposes to discuss for the benefit of Tradesman readers. The feature of the week in financial circles was the announcement last Sat- MICHIGAN TRADESMAN urday that three local banks—Ameri- can National, Home State and Secur- ity National—would be consolidated and re-organized under State laws. The matter has been under consideration for several weeks, during which time many wrinkles have been ironed out and all kinds of objections have been harmoniously adjusted. stock of the corporation has not been announced, but it will probably be about $850,000 capital stock and $425,- 000 surplus. The combined capital stock and surplus of the three banks is as follows: American National, capital ___$500,000 American National, surplus __ 250,000 Hiome State, capital. 3 400,000 Home ‘State, surplus ____-____ 125,000 Security National, capital _--- 500,000 Security National, surplus _-- 250,000 Total $2,025,000 If present plans as to the capital stock of the new bank are carried into execution the stockholders of the three banks will face a reduction of $750,000 —approximately 37% per cent. in their new holdings. This fearful shrinkage shows that each of the component banks must have suffered severely—as all ‘banks have during the past two years—from the depreciation of bonds and other securities owned by the banks. The new bank will have total financial resources of $10,000,000 and will enter the field in a strong position, due to the desirable banking connections and good will the constituent banks have already established. A singular fea- ture of the amalgamation is that it leaves Grand Rapids with but one National tbank—the Grand _ Rapids National. While the consolidation will be a good thing for the stockholders and officers, its effect on the employes and customers of the banks which are fused into one institution is yet to be determined. In the nature of things the number of men employed will be reduced and the opportunities of ad- vancement will be considerably cur- tailed. While the interests of some customers may be advanced because of their ability to secure larger loans, the general feeling may be that the larger institution will be less adapted to the requirements of small borrowers and that the absence of competition will place them on a different footing than they have occupied heretofore. ‘Time only will determine whether the merg- er will work out well or otherwise for the business interests of the city. Let us hope that it will prove to be for the best. One great advantage will accrue from the consolidation and that is that it will automatically remove any sus- picion regarding the safety of the new institution. When the State banking department passes on the assets of the bank and o. k’s the securities which are standard, on which basis it will authorize the issuance of the capital stock of the new bank, every one can rest secure that there will be no pos- sible opportunity for future default. In The capital. other words, the new institution will be as solid as the rock of Gibralter. E, A. Stowe. ——_2+»—__ Machinery of Retail Merchandising. “Mind your own business,” that one maxim, if taken to heart by the bakers, druggists, grocers, dry goods dealers, hardware men, all up and down the Michigan, Ohio and Indiana pikes— would provide a workable- rule for success. But “minding one’s own business” calls for something besides the determination to hew to the line. Not one of us has to be sold on the value of machinery in production, mass production would be but an idle dream were it not for the machines which have increased output, ten to one hundred fold. In the store we might well consider sales volume as produc- tion, it is just that, after all. But we should also remember that sales vol- ume produces profits, so it goes two ways. If the industrial world has found itself sold on machines as a means to an end, what is there to be said for the machinery of retail selling? The producer of automobiles, pins, shoes, collar buttons, radios or what have you, looks upon his investment in needed machinery as matter of fact. The laundry, the hotel, the commer- cial bakery depend upon modern equip- ment to carry on efficiently, to rise to the exigencies of competitive times. The retailer who strives to advance, who is not content to be a watchful waiter, is studying modern retail sales machinery with awakened interest and understanding. We have this state- ment by Mr. Meserole, a keen sales Our Exclusive Pan Toasting Process PY URity September 2, 1931 specialist of the U. S. Department of Commerce, “Many stores that fail are drab, dark, gloomy and unattractive. The physical attributes, or aspects of a retail store cannot be what they were ten or fifteen years ago. With good roads and automobiles the shopper can exercise free choice in selecting a place in which to buy, and the merchant must more than ever, concentrate on making his store attractive to the buy- ing public.” There is nothing that adds to the brightness and attractiveness of a store than the right sort of ‘fixtures. Now please do not think this just an- other of those ‘“‘make the store pleas- ing” articles, but get the sales ma- chinery slant and get it right. You have to do the personal greeting, or your clerks do, but does your store say “Welcome” or does it say “Good bye.” Is there a competitor who hasn’t a thing as far as education, money and buying power goes, forging ahead of you? Be fair to yourself, what kind of a store has he, what kind of a store have you? “Right fixtures,’ in other words re- tail sales machinery. Note if you will the modern drug store. ‘Where are those old curved glass display cases which stood six to eight feet out into the store, sliding back doors, cumber- some room taking, you recall them? Now wall display cases often not over two or three feet deep, from floor to ceiling, back out of the way, more goods displayed, with three times the store room. available for humans, tables, fountain service, and more dis- plays. Space saving, plus eye appeal. (land. Yiliiie, >> li War i Tiikcaga 7 q RADE Manx REG.US. Par.oFr, MANUFACTURED BY UMPANY, Keokuk, lowa. U.5-A: RITY oATS —of milling assures your customer a sweet, flaky dish of oats, entirely free from the usual mush taste. Purity Oats and Chest-O-Silver are the best buys on the market today for you—the inde- pendent grocer—because our rigid policy of selling no chain stores—no desk jobbers—and backing every package with a solid guarantee 1s your weapon against indiscriminate selling. PURITY OATS COMPANY KEOKUK, IOWA September 2, 1931 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 11 Remember the grocery with its litter, hidden stocks, lumber yard counters? The space saving wall racks are in the food shop’s eye appeal, sales aids. Goods in sight, priced, moving, ‘Note the modern windows, they don’t have board fences as_ back- grounds, cutting off the light. In fact the stores to-day are eliminating win- dow backgrounds and solid panels right and left. Light by day, flood dreary stores had drab and dreary incomes, We used to have stores that had the solidity, the eternalness of a bar room, but of course more dignity. Yet steel fixtures endure, even beyond wood, are lighter, more sanitary and appeal more to the folks who come to trade. That dealer who shakes his head and mutters, “I can’t afford new, modern store fixtures, better store appeal,” is actually saying, “I don’t believe in effi- ciency, | am not machine minded. The old unproductive methods will suffice.” And by the same token he is tacitly cutting off his nose to spite his face. If a nominal sum invested in retail selling machinery, fixtures, lights, paint, floor coverings, new display methods, refrigerating units, filing sys- tems, all this and more—will not only increase sales volume, but serve to hold the trade which we have, it is not a question of can we afford it— it is a question of can we afford not to accept the retail sales machinery which is demanded by the trend of the times? Remember, “the shopper anywhere can exercise free choice in selecting a place in which to trade,” fifteen, thirty or even sixty miles is no barrier to the suburbanite, or the rural contingent. If folks are departing from your shop- ping place, trailing to other spots on the map, isn’t it largely because your retail sales machinery has the unfor- tunate habit of saying, ““Good-bye?” We might take other angles. of sales machinery, such as well varied stocks, complete assortments of sizes and colors, the wanted novelties, rather than the obsolete “staples,” we might include deliveries, credit, efficient per- sonnel, but this is all directly in line, cogs, if you will in ‘the selling machin- ery We can, and should control our own business, as they say in New England, ‘Mind our own business,” but without retail sales machinery, we won't have much business to mind. Check and double check. Hugh King ‘Harris. >> When On Your Way, See Onaway. Onaway, Sept. 1—The tourist sea- son is by no means over, although many are leaving for home preparatory for the opening of school. The most beautiful months of the year, September and October, are still ahead of us and many _ vacationists select these months and enjoy the work of nature, viewing the autumn tints. Onaway and vicinity have no reason to complain this year in the least; the park has been ‘filled to the limit; the cottages, especially during the last month, have all been occupied and it has required the best efforts of the secretary of the Chamber of Commerce to provide accommodations for the visitors. It is a pleasure to greet these people each year upon their return, knowing that the Northern resorts are appreciated by them, Well, here’s a wise act of the con- servation department, making it man- datory for deer hunters when apply- ing for their licenses to make affidavit that they have not, during past three years, accidentally killed or wounded any human being. A few more pre- cautions of that nature may eventually eliminate some oi the dangers attached to hunting, The opening of the Onaway schools brings our usual staff of teachers into prominence, with Glen Schonhals, ‘Superintendent, and ‘George ‘H. Wil- son, Principal, following with the ag- riculture, normal and grade teachers, numbering sixteen, together with three ward teachers. Parents visit the schools; it is the biggest and best in- dustry that any community can boast of, Big preparations are being made for the Onaway-Cheboygan County Fair beginning Sept. 8 and continuing for four days. Silent prayers have been offered up to the weather man and all other matters over which the directors have jurisdiction have been provided for. We are all pleased to learn that care- taker Charles Roberts, of the Onaway State Park, will have a crew of men erecting a new caretaker’s cottage, re- placing the old one destroyed by fire, in early spring. Appropriations have also been made by the department per- mitting improvement of the bathing beach near the pavilion, installation of additional bath houses and toilets, all very much needed. Next trip—‘When On Your Way, See Onaway.” Squire Signal. ——_2+++—____ A Business Man’s Philosophy. Many investors follow a rule which can be applied in fields other than in- vestment. The investor's rule is this: Buy good bonds and stocks when you have the money available. Do not wait for bar- gains, or for economic conditions to get “just right.” The theory is that over a period of ten years the investor will get his se- curities at as favorable a price as he could hope to obtain by waiting for dips in the market. Sometimes he will buy a bond at the top, but later he will get one at the bottom. Instead of being idle part of the time his money will always be working, and those ex- tra earnings will offset the gains which might be made by attempting to an- ticipate market trends. This principle can be used pretty much all through life. Is this a good time to buy a house? If you need a house it is probably a good time for you to buy. If you waited three years, you might be able to buy a similar house for slightly less, but would the saving be worth the discomfort suffered during the de- lay? Is this a good year to go into a new busines, or to expand an old business? If you expect to go into business eventually, right now is probably as good a time as any, If you can’t make much money for a year or two you can at least make friends and lay lines for future sales. If the established com- pany that contemplates expansion be- lieves it can get a large volume of busi- ness, why wait? Although building costs, for example, may be lower in a later year, the profits from the addi- tional volume of work may exceed the possible saving many times. In other words, do it now if you have the urge. William Feather. SUMMER SCHOOL Securing a good position is a matter of being pre- pared when the position is open. You may save two months in preparation by attending Summer School. This school is Chartered by the State as a Class A College. All work in business, Account- ing, Secretarial, Law, Income tax, and Economics is of very high grade. It is a pleasure to send catalog. DAVENPORT-McLACHLAN INSTITUTE 215 Sheldon Avenue GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN M. E. Davenport President _—————_ MICHIGAN BELL TELEPHONE ¢O. Long Distance Rates are Surprisingly Low FOR INSTANCE: f OY or less, between 4:30 a.m. and 7:00 p. m. You can call the following points and talk for i THREE MINUTES for the rates shown. Rates to other points are proportionately low. Day Station-to-Station Rate DRPEROIE _.____... $ .95 PIA © . - 95 ELE RAPIDS .____._- .90 PONTIAC _______.____ 85 EBAPERR - 85 TOLEDO, GO. _________ 80 TRAVERSE CITY -.. .80 From Grand Rapids The rates quoted are Station-to-Station Day rates, effective 4:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. :-: Eve- ning Station-to-Station rates are effective 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Night Station. to-Station rates, 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. | For fastest service, give the operator the telephone number of the person you are calling, which can be obtained from “Information” COLLECTIONS We make collections in all cities. Bonded to the State of Michigan. Prompt remittance of all moneys collected is guaranteed. Write us for information regarding our system of making collections. CREDITOR’S COLLECTION BUREAU Telephone 7th Fl. Lafayette Bldg., Cadillac 1411-1412 Detroit, Michigan 12 FINANCIAL Improved Business Conditions “All Over Michigan. The formation of a new British cabinet whose main business during the next few days will be that of balancing Great Britain’s budget, is one of the most encouraging developments in European affairs since the Hoover moratorium, The new cabinet made up of members from each of the three leading parties is faced with the task of preparing a completely new finan- cial program, to be placed before Parliament on September 8, With its success practically assured New York and Paris bankers are already prepar- ing to provide London with ‘a loan large enough to remove all doubt as to the stability of sterling exchange. Since much of the world’s trade is still carried on through the use of the pound, weakness in this currency seri- ously impairs international trade. ‘The return of stability to British finances should, therefore, facilitate recovery in foreign markets. Business this summer has shown the customary seasonal decline with more than usual activity in boot and shoe industry production, which has nearly equalled that of 1929. The con- sumption of wool which is a fair in- dicator of activity in the woolen indus- try also exceeded consumption in any year since 1923, the year 1929 excepted. The gain in cotton consumption has been significant and of special interest to those who like to recall that it was the cotton industry which led the way out of the 1921 depression. Employ- ment in the textile and leather prod- ucts industries showed some improve- ment also. Credit conditions on the highest grade risks continue abnormally easy. The rate on short term government ob- ligations has fallen as low as .36 per cent, and the long term government rate has averaged only slightly above 3.3 per cent. Call money has stood at 14% per cent. for more than three months and the average rates charged customers in leading cities has de- clined by more than 1% per cent. in the last year. Gold reserves in this country, which now actually exceed the total of money in circulation, have no doubt exerted a considerable pres- sure on interest rates, ‘Michigan business did not decline as much this summer relative to earlier months of the year as it did last year. It is true that a number of automobile plants closed down for their usual summer vacations and inventories, but many employes have been retained. Obviously preparations for the produc- tion of the 1932 models, which will be introduced earlier this year than in previous years, are being made. In general, the output of automobiles this year has been adjusted very well to the demand, An analysis of monthly passenger car production and registration totals for the United States indicates that whereas average production during the first six months of 1929 exceeded reg- istrations by over 100,000 cars, in 1930 this surplus had been reduced to 37,000 per month and in 1931 to 22,000. The foreign demand for passenger auto- mobiles has shown a more marked MICHIGAN TRADESMAN drop than domestic demand, having declined 49.9 per cent. in the first half of 1931 as compared with the same period of 1930, and 71 per cent. from the total of the first six months of 1929. Without doubt, a large part of this de- cline in foreign demand is attributable to the uncertainty of political and eco- nomic affairs in foreign countries and to our tariff, which has prevented for- eigners from creating purchasing power here through importations of goods. The bank’s questionnaire concerning economic conditions in various sec- tions of Michigan at about August 15, may be summarized as follows: In the Southeastern section, manufacturing activity was about equal to August of last year, and is expected to show little change during the next month except at Jackson. Building operations have decreased considerably in Flint and Port Huron, but in Bay City some im- provement in building conditions is to be noted. ‘The other seven cities in this section of the State from which reports were received indicate no change. Employment during August was slightly less than in August 1930, and as noted in the case of manufac- turing, no increase is expected in the immediate future, except at Jackson. Retail trade is below that for the same period of 1930 but eight of the ten re- ports indicate that volume is expected to increase between August 15 and September 15. A considerable change in farming conditions has occurred since the optimistic reports of June 15 were received. Unusually dry weather has prevailed in certain vicinities such as Alma, ‘Howell and Midland which have caused considerable damage to farm crops. Manufacturing activity in South- western Michigan seems to have ex- perienced a greater decline during August than that which occurred in Southeastern Michigan. On the other hand people in this area at the time seem to be mofe optimistic of future developments. A_ slight increase in employment is even reported at Grand Rapids and ‘Niles. Retail trade is re- ported as being below 1930 levels of trade in a majority of cities. The pro- portion of communities where farming conditions are below normal is greater in Southwestern Michigan than in the Southeastern area. Southwestern Mich- igan farmers usually feed a great many cattle and sheep during the winter, but high temperatures and deficient rain- fall after July 15 have caused consider- able damage to the corn and hay crops in this area, Income from this farm enterprise will, of course, be reduced materially because of the resulting shortage of home grown feed. The largest pack in the history of cherry canning is reported in the Berrien- Van Buren district. The fruit crop of Michigan is in general larger than any harvested since 1926, and color and flavor are above average. With the tourist season drawing to a close, people in Northern ‘Michigan are turning their attention to other sources of revenue. Crops in the vicinity of Gaylord are reported excep- tionally good and at Hart, Manistee and Petoskey are above normal. A considerable increase in building activity is noted in Marquette and some improvement is also reported at Iron Mountain and Ishpeming. Copper mines in the Calumet area are work- ing three-fourths time. One of the jron mines at Negaunee is operating overtime and a large movement of iron ore from stock piles is in progress. Shipments of iron ore through the Sault Ste. Marie canals during July exceeded June shipments by 25 per cent, Total shipments of all commodi- ties through the canals East and West bound during June and July were only HELP YOU SOLVE YOUR INVESTMENT PROBLEMS — PHONE 4774 — ETTER, ( URTIS& ETTER Investment Bankers and Brokers Grand Rapids Muskegon September 2, 1931 Investment Bankers ] ‘ COO ir Change of Corporate Name —=—— Fenton, Davis & Boyle Mid ~ West Securities Corporation Investment Bankers DETROIT GRAND RAPIDS _~Phone 4212 g sii LUT TTT TTT TT TTT ATT VITO T EA META TVCU LC VE TICLE CUCL POC CU CAPO CUPP CCPL TTT TT st Telephone 4677 JOHN A. KELLEY & COMPANY INVESTMENT BANKERS and BROKERS 1004-05 G. R. National Bank Bldg. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN Lf West Michigan’s oldest and largest bank solicits your account on the basis of sound poli- cies and many helpful services . . . OLD KENT BANK. 2 Downtown Offices 12 Community Offtices ° GRAND RAPIDS 507 Grand Rapids Trust Bldg. 81201 L.AGEISTERT % co Investment Bankers MUSKEGON 613 Hackley Union Bldg. 25749 September 2, 1931 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 13 half as large as in the same months of 1929, and were 44 per cent, under 1930 shipments in the same period. It is expected that business will show some improvement over the next few weeks. Probably such improvement will not register the normal seasonal movement. ‘Banks in the metropolitan area are in a most liquid position. This situation not only provides the strong- est possible safeguard against further recessions locally, but affords a re- markably strong base on which future expansion may. be built. Whereas there is no immediate encouragement of note, there is a strong possibility that automobile production in 1932 will substantially exceed 1931. On_ this assumption the outlook for local con- ditions in 1932 is fairly optimistic. Ralph E. Badger, Vice-President, Carl F. ‘Behrens, Economist, Union Guardian Trust Co. ———_—_>+~-__ Trading of Wheat For Coffee Utterly Foolish. No benefit to this country should be expected from the Farm Board’s trad- ing 25,000,000 bushels of wheat for 1,- 050,000 bags of Brazilian coffee. All it amounts to in the final analysis is that the Farm ‘Board will have coffee instead of wheat. The financial position of the Farm Board and the anomalous conditions caused by its existence, in other words, will remain unchanged, and just one more line of business will become a bitter critic of the board. ‘Present holdings of wheat by the Farm |Board are estimated at 260,000,- 000 bushels. This is approximately a third of the annual consumption of this country. The amount involved in the trade with Brazil is less than 3 per cent. of our yearly consumption. After the trade is over, accordingly, the Farm Board still will be a domin- ant overhanging factor in the Ameri- can wheat market. At the same time the board will become a threat to the coffee market because its holdings of this commodity will amount to about 10 per cent, of our annual consumption, ‘This threat to the coffee market will not become effective fully for some time. The board has agreed not to sell any coffee for a year. ‘This ar- rangement, however, merely postpones the inevitable problem of marketing and in a few months coffee dealers will have the worry of trying to guess what the Farm Board is going to do, just as wheat and cotton merchants have done for the past year or so. It is explained by the Farm Board that at the end of twelve months coffee merchants can buy directly from them instead of from Brazil, This may be true, but so can merchants purchase the wheat holdings of the board. The particular point of purchase does not alter the relation of the supply of, and demand for, a commodity, and it is this relationship which determines price, The fact of the matter is that the Farm ‘Board has been guilty, judging by its announcement, of some very faulty economic reasoning and of try- ing to give an optimistic interpretation to an action which has very little virtue. There is just one possible solution to the present predicament of the Farm ‘permanent aid, and no Board; that is to have sufficient in- crease in the demand for the products it holds to absorb not only the current crops but in addition the holdings of the board. Swapping of goods for goods will not accomplish anything. This is a practice of primitive social organiza- tions and it does not help solve the problems of modern economic organ- izations. No amount of switching about of the particular commodities held by the Farm ‘Board will be of any amount of propaganda can alter this fact. To-day the Farm Board is faced with an immense loss—at present prices about $225,000,000—and unless there is a substantial increase in the demand for the commodities held this will have to be written off as the cost of an unsound economic venture. The basic error, of course, was made in the creation of an organization for the purpose of offsetting the normal workings of economic principles. From its beginning there has been no pos- sible question as to the ultimate fail- ure of the Farm Board, and the events of the past few weeks have only made the end a little more evident. Ralph West Robey. ['Copyrighted, 1931.] ———>++—___ Failures Caused By the Widespread Rumors About Banks. For well over a year New York has been flooded with rumors about the condition of this or that bank, Within the period almost every bank at one time or another has been hurt by whispered reports that it was on the verge of failure or at best was in such bad shape that it would have to be “saved,” or taken over, by some other institution, Other sections have been equally af- fected by similar “grapevine system” . information about the local banks, It is doubtful, in fact, if there is a single bank in the country which has not felt the effects of these rumors and had the solution of its problems made more difficult as a result of them. Usually the rumors wear themselves out in a short time and aside from a temporary increase in the volume of withdrawals from the banks concerned there may not be any lasting harm. The banks, however, cannot tell when another crop of stories will start and consequently are always under the necessity of being prepared for sudden semi-runs, No one questions that the spreading of such rumors about banks is socially undesirable and likely to have serious consequences. It is the banks them- selves, however, that are primarily to blame. During the past ten years the public of the United States has seen almost one in every six banks fail, In addi- tion there has been a large number that would have failed if they had not been absorbed by other institutions, ‘With a record such as this it is use- less to expect the public to have the confidence in banks which is essen- tially to the ‘financial stability of the country. So long as banks continue to fail by the hundreds every year there will be rumors about others and even about institutions which are in excel- lent shape. GRAND RAPIDS NATIONAL BANK Established 1860 Incorporated 1865 Nine Community Offices GRAND RAPIDS NATIONAL COMPANY Investment Securities Affiliated with Grand Rapids National Bank SSO TT FT IT TT OT GT GT GT GT GT GT GT GT NG” GT GT GT NGI GT GT GI GT OG” GT OT Why You Should Choose This Bank This bank is big enough to accom- modate you regardless of the size of your banking requirements. And, what is equally important, it is big enough to appreciate you regardless of the size of your account. When and how can we serve you? CAYL’O GRAND RAPIDS SAVINGS BANK “The Bank Where You Feel at Home” 17 Convenient Offices ele atl ll all ll lll alate a alla tlt alate clin tana ttl telat ale attlltn aitl ata 14 On the other hand, if the banking ‘system gives some indication of real stability. the rumors will stop very quickly, The solution, then, is not one of threatening that official action will be taken against individuals who ques- ‘tion the condition of banks but of eliminating the basis for such ques- tioning, The only way in which return of public confidence can be secured is clear: commercial banks must liquidate that portion of their portfolios which is “frozen” and return to their proper field instead of branching out into lines of activity in which they work at a disadvantage. This is not a process which can be accomplished in a matter of days, The - errors have been too extensive for this. It is possible, nevertheless, for the banks gradually to work themselves out of the undesirable positions they attained in years past and to present a pictute of stability which will restore public faith in the management of our banks, (Many institutions within the past two years have been engaged in this “cleaning-up” and there are numerous centers in the country, of which New York is one, where the banks have placed themselves in a strong posi- tion. There are still other banks, how- ever, that have been delaying the process in the hope that there would be a return of the old inflationary prosperity. It is the latter type of institution— those which have refused to take their losses—that have been failing at such a rapid rate the last few months, It is also this type of institution which is directly responsible for the rumors that place a needless strain upon the whole ‘financial system. : Ralph West Robey. :. _ fiCopyrighted, 1931.] —_+-+—_—_ Operating Efficiency Enables Handling of More Sales. The approach of retail prices in many individual instances to levels be- yond which no further marked declines can be expected may prove a construc- tive factor in laying the groundwork for greatly expanded replacement de- mand during the fall and winter months, With the prospect of an expanding sales volume as the year progresses, there would seem to be real and suffi- cient ground for the expectation that 1931 earnings of department stores as a whole will compare quite favorably with 1930 and that among the large and strongly established companies sub- stantial individual gains will be re- corded. Already a few of the more aggres- sive organizations have indicated in- creased sales so far this year over the corresponding period of last year. The reduced dollar volume which has come with falling prices in many instances has been accompanied by an increase in the number of sales transactions which has exerted a stabilizing effect on aggregate dollar sales. While it may appear that this incre- ment necessarily must expand selling expense, it has been pointed out that greater operating efficiency has en- abled the well-managed department store to handle more sales at less cost the MICHIGAN TRADESMAN per unit. As a result selling prices have been reduced and those close to the industry believe that the savings thus effected will not be relinquished with the return to normal conditions. Maintenance of sales volume through increase in the number of transactions is not the only factor contributing to the element of stability in profits. The well-managed organizations carry only two or three months’ stocks of finished goods as inventory. Consequently they are less affected by falling prices than are industry and manufacturing enter- prises whose inventories include not only finished goods but also goods in process and raw materials sufficient to meet their needs for extended periods. The strong trade position occupied by R. H. Macy & Co. coupled with its aggressive but sound merchandis- ing policies augurs well for the con- tinued growth and expansion of sales and earnings: The organization holds a leading position in the New York department store field and through control of L. Bamberger & Co., which it acquired in 1929, is regarded as an important factor in Newark. Recent summary published by the Standard Statistics Company indicates that dollar sales for the first half equaled those of the corresponding period of last year, while the physical volume increased approximately 20 per cent. Several factors point to heavier sales in the fall months. The usual seasonal increase, it is expected, will be augmented by the fact the new quarters, representing an increase of 24 per cent. in floor space, will be in full use, Stock of goods is being turned over at the record rate of between eleven and twelve times a year, and inventory losses thus far in 1931, according to reports, have been negligible. The Bamberger .store is reported to be do- ing more satisfactorily under Macy policies and practices. Considering these factors it seems likely that earn- ings for the current fiscal year will ex- ceed the $4.81 a share earned in the twelve months ended January 31, 1931. ['Copyrighted, 1931.] —_+-.—_—_ Tape Reading. In all movements of stocks, either up or down, there are resistance levels. There are many different causes for them and their effects are also differ- ent. It is very difficult to know why a certain stock should meet resistance at 90 one week and at 100 the next. However, if you bear in mind that there are millions of people doing busi- ness in a bull market who are interest- ed in the market and then add pro- fessional and banking elements, you have a large situation. First, on the buying side you have those who are buying to-day, who are covering short sales, whose buying stop orders will be executed, whose orders are at lower prices, orders placed at higher prices, orders which have been sold lower down and now wish to buy and those who have sold higher and wish to buy. On the selling side you have the sale of long stocks, the selling short, sale stops executed, those who have orders in to sell, those who have bought higher up and wish to sell, those who have bought lower down and wish to sell, Among these orders there are, of course, various decisions about where to buy and sell. Their opinions ap- pear balanced at the time. Possibly the resistance level fell short where the sales became more numerous than the buyers. As the stock goes down, the demand increases and a strong re- sistance is set up. As the stock ad- vances, more and more sellers offer stock. The action of the market and the action of the volume indicates resist- ance levels. Note where the volume comes in testing resistance, support levels at which buying orders come into the market, where past reactions have met support. The longer the time, the more dependable. Again volume is the indicator of their im- portance. A support level is not dependable where it is broken on either a heavy or light volume. Its difference is con- firmed when it is holding and if it breaks after holding for a long time, the drop can be very deep and more drastic than if it had given away under the first drive. This can be readily understood if the pool supported the stock as long as they thought they were justified and had the capital to do so, If this supply of stock con- tinued, they then have to step aside and enter their support orders at lower prices. These points are hard to un- derstand and hard to locate. It is at this particular step that the charts again come into use as they show the past action and financial strategy of pools, Jay H. Petter. Wage Cuts Made By Forty-six Industries. Wage rate reductions and the number of employes affected in- creased .in manufacturing indus- tries during the month ended July 15, as compared with the month closed June 15, according to in- formation made available by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor. The following additional infor- mation was supplied: Wage rate derecases were re- ported by 238 establishments in forty-six industries in the month ended July 15. The decreases av- eraged 9.7 per cent. and affected 33,238 workers, or 69 per ecnt. of all employes in the plants in- volved. In the preecding month, 210 establishments in forty-five indus- tries recorded wage rate cuts aver- aging 10.8 per cent. and affecting 25,645 employes or 67 per cent. of the total workers in the plants concerned. Twenty-two of the decreases for the month closed July 15 were registered in the food group of industries, forty-three in the tex- tile group, twenty-seven in the iron and steel and forty-six in the lumber group. Seventeen establishments in the boot and shoe industry reported decreases in wage rates over the monthly period averaging 6.9 per cent. and affecting 4,090 em- ployes. The brick, tile, and terra cotta industry also reported seven- September 2, 1931 teen wage rate decreases, averag- ing 11.5 per cent. and affecting 697 workers. Of the reductions in the month ended June 15, twenty were re- ported by establishments in the food industries, thirty-four by the textile group, thirty-nine by the iron and steel group, and twenty- seven by the lumber group. Nine- teen establishments in the fertilizer industry reported decreases in rates of wages averaging 14.9 per cent. and affecting 462 employes, or 7 per cent. of the workers in the establishments reporting to the Bureau in this industry. Wage rate derceases reported by eight establishments in the pa- per and pulp industry averaged 9.8 per ecnt. and affected 4,880 employes, or 6 per cent. of the total number in the plants in that industry reporting. Five establishments in four in- dustries reported wage rate in- creases in the month ended July 15. They average 8.1 per cent. and affected 365 employed, or 22 per cent. of the employes in the establishments concerned. For the previous month, five increases in five industries were recorded. Av- eraging 12.3 per ecnt., these raises affected 182 workers, or 5 per cent. of the total in the plants in- volved. i.e Sales Chinaware Still Stressed. Complaints that the demand for sales merchandise has pushed regular goods into the background in the pop- ular-price dinnerware market, is voiced this week by selling agents who find it increasingly difficult to move Fall lines. The situation is regarded as serious by both sales representatives and the manufacturers, who brought Fall lines on the market this year at new low prices in the hope of stimu- lating the call for regular goods. In some instances such merchandise has been entirely neglected since the mid- dle of last month, while buyers de- manded “off price” goods for Fall sales events, Michigan State Normal College Opened in 1852 EDUCATIONAL PLANT Campus of one hundred acres. Hleven buildings with modern equipment. Training School, including Elemen- tary and High School Depart- ments. CERTIFICATE AND DEGREES Life Certificate on completion of Three Years’ Curricula. A, B. and B. S. Degrees on comple- tion of Four Years’ Curricula. SPECIAL CURRIRCULA Home Economics, Kindergarten, Physical Education, Public School Music, Music and Drawing, Drawing and Manual Arts, Com- mercial, Rural, Agriculture, Special Education. Normal College Conservatory of Music offers courses in Voice, Piano, Organ, Violin, Band and Orchestra. Fall Term Begins September 22, 1931. Write for Bulletin and list of rooms. Rooming houses for women students offer a_ single bed for every girl. C. P. STEIMLE, Registrar YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN September 2, 1931 MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE Saving Through Fire Prevention. Undoubtedly many of us, during the past few years, have contributed or have had a real desire to contribute to a number of worth while projects which have been placed before us in the nature of drives. We have been asked to give money for charity, for rebuilding and improving hospitals, for colleges and memorials, and to welfare federations. All of these projects are, without question, worthy of our moral and financial support. When, during the past year, there arose the neces- sity of raising money to take care of the unemployed, we all gave as re- quested until it hurt. I wonder how many of us really ap- preciate the amount of money which has been collected, or is being raised, in your city and its immediate vicinity. Let me present a few figures, because they have a definite relation to a pro- ject which will be submitted in a few nuinutes. These figures are only ap- proximate and include only some of the major drives: (Give figures of moneys raised during the pasat three years and for what purpose.)—a total of over____ dollars amassed during the past three years. Now let us consider a plan, which, if carried out, would eventually save the United States a billion or more dollars a year, and in this city at least.) - dollars annually. (Give amount of past year’s fire loss), Keep in mind that this is a plan for saving money and does not involve your giving or being requested to give one cent, but only a small, normal amount of your thought, effort and time, Undoubtedly, most of you are think- ing that such a plan is just another intriguing scheme to attract the atten- tion of the public. It not only has to do with safeguarding your own pos- sessions and those of your fellow beings, but also safeguarding the lives of your family and those around you. It is worthy of your most serious con- sideration and then wholehearted sup- port; in fact, its adoption is a civic duty. It has been stated many times that our whole Nation is marked by care- less habits, that we do not always think and that we are at times ignorant, which really means that we are in- different, because all these can be cor- rected. ‘Being careful means proper thinking and alertness. Ignorance can be overcome by awareness of the proper thing to do, Indifference can be eliminated by a change of attitude and greater activity in the right direc- tion. The following may illustrate what is meant. ‘Two very small children were asleep in their little beds in the attic of their home. ‘Their father, since he was naturally very solicitous for their comfort, had fastened a piece of combustible material around the elec- tric light bulb so that the light, which had been left burning, would not shine in their eyes. Later, while talking with guests downstairs, his attention was attracted by the screams of the children. He rushed upstairs and en- tered the smoke ‘filled attic. Flames were rapidly spreading over the paper covered rafters. The two small chil- MICHIGAN TRADESMAN dren, frightened by the leaping flames, had crept under the bed. The father dragged them out, gathered them into his arms, and carried them to safety. This was a near tragedy caused, most people would say, by the placing of a combustible material against or around an unprotected electric light bulb; but the primary cause was ignorance or perhaps carelessness, or possibly using a makeshift arrangement rather than going to the trouble to provide the proper shade. Last January, a little two and one- half year old girl was fatally burned when she and two other children were playing with matches, The primary cause of this tragedy was carelessness in leaving the matches where the chil- dren could reach them and not the fault of the matches, because a match is designed to start a fire and cannot itself, being unintelligent, decide be- tween proper and improper uses, It functioned perfectly. Now let us face the facts. Our an- nual fire loss throughout the United States, fire departments, water supplies, fire alarm systems and other things necessary for the control and ex- tinguishment of fire, makes the fire tax which we pay each year about one bil- lion five hundred million dollars. Don’t for one minute think that we do not pay this constantly recurring fire cost, which during the past decade amounts to billions and billions of dol- lars. We pay every cent of it in our property taxes, in our insurance prem- iums, and a portion of it is included in the price of all the necessities of life which we purchase. Furthermore, whatever is consumed by fire is irre- vocably lost. But this is only a small part of the total fire cost, for it is im- possible to even estimate in dollars and cents the following contributory loss: What price would you place upon a single human life? What amount of money do you think would who through ‘fire was crippled or maimed? Think of consider the following: It is estimated, based on such facts as are available,. that each year over ten thousand people lose their lives by fire, and about as many are crippled and maimed by the same cause, Two- thirds of this loss of life and injuries occurs in homes—chiefly women, chil- dren and aged and infirm people. What is more distressing is the fact that nearly all, if not all, fires are absolute- ly preventable. Here is the plan. An unbiased an- alysis shows that carelessness, indif- ference, ignorance, and slovenly think- ing are placing a financial burden upon the people of the United States—well over a billion dollars a year—removing from our midst some ten thousand persons, injuring many others, causing untold suffering and grief. If this be true, and indisputable facts gathered year after year prove this to be the case, alertness, right thinking, careful- ness, and appreciation of the import- ance in maintaining safe conditions, believing what you are told about fire hazards, and effort on your part to correct the improper conditions, will result in saving the life and property now destroyed by fires, (Continued on page 31) compensate a person this as we RS NE 15 OUR FIRE INSURANCE POLICIES ARE CONCURRENT with any standard stock policies that you are buying the Net Cot» 0 O% Less Michigan Bankers and Merchants Mutual Fire Insurance Co. of Fremont, Michigan WILLIAM N. SENF, Secretary-Treasurer Safety and Service at a Saving—that in six words is the insurance plan of the Federal Mutuals. For more than thirty-one years these companies have Careful selection of risks and efficient management have furnished sound protection at a saving. made this possible. Year after year these savings. have been returned direct to policyholders. An excess of 36 million dollars has been paid. FEDERAL HARDWARE & IMPLEMENT MUTUALS Retail Hardware Mutual Fire Ins. Co. Minneapolis, Minnesota Hardware Dealers Mutual Fire Ins. Co. Stevens Point, Wisconsin Minnesota Implement Mutual Fire Ins. Co. Owatonna, Minnesota Finnish Mutual Fire Insurance Company Of Calumet, Michigan Has paid dividends of 40 to 68 per cent for the past 40 years and have accumulated more assets and sur- plus per $1000.00 of risk than leading stock com- panies. We insure at Standard Rates and issue a Michigan Standard Policy. : We write Mercantile, Garage, Church, School and Dwelling risk. Write for further information. JACOB UITTI, Manager 444 Pine Street Calumet, Mich. OO: oe 16 MORE PLAUSIBLE THAN REAL. No Possibility of Relief To Inde- pendent Merchant. Whitehall, Aug. 24—As one who has been identified with retailing all my life, as well as a member at present of the Legislature, I have become keenly interested in those legislative ques- tions that affect the retailer. The accompanying article I have prepared primarily for a speech, but thought that it might be of more gen- eral interest, especially to retailers. You are welcome to use it if the ar- ticle is acceptable to you, and such as you can use in your magazine. : If desired I could follow it with similar discussions of the new concep- tions of the “Graduated Tax,” “The Chain Store Tax,” What the Legis- lature can do for the Retailer” and pos- sibly one or two more. Will you kindly tell me in the frank- est manner whether this suggestion ap- peals to you or not? Montague W. Ripley, State Representative. The Retail ‘Sales ‘Tax. One of the measures for raising new State revenues that failed of enactment at the 1931 session of the Michigan Legislature was the Dykstra+McBride bill to impose a tax upon all retail sales. This bill failed to pass. the House by the narrow margin of 47 to 48 votes, with five members absent from the roll, Inasmuch as a retail sales tax is stil! warmly discussed and is mention- ed among the possible measures that may come up for consideration at a special session this winter, if one is catled, the following analysis may not be without interest to Tradesman readers: The Dykstra-McBréde bill embraced three major features. It first conceiv- ed that a tax on retail sales was an easy, just and constitutional means of raising public funds. It also attempt- ed by the device of a graduated tax that progressively increased according to the volume of gross sales to place a curb and a restraint upon the opera- tions of, and the growth of, the chain store systems, It further provided that the first ten millions that the measure would raise should be allocat- ed back to the school districts of the State, with the implication that there would follow a similar and concurrent reduction in local school taxes to an equal amount. ‘These three diverse features leads to some confusion in the consideration of this bill. There is, of course, no natur- al association between a tax on retail saies, and the cost of school govern- ment. The problems involved in so radical a step as a tax on retail sales are by themselves of such importance as to require that they be considered by themselves. So, too, the question of the State taking over a larger share in the responsibility and expense of the education of the youth of the State is so far reaching in its implications and possible effects that the citizens of the State ought to be clearly ad- vised and agreed as to the wisdom of such a step before engaging upon such a program. There is, of course, no justification for considering the enactment of new tax measures at this time, during the present financial stringency, except in the hope of thereby extinguishing the MICHIGAN TRADESMAN present indebtedness of the State, or of shifting the tax load so that it will not fall so heavily upon general prop- erty, or both. It follows as a prac- tical consideration that there can be no consideration of any tax measure without having in view the purposes to which the funds raised are to be used, Yet, logically, the wisdom and equity of a sales tax should be con- sidered wholly apart from the pur- poses to which the returns may be de- voted. The funds from such a levy should go into the general funds with- out any strings attached. Logically, too, the question of the ‘State contrib- uting further to the expense of school districts should be considered wholly apart from the question as to the source of the funds that would be used. Practically, we can’t spend money without knowing from whence the money is coming. But whether the proceeds from a sales tax are to be used for school pur- poses, for paying off the State’s deficit, or what, the merits of such a tax are matters of a separate nature. It is upon that basis that we wish to dis- cuss it, In order to recall those features of the sales tax let us first review the rates and classifications as provided in the bill we have referred to. They were as follows: Under this bill, every retail store would be required to take out a per- mit to do business, and pay a privilege tax of $3. Then a further tax of one- half of a mill per each dollar of gross sales was levied on all retail stores do- ing a business of $10,000 and not ex- ceeding $400,000. The rates advanced progressively from this point at the rate of an additional mill for each $100,000 of gross sales, until sales of one million dollars were reached. The rate on gross sales of one million dol- lars and over was to be ten mills per each dollar. Computed in dollars the tax would therefore advanced progressively as follows: Gross sales of: $ 10,000 to $ 400,000 $ 3to$ 198 400,000 to 500,000 198 to 298 500,000 to 600,000 298 to 598 600,000 to 700,000 598 to 948 700,000 to 800,000 948 to 1,498 800,000 to 900,000 1,498 to 2,198 900,000 to 1,000,000 2,198 to 3,048 In the ‘first place we ‘find that the merchants will either absorb this tax, pay it out of their own profits, or they will pass it along to their customers in the way of increased prices on the goods they sell. It is conceivable that a considerable number of those retail- ers coming within the first two brack- ets may absorb the tax, and make no attempt to get it back by increasing prices on enough goods to make up the amount. It is just as conceivable that those retailers who will fall in the sev- eral brackets above the second will not elect, and may not be able, to pay the tax assessed against them out of their profits; and will therefore, seek to re- imburse themselves, together with any additional cost the system may involve them in, at the expense of their buying public. In the case of those who absorb the tax, it becomes an addition to their overhead, and a reduction to their profits. We may assume that if a sales tax is passed there will be attached some collateral scheme with the object of bringing about an approximate re- duction in the property tax. Granting then that a retailer is able to receive back from the State, or his local tax collector, an amount approximating the amount of the sales tax he is as- sessed, where has he gained anything? What relief will there be to a retailer if what he saves on his property tax he has to pay out as a sales tax? His total amount of taxes that he would have to pay would still be the same. The only difference would be that he would pay a less amount to his local tax collector, and the sales tax to the Secretary of State. If a retailer owns his own building, we may grant that a reduction of his realty tax would possibly make that part of his property more desirable and more salable. But on the other hand, his retail business would have an added expense attached to it, that would, to that extent, make his busi- ness less desirable, and less profitable. If a retailer rents from a landlord, it is hardly conceivable that the small reduction the landlord might get in his general property tax through such a source would be such as would be greatly reflected in reduced rentals to the retailers, As a matter of fact would this pos- sible relief to the general property tax, which consists mostly of realty, be in a direct ratio to the sales tax, so far as any individual retailer was con- cerned? There are fifty thousand re- tailers, who would pay the sales tax, directly or indirectly. Whatever re- duction there might come about to the general property tax would be spread over a great many times that number of property assessments. In other words a sales tax would be just an add- ed burden to a majority of retailers with out any compensating features of merit, If on the other hand the sales tax is passed on to the buying public in the way of increased prices, then we have done little to lift the real load of taxa- tion from those who are the least able to pay. The great bulk of merchan- dise that is sold over the retail coun- ters consists of foodstuffs, and wear- ing apparel. The rich man is not able to eat any more than the wage earner, although his food may cost him slight- ly more. Nor does the wealthy man spend a great deal more upon _ his clothing. The great body of consum- ers consists of the common every-day folks. A sales tax passed on to the consumers would therefore be a tax upon the bread baskets of the ordin- ary citizens. It would contribute prac- tically nil to the problem of easing the burden of taxation off the backs of those least able to stand the load, and of placing it upon the backs of those most able to pay. True it would shift the load. If a reduction to the general property tax could be accomplished through a sales tax, it would shift the load from realty to the merchants stocks of goods. It would shift the load from the rural sections to the urban centers, because city people are the largest patrons of retail stores. It would shift the load September 2, 1931 from one class of every day folks to another class. But the poor, and the average citizens would still pay; and the rich would continue to escape. So far as the retailers themselves are concerned, the real injustice of a sales tax lies in the fact that all re- tailing does not return the same per- centage of profit. Percentages of mark-up, and percentages of profit vary greatly with different kinds of businesses. A filling station, for ex- ample, may be operated upon a very small margin of profit. A specialty shop on the other hand may mark its goods anywhere from 25 per cent. up. Yet each would be obliged to pay the same sales tax per dollar of gross sales. To make this clear, let us suppose that the filling station doing a gross business of $25,000, operates on a mark-up of 10 per cent.; and that the specialty shop operates on an average mark-up of 50 per cent. The tax in both cases, on a gross volume of $25,- 000 would be $10.50. Yet there is hardly any equity in asking the filling station to pay the same tax as a spec- ialty shop which is able to gross five times as much on the same volume of sales. The absurdity of such a tax is even more strikingly demonstrated when we carry this point into the higher brackets. Suppose a company operat- ing a chain of filling stations does a business of a million dollars in the aggregate. Suppose also that a com- pany operating a chain of specialty shops also does a business of a mil- lion dollars. Using the same mark-ups that we did in the individual cases, we find that while each concern would be liable to a sales tax of $3,024, the fill- ing station would be paying less than 3 per cent of its gross profits, the specialty concern would be obliged to pay less than six-tenths per cent, of its gross profits, In other words a sales tax would fall the heaviest upon those lines of retailing that yielded the least profits, and are therefore the least able to take on the extra load. The more opulent would again escape a just share, The retailers should consider further the fact that paying the tax is only one part of the cost involved in a sales tax. The collection of a sales tax would impose upon them the burden of keep- ing such sales records as the State might reuirge. When a tax law is passed, the machinery for collecting the tax must at the same time be set up. In the case of the measure we are considering, the Secretary of State is empowered to collect the sales tax. In order that the sales tax of all the retailers may be uniformly accurate, some uniformity of record keeping will have to be established. Every retailer will be obliged to be in a position to declare what his gross sales for the taxable year have been, and to be able to swear as to the truth and the ac- curacy of his figures, In the case of those smaller mer- chants who do not keep a regular system of books and records of a character to enable them to take oath as to the amount of their gross sales for the taxable period, the State will oblige them to install such records. In the cases of those merchants who may & | ' & ee September 2, 1931 keep sales records that are satisfactory to themselves, in case they do not con- form to the State’s requirements, they will either have to conform them or install a separate system for the ex- press purpose of paying the sales tax. In any event there will be involved some expense, much worry, and all sales records will be subjected to offi- cial scrutiny. In the case of the larg- er firms the cost of keeping the re- quired records to meet the demands of a sales tax law may involve an expense even greater than the sales tax itself to them, Finally, there are some sincere mer- chants who believe, or have been led to believe, that a sales tax offers a nieans of striking heavily against the chains, in a way that will react to the great benefit of the independents, This hope is based upon the graduated fea- ture of the tax; and upon that section of the bill which seeks to compel the chain systems to pay the sales tax up- on the basis of their aggregate sales throughout the State, rather than to pay it upon the basis of the sales of unit stores. Certainly the chains will be placed at a disadvantage if they are obliged to pay the sales tax upon the basis of ten mills upon the dollar of each dollar of gross sales, based upon their total sales for all the units in the State, while their average independent competitor pays at the rate of one-half a mill. If this section can be made to stand the test of the courts, then a chain grocery unit doing a gross busi- ness of $100,000 would be subjected to a sales tax of $1,000; whereas aa inde- pendent grocer doing the same volume of gross business would be subjected to a sales tax of $48, But there is a question whether this section of the bill is not discriminatory and therefore unconstitutional, It is useless for the independents to beguile themselves with false hopes. It may be confidently expected that the chain organizations will bitterly contest such a provision in a sales tax law, in case of enactment. This may lead to pro- longed litigation; and therefore indefi- nitely delay and protract the possibility of making use of such a tax scheme to meet the 'State’s present emergency. It must not also be forgotten that the graduated scale of rates in the sales tax bill strikes just as hard against the larger independent depart- ment stores, in proportion to their gross sales, as it does against the chain systems. The strongest competition that the large department stores are obliged to meet comes from the chain specialty shops. Unless the courts sustain the validity of that section re- quiring the chains to pay on the basis of their State wide sales, it becomes readily apparent that the large depart- ment stores will be placed at a still further disadvantage in their fight with the specialty shops. Happily, however, so far as the fight of the independents against the chains is concerned, there is no longer any necessity of the independents Pinning their faith to a questionable sales tax law, solely for the purpose of attacking the chains. The recent decision of the United States Supreme Court, sustaining the validity of the Indiana chain store tax law, opens the MICHIGAN TRADESMAN door to the legislature to impose a tax directly upon the chains, without sub- jecting all retailers to the same tax. This decision affirms the right of the legislature to tax a chain organization upon a graduated scale according to the number of units in the chain, with- out regard to the fact of raising rev- enue, but solely for the purpose of placing a curb and a restraint upon the operations and growth. Why then should the retailers want to pummel themselves all over for the purpose, and in the hope, of getting a few un- certain blows in at the chain, when they have had provided for them by the highest court in the land this new- er and more satisfactory way? These are some of the features which condemn the sales tax scheme in the view of the writer. As a means of shifting the tax load, the relief will be more plausible than real. Because of the uncertainty of the constitution- ality of that provision of the bill which requires the chains to pay a sales tax based upon their aggregate sales throughout the State, the possibility of relief to the independents from this source is remote, doubtful and at best will be long protracted in coming. Be- cause of the litigation that will doubt- less follow the enactment of a sales tax law, and the State’s attempt to en- force it, it is questionable whether such a tax can be made available in time to be of use to the State in relieving the present deficit, even if the State should win its case, And so at best a sales tax should be looked upon by the retailers at least simply as a new revenue producing scheme—with themselves as the tax collectors. —++____ “Wagon Men” Cut Costs. Improved methods of operation adopted by wagon distributors of foods have cut the average overhead in that type of grocery distribution from 10 to 3 4/5 per cent. in the past two years, according to a survey completed this week by the National Food Distrib- utors’ Association, ‘The “wagon dis- tributor” operating from one to twenty trucks on frequent calls to retail gro- cers has made his greatest saving through reducing his stocks to ten or fifteen special items, purchasing in small lots at quantity discounts and selling chiefly for cash, E. J. Martin, secretary of the Asso- ciation, who is now compiling a formal report on the survey for submission to the membership next month, credits the cash policy followed by such deal- ers with effecting the greatest savings. “The average truck operated on a distributor’s route,” he said, “makes from thirty-five to forty calls a day and disposes of $40,000 worth of mer- chandise in a year, The average job- ber’s salesman reaches only about fifteen customers a day. The whole- saler sells on credit, has a heavy ware- house and stock charge and would lose money on the average size order from which the wagon distributor de- rives his profits.” At the present time over 4,000 dis- tributors, Mr. Martin said, have enter- ed the field and they sell approximate- ly $280,000,000 worth of grocery prod- ucts annually. 17 COFFEE What a line! Imperial Morton House Quaker Majestic Nedrow Boston Breakfast Blend Breakfast Cup COLO The quality line sold only by independent dealers. An asset to any merchant. GIOL’O LEE & CADY 18 DRY GOODS Michigan Retail Dry Goods Association. President — Geo. E. Martin, Benton Harbor. First Vice-President —J. T. Milliken, Traverse City. Second Vice-President—George C. Pratt, Grand Rapids. Secretary-Treasurer—Thomas Pitketh- ly, Flint. Manager—Jason E. Hammond, Lansing. Styles Which Get Favorable Reaction in New York. Now that Paris has yielded _ its sartorial secrets for Winter, the un- easiness that prevailed among fashion folk hereabouts in midsummer seems faintly pathetic. Made wary by the disastrous experiences of 1929, some New York creators shivered apprehen- sively as they presented their early col- lections in June. Paris would surely upset the apple cart, all this period talk, you know. Well, Paris did not upset the apple cart. The changes, to our mind, went just about far enough to be interest- ing, certainly not so far as to make everything topsy-turvy. Moreover, designers here, forewarned by the in- dubitable success of the dip hats, had done an extremely good job of antici- pating. Such details as wide-shoulder- ed effects, cinched-in waists, novel sleeves, much velvet and lots of fur- trimming, which were stressed at the openings, had all been developed here earlier. At an important Fall fashion show held here before any imports had arrived, the costumes looked absolute- ly right with the new hats. Even the much-discussed period an- fluence, as it turns out, is nothing to be alarmed about. It is all over town, certainly, but you can take it or leave it. Some leading couturiers turned their backs on the whole idea, Others handled it so creatively that the im- pression is one of fresh originality rather than uninspired imitation, One house which went in for rather obvious 1880 effects got scant approval for its pains. This difference of opinion among the couturiers has resulted in a great diversity of styles—far more than last Winter—so every woman should be able to find becoming clothes this year. During the last week we have talked to a number of observers just back from the fashion front. Their opinions are interesting, inasmuch as the style trends proposed by Paris are frequent- ly much modified by the time you and you and you get around to buying your new clothes. [Here are some comments, Although radical changes in waist lines and hem lines which would bring about a wholly different silhouette were not made, ‘the clothes have a new look due to the infinite variety of new details, such as neck lines, sleeves, trimming. Despite the insistence of color and more color, black serenely continues to hold an important place in the smart wardrobe. Much brown every- where, of course—Patou gave it more prominence than black. Wine red and Patou’s lighter Persian red and vari- ous greens also important for daytime. Black and white (yes, again!) and jewel tones for evening. New for eve- ning—navy blue satin, sponsored by Augusta Bernard, whose intelligent MICHIGAN TRADESMAN adaptation of period themes was par- ticularly approved. Schiaparelli is generally credited with having one of the most attractive and wearable collections. Lots of marvelous color combinations which have to be seen because they sound awful but are really nice—wine red and orange, for instance. She still likes to use metal clips instead of but- tons and the new ones are ring, oval and ‘S-shaped, ‘An evening ensemble of hers which will probably find its way into a few exclusive shops con- sists of a gray crepe frock and a wine red velvet jacket, so fitted that it looks like part of the dress. Another Schiaparelli trick was to make a fox collar with silk ends at- tached to a matching muff. This was shown with a black Lyons velvet coat, but the whole business could be lifted off and worn with anything else. A Bruyere Ford is a good daytime dress with the popular crossed and but- toned treatment in front and white at the neck, tying in back. It’s being made here in wool and canton.—N. Y. Times, —_»++—___ Fabrics and Color. Advance predictions of the import- ance of dull-surfaced fabrics are borne out by the ‘Paris collections. Chanel and Vionnet show a decided preference for materials of subdued luster, Moly- neux sponsors dull velvets in both afternoon and evening ensembles. Worth likes these also, and his use of Courdurier’s ribbed peau d’ange is in- teresting. Schiaparelli achieves not- able effect with rough and graufre marochains. A novelty chez Vionnet is double-faced transparent velvet which she uses in evening wraps. Lan- vin’s afternoon dot printed satins and velvets are attractive. Interesting color notes are Vionnet’s mustard yellow and her dark cherry reds, Chanel’s orange reds, Schiapa- relli’s cerise and vintage reds, and Lanvin’s yellowish naturel. Worth’s biskra ‘brown and his violet are also featured elsewhere. And growing in importance are grays and beiges. ——_2 >. >____ Rug Orders Approach Normal. Seasonal activity in the wholesale rug market this week approached nor- mal for the first time since June, as buyers placed orders for Fall merchan- dise for immediate delivery. Both worsted and wool wiltons were in strong demand from the ‘buyers, who expressed the belief that the coming months will witness a record consum- er call for such weaves. Better grade axminsters were purchased freely and there was a fair degree of interest in the better type domestic orientals. Other grades and weaves of floor cov- erings were purchased in smaller quan- tities. - Although orders were numer- ous, they averaged somewhat smaller in size than those of August last year. — > + + ___ Malachite in Vogue. Malachite, as a fashion term, has just been incorporated into the Paris style vocabulary. ‘This semi-precious jewel, that sometimes approximates the greens and pinks of coral and jade, is now being shown in advance collec- tions of Fall accessories. '‘One of the claims of malachite, to fashion fame right now, is a certain quality which enables it to be cut in a number of large-sized forms. New necklaces make use of this material in huge pieces—large tubes and flat por- tions that are nearly as large as the palm of a woman’s hand. One of these newest of malachite pieces combines green and pink (a color combination scheduled for big Fall successes) in pieces of unusual shape. The portion at the front is composed of four oddly shaped mala- chite sheets in graduated sizes. —_>+>—___- Accessory Buying More Active. A more promising degree of activity has now developed in women’s ac- cessories for Fall. Orders recently placed by retailers are said to reflect added confidence in the outlook for medium and popular price items, Part of the change of feeling is attributed to the interest awakened in the new offerings of accessories harmonizing with the Empress Eugenie and Vic- torian influences in apparel. This has made the clearing out of current re- tail stocks a necessity and has spurred the placing of new commitments. Metal “period” designs and pearls lead in novelty jewelry. Handbags show a trend toward grained leathers, while glace kid styles lead in gloves. —_+-+_____ Ask Larger Chinaware Orders. ‘Special efforts to induce buyers to increase the size of the orders which they place at regular intervals with chinaware producers are being made by a number of manufacturers of popu- lar price merchandise. The producers are deeply concerned over a sharp shrinkage during the past month in the September 2, 1931 size of such orders. Many retail estab- lishments are said to have cut as much as 50 per cent. from the quantities purchased, while others have reduced their regular purchases by from 10 to 25 per cent. Increased handling costs and a reduction in sales volume have resulted from the change, the manu- facturers point out. —_++ > Testing Grease-Proof Paper. Do you test the quality of the dif- ferent brands of grease-proof paper the paper companies try to sell you? A simple way of doing this is to make a sandwich of two different types of paper to be tested with lard as the filler. Over the outside of each sheet of greaseproof paper, lay a piece of cigarette paper or plain white bond, and over these lay pieces of glass. To afford uniform pressure, put a rubber band around the whole. Then watch for stains on the outer paper, which you can see through the glass, The best paper will be the last to develop a stain, > ++ —__- 3,080 Pound Steer—Largest in World. A steer weighing 3,080 pounds and believed to be the largest in the world is owned by Carl Danielson, of Spen- cer, Nebraska. Pedro, the steer, is a four-year-old shorthorn and a Hereford cross, He has a girth of ten feet four inches, measures the same in length from tip of nose to base of tail, stands five feet ten inches high, weighs 3,080 pounds and is still filling out. He was so large as a yearling that Mr. Danielson decided not to market him, but to keep him and let him grow. Dresses--Beautiful Assortment-- Are In Stock TERMS 8/10 E. O. M. SEE OUR SALESMAN OR VISIT US. $1.00 Retailer — Cotton Prints and Foulards in Medium and Dark Shades. $1.98 Retailer — $2.98 Retailer — Rayon Dark Prints. Rayon Dark Crepes. $3.95 - $5.95 - $9.99 Retailer—Silk Crepes, Travel Tweeds, Satins, etc., in latest and best styles— all new up-to-date merchandise. C. J. FARLEY & COMPANY Jobbers of Dresses and Dry Goods 20-28 Commerce Ave., S. W. Grand Rapids 1909 320 Houseman Bldg. 22 Years Losses Paid Promptly — Saving 30% For FIRE and WINDSTORM Insurance THE GRAND RAPIDS MERCHANTS MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY afhliated with THE MICHIGAN RETAIL DRY GOODS ASSOCIATION 1931 Grand Rapids, Mich. mM < September 2, 1931 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 19 SHOE MARKET Michigan Retail Shoe Dealers Association. President—Elwyn Pond, Flint. Vice-President—J. E. Wilson, Detroit Secretary—Joe H. Burton, Lansing. Asst. Sec’y-Treas.—O. R. Jenkins. Association Business Office, 907 Trans- portation Bldg., Detroit. Limitations of In Stock Service. When the “stock shoe” question- naire was sent out to a group of manu- facturers it did not seem worth while to ask: Do in-stock shoes improve the dealer’s fitting service? The question was omitted because “Ves” would seem to be the only answer. However, several manufacturers volunteered some vital suggestions that must not be overlooked by any retail- er, big or little. One who makes “nothing but stock” men’s shoes writes: “We are inclined to think that stock departments make it easy for the retailer to become care- less. Many shoe dealers, we fear, are understocked and are therefore mis- fitting their customers or else missing sales. “Stock shoes are so easy to get the retailer forgets that the only shoes that count, as far as the customer is con- cerned, are those on his shelf, not those in the -factory.” Another illustrates his meaning with pointed comparisons. “Let no retailer assume he is assured of success simply because he carries a line that is stocked by the manufacturer,” says he, “any more than it assures a ford owner of always having a perfect running car just because Henry ford carries an ample supply of repair parts in Detroit. “T own a dictionary containing more words than Arthur Brisbane ever knew, Yet what good are those words unless I have on my tongue the exact ones I need at the moment. Stock shoes are no different.” Another agrees thus: “Stock shoes can be of great service to the retail trade, but what does it all mean if a retailer carries three or four conflicting lines, or in spite of the fact that a good stock department is available, he does not take advantage of it?” The following statement packs a lot of punch to the right spot. “Our one chief thought in this matter is that to-day shoe retailing has become an institution dedicated more to the ser- vice of proper fitting than to any other one thing. Style and pattern, though absolutely necessary, are secondary. “The in-stock department, therefore, can be at once a help and a hindrance. It will be a help if the dealer will carry in his store enough sizes in staple shoes even though he knows he can get more in a few days. “It is a hindrance if he banks upon in-stock departments to take the place of efficient buying on his part. There is a happy medium,” He goes on to say that no one out- side the factory can realize the number of daily mail orders for single pairs of best selling sizes in staple shoes, ‘Ask- ing customers to wait for such shoes is a merchandising crime, says he. Yet single orders for odd sizes in question- able sellers is quite another thing. The in-stock department does not release the dealer from his obligation to carry an adequate stock on his own shelves under penalty of lost sales and customers, We talk about twenty-four hour ser- vice but in the actual operation of siz- ing up once a week, it is a good ten days on the average from the time a pair is sold until its ‘fill-in arrives, Do not get the idea that manufac- turers discourage the ordering of small lots. It is quite the opposite. The supplying of small lots or even single pairs is the very foundation of the in- stock principle. Stock service is meant for small orders. Yet all through their discussion of the subject this distinction seems to crop out: Ordering small lots to antici- pate the customer’s demands is good business, heartily endorsed, Ordering small lots or single pairs in staple shoes while the customer is kept wait- ing is bad business. It is a reflection upon the dealer’s merchandising fore- sight to be caught short of such staples, Shoe retailers all realize that if no new stock is fed into a store for a con- siderable time, then the stock on hand gets woefully “out of balance.’ There develops a shortage of certain styles and sizes and an over abundance of others. This lack of balance, according to one manufacturer is the big worry of shoe retailing. Most stocks are large enough as far as dollars of investment are concerned, too large in fact. But the comparative overlaad on so many unnecessary lines automatically pre- vents carrying sufficient sizes in the staples. If carefully used, the ordering of small lots of in-stock shoes tends to keep the stock in better balance. In passing it might be mentioned that manufacturers seem to have made no more progress than retailers with the problem of maintaining a balance between middle sizes and end sizes. When an in-stock style gets down to the close-out point the middle sizes are usually scarce and the end sizes plentiful duplicating the retailer’s eternal plight, Factory back-orders are a big nuis- ance, tending toward throwing the re- tailer’s stock out of balance. The dealer orders six pairs. The factory ships four pairs and back orders the 4C and the 8B. Even in the best regu- lated stores it is very hard to keep any check on those back orders. Consequently the next time the line is sized up the 4C and 8B are again ordered and soon a double dose of both sizes arrives, Most retailers find it much safer to leave standing instructions with their factories never to back-order anything. The more progressive in-stock depart- ments prefer to work that way. Then they send the dealer a notice telling when each size or style will be avail- able, asking him to re-order. This works best for single pair special or- ders as well. Anyone who has worked on either end of such a scheme knows how much endless detail it involves. Yet failure to watch just such things throws stocks out of balance, There are still a few exasperating manufacturers who acknowledge stock orders with a post card thanking the dealer for order Number So and So “which will be shipped shortly.” In two or three weeks the sizes arrive after the rest of the line is shot and the retailer had given up hope of get- ting more. The manufacturer owes it to his customer to be more definite than “shortly.” Possibly it is not true, but many shoe retailers suspect the surest way to get an old stock order shipped is to cancel it. Almost invariably there comes an invoice and a letter regret- ting that “unfortunately your order was shipped only this morning.” Or does it just seem that way? Then there is the special order evil —or blessing, depending on how the retailer handles it. Here is one mer- chant’s complaint: “J find in-stock de- partments tend to weaken the clerks’ salesmanship. “If the customer happens to fancy a shoe in which the size is missing, it is so easy for the clerk to ease her out with: ‘I can get that for you in just a few days.’ Maybe he can, maybe he can’t; it is always a risk. “Furthermore, he tells her she does not have to take it since it is not be- ing made up special. Then he comes up to me and says, ‘She simply would not have anything else, so ] had to order it.’ If there had been no stock department he would have dug right in and sold her something we already had.” ‘However, it must be conceded that the single pair business prevents many a risky make-up special order, saves many a walk-out, and pleases many a customer, especially in the smaller communities. As with other problems, it all depends on how it is worked. ‘Here is an oft repeated question: Do in-stock lines cost more than similar grades from make-up factories? ‘The make-up houses insist that the losses suffered by in-stock departments make higher prices necessary on shoes made by in-stock manufacturers. But the in-stock factories claim that manu- facturing in bulk lots as they do creates a saving that is reflected in lower prices on their stock shoes than make-up factories can offer. Fortunately this argument will never be settled. Experts have never agreed on the relative worth of competing lines, so retailers have come to depend upon their own judgment rather than rely on competitor’s knocks, Here again we find honest disagree- ment among manufacturers, A maker of men’s and boys’ shoes, who carries a medium sized stock, declares: ‘We find stock shoes are an added expense which is very difficult to include in our costs, and for that reason cuts down further an already very small margin of profit.” A children’s shoemaker adds: “Keen competition has prompted the placing of too many on the floor. This has resulted in tremendous in- vestments with slow turnovers and huge losses from close-outs and short lots.” numbers A manufacturer of women’s style shoes writes: “Smart retailers are still anticipating their requirements and do not depend upon in-stock departments because they realize that in buying (Continued o npage 31) TORSON SHOES Going Ahead in 1931 Creating Sales and Profits for Alert Merchants $4.00 - $5.00 - $6.00 Torson Arch Shoes For Men $6.00 and $7.00 Nationally Advertised-$4.50 For complete information about our lines, advertising campaigns, dealer merchandising plans, write direct to: HEROLD BERTSCH SHOE Shoe Manufacturers since 1892 11-15 Commerce Ave., S. W. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN. Mutual Building Save On Your Insurance By Placing It With The MICHIGAN SHOE DEALERS MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY LANSING, MICHIGAN Phone 20741 20 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN September 2, 1931 RETAIL GROCER Retail Grocers and Meat Dealers Associa- tion of Michigan. President—William Schultz, Ann Arbor. First Vice-President—Paul Schmidt, Lansing. Second Vice-President—A. Bathke, Pe- toskey. : Secretary — Herman Hanson, Grand Rapids. Treasurer—O. H. Bailey, Sr., Lansing. Directors — Ole Peterson, Muskegon; Walter Loefler, Saginaw; John Lurie, Detroit; Clayton F. Spaulding, Battle Creek; Ward Newman, Pontiac. London Grocery Store Continuously in Business Since 1650. I believe I was told that this is the oldest firm in the city of London— meaning the Old City, the original Square Mile which is still governed as a unit, entirely separate fromthe Greater London everybody sees and knows about. Anyway, this house was established in 1650—281 years ago—continues to- day, was the first importer and seller of tea in England and sold the tea that was dumped into Boston harbor as a prelude to our War of Independ- ence, Believe me, such a_ story of stability in our business gets complete- ly under my skin, always makes me extra proud to be a grocer; and there is plenty of romance in the story. The original sign still hangs over the door, although the original loca- tion was abandoned only a few years ago, crowded out by the march of mod- ern progress. The sign is a crown, be- neath which is the date, 1650, and from which depend three sugar loaves, much in the manner of the pawn- broker’s three balls. Daniel Rawlinson was the founder of this house, just after King ‘Charles I was beheaded and the Common- wealth under Crownwell began. Tea which came to England jfirst sold for $50 per pound. Translated into our present values, that might read about $1,000 or more. Sam Pepys mentions Rawlinson and tells how his home was invaded by the Plague of 1665 and de- stroyed by the fire of 1666. ‘The famous trade guilds have always controlled the government of London. It is a tradesmen’s city. Napoleon was right, but in a way he did not realize what he said when he remarked that the English were a nation of shop- keepers. We Americans continue that tradition, and, believe me, it is a bet- ter one than traditions of swash- bucklers. So Daniel Rawlinson’s son, Thomas, succeeded to the business in 1679 and in 1706—seventy years before our Declaration of Independence was writ- ten—Thomas became ‘Lord Mayor of London. ‘The business was now big and partners came in. The firm was Rawlinson, Davison & Newman for seventy-one years, becoming Davison & Newman in 1777, ten years before our Constitution was formulated; and Davison & Newman is the sign still over the door after 154 years. Both Davison & Newman made enormous fortunes in the business. When they died a Mr. Thwaytes came into control, He had joined the firm as clerk and invested 500 pounds. He was so prosperous that he left 500,000 pounds, or say $2,500,000 to his widow, $200,000 to the Clothworkers’ Com- pany, of which guild he was a mem- ber, and other legacies. A. F. Skerritt, is managing director to-day. He told me how the old firm traded heavily to the West Indies and owned plantations in Jamaica where they worked with slaves. [He showed me a book of records, clearly written as if of yesterday, in which is a list of slaves held by the firm in 1789— two years after our Constitution was adopted. The records give name and occupa- tion of each slave with notes on his or her physical condition, disposition, character, etc. Number 160 is “Old Lucy, midwife, weakly;” another is “Old Esther, cook.” “Little Sukey” is described as rheumatic; another is “weakly owing to ulcerated leg;” “Toby, (24) stable- man” was “almost useless;” while “Marlborough” was described as a “noted runaway.” At the end of the re- cord is a note in another writing say- ing that a slave now was “very dear owing to the act of Parliament of 1806.” The tea sold by this house to the Boston customer and thrown into the harbor is of such interest to Americans that hundreds of them seek out this old house—as I] did—down in the in- tricacies of Creechurch Lane to see the ancient place and its relics. We Americans know more about the firm than Londoners do. J saw a bill dated 1751, with a check written in payment on the same sheet. The items included tea, chocolate, al- monds, sugar loaves, raisins, coffee and spices. The house still deals in one special brand of China tea which it sends over the whole world. The place is ‘filled with exotic items under strange names: Trinidad chocolate, “Caribee, queen of West Indian Li- quers,” “Carypton, the famous green swizzle,’ whatever that may be. In fact, this shop seems not to have changed with the centuries. It is to- day a complete back number. Not a customer would seek it out now. What business it enjoys—and it is busy— must come from old connections and from those who know the old brands and want the same excellent goods as of yore. In this regard it is not like some other London grocery business I shall tell about later, which are as new and up-to-date now as they were the day they were established, 200 and more years ago. But Davison & Newman reminded me of a grocer in Omaha whose busi- ness was established sixty or seventy years ago, who operated in a passe location and with old fashioned fix- tures and methods, but who held the best trade because of the supreme ex- cellence of his goods and service. And in this respect, East and West are precisely alike—that good goods and good service are the prime requisites everywhere, So the present manager is able to say: “That is the sugar we sold the Shackleton expedition,’ as he points to a photograph which hangs along- side a clock made from a beam of the original Fenchurch street shop and which is undoubtedly 1,000 years old. The ancient furnishings are as solid as they were when Abraham Newman died in 1799, having made $3,000,000 from the business. ‘Incidentally, we are told that he did not speculate, did not put money into adventures; he was just a grocer. Yet he became one of the richest citizens in the city, and after he retired he went every day to the shop and ate his mutton at 2 _ o'clock, just as he had always done. The oaken counter over which the first pound of tea ever sold in England was passed and the original canisters are there in use to-day; but these are on their way out—with all counters and canisters. This is another example of the fact that there is nothing con- stant but change and he who fails to change as times change is as much out of luck as ever anybody was in any line or clime, Paul Findlay. —_—2—2- > ___ Hides and Pelts. iereen. No 40 coe 04 Green: No. 2 2252 03 (ured NOL Go eee 05 (ured ONG) 62 co 04 Calfskin, Green, No. 1... 06 Calfskin, Green, No. 2 —.--_-_-_----- 0414 Calfskin, Cured, No. 1 -------------- 07 Calfskin, Cured, No. 2 ~------------- 0546 Pelts. Lambskins ------------------------ 10@25 Shearlings ----------------------- — 5@10 Tallow. Prime —------------------------------ 051% No. 1 -_------------------------------ 02 No. 2 ~-------------------------------- 01 Wool. Unwashed, medium ----------------- @14 Unwashed, rejects ------------------ @09 Unwashed, fine ---------------------- @15 ——_—_++2>___ Keeping Posted, A traveling man was forced to stay in a small town over night because of a great downpour of rain. While look- ing out the window, he said to the waitress, “My, this certainly looks like the flood.” “The what?” she asked. “The flood. You have read about the flood and the ark landing on Mt. Ararat, surely?” he questioned. “Gee, mister,’ she answered, “I ain’t seen a paper for four weeks.” In Kalamazoo It’s CREAMO Kalamazoo Bread Co. W. R. ROACH & CO., GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN Hart Brand vegetables and fruits are building prof- itable repeat business for thousands of Michigan re- tailers . . Rademaker-Dooge Grocer Co. Distributors Fremont Sweet Peas Miss Michigan Ex Stand Cut Wax Beans Miss Michigan Ex Stand Cut Green Beans Miss Michigan Sweet Peas Miss Michigan Early June Peas Above all packed by Fremont Canning Co. pelenet ise: nen eadiciagicitione ETE Ee aE pu scanlenear et t £ : REA Ia:: ee z = } £ 2 September 2, 1931 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 21 MEAT DEALER Michigan State Association of Retail Meat Merchants. President—Frank Cornell, Grand Rapids Vice-Pres.—E P. Abbott, Flint. Secretary—E. J. La Rose, Detroit. Treasurer—Pius Goedecke, Detroit. Next meeting will be held in Grand Rapids, date not decided. The Fat and Tallow Situation. Prices of tallow have hit the tobog- gan again this month, sliding down to what looks like a record low, and, ac- cording to renderers, that ain’t all. It is hard, they say, to find any buyers for their tallow even at present prices, for the market is glutted. This situation has resulted from the competition of vegetable and fish fats, particularly whale oil, which has been produced in large quantities recently as a result of improved methods. of sighting and harpooning whales. The glut in the whale oil market is reflect- ed in the announcement that the prin- cipal whaling companies will cease op- erations for the coming season. The ‘National Association of Retail Meat Dealers has recognized the real cause of present low fat prices in a resolution which calls for legislative protection against the competition from these other oils. Butchers should consider in inter- preting the present situation their own defense before the Senate committee when they were recntly accused of holding retail prices of meat too high. They explained that their overhead re- mained the same whether wholesale prices went up or down and must be included tin the retail prices of meat. This explanation applies with much more weight in the rendering industry, where collecting and processing costs comprise, at present prices of tallow, not 30 or 35 per cent., but nearer 90 per cent., of the total. Since they can- not change the price of tallow, render- ers have no choice but to pay less for fat or to cut down their overhead, As a matter of fact, they are doing both, and in spite of their efforts many are having a hard time staying in busi- ness. One of the steps that may be taken, we are informed, to cut over- head is the payment for fat quarterly instead of monthly. This would make possible a considerable reduction in book-keeping costs, as the mailing out of a large number of small checks monthly is more expensive than mail- ing out the same number of larger checks every three months. Nothing definite has been done yet in this re- spect, so far as we can learn, but it seems likely that this policy will be adopted by renderers in the near fu- ture, The renderer is in the same position as the packer who takes all animals sent to market whether they are too many or too few—only more so, be- cause of intense competition from other products, +--+ ____ Provisioning the Campers. About this time large numbers of people in some sections are embarking on camping trips, There are two good reasons why meat dealers, particularly those who carry a complete food line, should be interested in these expeditions: First, the food order for a camping trips is considerable and the sales cost is low, since all the food can be sold at one time. Second, these camping expeditions present a good opportunity to build good will. Camping expeditions are often big events in the lives of those who make them. They are planned sometimes for six months ahead and remembered for years afterwards, Any service you perform in connection with them may be remembered along with other de- . tails of the trip. Though only a small number of your customers go on camping trips, for those who do the occasion furnishes a better opportun- ity to build good will than Thanks- giving or Christmas. Many campers, moreover, need ex- pert service. They don’t know how much food to take along, or what food, or whether they will be able to re- plenish their supply along the way. Few campers—even the experienced ones—realize the large variety of dif- ferent meats it is possible to prepare without too much trouble over a camp- fire. If they did, the miraculous ap- petite of campers would be even more miraculous than it is. With a little time and study, the food dealer might prepare a list of suggested menus and be in a position to suggest the food items required. He might make such suggestions a special feature of his service, playing it up in his advertising, and get more than his share of the camper’s business and a few new permanent customers besides, as well as winning the good will of old customers, Among the foods that are neces- sities on a camping trip are: Ham, bacon, corned beef, eggs, butter, po- tatoes, cornmeal, toilet paper, sugar, flour, baking powder, coffee, tea, salt, soap, matches and insect extermin- ators. Some luxuries that are easy to keep and prepare are canned meat and sausage, canned chicken, various can- ned fruits and vegetables, pickles and candy bars, The amounts of some of these prod- ucts will depend mainly on taste, There are others, however, concerning which fairly accurate predictions can be made. One person, for example, will use about a pound of sugar in 10 days, a bar of washing soap in about 2 weeks, and half a box of matches in two weeks. More coffee and _ potatoes should be taken than the party would use if they were staying at home. ——_-->—___ Friendship. I’d like to have each one I meet, Wherever I may be, Feel that love and kindliness, Shine from the soul of me. I want to put so much into, Each handclasp I extend, That all will say with one accord, She seems just like a friend. I want to greet each one I know, With such a genial smile, That it will help to ease his care, And make life more worth while, I want to recognize his needs, And such assistance lend, That each and every one will say, I’m glad she is my friend. I’m asking nothing more of life, If through the coming years, I may add to each one’s happiness, Prevent some sisters tears, Though I may meet you only once, One thought, one smile I’ll send, Mayhap ’twill help you on your way, And prove I am your friend. Grace Gleason Walker. A banker at Long Beach. California, a few years ago wanted a home and he and his wife selected a hill back of the town. The banker called in a realtor and asked him to buy an acre of land in the spot indicated. A week later the realtor came back with a con- tract, but it called for the purchase of twenty acres ffor $25,000 instead of the modest homesite that had been planned. After considering it, the banker went into the deal with the thought of selling off the remainder. During the next year he took his friends up the hill and did his best to sell the remainder of the land. His success was poor and two years later he still had most of fit on his hands and felt that he had made a serious mistake. Then oil was struck on the other side of the hill and he thought eh would hold for awhile and see if anything came of it. The end of the story is that for a number of years past he has been receiving some $25,- 000—the original purchase price of the land—in oil royalties every thirty days. For the hill was Signal Hill. EGGS - Eggs, at full market prices. Quotations mailed on request. EGGS - WE BUY — WE STORE — WE SELL We are always in the market for strictly fresh current receipt We can supply Egg Cases and Egg Case Material of all kinds. KENT STORAGE COMPANY - EGGS GRAND RAPIDS GRAND RAPIDS PAPER Box Co. Manufacturers of SET UP and FOLDING PAPER BOXES SPECIAL DIE CUTTING AND MOUNTING GRAND RA.PI DS, M IC HIGAN GRIDDLES _ 7 N. IONIA AVE. BUN STEAMERS — Everything in Restaurant Equipment Priced Right. Grand Rapids Store Fixture Co. Phone 67143 URNS N. FREEMAN, Mer. PA Lic Flour Rowena Yes Ma’am Graham Rowena Golden G. Meal Rowena Pancake Flour Rowena Buckwheat Compound Rowena Whole Wheat Flour Rowena Cake and Biscuit ST a aO Ue a Ree ANN Always stock these fully-guaranteed, widely-advertised flour products! Valley City Milling Co., 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. es a = I II OS OIL Serve with fried or poached eggs f i bs r D D> D D> Rusk Bakers Since 1882 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. MICHIGAN : : a ae HARDWARE Michigan Retail Hardware Association. President—Waldo Bruske, Saginaw. Vice-Pres.—Chas. H. Sutton, Howell. Secretary—Harold W. Bervig. Treasurer—William Moore, Detroit. Making Use of the Fall Fair Exhibit. To a good many hardware dealers, the fall fair is something of a nuisance. He is invited to contribute something for a prize; he is sometimes elected to the fall fair board, which involves a lot of time and labor and in some instanc- es he is cajoled into taking a booth and putting on an exhibit the adver- tising value of which he refuses to see. And the galling part of it all, from his point of view, is that he dare not re- fuse for fear of offending a lot of peo- ple. But he consents with manifest reluctance, which is just as bad. His mistake is, not in doing the thing, but in ithe spirit in which he does it. JI remember one dealer who had just taken over a hardware store in a small community where there was considerable country trade. One of the big staple crops was beans. A fel- low dealer in his new town discussed the evils of program “advertising” and charitable solicitations of one sort and another. “And then there’s the fall fair,” he added, bleakly. -“So you have a fall fair,’ said Jones, the new dealer. “Yes, They'll hit you up for a prize. They'll probably want you to join the fair board, You can’t get out of that. But don’t let them jockey you into putting on an exhibit. They tried to hook me last year, but I was too sharp for them.” “Who's running the fair?” asked Jones. The other dealer gave the name of the secretary. Jones went to him, in- troduced himself. “J want to put up a prize of some kind,” the said, “but—wait a minute— let me see your prize list.” He glanced over it. “Isn’t it odd that in a bean growing country you haven’t any prize for beans?” The secretary explained that nobody, somehow, had ever thought of it. “Well,” said Jones, “Im going to put up an annual trophy cup for the best sample of beans grown anywhere in the county. And two other prizes, also for beans. And if there’s anyway I can help the fair board, I'll be glad. If you want to meet in my office any time it is at your disposal. And, say —can you get in the car and go out to the fair grounds with me right away. I want to pick my space in the main building.” 'The secretary, accustomed to coax and plead for any measure of co- operation, was too astonished for words when all this assistance tumbled unasked into his lap. The re- sult was that Jones got the choicest piece of space in the main building for his exhibit; the Jones trophy given year after year secured for his store the favorable notice of every bean grower in a country where every farm- er practically grew beans; and his work with the fair board brought him speedily into contact with the leading farmers of the community, All these things were valuable assets to the hardware dealer. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN With the fall fair season approach- ing, it is time for the dealer who in- tends to put on an exhibit to make his arrangements, Whether an exhibit is worth while or not depends on the in- dividual dealer and the community in which he does business—and some- thing, perhaps, on ithe liveness or otherwise of the fall fair. In most rural communities the fall fair is the great gathering place for the farmers. It represents their an- nual get-together event. In larger places the fair draws both rural and urban people. Even the small fair represents a good opportunity for the dealer to get his wares before the public. The value of such an exhibit de- pends to a large extent on how it is handled, The dealer who waits until the last minute and then throws to- gether a perfunctory exhibit and places it in charge of the clerk he can most easily spare from the store won't get much in the way of results. But the dealer who plans his exhibit in advance carefully places it in charge of his best available salesman and makes the very most of it, will almost invariably find it well worth while, The dealer who handles implements expects to use the fair as a matter of course. But the use of a fall fair booth to handle hardware lines, apart from implements, is a different matter. A first essential is to know exactly how much space is at our disposal. Visit the main building at least a couple of weeks in advance and meas- ure your booth, In the average main building there will be nothing orna- mental in the way of accessories—usu- ally the background is unpainted or whitewashed woodwork, with an un- painted wooden floor. Knowing your space and your sur- roundings, you must then plan to make the most of that space and to make your booth attractive. The fix- ing up of the booth gives opportunity to demonstrate the use of various lines. If you handle linoleum, for instance, use that to cover the floor, finishing the edges with your floor finish. Finish the side and back of the booth and per- haps the ceiling with wall board, at- tractively tinted this serves to demon- strate your wall tint. The same wall board can be used year after year, touching up and renewing the tinting. What lines should be displayed? The problem is, not to ‘find something to show, but to ‘find space for everything that might be shown. Heaters and ranges are timely; and although they occupy a lot of space, it is worth while to show several models. You cannot show everything; but you can show lines that will approximate the needs of most of your customers. See that the heaters and ranges are spick and span, with all the bright metal shining; and*keep them free from dust, circu- lars and other litter. Have them placed convenient for inspection and in as good a light as possible. A good stunt is to show a model kitchen, with your featured kitchen range and a complete line of acces- sories. As an alternative, a laundry room can be shown with a washing machine and a full line of wash-day accessories _washboard, clothes basket, drying rack, clothes line and pins, etc. Alum- inum goods can be shown; and, where electrical current is generally available, electrical lines can be displayed. If the facilities of the building per- mit, a demonstration is an excellent thing. Demonstrations of hand- operated machinery, paints, etc. are easily handled. Cooking demonstra- tions can sometimes be put on, par- ticularly at the larger fairs; while electrical demonstrations, where pos- sible, are well worth while. The great thing with the fall fair exhibit is to get the biggest possible results from it. It is an advertise- ment with a good circulation of well- selected prospects but of very limited duration, The usual fall fair has one day for getting things arranged, one big day, and a third day when ex- hibits are dismantled. Whatever is to be done has to be put across in a space of forty-eight hours, more or less. To get the biggest possible results, you must not merely have the display well planned and well arranged, but must place it in charge of the best salesmen you have. ‘Much of the value of the exhibit depends on the personal contacts established. You meet, for example, a lot of country customers whom you rarely see at other times; you meet people who are not now customers but may become such as a result of the interest aroused by your exhibit. You must talk to these people, get a line on their needs, make note of the names and addresses of any who seem to be prospects for stoves, paint, washing machines or other lines. The job calls for an ex- pert. This means that the dealer himself should be at the booth during at least the busiest hours of the fair; with one of his best and most tactful helpers to take his place when he is absent. The fall fair is, of course, a big op- portunity to distribute advertising mat- ter. Some firms hand out inexpensive souvenirs too. Normally, a lot of this material gets into the hands of un- appreciative youngsters; and there is a lot of waste. Try to place your advertising mat- ter where it will do the most good, in the hands of adults who are real pros- pects. Instead of merely handing out a booklet, add a few words of your own regarding it. If a woman is in- terested in your kitchen range, get her September 2, 1931 name and address and if possible get her promise to call at the store before she buys a range. With a little extra effort you can usually clinch some sales on the spot; in any event, carry your prospects as far as possible in the direction of actual buying. Some fall fair exhibitors bluntly re- fuse to hand out advertising matter to children, One dealer met the problem more tactfully. He had little souvenir pins or buttons made with the school colors of the various town schools and with special colors for the various townships. The youngster clamoring for a souvenir was given a button with the school colors; and, on its reverse, the name of the store. Where printed matter would have been dumped into the ditch on the way home, those but- tons continued for months to advertise the store. Special efforts should, as stated, be made to get a line on prospects of various kinds; have a book handy to note down names and addresses; or, better still, cards with blanks for this purpose. If you handle this work properly, you'll ultimately be able to trace a lot of good sales to your fall fair exhibit. The more you study the opportuni- ties, the more they will develop before your mind’s eye. Don’t attempt, how- ever, to show too much. Select a few good lines and feature them to the best advantage. Take ample time to get your booth in attractive shape before the fair opens. Instead of putting the exhibit together on the opening day have it ready the night before and leave it up until the last possible mo- ment, Victor Lauriston. ++ Bedspreads Bought Cautiously. Although styled merchandise, such as cotton bedspreads, is usually little affected by any fluctuations in the raw material market, buyers have been somewhat cautious in placing commit- ments during the week, contending that there might be a slight easing in quotations, In the candlewick spread division keen competition, particularly on the cheap numbers, has resulted in quotations being pared, and dissatis- faction over the present price situa- tion is being expressed by producers. The trade is confident, however, that because of the excellent styling of the Fall numbers, particularly in flat spreads, consumer response will be favorable. Michigan Hardware Co. 100-108 Ellsworth Ave., Corner Oakes GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN 3B Wholesalers of Shelf Hardware, Sporting Goods and FISHING TACKLE aM C4 SM 5 Cae oN oe ee ree September 2, 1931 EARLY DAY TELEGRAPHY. Original Installation in Michigan and Grand Rapids. I find a never-failing interest in the contributions of our old friend Arthur Scott White, for “age cannot wither nor custom stale his infinite variety.” In my own case education has always meant acquiring more or less informa- tion about the people and things all about me, for human interest, like charity, begins at home. I hope that some of his readers are making scrap- books of his articles, for if the infor- mation he is furnishing to this genera- tion should be lost it will be like that poetic “snowflake on a river; a moment white, then gone forever.” In a recent contribution he gives certain facts concerning the introduc- tion of the telegraph and later of the telephone in Grand Rapids. In so doing he mentions the names of two men whose names are associated with those installations. Edward D. Bene- dict was a pioneer telegrapher and Sam E. Watson, as I remember, was in charge of the first telephone central of Grand Rapids. I well recall the days of the early 1880s when we had just a few of the old “coffee-mill” type of phones and when we called our parties by name instead of by number. C. E. Wilde is one of the survivors of the early operatives. It is a strange way that names have of attaching to inventions. The Morse system is commonly supposed to have been the invention of Samuel Frisbee 3rezee Morse. Morse did invent the Morse code of dots and dashes, but a great many other men contributed most of the other details. Few people realize that Joseph Henry and Alfred Vail were the chief contributors to- ward the production of the instruments in early use. Lectures with demonstrations of the phenomena of magnetism were popular forms of entertainment during the 1840s. During the month of May in 1846, Dr. Joseph H. Bagg, of Detroit, was granted free use of the old city hall on Friday evenings for the purpose of giving lectures on magnetism. The first demonstration of the use of elec- tricity for telegraphy in the State of Michigan was advertised in the Detroit Advertiser of Sept. 23, 1845, and in this fashion: “Electric Telegraph, Dr. Boynton commenced a course of lectures on this subject last evening at the Presbyterian session house. We have no doubt our citizens will be richly rewarded for their attendance. The subject is not only curious, but is becoming of great practical interest. Admission 25 cents.” In the fall of 1846 Ezra Cornell, af- terward founder of Cornell University, and John J. Speed, Jr., both of Ithaca, N. Y., began the construction of a tele- graph line from Buffalo to Milwaukee. They came to Detroit to solicit sub- scriptions toward the enterprise and visited every town along the route for the same purpose. In connection with this job of raising funds they gave free public exhibitions of telegraphy in the State capitol building on Capitol park. Detroit was made their Western head- MICHIGAN TRADESMAN quarters. Later the general contract was parcelled out in sections, Cornell taking the section from Buffalo to Cleveland; John J. Speed from Cleve- land to Detroit; M. B. Wood from De- troit to Chicago and Mr. Tillotson from Chicago to Milwaukee. The first line installed in Michigan was in operation between Detroit and Ypsilanti on Nov. 29, 1847. The first telegraph office installed in Michigan was in a rear room of the second story of a small building at the Northeast corner of Jefferson avenue and Cass street. Several young men were imported from the East as opera- tives and among these was E. D. Bene- dict, who afterward lived for many years in Grand Rapids and became the first manager of the telegraph office there. In 1848 the line reached Chicago and in that same year another line, which bore the name of its projector, Henry O'Reilly, was completed from Buffalo to Detroit. On March 1, 1848, the first messages between Detroit and New York City were transmitted over the wires. Presently a _ third line, known as the Snow line, was construct- ed between Detroit and Chicago via Monroe, by Josiah and William D. Snow. The first young man of Michigan to become an expert in telegraphy was George W. Balch, who was employed’ on the O’Reilly line in Detroit until he was sent to the office in Chatta- nooga, Tenn., in 1851. He returned from there when the O’Reilly and Snow lines were consolidated and was made manager of the Michigan Southern lines, as the merged companies were known. In 1862 he became division superintendent of the greater merger known as the Western Union, and in 1865 he was assistant general super- intendent of the system. The early instruments were all recorder telegraph devices. These were equipped with a spool of paper tape about half an inch wide and with a fountain pen. Operation of the tele- graph key would bring. the pen in ocn- tact with the paper tape so as to record the message in dots and dashes and the magnetic impulses also hitched the tape along to provide clean space for the record as it came over the wire. The office attendants could go out for lunch or to talk politics on the corner, but these absences did not matter for on their return they could unreel the tape and read the message that had passed over the wire while they were elsewhere. For general delivery the messages were then written out and delivered, but when the messages were urgent the operative would tear off the tape and read it to the party to whom it was delivered. Presently the opera- tives discovered that they could read the messages by sound, without look- ing at the tape and, except for certain special services the recording telegraph went out of use. It is preserved in a highly improved form in the stock tick- ers and several other devices. Radio has threatened to put the wire service out of competition, but as yet the wire service holds its place as a means of communication, as it is more secret and less subject to disturbance and interruption, but each one serves its particular purpose very well. I hope that At White will round out a century of time and continue his valuable contributions to history. George B. Catlin. +. Novel Housing Project. The extensive housing project an- nounced by the Buhl Foundation of Pittsburgh promises to confer a three- fold benefit on the community. It will provide modern homes for persons of moderate means near the business cen- ter, it will beautify an unlovely neigh- borhood and it will furnish employment to a large number of workmen. The enterprise is to cost $2,000,000 and will be based on business principles. The foundation will expect a reasonable re- turn on its investment. It is taking ad- vantage of the present low cost of building materials and thus setting an example which might well be widely followed. Pittsburgh contains more apparent waste land than most large cities and much of it is on barren hill- sides so steep that at first glance they do not seem available for house build- ing. But grading and terracing can accomplish wonders. A feature of this enterprise will be common playgrounds for the children and lawns and gardens on which the houses will face, their rear entrances opening on the street. Less than a third of the land will be occupied by buildings. A generation ago the late Henry Phipps built some model tenements for the poor in Pitts- burgh which did not appeal to their intended beneficiaries. Perhaps it was the idea of ‘‘charity” that repelled. The Buhl Foundation is not making that mistake. ——__+ ++ New Cotton Loans. With the failure of its plan to have one-third of the growing cotton plowed under, the Farm Board has, for the present at least, dropped consideration of means to reduce the crop and turned to stock measures of relief. Loans on the 1931 crop, it is announced, will be made on a maximum basis of one cent less than the market price. Last year the basis was 90 per cent. of the value of spot cotton, and in 1929 a flat rate of sixteen. cents a pound prevailed. The new basis is said by the board to have the particular value of flexibility, for a price rise would also increase the loan value of stored cotton. Loans, how- ever, even on this basis, cannot be re- garded as anything but a_ stopgap measure. ++ > Lightweight Felts Move Freely. Men’s lightweight felt hats have met with an excellent consumer response, reports in the trade indicate, and a substantial volume of orders is appear- ing in the wholesale market. Business placed during August was reported to be considerably in excess of the cor- responding period of 1930, although the lower prices now prevailing have had some effect on dollar volume. Em- phasis is placed principally on the low and medium-priced numbers, although a fair amount of business has been booked on styles retailing as high as $5. Demand for regular Fall felt-num- bers is developing slowly, but is ex- 23 pected to be accelerated when cooler weather sets in. Sand Lime Brick Nothing as Durable Nothing as Fireproof 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. SARLES Detective Agency Licensed and Bonded Michigan Trust Bidg. Grand Rapids, Mich. I. Van Westenbrugge Grand Rapids - Muskegon Exclusive Service Distributor Central Western Michigan KRAFT(K CHEESE NOW the “Kitchen largest ; Fresh” National brand “We Serve as WE SELL” Phone 61366 JOHN L. LYNCH SALES CO. SPECIAL SALE EXPERTS Expert Advertising Expert Merchandising 209-210-211 Murray Bldg. Grand Rapids, Michigan FISH OCEAN, LAKE, SALT & SMOKED Wholesale and Retail GEORGE B. READER 1046-8 Ottawa Ave. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Wonderful Flavor JENNINGS PURE VANILLA Jennings Flavoring Extract Co. Grand Rapids, Mich. 24 HOTEL DEPARTMENT News and Gossip of Interest To Hotel Men. Los Angeles, Aug. 28—Milton E. Magel, who for years conducted ho- tels at Battle Creek, was treasurer of the Michigan Hotel Association for several terms, and then went to iMil- waukee to open up a new field, is cer- tainly Statlerizing the Cream City. Last week he took over the manage- ment of the recently completed Mar- quette Tower Apartment Hotel, serv- ing a complimentary luncheon to the hotel men. The dinner was followed by a meeting of the Milwaukee Hotel Association, Mr. Magel, within the past two years has taken over the Plaza and Knickerbocker residential hotels in the Wisconsin city, besides controlling Hotel LaSalle, Battle Creek, which he opened several years ago. A tax assessment against the Mil- waukee Eagles Club, was recently up- held by the authorities in that state. The tax was levied against the club because of its commercial activities in competition with hotels and restau- rants. The last session of the Wis- consin legislature enacted specifically a law authorizing assessments against all organizations directly or indirectly indulging in commercial activities. The adoption a few weeks ago by a prominent cafeteria chain, in Los Angeles of an established price of 50c . for all you could encompass in one meal in their institution has resulted in a virtual turning loose of the ani- mals, and an era of price cutting will probably follow. The rule established is that one may order all he pleases, provided he consumes it, otherwise he will be charged at the regular card prices. Now they have a utensil called an “eggster,” which is supplied to the guest at his table, by which the fowl product is boiled to an exact consist- ency while the feeder is proceeding with his fruit, cereal, etc. The eggs are really boiled automatically for the exact number of minutes the guest in- dicates, and he is at liberty to make comparisons with his wrist watch. Whether or not they are trying to force J. K. Blatchford, secretary of the H. M. M. B. A., for the past forty years that I know of, into the political arena, is a question which is agitating a lot of us who have known him dur- ing all that time. A short time ago it was announced that he had doffed his red flannels and had appeared at a cer- tain social function in regulation white. Now they come forward claim- ing that he is the owner of forty-two cows, and is pasturing them in Michi- gan. Maybe I had better announce him as a presidential possibility at this time and secure the advantage of the prestige thus secured to sneak into his cabinet? i Mr. and Mrs, Conrad Burbey, of Marine City, have leased the Mayville Hotel, Mayville, for a period of five years and have opened same, It has been closed for some time. Charles H. Stewart, for the past two years operator of Hotel Cadillac, has purchased the 'Waldemere, at Manceloa, from C. J. Bechtel, and has already taken possession. O. H. Harrison, the new manager of Hotel Detroit-Leland, Detroit, now conducted by the Baker syndicate, has opened a large coffee shop on the ground floor of that institution, front- ing on Cass avenue, which will replace the former coffee shop operated in the basement of the hotel. This space was formerly used as a fountain room, but was discontinued some time ago. The nme och ne Nt as MICHIGAN TRADESMAN room has been attractively decorated and has a seating capacity for 275 guests, The formal opening of the Beach Club, at Harbor Springs, was the oc- casion of much social activity. Edward P. Russell, president of the associa- tion, was host to more than 300 invited guests. The Club fronts 150 feet on Little Traverse Bay and is designed to accommodate cottagers and members of the Harbor Point Association. It will be accessible to the public. Mrs. Myrtle Lindsey, well-known in Michigan hotel circles, having conduct- ed hotels at Imlay City and Saint Claire, but who is now in charge of the activities of the Black ‘River Coun- try Club, Port Huron, was host re- cently at a meeting and outing held by Detroit Charter of Greeters, at which there were 100 guests present. There was a golf tournament in the afternoon, the inimitable “Jack” Anderson, of Ho- tel Harrington, carrying off the first prize, with Luther Morrell and Grace Eaton following. Certain Southern democrats who have enjoyed prohibition for forty years—for the negro—are just now using the name of the sainted Lincoln to conjure with, radically new depart- ure for a Southern democrat. Now they tell us that they have well authenticat- ed information that away back in 1842 the great Emancipator pronounced himself clearly on prohibition, claim- ing that liquor was a greater evil than slavery, which does not exactly coin- cide with the oft repeated story, also said to be well authenticated, to the effect that when some of General Grant’s critics were complaining to President Lincoln that the great war- rior was under the influence of liquor on various occasions, the President ex- pressed a desire to ascertain the brand of liquor ‘Grant was using, so that he might send a supply to some of his other generals. Laying aside all senti- ment, ‘the fact remains that during his term as President, Mr. Lincoln, in his several messages to Congress, never once mentioned liquor or prohibition, although it is a matter of record that he did have much to say about slavery. In one of the current magazines I find an article from which J am tempt- ed ‘to make this extract: “Tf a man is hired to do a certain job, he should do that job as he sees it and not merely do what the boss wants him to do, because bosses have been known to make mistakes, not many to be sure, but when they do it costs more money than if ‘the employe had made his mis- takes in judgment.” One will naturally assume from his experience or that of his associates, that the man who carries out his in- structions in transmitting the “Mes- sage to Garcia,” will win in the long run. The world is full of failures who fancied ‘they had a better way of doing things than the one suggested by the boss, Extensive alterations to the Day Hotel, in Midland, have just been com- pleted. ‘The exterior has been remod- eled in an English type of architecture, with antique brick with Indiana lime- stone trimming. Steel casement win- dows have been placed on the ground floor, the main lobby has been entire- ly remodeled into an English style, with amber leaded glass window panes, and the fifty-eight rooms of the house have been redecorated in two-tone paint effects, Eight new showers and four new tub baths have been added. The entire exterior has been bricked over tthe original frame, L. G. Davis, proprietor of the We- quetonsing Hotel, has announced that he has taken over the management of the Jungle Hotel, St. Petersburg, Fla., for the coming season. The Jungle YOU ARE CORDIALLY invited to visit the Beauti- ful New Hotel at the old location made famous by Eighty Years of Hostelry Service in Grand Rapids. 400 Rooms—400 Baths Menus in English MORTON HOTEL ARTHUR A. FROST Manager September 2, 1931 Columbia Hotel KALAMAZOO Good Place To Tie To HOTEL CHIPPEWA MANISTEE, MICH. Universally conceded to be one of the best hotels in Michigan. Good rooms, comfortable beds, ex- cellent food, fine cooking, perfect service. Hot and Cold Running Water and Telephene in every Room. $1.50 and up 60 Rooms with Bath $2.50 and $3 HENRY M. NELSON, Manager “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. NBIR, Manager. Park Place Hotel Traverse City Rates Reasonable—Service Superb —Location Admirable. GEO. ANDERSON, Mgr. ALBERT J. ROKOS, Ass’t Mgr. The Pantlind Hotel ~The center of Social and Business Activi- ties in Grand Rapids. Strictly modern and fire- proof. Dining, Cafeteria and Buffet Lunch Rooms in con- nection. 750 rooms — Rates $2.50 and up with bath. SOMETHING NEW. For those desiring to reduce the cost of living, the COMMERCIAL HOTEL will board you for$12 to$15 per week Best meals in Michigan, no fooling, we mean it. Hundreds say s0. Good Beds. PENTWATER, MICHIGAN — FOUR FLAGS HOTEL In the Picturesque St. Joseph Valley. Seventy-eight rooms. Con- ducted on the high standard es- tablished and always maintained by Charles Renner, landlord. New Hotel Elliott STURGIS, MICH. 50 Baths 50 Running Water European D. J. GEROW, Prop. 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. Buropean $1.50 and up per Day. _ RESTAURANT AND GRILL— Cafeteria, Quick Service, Popular Prices. Entire Seventh Floor Devoted to Especially Equipped Sample Rooms WALTER J. HODGES, Pres. and Gen. Mgr. e Occidental Hotel FIRE PROOF CENTRALLY LOCATED Rates $2.00 and up EDWART R. SWETT, Mor. Muskegon te Michigan : . September 2, 1931 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 25 is built in Spanish style, with loggias and a patio. Sports of all kinds are offered. ‘Mr. Davis has operated the Wequetonsing for the past ten years. There seems to be little ground for hope that California will ever get ‘to the point where homicide will be dis- couraged. Statistics show that 606 cold blooded murders were committed in the past fiscal year ending June 30. During the same period there were just exactly six executions for offenses of this nature. Just recently in Los Angeles, a politician, and a_ recent candidate for a high public office, ac- tually slew, in cold blood, two indi- viduals who were opposing him. After a triel of several weeks, during which the defendant admitted the killing was premeditated, there was a “hung” jury, the ballot being 11 to 1 for acquittal, because, as one of the lady constituents of the panel expressed herself: “He didn’t look as though he could com- mit such a deed.’ Though he had pre- viously confessed his guilt, After all, the litigation commenced against users of cafeteria equipment, so far as one large supply house is concerned, has been settled out of court, and it looks as though the vari- ous other suits would be disposed of in the same manner. Last week I spoke of the difficulties of securing the entree of motion pic- ture studios, except that you have a “stand in” with the producers. ______- Show reliability—and you won’t be counted a liability. | HOTEL OJIBWAY The Gem of Hiawatha Land ARTHUR L. ROBERTS Deglman Hotel Co. Enjoy the delightful Govern- ment Park, the locks, the climate and drive. Sault Ste. Marie Michigan CODY HOTEL IN THE HEART OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS Division and Fulton RATES $1.50 up without bath $2.50 up with bath CODY CAFETERIA IN CONNECTION Warm Friend Tavern Holland, Mich. Is truly a friend to all travelers. Al room and meal rates very reasonable. Free private parking space. GEO. W. DAUCHY, Mar. Hotel and Restaurant Equipment H. Leonard & Sons 38-44 Fulton St., W. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. DETROITER ROOMS 75O BATHS FREE GARAGE UNDER KNOTT MANAGEMENT SINGLE ROOMS WITH PRIVATE BATH Panta NO HIGHER In Kalamazoo It’s the PARK-AMERICAN Charles Renner, Manager W. D. Sanders, Asst Mer. NEW Decorating and Management Facing FAMOUS Grand Circus Park. Oyster Bar. 800 Rooms ae - 800 Baths Rates from $2 HOTEL TULLER HAROLD A. SAGE, Mgr. is apiece eet is ¢ 7 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 ex- amination at Ironwood, and the March and November examinations at Grand Rapids. Michigan State Pharmaceutical Association. President—J. C. Dykema, Grand Rapids. First Vice-President—F. H. Taft, Lan- sing. Scanndl Vice-President—Duncan Wea- ver, Fennville. Secretary—R. A. Turrell, Croswell. Treasurer—Clarence Jennings, Law- rence. Many Uses For Tomatoes at the Fountain, The tomato is said to be a native of South America. For years it had a place in old-fashioned agrdens merely as a curiosity. It was then called the “love-apple” and considered dangerous, as anything connected with love usu- ally is. In the United States its use as a food began about 1830. It has at times enjoyed considerable favor as a missile to be aimed at unfortunate ac- tors. In literature, it sometimes figures in jocular vein, as “How are you, Jack, my old tomato?” In life it is now esteemed as one of the most useful vegetables, and as such has an important place at the soda fountain. A Vitamin Cocktail. In the table of vitamins we find the tomato looming up prominently in at least two groups. And thus we note the college athlete in training proceeding to the fountain each morning for a tomato juice or vitamin cocktail. Squeeze a tomato and you will get juice, probably get it in somebody’s eye. So we have a prepared commercial juice for use at the soda counter, which liquid is chilled and dispensed decor- ously in a small shell glass. Healthful as well as swagger. For Sandwich Use. The tomato is in itself sufficiently “meaty” to furnish satisfactory sand- wich filling, Spread slices of sandwich bread with creamed butter. Tomato skins should always be removed. A dash of boiling water will facilitate this. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, remove skins, and then chill the tomatoes thorough- ly. Slice them, add mayonnaise dressing, and place between slices of buttered bread. In preparing such things as tomato sandwiches, you get your applause through using fine speci- mens. A small, seedy tomato will not make an attractive sandwich. On the other hand, a fine “steak’ tomato is firm of texture, has a minimum of seeds, and gives us a splendid sand- wich. For “scenery,” add ordinary lettuce, romaine or parsley. . A combination of lettuce and tomato is the one best known. For variety in shape, use circular slices of bread to match slices of to- mato taken from a large specimen. A steady diet of one food will not do. We need something to break the mo- notony, hence the practice of combin- ’ MICHIGAN TRADESMAN ing meats with vegetables in sand- wiches. In this respect we would be at a loss without our friend, the to- mato. The club sandwich is supposed to be the king of all sandwich forms, and aptly illustrates the combination indicated. To compound a club sandwich for the fountain grill, proceed as follows: Slice of buttered toast. Lettuce. Cold sliced chicken, with mayonnaise. Slices of fried bacon. Second sliced of buttered toast. Lettuce with mayonnaise. Sliced tomatoes. Top slice of buttered toast. We can vary this by adding a few chopped olives or pimentos. We can substitute sweetbreads, ham, or veal for the chicken. But there is no sub- stitute for the useful tomato, which gives its unmistakable “tang” to the whole affair. Divide this sandwich diagonally. A Suspicion of Tomato. The French have the word soupcon, indicating in cookery a suspicion, a very small quantity, or as we might say chemically, a trace. We can get excellent results by add- ing a suspicion of tomato to ordinary meat sandwiches, using portions of tomato nearer shavings than slices. For this purpose, trimmings and small to- matoes will do. We advertise, for in- stance, a plain ham sandwich. We give: A slice of ham. Bit of lettuce. A shaving of tomato. This filling will make the sandwich taste a great deal better, and add but a trifle to its cost. Furthermore, we are giving more than the customer ex- pects, and that is good business. Try this: Minced ham with a little grated onion mixed in. Lettuce leaf. Shaving of tomato. These little added touches afford an easy way of getting a reputation for appetizing sandwiches. Dispensers who go in for them are sure to get some gratifying testimonials, nor will it be easy to take their customers away from them. | The Tomato in Salads. Vegetable salads are growing in pop- ularity at the fountain grill, and we also have the salad plate, which may consist of a meat or fish salad, a vege- table salad, and a fruit salad. Here we have a nice luncheon or even an adequate dinner order, all on one plate. For salad use the tomato has sub- stance, color, and decorative value. We peel tomatoeos, scoop out the centers, and have forthwith an edible basket or container, into which we may insert various sorts of salads. For example: Hollowed tomato. Chicken salad filling. Lettuce. Serve the stuffed tomato on a lettuce leaf, and top with mayonnaise dressing. Another filling: Chopped pimentos, one part. Chopped olives, two parts. Bit of grated onion. Bit of hcopped pepper. Mix these ingredients with cream cheese, and use the filling to stuff hol- lowed tomatoes. Serve these stuffed tomatoes on let- tuce leaves, and top with mayonnaise. For a sea food filling use crab flake. Stuff each hollowed tomato with crab meat, top with mayonnaise, and dec- orate the mayonnaise with a dash of paprika. For a floral effect, divide a tomato into eight equal sections, but leave them joined at the bottom, then turn back these sections to represent red petals. Place a cream cheese ball in the center of the “blossom,” and sprin- kle it lightly with paprika. A small tomato thus arranged will serve as the center of an individual salad. A large tomato will make a striking centerpiece for a salad to be served to a luncheon party. Such vegetables as asparagus, celery, lima beans, and cabbage are frequent- ly employed in salads, but are lacking in color. A “pale” salad may abound in vitamins, be pleasing to the palate, and yet fail to attract the eye. Adda quartered tomato, and: you remedy this defect instanter. In. richness of color, no vegetable surpasses the tomato. In tomato jelly we have a delightful product for salad use. Ruddy of hue, it may be molded into various forms, and affords an admir- able contract to salad greens. Here is a field not much worked by dispensers. It is well worth investigating. Other Products. In our hot soda department, we find ready for us an excellent tomato bouil- lon. This, to extend our menu, we can combine with other bouillons, as toma- to and beef, tomato and clam and so on. These bouillons go well with sand- wiches as a luncheonette feature, or a cup of broth may do duty as the first item of a course dinner in the fountain grill. Tomato ketchup is one of our finest condiments. Appetizing on meats, baked beans, and other dishes, it rises to great heights as a prominent in- gredient for the delectable oyster cock- tail. As a side dish, the tomato may be served sliced, stewed, fried, baked, or grilled. Always nourishing, it never fails to give a fillip to the jaded appetite. It is useful as a food, ,a drink, or a garnish. Poets may have overlooked it, but dispensers cannot. What would we do without it? —_>+>___ Fountain Lunches of Proven Merit. The bridge lunch is getting to be a popular feature. Every dispenser with luncheonette facilities will do well to canvass possibilities in this direction. Here it is all in the day’s routine to get an order for sixteen people. A bridge lunch: Individual hot bouillon; September 2, 1931 Platter of fancy sandwiches; Individual salads; Hot tea, coffee, or cocoa; Dessert confections. We could hardly put this across without our hot soda department. With bridge lunch the uptown dispenser gets a chance to score. ° Afternoon tea is a valuable function because it fills in what might be dull hours from 3:00 to 5:00. We need, of course, hot tea, but some guests at a tea party may calle for coffee, and there are those who prefer cocoa. Hot waf- fles would fit in nicely. On some oc- ‘casions it will be advisable to serve coffee in small cups. The plate dinner is going strong. The dispenser who serves this popular dinner in all its forms has a steam table and is prepared every day to serve several hot meals and five or six hot vegetables. But it would surprise you, perhaps, to know what is being accomplished with entirely cold foods supplemented by the hot soda department. For instance: Cup ot hot bouillon; Slice of cold meat; A vegetable salad; A fruit salad; Dessert; Hot coffee. There we have a really appetizing dinner served in three courses, as fol- lows: Bouillon; The plate dinner proper; Dessert. The plate service carries on one plate the slice of cold meat, the vegetable salad, and the fruit salad, portions rath- er smaller than in the usual side dishes. They are, however, suffiicent, and fill the plate. To round out the plate din- ner we may add: Half a hard boiled egg; A cheese ball; Pickles, olives, bit of water cress; Ete. These little tidbits please both the eye and the palate, increase costs but slightly, and never fail to impress the customer who is looking for a good place to eat, a quest all too often end- ing in disappointment. This service attracts floaters, the summer widower whose family is away, while many families come in nowadays just to give mother a rest, an occa- sional respite from the kitchen, The downtown section may have more float- ers, single men and women who shop around for their meals, but enterprising uptown dispensers are beginning to annex a notable volume of family cus- tom. This business is growing stead- ily. Vacationists are often sent to a mountain summer resort because it is quiet. This part of the prospectus usu- ally makes good. It is quiet, too quiet, 217 Eugene St. HOEKSTRA’S ICE CREAM Cream of Uniform Quality An Independent Company Phone 30137 Grand Rapids, Mich. i Seed ESO i ¢ L ) | | : 8 | S t e 1 e S e pD 2 ? @ a RRR aie we ReaD EL Siicanaiacinsnamieagtees | ‘ sgeanene x 5 $ | & September 2, 1931 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 27 many think. There is very little going on. Consequently guests make an ado over amusements that they would’ find mild in the city. Ata certain mountain resort some of the guests got into the habit of prying around the village drug store. They found that the druggist had a small battery of two hot soda urns which he had carefully packed away under the elbow of the soda counter. “Why not start these up?” demanded a vivacious girl. “But hot soda is for winter.” “Not any more. Besides, it’s cold enough for hot soda right now.” It was cold on the mountainside, She was wearing a heavy coat. They persuaded the druggist to start his hot soda battery and he immediately began to do a nice business in hot soda and hot frankfurters. Business was especially good at night. There was no adequate restaurant at hand, the hotel dining rooms closed after dinner, and when they were closed, they were closed. It is often that way at mountain resort. Thus it became something of a lark to visit the drug store after dark and consume hot franks, The writer has spent several summers on the New England coast, not so far from the Canadian border. One summer we kept a fire going in the lodge living room every day for thirty days. There was always a log fire at night. Nobody went out with- out an overcoat at night, and ‘light top-coats were often worn throughout the day. Now whether it be December or August, if you really need a log fire at night, it’s cold. A local dispenser was persuaded to start his hot soda urn, and summer boarders used to flock around it at night mainly on account of its com- panionable glow! We wanted to see something that looked warm. There’s an angle to be considered. All summer resort dispensers should remember that people get ravenous when the air is keen and nights are actually cold. Three meals a day will not suffice. Not infrequently the hotel offers noth- ing more. Under such conditions hot soda will sell better in summer than it did in winter. Every summer resort dispenser should try this out. —_—_> +. Popularity of $1 Cushion Wanes. A trend away from $] merchandise in the decorative cushion and pillow field is an outstanding feature of ac- tive Fall buying now under way in the market. In lining up stocks for the new season, stores have favored prod- ucts retailing at $1.95. They have also purchased fair quantities of pillows to retail up to $3.50. A reaction against the cheap merchandise set in last month and is responsible for the at- tention to better goods. Tailored cushions remain in demand. Those with silk coverings of green, rust and some shades of brown are popular. The 20 inch square cushion, the larg- est seller in the Spring season, con- tinues to lead for Fall. ——> > —___ Order Low-End Holiday Stationery. Catering to the demand for. lower price merchandise, buyers who are purchasing stationery for holiday re- requirements are confining their requi- sitions to goods which can be retailed at 50 cents and $1. ‘Stores refuse to consider the $2 type of item popular last Christmas. Writing paper packed in boxes twice as large as those popu- lar in the previous holiday season are wanted in the lower price ranges. Some stores are calling for goods packed in boxes of varying shapes, but decorated with the same pattern, with the idea of selling the items separately at $1, or in ensembles to those willing to spend from $3 to $5 for a gift. PICNIC SUPPLIES, Hazeltine Grand Rapids®. Seasonable Merchandise Base Balls, Indoor Balls, Golf Balls GOLF SUPPLIES—Clubs, Bags, Etc. TENNIS SUPPLIES—Balls, Rackets, Etc. INSECTICIDES. ROGERS HOUSE PAINT ROGERS BRUSHING LAQUER WALL PAPER CLEANERS SODA FOUNTAIN SUPPLIES KODAKS AND FILMS MOTH KILLERS — ANT KILLERS BATHING SUPPLIES — FOOD JUGS SPONGES — CHAMOIS — ETC. Complete Sample Line Always on Display & Perkins Drug Co. Michigan PAINT BRUSHES Manistee WHOLESALE DRUG PRICE CURRENT Prices quoted are nominal, based on market Acids Boric (Powd.)-. 10 @ 20 Boric (Xtal) -- 10 @ _20 Carbolic ---.---- 38 @ 44 Gittie 40 @ 55 Muriatic -~---.-- 34@ 8 Nitric ......... 2 @ 16 Oxalic -----.--.. 15 @ 26 Sulphuric ---.-- 3%@ 8 Tartaric ......... 43 @ 55 Ammonia Water, 26 deg... 07 @ 18 Water, 18 deg... 06 @ 15 Water, 14 deg... 5%@ 13 Carbonate --..-- 20 @ 2 Chloride (Gran.) 08 @ 18 Balsams Copaiba -.------ 1 00@1 25 Fir (Canada) -. 2 75@3 00 Fir (Oregon) -- @1 00 Bern oo 2 50@2 75 Tale 2 00@2 25 Barks Cassia (ordinary)- 25@ 30 Cassia (Saigon) -. 40@ 60 Sassafras (pw. 50c) @ 40 Soap Cut (powd.) S06 15@ 25 Berries Gunes @ 7 Wi @ 2 Juniper .......... 10@ 20 Prickly Ash ~-.--- @ 50 Extracts Licorice ..__._.___. 60@ 75 Licorice, powd. -. 60@ 70 Flowers Arnica —.... 75@ 80 Chamomile Ged.) 35@ 45 Chamomile Rom. @ 90 Gums Acacia, ist ._. @ 50 Acacia, 2nd —.--— @ 45 Acacia, Sorts -... 20@ 30 Acacia,, Powdered 22@ 35 Aloes (Barb Pow) 35@ 45 Aloes (Cape Pow.) 25@ 35 Aloes (Soc. Pow.) 75@ 80 Asafoetida --.... 50@ 60 Pow. ........... - @ Camphor --.---.-- 87@ 96 Guaiac -~....... @ 60 Guaiac, pow’d --- @ 70 J.0) 0 2 @1 25 Kino, powdered. @1 20 Myrrh ........._. @1 15 Myrrh, powdered @1 25 Opium, powd. 21 00@21 50 Opium, gran. 21 00@21 50 Shellac, Orange 40@ 50 Shellac, White 55@ 70 Tragacanth, pow. 1 25@1 50 Tragacanth -... 2 00@2 35 Turpentine .——. @ 2% insecticides Arsenic @ Blue Vitriol, bbl. @ 06 Blue Vitriol, less 07@ 15 Bordea. Mix Dry 10%@ 21 Hellebore, White powdered -..... 15@ 25 Insect Powder... 30@ 40 Lead Arsenate, Po. 11 @25 Lime and Sulphur 2 ee 6 6aa Paris Green -... 2%@ 45 Leaves Buchu... 50 Buchu, powdered @ 60 Sage, ------ 25@ 30 Sage, % loose -. e 40 Sage, powdered_. 35 Senna, Alex. -... 50@ 75 Senna, Tinn. pow. 30@ 35 Uva Ural _........... 20@ % Olis Almonds, Bitter, true 7 50@7 75 Almonds, Bitter, artificial ...___ 8 00@3 25 Almonds. Sweet, ae 1 50@1 80 Almonds, Sweet, imitation -... 1 00@1 25 Amber, crude -. 75@1 00 Amber, rectified 1 50@1 75 Auisg ..... 1 50@1 75 Bergamont -... 6 00@6 25 Cajeput —...._. 1 50@1 75 Cassia’... 3 3 @€astor ........_ 1 40@1 60 Cedar Leaf -.--. 2 00@2 25 Citronella ------ 75@1 20 Cleves 223. 3 00@3 25 Cocoanut 22%@ 35 Cod Liver ~----- 1 40@2 00 €roton . ......... 00@8 25 Cotton Seed -_.. 1 25@1 50 Cubeha ._...._.... 5 00@5 25 Eigeron 4 00@4 25 Eucalyptus ---.. 1 00@1 25 Hemlock. pure... 2 00@2 26 Juniper Berries. 4 00@4 25 Juniper Wood ~- 1 50@1 75 Lard, extra -... 1 55@1 65 Lard, No. I .... 1 40 25@ Lavender Flow... 6 00@6 25 Lavender Gar’n. 1 25@1 50 Lemon 2 50@2 75 Linseed, boiled, bbl. @ 73 Linseed, raw, bbl. @ 70 Linseed, bid., less 80@ 88 Linseed, raw, less 77@ 85 Mustard, artifil. os. @ 30 Neatsfoot -..... 1 25@1 35 Olive. pure -... 3 00@5 00 Olive, Malaga, yale 2 50@3 00 Olive, Malaga, green: 2 85@3 26 Orange, Sweet 6 00@6 25 Origanum, pure @2 60 Origanum, com’] 1 00@1 20 Pennyroyal .... 3 3 50 Peppermint -... 4 50@4 75 Rose, pure -__. 13 50@14 00 Rosemary Flows 1 50@1 75 Sandelwood, E. bE Sere 12 60@12 75 Sassafras, true 2 00@2 25 Sassafras, arti’l 75@1 00 Spearmint —_..__ 5 00@5 25 Sperm 2 1 25@1 50 Taney 6 00@6 25 Tar USP |. 65@ 75 Turpentine, bbl. _. @ 47 Turpentine. less 54@ 62 Wintergreen, MAS 6 00@6 25 Wintergreen, sweet Been -- 3 00@3 25 Wintergreen, art 75@1 00 Worm Seed -_.. 6 00@6 26 Wormwood _. 10 00@10 25 Potassium Bicarbonate -.... 35 40 Bichromate —____ iso 25 Bromide -________ 69@ 86 Bromide 54 71 Chlorate, gran’d_ tA 23 Chlorate, powd. 16@ 23 Or Ata 17@ 24 Cyanide -._.... _ 22@ 90 lodiie 4 34@4 55 Permanganate __ 22%.@ 35 Prussiate, yellow 35@ 45 Prussiate, red _. 70@ 175 Sulphate 35@ 40 Roots Alkanet .. _... 2HO@ 46 Blood, powdered. 40@ 45 Calamus -_______ 25@ 65 Hlecampane, pwd. 20@ 30 Gentian, powd. _ 20@ 30 Ginger, African, powdered -_____ 20@ 25 Ginger, Jamaica. 40@ 60 Ginger, Jamaica, powdered ______ 35@ 40 Goldenseal, pow. 3 00@3 50 Ipecac, powd. __ 4 ee" 60 5 Eilceriog @ 40 Licorice, powd... 15@ 25 Orris, powdered. 35@ 40 Poke, Powdered 25@ 40 Rhubarb, powd. __- @1 00 Rosinwood, powd. @ 650 Sarsaparilla, Hond. ground Sarsaparilla, Mexic. @ 60 Squills 5 Squills, powdered 70 80 Tumeric, powd... 15@ 25 Valerian, powd. _. @ 50 Seeds avi 20@ 30 Anise, powered @ 35 Bae is 13@ 17 Canary 10@ 15 Caraway, Po. 30 25@ 80 Cardamon _._.._ 2 25@2 50 25 20 30 %@ 15 Flax, ground _. 6%@ 15 Foenugreek, pwd. 15@ 25 Hemp 8@ Lobelia, powd. Mustard, yellow Musard, Poppy —. Quince __ Sabadilla Worm, American 25@ 30 Worm, Lavant — 5 00@5 75 Tinctures Aconite @1 80 Alges 2 @1 56 Asafoetida ______ @2 28 even, @1 50 Belladonna _______ @1 44 Benzoin —.-...____ @2 23 the day of issue. Benzoin Comp’d_ @2 40 Bene oo, @2 16 Cantharides -... @2 52 Capsicum -.... he @2 28 Catecna 40600 @1 44 CIRGEORS nee @2 16 Colchicum -..... @1 80 CURRIE cece @2 76 Migttals @2 04 Gentian ............ ia @1 % Cee @2 28 Guaiac, Ammon... @2 04 MG @1 25 Iodine, Colorless_ @1 50 ren, Cla. ........ @1 56 I cece ee @1 44 are @2 52 Nux Vomica ___ 3 80 i 5 40 Opium, Cam = @1 44 Opium, Deodorz’d @5 40 Rhubarb _....___ @1 92 Paints Lead, red dry __ 13%@13 Lead, white dry 134Q13% Lead, white oil 13% @13% Ochre, yellow bbl. Ochre, yellow less 3@ 6 Red Venet’n Am. 3%@ 7 Red Venet’n Eng. 4@ 8 Whiting, born & } ng, . Whiting 310" § Nn ® tibet 5 10 Rogers Prep. _. 2 ito: 65 Msceillaneous Acetanalid ______ Ae oe i — powd. and NEE inientintincnne oe Ss -_* wee Borax xtal or 7 « Powdered ______ 06 13 Cantharides, po. 1 25@1 60 Calomel ________ 2 40@2 70 Capsicum, pow’d 42@ 65 ane “siggs ----.-. 8 00@9 00 assia Bu Cloves ~ eo OVER 35 Chalk Prepared. 14 16 Chloroform ______ 47 64 Choral Hydrate 1 20@1 560 Cocaine —_____ 12 85@1 Cocoa Butter ____ 1s 90 Corks, list, less 30710 to 40-10 Copperas ..______ 3%@ 16 Copperas, Powd. 4 10 Corrosive Sublm 1 1302 00 Cream Tartar ____ 30 Cuttle bone ___ 400 bo Dextrine A seni — 649 1 Dover’s Powder 4 one 50 Emery, All Nos. 10@ 16 Emery, Powdered @ 16 Epsom Salts, bbls. @03\% Epsom Salts, less 3%@ 10 Ergot, powdered _. @4 00 Flake, White ___ 15@ 20 Formaldehyde, lb. 09@ 35 Gelatine 60@ 70 Sane, nee 55% assware, full case 60%. Glauber Salts, bbl. @vi% Glauber Salts less 04@ 10 Glue, Brown ____ 20 Glue, Brown Grd “ae a Glue, White ____ 27% 35 Glue, white grd. 2g 36 Glyceritie ... 6@ 35 Hops ee, 75 96 Iodine 6 45@7 00 Iodoform _._____ 8 00@8 30 Lead Acetate _ 17@ 2 Mace oe @1 50 Mace powdered__ @1 6&0 Menthol ...... 50@6 20 Morphine ---- 13 58@14 33 Nux Vomica ____ @ 2% Nux Vomica, pow. 15 2 Pepper, Black, pw, aso a Pepper, White, po. 55@ 65 Pitch. Burgundy. 10@ 20 Quassia 1 Quinine, 5 oz. cans “< ‘ Rochelle Salts __ 28 35 Saccharine _____ 2 60@2 75 Salt Peter —.... 11@ 32 Seidlitz Mixture 30@ 40 Soap, green -_.. 15@ 30 Soap, mott cast _ Soap. white Castile, COND oe 1 oo white Canis — ess, per bar ___ 1 Soda Ash -_____ 39 % Soda Bicarbonate 3 Soda. Sal -_____ ane os Spirits Camphor @1 20 Sulphur, roll _... 4@ 11 Sulphur, Subl. _. 4%@ 10 Tamarinds ______ 20 Tartar Emetic _. 50@ 60 Turpentine, Ven. 50@ 176 Vanilla Ex. pure 1 50@2 00 Venilla Ex. pure 2 25@2 50 Zinc Sulphate _. 06@ 11 Webster Cigar Co. Brand Websterettes _____ —— 33 50 wenn > eae 33 50 ebster Cadillacs __ 7 Golden Wedding a" Panatellas ________ 75 00 Commodore _______ -. 95 00 GROCERY PRICE CURRENT These quotations are carefully corrected weekly, within six hours of mailing and are intended to be correct at time of going to press. Prices, however, are liable to change at any time, and merchants will have their orders filled at mar- ket prices at date of purchase. For price changes compare with previous issues ADVANCED Starch—Gloss White Hand Picked Beans ———t DECLINED Vinegar—Cider Catsup AMMONIA a2: i th 2 4 65 oS ib 6 25 10 Ib. pails, per doz. 9 40 15 lb. pails, per doz. 12 60 25 lb. pails, per doz. 19 15 25 lb. pails, per doz. 19 15 APPLE BUTTER Quaker, 24-21 oz., doz. 2 10 Quaker, 12-38 oz., doz. 2 00 BAKING POWDERS Arctic, 7 oz. tumbler 1 35 Royal, 2 0z., doz. ---- 93 Royal, 4 oz., doz. -—- 1 80 Royal, 6 oz., doz. ---- 2 45 Royal, 12 oz., doz. -—- 4 80 Royal, 2% lbs., doz.-- 13 15 Royal, 5 lbs., doz.---- 24 50 KC, 10c size, 8 oz. -- 3 70 KC, 15c size, 12 oz. -- 5 50 C. 20c gize, full lb... 7 20 KC, 25c size. 25 02. -- KC, 60c size, 60 oz. -- 8 80 KC, 5 lb. size -------- 6 85 KC, 10 lb. size ------ 6 75 BLEACHER CL eAnere Clorox, 16 os., 243 -- Lizzie, 16 oz., 126 ---- 2 16 BLUING Am. Ball,36-1 0z.,cart. 1 00 Boy Blue, 36s, per cs. 2 70 BEANS and PEAS 100 lb Brown Swedish Beans 9 Dry Lima Beans 100 lb. 8 75 Pinto Beans Red Kdney Beans -- 9 White H’d P. Beans 5 Bla,ck Eye Beans -- Split Peas, Yellow -- 5 Split Peas, Green ---- 6. Scotch Peas ---------- 4 BURNERS Queen Ann, No. 1 and BOTTLE CAPS Obl. Lacquor, 1 gross pkg., per gross ------ 15 BREAKFAST FOODS Kellogg’s Brands. Corn Flakes, No. 136 2 85 orn Flakes, No. 124 7 vep, No. 202 rumbles, No. 424 --- 2 70 Bran Flakes, No. 624 2 25 tran Flakes, No. 602 1 50 Rive Krispies, 6 0z. -- 2 25 Rice Krispies. 1 oz. -- 1 10 Kaffe Hag, 12 1-lb. cane. 3 6 15 All Bran, 16 oz. —----- 2 25 All Bran, 10 oz. ------ 2 70 All Rran, % oz. ---- 2 00 BROOMS Jewell, doz. ----------- 5 25 Standard Parlor, 23 Ib. 7 50 Fancy Parlor, 23 Ib.-- 8 75 Ex. Fancy Parlor 25 Ib. 9 00 Ex. Fey. Parlor 26 Ib. ; = TOY) teen Whisk, No. 3 -------- 2 26 ROLLED OATS Purity Brand Instant Flakes aH es aA Gass Silver | ae DATS 1 3 a Me f Premium 3| 0, PURITY DATS \ OATS ; Purr Ox China oo eee? 7 Sima, 2s = 1 77% Sia, 168 3 50 Large, 185 ______... 3 25 Regular Flakes Sia fae 1 77% Hmall i484 .....__..- 3 50 iaree, 185 3 25 China, large, 12s ~---3 05 Chest-o-Silver, lge. *3 25 *Billed less one free display package in each case. 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 45 BRUSHES Scrub Solid Back, 8 in. ---- 1 50 Solid Back, 1 in. ---- 1 75 Pointed Ends -------- 1 25 Stove . Shaker —--------—------ No. 60 --.------------ 2 00 Peerlesa -------.------- 2 60 Shoe + No. 4-0 -------.------- No. 2-0 -------------- 3 00 BUTTER COLOR Dandelion ------------ 2 85 CANDLES Electric Light, 40 Ibs. 12.1 Plumber, 40 lbs. ----- 12.8 Paraffine, 6s --------- 14% Paraffine, 12s ------- 14% Wicking -------------- 40 Tudor, 6s. per box -- 30 CANNED FRUITS Hart Brand Apples No: 10 _,-_-----_-_-_-- 5 75 Blackberries No: 2 22. eee 35 Pride of Michigan ---- 3 25 Cherries Mich. red, No. 10 ---- Red, No. 10 ---------- 7 75 Red, No. 2 ---------- 3 50 Pride of Mich. No. 2-- 3 00 Marcellus Red -------- 2 55 Special Pie ----- 2 4 1 Whole White -------- 3 25 Gooseberries Nig: 40 2 8 50 Pears 19 oz. glass ——--_-_____- Pride of Mich. No. 2% 3 60 Plums Grand Duke, No. 2%4-- 3 25 Yellow Eggs No. 2%4-- 3 25 Black Raneerriot 0. 2 ----------=------ Pride of Mich. No. 2-- 3 10 Pride of Mich. No. 1-- 2 35 Red Raspberries . We 3 15 Marcellus, No. 2 ------ 3 Pride of Mich. No. 2_. 4 00 Strawberries No.8 220 ee 4 25 NO2 4 ee 3 00 Marcellus. No. 2 ----- 3 25 Pride of Mich. No. 2_. 3 60 CANNED FISH Clam Ch’der, 10% oz. Clam Chowder, No. 2_ Clams, Steamed. No. 1 Clams, Minced, No. % Finnan Haddie, 10 oz. Clam Bouillon, 7 oz. Chicken Haddie, No. 1 Fish Flakes. small -- Cod Fish Cake, 10 oz. Cove Oysters, 5 oz. —- Lobster, No. %, Star Shrimp, 1, wet ------ Sard’s, 4% Oil, Key -- Sard’s, 4% Oil, Key -- Sardines, % Oil, k’less Salmon, Red Alaska__ Salmon, Med. Alaska Salmon, Pink, Alaska 1 20 Sardines, Im. %, ea. 10@22 Sardines, Im., %, ea. 25 Sardines, Cal. -. 1 35@2 25 Tuna, % Curtis, doz. 2 65 Tuna, 4s, Curtis, doz. 1 80 Tuna, % Blue Fin -. 2 00 Tuna, 1s, Curtis, doz. 4 75 DO Co OTD po opt DO RO BD OO DO n oo CANNED MEAT Bacon, Med. Beechnut Bacon, Lge. Beechnut Beef, No. 1, Corned -- Beef No. 1, Roast -- Beef, 2% oz., Qua., sli. Beef, 4 oz. Qua. sili. Beef, 5 oz., Am. Sliced Beef, No. 1, B’nut, sli. Beefsteak & Onions, s 1 02 ODO HED NO DD ro an Chili Con Car., 1s -.. 1 35 Deviled Ham, %s ---. 1 50 Deviled Ham, %s ----. 3 85 Hamburg Steak & Onions, No. 1 ------ 3 16 Potted Beef, 4 oz. -.-. 1 10 Potted Meat, % Libby 52 Potted Meat, % Libby 90 Potted Meat, % Qua. 8 Potted Ham, Gen. % 1 46 Vienna Saus. No. % 1 36 Vienna Sausage, Qua. 90 Veal Loaf, Medium __ 2 25 Baked Beans Campbells ----....... 80 Quaker, 16 oz. ---.--—-- 16 Fremont, No. 2 ------ 1 25 Snider, No. 1) ........ 1 10 Snider, No, 2 ---..._ 1 25 Van Camp, small ---. 90 Van Camp, med. ---- 1 45 CANNED VEGETABLES Hart Brand Baked Beans Medium, Plain or Sau. 165 No. 10 Sauce —.2----. 4 50 Lima Beans Little Dot, No. 2 --- 3 10 Little Quaker, No. 10-13 25 Little Quaker, No. 1 -- t 80 Baby, No, 2 23 75 Baby, No. 1-3 1 80 Pride of Mich. No. 1-- 1 55 Marcellus, No. 10 ---- 8 76 Red Kidney Beans 10 No. 10 .. 2) -. 6 50 NO: 3 oe 3 70 No 2 22 ee 1 30 No. 4 ooo 90 String Beans Little Dot, No. 2 ---- 3 20 Little Dot, No. 1 -_-- 2 40 Little Quaker, No. 1-- 1 90 Little Quaker, No. 2 _- 2 90 Choice Whole, No. 10.12 75 Choice Whole, No. 2-- 2 50 Choice Whole. No. < 70 Cut, No. 10 2. 25 Cut No.8 oo 2 10 Cub No. 2 oo 1 60 Pride of Mich. No. 2._ 1 75 Marcellus, No. 2 ---- 1 60 Marcellus, No. 10 ---- 8 25 Wax Beans Litlet Dot, No. 2 --.. 2 75 Little Dot, No. 1 -.-. 1 90 Little Quaker, No. 2_. 2 65 Little Quaker, No. 1 1 80 Choice Whole, No. 10-12 50 Choice Whole, No. 2_. 2 50 Choice Whol, No. 1__ 1 76 Marcellus Cut, No. 10. 8 25 Beets Small, No. 2% Etxra Small, No. 2 -. 3 Fancy Small No. 2 -~. 2 45 Pride of Michigan --. 2 Marcellus Cut, No. 10_ 6 50 Marcel. Whole, No. 24% 1 85 ew o o Carrots Diced, Ne: 2 -_---_.. 1 30 Diced, No. 10 __------ 7 00 Corn Golden Ban., No. 3-_- 3 60 Golden Ban., No. 2--1 90 Golden Ban., No. 10-10 75 Little Dot. No. 2 ---- 1 70 Little Quaker, No. 2 1 70 Little Quaker. No. 1-1 35 Country, Gen., No, 1--1 35 Country Gen., No. 2-. 1 70 Pride of Mich., No. 5_ Pride of Mich., No. 2_ Pride of Mich., No. 1 Marcellus, No. 5 Marcellus, No. 2 ---- Marcellus, No. 1 Fancy Crosby. No. 2-- bt Be et tet oe et Ot wo o Fancy Crosby, No. 1-- 45 Peas Little Dot. No. 1 ---- 1 70 Little Dot. No. 2 ---- 2 50 Little Q Little Quaker, No .2-- 2 35 Little Quaker. No. 1-- 1 60 bifted E. June, No. 10-10 00 Sifted E. June, No. 5_. 5 75 Sifted E. June, No. 2-- 1 85 Sifted E. June, No. 1__ 1 40 Belle of Hart, No. 2-_ 1 85 Pride of Mich.. No. 10 8 75 Pride of Mich., No. 2__ 1 Marcel., E. June, No. 2 1 Marcel., E. June, No. 5 4 Marcel, E. Ju., No. 10 7 50 Templar E. J., No. 2 1 . Templar E. Ju., No. 10 7 00 Pumpkin No. 10 (222 5 50 No, 2% —2. 1 75 NO: 2 22 ee 1 40 Marcellus, No. 10 ---- 4 80 Marcellus, No. 2% --- 1 40 Marcellus No. 2 ----- 115 Sauerkraut Ne: 20) 5 00 No. 2% 2-0 1 60 No: 2 222 1 25 Spinach No, Qe ae 25 Np. 2 1 80 Squash Boston, No. 3 -----. .- 1 80 Succotash Golden Bantum, No. 2 2 60 Little Dot, No. 2 ---- 2 35 Little Quaker ~------- 2 25 Pride of Michigan -- 2 10 Tomatoes No: 10) 2 ee 5 80 No. 2% ..-----—...- 2 25 No 23 1 65 Pride of Mich., No. 2% 2 10 Pride of Mich., No. 2--1 40 ‘CATSUP, Beech-Nut, small ---. 1 50 Beech-Nut, large ---- 2 30 Lily of Valley, 14 oz... 2 25 Lily of Valley, % pint 1 65 Sniders, 8.02. — 1 45 Sniders, 16 02, —...-_- 2 25 Quaker, 10 07. 2222 125 Quaker, 14 07. 2. 2 65 i Quaker, Gallon Glass 12 00 Quaker, Gallon Tin __ 7 25 CHILI SAUCE Snider, 16 oz. ~-__---- 3 15 Snider, 8 oz. ____----- 2 20 Lilly Valley, 8 oz. Lilly Valley, 14 oz. -. 3 25 OYSTER COCKTAIL 3 Sniders, 16 oz. ------ 15 Sniders, 8 oz. ------ 2 20 CHEESE Roquefort —------------- 60 Wisconsin Daisy ------ 20 Wisconsin Flat ~-----__ 20 New York June -_-_ Sap Sago 2 40 Periek (ete es 20 Michien Mats. 20 Michigan Daisies -_-___ 20 Wisconsin Longhorn ___ 20 Imported Leyden ~~ ---- 27 1 Ib. Limberger -___--- 26 Imported Swiss -----._ 58 Kraft Pimento Loaf __ 26 Kraft American Loaf __ 24 Kraft Brick Loaf ____-- 24 Kraft Swiss Loaf __-___ 30 Kraft Old Eng. Loaf__ 44 Kraft, Pimento, % Ib. 1 85 Kraft, American, % Ib. 1 85 Kraft, Brick, % Ib. __ 1 85 Kraft Limburger,% lb. 1 85 CHEWING GUM Adams Black Jack ---- 65 Adams Bloodberry ---- 05 Adams Dentyne 6 Adams Calif. Fruit Adams Sen Sen 3 Beeman’s Pepsin ------ 65 Beechnut Wintergreen_- Beechnut Peppermint-- Beechnut Spearmint -- Doublemint Peppermint, Wrigleys -- 65 Spearmint, Wrigleys -- 65 Juicy Fruit 65 Krigley’s P-K --------- 65 Zeno 22. 65 Taaherry ....----------— 65 COCOA Droste’s Dutch, 1 Ib.__ 8 50 Droste’s Dutch, 1% Ib. 4 00 Droste’s Dutch, %4 lb. 2 35 Droste’s Dutch, 5 Ib. 66 Checolate Apples ---- 4 50 Pastelles, No. 1 ---- 12 $! Pastelles, % Ib. ------ 6 €0 Pains De Cafe _------ 3 00 Droste’s Bars, 1 doz. 2 00 Delft Pastelles __---. 2.15 1 lb. Rose Tin Bon Bons 7 oz. Rose Tin Bon Bo ns 13 oz. Creme De a 1 Ouse 20 12 oz. Rosaces ------- 10 80 ¥% lb. Rosaces -------- 7 80 Y% Ib. Pastelles -._--- 3 40 Langnes De Chats _- 4 80 CHOCOLATE Baker, Caracas, 4s ---- 37 Baker, Caracas, 4s --.. 35 SLOTHES LINE Femp, 50 ft. --. 2 00@2 25 Twisted Cotton, D0 ft) ~ 1 80@2 25 Braided, 50 ft. --_-- 2 25 Sash Cord —..._- 2 50@2 75 COFFEE ROASTED Blodgett-Beckley Co. Old Master, ---------.. 40 Lee & Cady 1 Ib. Package Breakfast Cup -~..-~-- 20 iiperty 2 17 Quaker Vacuum ----_- 33 Nedrow 2.220 ee 29 Morton House --_--. 37 Reno oe a 27 imapenial 2 39 Maieatic, 22 se 30 Boston Breakf’t Blend 25 McLaughlin’s Kept-Fresh Coffee Extracts M. Y., per 100 _-..__ 12 Frank’s 5? pkgs. -. 4 25 Hummel’s 50 1 Ib. 10% COMPRESSED YEAST Meischmann: oo 20 Req star oo 20 CONDENSED MILK Leader, 4 doz. _____ 7 00 Eagle, 4 doz. ____.___ 9 00 MILK COMPOUND Hebe, Tall, 4 doz. __. Hebe. Baby, & doz. -. Carolene, Tall, 4 doz. Carolene,; Raby ______ EVAPORATED MILK Q sTERILTED -UusweeTEneD g Pare, Pall 3 15 Pace, Baby 2200} 3 15 Quaker, Tall, 10% oz. 2 8 Quaker, Baby, 4 doz. Quaker, Gallon, % doz. 2 82 Carnation, Tall, 4 doz. 3 15 Carnation, Baby, 8 dz. 3 15 Oatman’s Dundee, Tall 3 15 September 2, 1931 Datman’s D’dee Baby 3 15 Every Day, Tall ---- 3 15 Every Day, Baby ---- 3 15 Pet Pall 20 3 15 Pet, Baby, 4 dozen __ 1 58 Bordéens Tall o.oo 3 15 Borden's Bahy —._._. 3 15 CIGARS Airedale 2 35 00 Hemeter Champion --38 50 Canadian Club -___-- 35 ue Robert Emmett -__. 75 00 Tom Moore Monarch 76 00 Webster Cadillac -_.. 75 60 Webster Astor Foil__ 75 00 Webster Knickbocker 95 6/ Webster Albany Foil 95 00 Bering Apollos ______ 95 00 Rering VPalmitas __ 1156 00 Bering Diplomatica 115 vu Bering Delinses ____ 120 0¢ Bering Favorita ____ 135 0¢ Bering Albas —2.. 150 1: CONFECTIONERY Stick Candy Pails Pure Sugar Sticks-600c 4 00 Big Stick. 20 Ib. case 17 Horehound Stick. 5 Ib. 18 Mixed Candy Kindergarten -__.. 17 Peagen foe a 13 French Creams —______. 14 Paris Creamg oo) |... 15 OUpIter! Sosa 10 Fancy Mixture 92. 17 Fancy Chocolate 5 lb. boxes Bittersweets, Ass’ted 1 6 Milk Chocolate A A 1 65 Nibble Sticks ~__W... 1 60 Chocolate Nut Rolls — 1 70 Blue Ribbon .________. 1 30 Gum Drops Pails Champion Gums ..__. 15 Challenge Gums _______ 13 Jolly Strings 2. 16 Lozenges Pails A. A. Pep. Lozenges la A. A. Pink Lozenges | 13 A. A. Choc. Lozenges__ 15 Motto Hears ti. 20 | 18 Malted Milk Lozenges __ 21 Hard Goods Pails Lemon Drops Oo a _F. Horehound drops _ Anise Squares ‘nise Squares __________ 1 Veanut Squares ___.___ ig Cough Drops Bxs Putnamis i202) 1 33 Smith) Bros 0 1 50 Luden’s Ls 1 50 Specialties Pineapple Fudge ______ 18 italian Bon Bons _._ c Banquet Cream Mints__ 23 Silver King M.Mallows 1 15 Handy Packages, 12-10c 75 COUPON BOOKS 50 Economic grade 2 6¢ 100 Economic grade 4 50 500 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 © Ib, boxes 2:0 | aa. on DRIED FRUITS : Apples N. Y. Fey., 50 lb. box 13 N. X. Buy., 14 oz, Pkg. Lo : Apricots Evaporated, Choice __ 13 Evaporated, Fancy __ 18 ivapurated, Slabs _____ . Citron 10 tbs box) ae 36 ; Currants Packages, 14 0z. - oe Greek, Bulk, Ib. 22. 16% Dates Dromedary, 36s ______ 6 75 i Peaches Bivap. Choice 14 Haney 2 aoe 25 Peel Lemon, American ______ 28 Orange, American _____ 28 | Raisins peeded. bulic 2a 8% Thompson's s'dless blk 8% Thompson's seedless, u 1 OZ. 2 11 Seeded, 15 07. 28 11 Snape Prunes av . 25 lb. boxes__@05 80@90, 25 Ib. hone eae 70@80, 25 Ib. boxes__@06 60@70, 25 Ib. boxes__@06% . boxes__.@07% - boxes__@08% . boxes__@12% boxes__@15 . boxes__.@17% 20@30, 25 Ib : Hominy Pearl 100 Ib. sacks __ 3 50 iyo iy September 2, 1931 MICHI ue c2ron! MULLER’ GAN TRADESMAN a actly Brands oe PRODUCTS Dill Pi . package, per doz. 1 3! . 9 OB. oo 2 20 Pickles Bulk 9 oz. packa Spaghetti 9 5 Gal., 200 HERR 9 ge! ber case 220 lbow Macaront, 9 oz. 7; hk e.g. 2? Holland Herel Gold Dust, 12 Large 2 es eed | ae ce a See ere ee ee tel xed, half bbis. ____ 4a France Ld mye e Pee? ae ee ermbcsll 0m Fie Wied, nathbbia” ~~ Gla Daten Cleans de § ee & Perrin. large. § 75 Egg Noodle, 10 ib 54OT Hee A-BeCs 4 pea. '1 80 Cob, 8 dex. in br. Milkers. Kegs -——__- - Octadis oo oa. ae n, small__ He : ---ii4 ’ oz. in bx. 1 00@1 20 ers. half bbls. __ nde We 390 Royal a : 7 Milkers. bbis a Rings a 320 Tob nt ---------- 2 40 At NUTS—Whole oo Rub No More, 100, 10 [s Sho You, . oz, -._---. 4 26 FE a scala Abode, “Trrcemoes... 12 cue ene ones % wan ree Oe eee ca on a 7. Sas Gals ora 7 00 Peace —— ee 23 Tor 6 e, per doz. 2 65 ” lie, =. tub No More, ace 4 aa Atak 1 Ghester 20) 3 oe Filberts, acliy Ds 22 pedo, per doz. ____ 2 60 aes Cleanser, 48, nastx ; = anc 5 Peanuts, Vir. Roastec Ma 20 0%. -------------= 3 85 > , ‘ as ckeral Sani Flus ; - 85 os oe getien 2 oe Tubs, 60 Count, fy. fat 6 v oot ta. le Blodgett. Beck! Sage Ss. 3. star ._. 9 ’ OZ. _._ 2 t5 Pails, 1 : i ' Soapine, 100 ee 315 ie ca ¥ -Beckley Co. East Pecans, --- 25 . 10 Ib. Fane ae nee , oa. _. G toyal Garden, % India -----_-_-__- 10 Pecans, pein aa ac ote t tho ail ~ 10 of .. 4 = Royal Gana. i P essa vo Walnuts, Cal. a FRESH ME : ° ! OY, | 2’ Large __ 2 65 2 Ca P Tapioca Hickory -------- a7 ee ~ Beef a“ Med. PP loa iba ora ioe ------ 7 20 x : Japan io Ib. sacks 09 eae a . Heit. _... 1¢ Milkers, bbis ee i. a Wyandotte, 48s ____ ; 10 eh hg oe aaeeen te, oz. * ss y ? . Bae Poe ’ >, SSR eta Gene 75 i‘. NG a -- ve Dromedary a es doz. 4 05 Salted Peanut Med. Steers ee aman Fe re K K Norway -_ 19 50 Wide lela teste OY 37@52 stant _. 350 Fancy, No. 1 8 Com. St eif. -. 12 pails _.__ Na i Nii UU 2@61 : - VT _-_------- 14 . Steers & Heif. -. 11 ~ Lunch oa ae ; a SOAP | ib as ou 54 ; oned, 10 lb. boxes - \ a . pie. Sifting | Jiffy Punch . Boxes __ 16 Am. Family. 100 1 7 ee 3 doz. Carto . Shelled Crystal White, 0x 9 0 p Paine: ee 2¥5 Almonds Salted _ «Te Veal ; - BLACKENING Biz Jack, Pai 100 __.3 50 Choice Gunpowder be asi fe Spanish 5 Good Loe cea M ia umas 13 B a ee on 1 Fels Naptha, 100 box 4 (5 ance ~--—---.----,-.. 40 —olo ean a ome a ae Flake White i; ooo ean Y ----------------- 47 SS > A rrdmé ce. Nee xX 9 09 v. C. Milling Go a ae — Bixbys, Dozz. -.-..... 1 te 7 ais le Ceyton Lily White ____ - Brands va Burdo - mela: doz 90 Fairy, 100 box me 2 Fag ekoe. medium ____ 5 Harvest Queen --____ le nut, Manchurian __ 65 SPring joa: Palm Olive, 144 box__ [7 E —— oe a na as ae i “aco. ll Lava, 100 box oe Conean ae Se " Monin 15 . per . ctag > 7 - 2s , um Laan 100 Mee ae Medium 12 Bick Silk er dos. 1 35 Pummo, 120 "5 0 Gongou, Fancy wen Quaker, 3 ,. ee UL —— 10 E Paste, doz. 1 2 Sweetheart, 100 ae gis So ancy _.__. 42@43 Lee & Cad Li ’ doz. case __ ¢ 50 mameline Paste. d «09 Grandpa Tz Pies 5 70 American Eagle Brands ibby, Kegs, wet, lb. 22 Good Mutton Eaarecine Liquid, ; = Gradua a . Fi 230 Medium Oolong em CR cee ee ee . a ie v Tn Eo is HAl, «¢ ma S50 eGce e Baker (2... Mediu oo 10 fod » ana doz. 1 40 oe Soap, 100, ie - 0 Choice Se 3y OLIVES Wee 08 Rising Sun pce a 1 30 wa Ehishies Ear. Gn G6 ia 45 won x ’ ‘ Or ams J “ ee 0 col atnrdcahcl lida ienlcaas FRUIT CANS 10 pi a Plain, doz. 1 15 7 oo. Enamel, a ) 80 er T sti eos 2 tee ee en to Pork vio a woe ie SPICES Cutton, Subp occ Half pint ane ha ee Jars, Plain, = bo lea ee 19 Stovoil, per ao doz. : 35 Anspi Whole Spices Cotton, 3 ply a Heal 33 One pint 2 7 15 uart Jars, Plain a : ; SHavidae 15 ieee nM . pice, Jamaica ol, 6 ply ___ — a 1 , doz. 500 2 10ulders — Clove ——. Gag eri One quart ——— tf 6 | oe = SS Guatedne 12 SALT Gum Gus" an ~ : eallon 11 65 32 oz. fee sca a. ; i saa bones ne ° Colonial a Rapids Cassia, 5c pkg. a Gas Cider, 40 oo oz. Jar, Stuffed’ . rete Colonial, 3 __. ge UiReer, Africa A . White Wine, ean 17 9% O2. Coa 08 O-1% 136 Mace, Penang -_.__ wiy Whi e, 80 grain__ 7 i Glass Top 1 Gal. a rer or : a PROVISIONS Colental. ae 24-2 1 35 eee ara ates 1 00 te Wine, 40 grain__ = yAh VINE ---— : 7 Z. 7 es x oon a . clear Beck’ APehons ao BErmE Szec. 10 Th I zit Mixed, $0 ples. dot Gao, v, por gross i Mart oo short ms 60 pec., 7 J + ame NU. YU, Der . Half gallon __.--.___- 1) i: PARIS GREEN Cut Clear26 00@29 09 «Packers, Meat 10 Taper tack Gig fe ts ver spel ov eee 15 40 . Crushed Maen fee ice 65 epper, Black _ 25 Ne. 4. pee pesbie a ry S er Se eee ir . ae DS naa cca Butter 3 gg Ib. each > Pure G ‘ - o ber gress __ ; ” mo oa -- 18-20@18-12 Block, 50. Ib. —- Oe ae ee Loven Se. te Som vv ’ OZ: {os 5 AR i - e, Jamai ter, No. 3 oe v Minute, 2 doz --- 2% pet Baker Salt. 2 : Clo ca -... @33 vcnester - 4, dos. Me ee ROL E . 280 lb. b ves, Zanzi ; vehester, No. 3 Palin bed Quaker gr pepe eee i = Dome sun Pure in nies. 9% 50. . toe — 3 10 = aaa WED Ss Kayu, per doz, " om a br, 3 doz. 2. 9 2% From Tank W ax ik tis i, 28 Ib con r bale ____ 2 50 assia, Canton —---- @29 0 to =" Red Crown Gasoli agon 50 Ib. t ----advance ola 3 ags, Table —_ 4 Muga @30 woo ; ay asoline — . tubs) _. ad “4 ld Hickory, S a 40) megea (phiaae @29 DENWAR JELLY AND Red Crown Ethyl —_- 14.7 20 Ib. patls So 2 re ng Mace, Penang ——-—- 1 05 Bask ' Pure, 30 Ib ee Stanolind Blue --- oh a lb. pails _ oa % 4 5 Sutera Bice @27 busnels, gomee t Imitatin, 30 Ib Se mr . Ib. pails ____ad ce %& pS a @35 wire nandi ana, . pails 3 Ib. ---advance 1 Pepper, Whi * idne CS Pure, 6 oz., Asst., doz _— in tr Cane .---advance 1 Pepper, Ca te --__---. 4 ae ee ” Pure Pres.. 16 b 90) porroats on Barrels C und tierces 1 eats yenne _____ @36 woud handles ’ a oz., dz. 2 40 ae pes Kerasine 10.6 ompound, tubs ______ 11% ae ee oe @36 Market, urop handie__ +? Gas Machine oe ll lh, eet, = ae Ve a Sy ine 34.1 i au , yngile h 8 JELLY GLASSES M.°& FP. Naphtha__ 14.8 = Sausages Chili P Seasoning pce eatra — : ’ oz.. per d ae olo -hili Powd be ; a , lavage Oe ee ae 36 iwc on ee ee 16 Celery cans lic... 1m eM. ee & dU 1SO-VIS MOTOR OILS no 18 a, 3 Se opin, small... aa OLEO : n iron a ets jon Sa oo Du er. won ences ee 3 aa 1 38 eins tte. etal i a a. 19 oe Ao oo ee ee eee wach 3 Bx Heavy ou Til eadcheese _____-__- 7 fae Epon ll @ 6a 4 neh Ie aah, co. G ’ Ss, lc ee s Marjoram. 1. oz Ten 20 gal., per gal. -- 20 (@olari Kass eee savory, Ton = oat H Ib. @20 7 » 1 oz. -----___ 10 qt. Galvani oO arine ea Cert. eed Tumeric, 2% oz. _... - Lz ye aamnes Qo Ha alae 4 at. Galvani -- 450 hee beef @19 ie 1 at. Peseta ——- 3 aia / Iron Barrels Galton | ——------ @33 Free Run’g, 32 26 oz. 2 H U qt. Tin Deiry _. oo Cre ie. ee 62.1 Pienic Bolle lama Ue Ge ge, ~~ case lots 4 40 ao Corn ea am-Nut, N Medi ee odized, 32, 26 oz. _- gsford, 40 Ib Pees an foe = J 20 @25 ae 40 Powdered, bags ~~ BA Mou Woon Sus ae Speciz ce er aa Cl -—— om : Argo, ——- ipiky . e ; oe G1 Minced Hains ~~” Qi ei aeeo as: PME phaw Pan Mews Tey Spee BEST FOODS, INC aca 7 Dae /6 Cert it O28 Twenty Mule Team Quaker, 40-1 -_-_-__. . ke y ransmission Oil a oe ee. at “ie vu é Ae i il ------ 62.1 Beet 24, 1 Ib. : d Writers aug Bros., Distributors cee Z Oz. cans, doz. 1 5y Boneless, rum 18, 10 oz. peckaace wt Gloss Mouse, spring -____- 1 “ : oz. cans, doz. 2 30 Rump, Pp 28 00@36 00 96. % oz packages __ 4 40 ~ rgo, 48, 1 Ib. pkgs. 3 28 al a ee eee stic, 64 - 9 jalva bila e Can a to 48- 1 pkgs. a 64 nized _.__ 6 76 ee 1 eee RICE a 44 2 76 iZanner — Fancy Blu SYRUP ieee aicuia 5 ov eR . , Miele ... a any Hen o” Corn Yoon singie eo 7 a ans: Blue Kar T ; Jouble Peerless. - Moco, § th RUSKS tne Han, No. 1% -- 2 54 sanaels Peerless ______ : ™ Holiday, fo in : Postma Biscuit Co ie eure No. 10 38 ‘jaheceua Queen --___- 5 ov e 8 rolls : eC Karo, No u, ee eR ee eer ere er et cme en 7 26 Ss, per case Red K: » - - 1% ) @ oe i 12 roll ---- 1 90 d Karo, No _ Ww ' S, per laa War vo. 5, 1 dz. 37 ilson & Co. . priads 18 cartons, Pong i 27 ed Karo, No. 10 = ; 2 a eee Bowls Certified jemdac, 12 cartons, per case__ 15 15 in, B ¥ -------- 5 00 ORT cia aol enlm a naa 20 semdac, 12 . a a ae é Imit. Maple Fiavor fi oo ’ oe 1 f ‘3 ans 0 Drange, No. 4 » Hucter --.--_ 18 : Special Ol ee 14 SALERATUS Orange Ne eg __ = i? in, Hotter ........, zo . PICKLES Arm and Hammer - WRA : ao Maple PPING PA : MATCHE - Medium Sour : and Cane ‘4 : PER Diamond, 144 i ore 5 gallon, 400 count ._ 4 75 SAL SODA wine ney wal 8 GO 4 Manis. white __ 05 aan 144 box__ 4 75 _inulated, 60 ths. ¢ ch. S gal can 666 Butchers os V6% Cais oe Label, 144 bx 475 16 Gal Sweet Small ‘tranulated. 18 2% ib. BGO wa eat 06% red oe aa . 475 6 oa ay ee 27 00 packages To can cases, $4.80 per case yy;,) Maple imi sane. 06% , 720-1¢ 3 allon, 760 ------- 97 oe iwhigan, : ee *ReRliable, 144 —_____- sa 5 ee ees WASHING POWDERS ‘\”” 2s ve ederal, 144 __________ fab Dil) Pickles Middles __ . por pe Pd., 18s, box 1 90 --- 325 vagic 2. CAKE ~ to Tin, doz.__ 10 2 Pabicin th Pune an Ami Cake, 18a __.1 62 coo unt “" + s-+---- iv Saf No. 2% T 5 s. % Ib. Pur Brillo __ = ed 2KING OIL ur vai a dda, : ce Matches 32 oe ae Seg aa 2 25 @OZ 2 r 1 Gy Climaline Oe eer 85 Mazola unlisht, 1™& dud 2 Zo , gro. case ass Picked_. 2 25 Wood . 0 : dom... 420 «=FPint east Foam, : aa ke ae --- 32 oz. Glass Th boxes, Pu Grandma, 100, 5 nts, 2 doz. ____ ce da ioe. 23 rown __195 Ww i Rn a 40k Ge 8G GQearien 1d sa Pea 3 - hale CAA trandma,. 24 La S23 doz. . L% doz. 1 3: a-=- == 2 ena 350 Half Gallons, 1 doz. — & . » £08 --—--— 370 ‘tallions. 7 . - 11 75 YEAST—COM OZ. -- ee Fleischm PRESSED ann. per doz. 3¢ t ae 30 WATERMELONS BY WEIGHT How Various Dealers Regard the Suggestion. Moses Dark, the long-time produce dealer, recently remarked that water- melons should be sold by weight. The idea seemed so suggestive of better conditions that the following letter was dispatched to a half hundred pro- duce jobbers and brokers in different parts of the country: One of our wholesale produce deal- ers is of the opinion that Southern melons should be sold by weight in- stead of unit. os Permit me to enquire if you have ever given the subject sufficient con- sideration to enable you to give me your reasons for supporting or oppos- ing such a suggestion? : Fifteen replies were received to the enquiry as follows: Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 17—While we have not sold melons for several years, we have contended for years they should be sold by weight. C. P. Cooney & Bro. South Bend, Ind., Aug. 17—Melons are sold here by count, weight esti- mated by size. It would seem that melons could be both bought and sold by weight the same as bananas, which only a few years ago were bought by the bunch and sold by the dozen, To buy and sell by weight would eliminate much unfairness, both on the part of the grower and the consumer as well. The merchant could advertise his melons cheaper by the pound because it wouldn’t require so many words. On the other hand, the melon is a large unit in itself and there is much differ- ence in the quality, although taken from the same load. There is no doubt that the weight idea would meet with much opposition here. Mayflower Co. Evansville, Ind., Aug. 17—We have your letter of 14th. We are sending you under separate cover the annual proceedings of the Melon Distributors Association, of which organization the writer happens to be Secretary. The Melon Distributors Association has for a number of years advocated the enactment of legislation in the Southern states requiring that melons be sold by actual count and weight with a certificate certifying the count and weight in about the same manner as the Indiana law provides. We are very much in favor of such legislation and hope that the time may come when such laws will be enacted. Pennington Brokerage Co. Little Rock, Arkansas, Aug. 17— Replying to your letter of the 15th have to say that I consider buying of water melons by weight is the logical way. The buyer then knows just what he gets. Arkansas and Texas sell at so much per cwt., basing their price at five cents per cwt, more or less than the price they quote for thirty pound aver- age for each pound larger or smaller. For example if they quoted thirties at $1, the price of twenties would be fifty cents per cwt. Hope, Ark., grows and is now mar- keting the finest watermelons in the world. Eighty pound melons are com- mon there. Hundred pounders may be had, Arkansas and Texas shippers will also advise the number of melons in each car as well as giving the weight. They usually crate the large ones individually. J. W. Lippincott. Scranton, Penn., Aug. 20—I1m- material to us which way they are sold. Shampanier Brokerage Co. Rochester, N. Y., Aug. 17—Since watermelons are sold on an average weight, we are forced to assume that MICHIGAN TRADESMAN your letter of Aug. 15 has reference to cantaloupes. The trade on this market, so far as we know, have never raised the ques- tion of weights on cantaloupes and since they are perfectly satisfied with the present methods of buying and selling we can see no reason for mak- ing or attempting to alter the present practice. In fact, we believe that in- asmuch as there is now plenty of grief on account of the average weights of water melons, it would be rather detri- mental to suggest that cantaloupes be sold on any other basis than the cur- rent methods. General Distributors Inc. Decatur, Ill, Aug. 17—Southern melons have always been sold by the car and we rather think it would be hard to change their system of selling. We really have not thought much about it. Texas and Arkansas sell by the pound, and jobbers sell by the pound as a rule, so if Georgia sells by the pound it would not be a bad idea. Quinlan & Co. of Decatur. Toledo, Aug. 17—We take for grant- ed you have in mind the trade jobbing watermelons by weight instead of unit. If this is the case the idea is not new, as this has often been talked over here. In order to be successful the proceedure would have to be unani- mous and the reliable houses in Toledo have always felt this would be impos- sible on this market, due to. the fact nearly everyone in the fruit business handles watermelons ,including many peddlers who are responsible financial- ly but who will not keep any agree- ment unless to their benefit. There is not the slightest doubt but what this commodity would prove to be a better deal if handled by weight instead of unit as at present. In our opinion it is better for the trade to buy carlots by average weight as at present, rather than unit, ‘Swigart ‘Sales Co. Salt Lake City, Aug. 18—We have always sold watermelons to the whole- sale fruit jobbers at weights and not by units. Texas melons have always been offered by the car, but in that in- stance you are guessing at what you are buying. ‘We require certified weights from shippers and thereby know what we are paying for and can easily figure our cost or cost to the jobbers and they, the jobbers, in turn sell by weights to the retail merchants and the retail merchants sell by weight. Where melons are sold by the car or unit car may contain minimum weight or it may not and there is a tendency on part of growers and ship- pers to load just a little under weight and there is always a large shrinkage in weight on melons anyway so that there is a loss unless the goods are purchased by weight and that a certi- fied weight, Elggren Brothers Co. Portland, Ore., In these Northwest markets watermelons are virtually al- way sold on a ton basis on shipping point weights. We should very much regret having this standard of trading changed. Melons are never sold here on a unit basis. United Brokers Company. Albany, N. Y., Aug. 22—Presumably it might be more fair to everyone con- cerned for the retailer to sell water- melons to the consumer by weight, but it is a question if it is practical, they are so slippery and bulky. Certainly it is not practical for the shipper to sell to the jobber by weight, by that we mean other than estimated weight. ‘Munro Brokerage Co., Inc. Pittsburgh, Pa. Aug. 21—We be- lieve that watermelons should be sold by weight and not per unit. However, the trade throughout this territory are not favorable to this plan. Tri-State Sales Agency. San Francisco, Aug. 20—In reply to your letter of Aug, 15, relative to the method of selling melons, would ad- vise that it is the custom in California to sell water melons by weight. Oc- casionally cars are sold as a unit, but the general trend is to sell them by weight, as above stated. R. B. Reinig. Davenport, Iowa, Aug. 22—Reply- ing to your letter of Aug. 15 will say that we have always been of the opin- ion that selling by weight is the fair- est method of handling melons ‘and Texas shippers have sold exclusively by weight for several years and we think with very fair success. We have observed, however, in our market that sales to the consumer are much larger in volume when sold at so much per melon rather than by the pound, ‘There is no doubt, however, but that the consumer can be educated to buy by weight and we fully believe that sooner or later the general prac- tice will be to sell by weight. QO. J. MacDonald. ——_—_+> 2+ Proceedings of the Grand Rapids Bankruptcy Court, Grand Rapids, Aug. 26—In the matter of James L. McIntosh, and as McIntosh Coal Co., Bankrupt No. 4205, the final meeting of creditors was held July 13, there were no appearances, except that of the attorneys for the trustee. The trustee’s final report and account was considered and approved and_ allowed. Claims were proved and allowed. An or- der was made for the payment of ex- penses of administration and a first and final dividend to creditors of 1 per cent. No objections were made to the discharge of the bankrupt. The final meeting then adjourned without date, and the case will be closed and returned to the district © court, in due course. Aug. 26. We have received the sched- ules, order of reference and adjudication in the matter of Ernest W. Wood, Bank- rupt No. 4610. The bankrupt is a resident of Bellevue, and his occupation is that of a laborer. The schedule shows assets of $850, with liabilities of $2,069.68. The court has written for funds and upon receipt of same the first meetinge of creditors will be called. Aug. 26. I have received the schedules, reference and adjudication in the matter of Elwin Allen, Bakrupt No. 4604. The bankrupt is a resident of Grand Rapids, and his occupation is that of a laborer. The schedule shows assets of $300, with liabilities of $664.94. The court has writ- ten for funds and upon receipt of the same the first meeting of creditors will be called. Aug. 26. We have received the sched- ules, order of reference and adjudication in‘ the matter of Roy E. Bellaire, Bank- rupt No. 4608. The bankrupt is a resi- dent of Grand Rapids, and his occupation is that of a manufacturing superintend- ent. The schedule shows assets of $8,330, with liabilities of $24,300.38. The court has written for funds and upon receipt of same the first meeting of creditors will be called. Aug. 26. We have received the sched- ules, order of reference and adjudication in the matter of Leo H. Goss, Bankrupt No. 4607. The bankrupt is a resident of Kalamazoo, and his occupation is that of a laborer. The schedule shows assets of $1,230, with liabilities of $1,297.51. The court has written for funds and upon receipt of same the first meeting of cred- itors will be called. Aug. 26. We have received the sched- ule, order of reference and adjudication in the matter of George A. Mallick, Bankrupt No. 4606. The bankrupt is a resident of Grand Rapids, and his occupa- tion is that of a laborer. The schedule shows assets of $250, with liabilities of $1,550. The court has written for funds and upon receipt of same the first meet- ing of creditors will be called. Aug. 26. We have received the sched- ule, order of reference and adjudication in the matter of Philetus S. Swartz, Bankrupt No. 4605. The bakrupt is a resident of Grand Rapids, and his occu- pation is that of a laborer. The schedule shows assets of $25, with liabilities of $1,800.06. The court has written for funds and upon receipt of same the first meet- ing of creditors will be called. In the matter of Ward Lloyd Suther- jand, Bankrupt No. 4213, the trustee has heretofore filed his final report and ac- cout, and a final meeting was held July 13. The bankrupt was present in person. Creditors were present in person. The trustee was present in person. Claims were proved and allowed. An order was made for the payment of expenses of ad- ministration and a first and final dividend to creditors of 2 per cent., after pay- ment of preferred claims and allowance of numerous reclamation petitions. No ob- jections were made to the discharge of September 2, 1931 the bankrupt. The final meeting then adjourned without date. and the case has been closed and will be returned to the district court, in due course. In the matter of Tony J. Collins, Bank- rupt No. 4215, the final meeting of cred- itors was held July 27. The trustee was present in person. The attorney for the bankrupt was present in person. The trustee’s final report and account was approved and allowed. Claims were prov- ed and allowed. An order was made for the payment of expenses of administra- tion and preferred labor claims, as far as the funds on hand will permit. There were no dividends to general creditors. No objections were made to the discharge of the bankrupt. The final meeting then adjourned without date, and the case will be closed and returned to the district court, in due course. In the matter of Jack Tatroe, Bankrupt No. 4597. The first meeting of creditors has been called for Sept. 11. In the matter of Charles Surdick, Bank- rupt No. 4591. The first meeting of cred- itors has been called for Sept. 11. In the matter of Clyde Sherwood, Bank- rupt No. 4599. The first meeting of cred- itors has been called for Sept. 11. In the matter of Clark R. Otten, Bank- rupt No. 4560. The first meeting of cred- itors has been called for Sept. 11. In the matter of Guy W. Atwood, indi- vidually and doing business as Atwood Lumber Co., Bankrupt No. 4582. The first meeting of creditors has been called for Sept. 11. In the matter of Emil F. Gerardo, Bankrupt No. 4220, the final meeting of creditors was held July 27. The bankrupt was not present in person, but represented by attorney D. M. Britton. The trustee was present in person. Claims were prov- ed and allowed. The trustee’s final re- port and account was approved and al- lowed. An order was made for the pay- ment of expenses of administration, as far as the funds would permit. There were no divideds. No objections were made to the discharge of the bankrupt. The final meeting then adjourned with- out date, and the case will be closed and returned to the district court, in due course. Aug. 28. We have received the sched- ules, order of reference and adjudication in the matter of Charles J. Renolds, Bankrupt No. 4612. The bankrupt is a resident of Kalamazoo, and his occupa- tion is that of a pressman. The sched- ule shows assets of $120, with liabilities of $734.45. The court has written for funds and upon receipt of same the first meeting of creditors will be called. Aug. 28. We have received the sched- ules, order of reference and adjudication in the matter of Samuel Guttmacher, Bankrupt No. 4611. The bankrupt is a resident of the village of Bagor, and his occupation is that of a retail merchant. The schedule shows assets of $1,982.95, with liabilities of $2,838.43. The list of creditors of said bankrupt is as follows: City of Battle Creek ___..-_ $ 40.40 Village of Bangor 226) Unknown Dowagiac National Bank, Dowagiac 700.00 Co-operative Pants Mrf. Co., Chi. 128.00 General Motors Acceptance Corp., (croma Mapias 22 192.00 Goodyear Glove Rub. Co., Naugatuck 41.21 Redwing Shoe Co., Redwing ______ 103.72 Rice Freidman CGo., Milwaukee _7 26.50 b. & BR. Co., Cincinnati 2... 3 15.29 Joseph Fiewell, South Bend ______ 9.29 Cleveland Raincoat Co., Cleveland 8.00 Jackson Glove Co., Jackson ______ 27.68 Milwaukee Knitting Co., Milwaukee 59.6 H. Breidbart Co., Inc., New York oo Corhart Overall Co.,, Detroit Chas. Meyers & Co., Chicago ____ pee Detroit Suspender & Belt Co., Det. 14.47 Royal Trunk Co., Chicago ________ 24.50 Royal Cap Co., Chicago _________ 39.50 Beacon Falls Rubber & Shoe Co., : Chicago oo ee . 51.56 Fried Bros. Co., Chicago ______..... 32.09 Inter State Factories, Chicago coe 50.00 Marion Shoe Co., Marion Stephen Putney Shoe Co tichmon nee Ettetson & Co., ho iS armani 60 S. B. Mercantile Co., South Bend 155.42 Mer s Neckware Mfg. Co., Chicago 20.00 Superior Hat Co., St. Louis, Mo. 8.50 Goshen Shirt Mfg. Co., Chicago ___._ 55.98 oS een Shoe Co., Chi. 11.65 : eibrenn i ae er Shoe Co., Ge Gannent Co. Gace 182.49 National Tailoring Co., to — Bremen Mfg. Co., Breman ________ 16.85 John Pilling Shoe Co., Lowell ____ 682 Meyer Suit Case Co., Detroit ____ 7.50 M. Gimbel & Sons, Chicago _____-.13°5 Meyer Bros., New York 10.48 Mann & Longinni Shoe C inci International Handk oa Co. New so erchief Mfg. riangle Neckw i Seinene Bros. & ae o anes Lee A. Dudley & Co. Battle Creek 59.75 . M. § ad, BON fo ao A. Bill Cap Co., South Bend ae Bader Coe Co., Saginaw 24.58 L nit-Delaven, Wi i ; oe, Michigan Wistirie Ga $0.00 ae ae We have received the sched- apr er of reference and adjudication Ted ee of Alfred RB. Heintzelman oe . 0. 461 - The schedule shows root oe with liabilities of $35,- 06. e€ court has written for funds CSAS x een piers cabs September 2, 1931 and upon receipt of same the first meet- ing of creditors will be called. Aug. 31. We have received the sched- ules, order of reference and adjudication in the matter of Maude E. Heintzelman, Bankrupt No. 4614. The schedule shows assets of $1,000, with liabilities of $39,- 098.06. The court has written for funds and upon receipt of same the first meet- ing of creditors will be called. Limitations of In Stock Service. (Continued from page 19) shoes on that basis they are naturally paying a premium or extra cost. “Frankly, our in-stock department has not been profitable as we are pri- marily a make-up house and concen- trate our efforts along those lines.” On the other side of the question we read: “Stock shoes offer the manufac- turer the advantages of some flexibility because he can hold his production constant and vary his stock with the fluctuations in seasonable business. This is quite an advantage over the maker of strictly made to order shoes.” A maker of women’s shoes, who em- phasizes his in-stock department, writes: “If the business is conducted efficiently, the savings in manufactur- ing will more than offset the cost of mark downs to the manufacturer.” In general, women’s shoemakers ad- mit an in-stock department cannot be operated without some loss. In the same breath they confess that under present conditions the factory loss would be greater if they had no stock shoes. Stated another way, the making of in-stock shoes effects a saving, where- as the selling of those shoes may show a loss. Factory management is suc- cessful if it makes the saving over- balance the loss, ‘The retailer is vitally interested in all these internal factory problems. Every saving a factory makes and every loss it suffers is eventually re- flected in higher or lower prices, as well as in better or poorer service to the dealer, One manufacturer’s letter points out how seriously manufacturers’ over- stocks affect retailers directly. He tells us: “The market has been flooded for several years with job lots, discon- tinued numbers, slow styles, etc., the results of the manufacturer’s optimis- tic or enforced gambles. “A tremendous amount of such shoes are jobbed off through the re- tailers into the hands of the public every year. When everything is said and done, the manufacturer, the re- tailer and the consumer would be much better off without this merchandise. “We fool ourselves into believing that the consumer wears out a shoe bought at a sale faster than one bought at regular price. That cannot be. A thousand pairs of sale shoes dumped on the market spoil the sale of exactly one thousand pairs of regular price shoes.” Leaving out the theorizing, we find most factories having both make-up and in-stock shoes, offer a larger dis- count on make-ups. We also ‘find the average retailer would prefer to do his buying from stock. He is willing to lose possibly 5 per cent. make-up discount, pay the higher transportation charges on small lots, and pay the etxra book-keeping expense of numerous small invoices. The greatest expense in the retail shoe business, he figures, is the risk of MICHIGAN TRADESMAN. having on hand something that after all he doesn’t want. ‘One of the most vigorous exponents of the in-stock game sums up a life- time of experience in the following statement: “Accomplishing something with in- stock shoes is no different from accom- plishing something in any other line. First, the retailer must choose the right in-stock line, Second, he must not buy the styles he shouldn’t just because they are in stock. He must not handle the kind of shoes he shouldn’t just because they are in stock, He must not buy the sizes he shouldn’t just because they are in stock, “A surplus of stock shoes will sell no better than a surplus of make-up shoes, 'He cannot eliminate the gamble in business just because he is buying from stock. “But if he will choose the right in- stock department, run with the right ideals, by a dependable concern manu- facturing the kind of shoes he should buy, he will cut down a considerable amount of his gamble, he will get a better turnover on his capital, he will take a smaller markdown, and when some big demand arises—like water- snakes in the spring of 1930—he will not only increase his sales but will serve his trade better. “But if the retailer uses an in-stock department only as an emergency life belt to rescue him from a sea of mer- chandising mistakes—well, he will sim- ply pull the whole in-stock proposition under and both will drown.”—M. C. French in Boot and Shoe ‘Recorder. —-»+- Saving Through Fire Prevention. (Continued from page 15) There is nothing mysterious about their origin. Fires don’t just happen, and the prevention of fire only requires a little forethought and carefulness. Furthermore, each fire is, generally speaking, a potential large loss or con- flagration breeder. Usually the loss is small because the (fire is extinguished promptly. All conflagrations, except those resulting from earthquakes or tornadoes, start from some small in- significant fire which grows and spreads beyond control. Some reduction has been made dur- ing the past few years in fire loss; but a loss of __--dollars each year in one city, which is absolutely preventable, you must agree is entirely too much. It is deplorable. So instead of asking you for money to finance an elaborate program for preventing fires, the Fire Prevention Committee of your Chamber of Com- merce is merely asking that the people stop being careless, that they be alert, that they recognize and eliminate fire hazards. This is all that is needed to stop this needleess waste. It requires, however, a constant, sincere individual and collective effort. Perhaps if you were the father who placed the combustible material around the unguarded electric light bulb, or the mother who left the matches where her child could get them, you would be ready to give this plan thoughtful consideration and accept it. (Must we all learn by experience? You know the rest of the old adage, don’t you?—yet so many of us learn only through experience, and some- times at a terrific cost. The daily newspapers recently con- tained an account of a home destroyed because gasoline was used in a wash- ing machine. Soon after the machine was set in motion, the vapors explod- ed. The daughter, a brilliant college woman, and her mother were envelop- ed in flames and fatally burned. Fire- men carried the helpless father from the building in a critical condition. It is to prevent tragedies of this character as well as to save some-_-_-- dollars a year in your city, and to re- duce the annual billion dollar fire loss in the United ‘States to an irreducible minimum that this plan of activity is being presented to you at this time, Its acceptance and adoption will unques- tionably save many lives, save persons from being maimed and injured; and this phase alone, entirely apart from the financial return, should engage the interest and support of all. Is not such a multiple saving cam- paign worth while? H. L. Miner. —_++<+____ Family Men in His Shop Must Have Gardens. Family men employed by the ford Motor Co. at Iron Mountain must be- come home gardeners or forfeit their positions. This edict was promulgated by Henry ford as a measure to elleviate temporary business depression. He said: “Next year every man with a family who is employed at the plant will be required to have a garden of sufficient size to supply his family with at least a part of its Winter’s vege- tables, or he will find himself out of a job.” Workers who have no available space for gardens will be supplied with land by the company, he said. Henry said there was no use trying to help a man who did not attempt to help himself by raising foodstuffs. —__++ ~~. Limit Curtain Call To Sales Goods. With prices on cotton curtain goods at a low point for the year, manufac- turers of low-end curtains have resign- ed themselves to a production of sales merchandise only for the Fall season. Hand-to-mouth buying inspired by un- certainty over prices has been resum- ed again on a more restricted basis than ever throughout the trade. Al- though producers expect to sell a nor- mal yardage through the coming sea- son, they complain that small orders and low prices will make a serious cut in their profits. At the present time the demand is centered on curtains of net with tailored edges, in beige and pastel shades to retail from $1 to $1.49. — Upholstery Fabric Call Better. A sudden flurry of buying in the upholstered furniture field this week is reflected in the fabric market, where orders for upholstery fabrics took an upward trend for the first time this month. Although the volume of goods purchased is limited, mills report that the fabrics purchased are above the average in both price and quality. Mo- hair plush goods in prevailing Fall colors provide the bulk of the volume sold, but the cotton tapestry goods are also in good demand in patterns fea- turing floral decorations. Mill execu- tives admit that they do not expect the 31 spurt to continue beyond the early part of next week. o-oo Fall Lamp Buying Shows Increase. All branches of the lamp trade, from low-end to higher price merchandise, felt the effects-of an increase in buying here this week. Stores, reporting stocks at a record low point for this time of year, purchased new goods for immediate delivery, In the better price branch of the trade, orders more than doubled in the past ten days. Due to the excessive care now used by manufacturers in checking retailers’ credits, however, this volume was cut 25 per cent. In the medium and cheap- er lines, business is on a par with that of the first half of August last year and may run ahead before the close of the month. a New Millinery Continues Active. With a steady stream of new models and materials stimulating interest, the business being done in millinery con- tinues one of the outstanding bright spots in the development of the Fall season in women’s apparel. Despite the trend toward low prices of hats of the Empress Eugenie type, the mode is said to offer possibilities for so many practical and attractive variations that it is not likely to fade out quickly. Felts, chenilles and velvets are the fabrics in most use at the moment, with the chances favoring more orders for the velvet types than in a number of seasons past. Wed new methods to old virtues. 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 capital 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 to open accounts. Bakery For Sale—Fully equipped. Re- sort and hunting town. No other bakery within fifteen miles. Williams Bakery, Rose City, Mich. 455 FOR SALE—DELICATESSEN—HOME BAKERY—$800 weekly. Modern fixtures, electric refrigerator. Growing apartment neighborhood. C. Jacobs, 6809 W. 22nd street, Berwyn, II. 456 For Sale—Factory site in Grand Rapids, railroad frontage. Also suitable for oil station. When constructing building, se- lect location with all improvements. Cash price $2,100. Terms, $2,200. Owner H. Scott, 1209 Roseland Ave., Kalamazoo, Mich. 45” FOR SALE—Grocery stock in city of 3,000 in Southern Michigan. Stock will invoice about $3,000. Fixtures about $1,000. Stock absolutely fresh and clean. Location on brick paved street, third door from main four corners in city. Present owner has been in same location thirty years. Good opportunity for right man. Address No. 452, c/o Michigan Tradesman. 452 For Sale—Good meat market in college and manufacturing city. Address No. 454, c/o Michigan Tradesman. 454 For Sale—Fixtures and complete equip- ment old established meat market and grocery. Good location in city of 15,000. Fine opportunity for party desiring to establish retail market and grocery in hustling city. Charles D. Hunt, Trustee, Benton Harbor, Mich. 447 I WILL BUY YOUR STORE OUTRIGHT FOR CASH No Stock of Merchandise Too Large or Too Small No Tricks or Catches—A Bona Fide Cash Offer For Any Stock of Merchandise Phone—Write—Wire L. LEVINSOHN Saginaw, Michigan Sieh taal saa ga ccm wie he Te a te 32 IN THE REALM OF RASCALITY. Questionable Schemes Which Are Under Suspicion. Buchanan, ‘Sept. 1—I wish to call your attention to an advertising scheme which I think you should warn your readers against. A chap came into my store this week, claiming to repre- sent the Radio Advertising Corpora- tion, purporting to be the sales repre- sentative for the Reliable Super Mid- get radio. He proposed to give me 30 per cent. commission on time sales and 40 per cent. on cash sales, In consideration of the payment of $60— $12.50 in advance and $47.50 on re- ceipt of goods (c. 0. d.)—I was to have shipped to me $75 worth of radios, a mysterious lock and two master keys, 1000 specially printed hand bills, window banners, posters and numerous advertising materials. This fellow came into my store and stated if I would sign up he would give me the exclusive right to the proposition. J almost signed up when the telephone rang and a salesman who had previously overheard our conver- sation called up from another store and said another man representing the same house was trying to sell the same proposition to a competitor. Dan :P, Merson. The concern above named is given no recognition by the mercantile agencies, showing very plainly it is a good concern to pass up. The fact that it permits two salesmen to visit the same town at the same time, each agreeing simultaneously to give each customer called on the exclusive sale of the article handled, shows very plainly the fraudulent character of the concern, Under no circumstances should any reputable merchant have any dealings with suclt persons. A stranger walked into a Marcus, Iowa, cafe and told the proprietor he was almost starved. The cafe man said he wasn’t in the free lunch busi- ness, but the visitor hung around the place and continued to beg until he took pity on him and fed him. The stranger departed after showing his appreciation but in doing so his wal- let dropped to the floor. He went out on the street and stood around. The cafe man found the wallet, saw it con- tained a $20 bill and darted out and demanded that the man pay for his lunch. The visitor did so, took his $19 and some cents in change and de- pagted. Later the cafe owner discov- ered the $20 was counterfeit. The chief of police at Escanaba has advised Marshal W. H. Trevarrow that fraudulent traveler’s cheques are being circulated in parts of the Upper Peninsula. Those that have been un- covered bear the signature, “R. M. Warner,” and they are supposed to have been issued by a New York bank, All cashed to date are of a denomina- tion of $20 and business men should be on the lookout for them and make immediate report to the police if they run across one, Gaeteno Torrelli and A. N. Torrelli, vendors of a skin peel to remove facial and other skin blemishes, operating under the trade name of New York T-aboratories, New York, signed a stipulation with the Federal Trade Commission agreeing to stop use of the word “Laboratories” as part of their trade name until such time as MICHIGAN TRADESMAN they actually operate a laboratory. The words “Manufacturing Chemists” will no longer be carried on advertising literature or letterheads until such time as the respondents shall actually be such; nor will it be stated that the skin peel offered for sale is the result of research, investigation or experi- ment conducted by the respondents. The skin peel will no longer be adver- tised as capable of removing large pores, sallow complexion, age lines, or disfigurations from face, neck, limbs and body; nor will it be offered as a safe or competent treatment for re- moval of these disfigurations. Re- spondents will also no longer assert that they own, control, or operate a scientific research division, nor that they have made an amazing or scien- tific discovery in producing this skin peel. Goitre could be reduced in seven days by a treatment for that disease sold by a certain vendor, according to the company’s advertising. Signing a stipulation with the Federal Trade Commission the vendor has agreed to cease making the foregoing represen- tations as well as to discontinue others such as the following: That thousands have testified “My goitre is gone” as a result of the treatment; that the method is so different from the ordin- ary treatment that there is no com- parison; that results may be expected in a single day’s time, or that within a few days the goitre will be gone, that the highest grade of medical authority is called into consultation to pass upon individual cases (unless and until such is the fact) and numerous like repre- sentations. 2 Items From the Cloverland of Michi- gan. Sault Ste. ‘Marie, Sept. 1—Our dry spell seems to be over. For the past few days we have had rain and colder, which may slow up on the nice tourist trade we have been enjoying all sum- mer. Most of the hay fever tourists are here, howevr, which makes it look like several more weeks of tourist ac- tivity. The Objibway Hotel is catering to a full house, while the dining rooms are crowded especially for the Sunday dinner which is taxing their capacity. E. J. Wilcox has opened a new fruit store on East Portage avenue in the store recently occupied by G. White. Mr. ‘Wilcox is having the fruit shipped largely from Lower Michigan and is doing a large business for a starter. J. O. Asmond, of Bay City, was a visitor here last week, calling on friends. Sorry that the writer missed seeing him as it has been over thirty years since we last met. The Pickford fair opens on Sept. 5 for a three day fair. A horse pulling contest will be one of the outstanding features, also baseball, tug of war and horse shoe pitching. Pickford will have no horse races as in previous years, but they will not be the only fair cutting out the races this year. Economy seems to be the motto and a good time by all must be had in visiting old friends which make the country fairs so successful. Some of our Canadian friends are doing some real price cutting in the restaurant ‘business and we find that a delicious fish and chip dinner can be had for 20 cents, but this does not make any change with the leading ho- tels, where we can still get a good meal for $1. It is reported that at the Winsor Hotel, where they have been doing a large tourist business this summer, about 90 per cent. of their business comes from the American side of the river. Edward Reidy, one of our popular grocers in the West end of the city, is taking an extended vacation, visiting through Canada, as well as the South- ern states. ‘This is Mr. Reidy’s first vacation for many years, so that he is going to see the country as long as he wants to and make up for all the fun he missed by putting in long hours all these years. Mrs. Reidy is looking after the business and has been doing some cleaning and decorating and mak- ing a number of changes in the ar- rangement of the store, which will surprise the old boy on his return, If you do your best, you can stand up against the worst that may befall. L. C. 'Sabin, Vice-President of the Great Lakes Carriers Association, has been spending the past week at his cabin near Homestead, Sugar Island. Mr. Sabin is a former well-known Sooite and has many friends here who are always pleased to see him. Mrs, A. C. Johnson, who has been conducting a general store at Donald- son for the past few years, is selling out next week to Art Holton, who will conduct the store along the same lines as heretofore. Mr. Holton is no amateur at the business, as he conduct- ed the same store several years ago, subsequently selling out to Mrs. Johnson. “Best in the long run,’ may be an admirable slogan, but it’s no good for the hosiery advertiser. William G. Tapert. —_—_~+- >—___ Ann Arbor Opens a City Store. Ann Arbor, Sept. 1—The city-owned store, established in the Second ward polling booth was opened last Wed- nesday afternoon, and according to records eight dollars’ worth of busi- ness was transacted with seven cus- tomers who presented script money obtained from City Clerk Fred C. Perry for services rendered the city on municipal projects. The Ashley street polling both has been cleaned, the basement has been cemented and the establishment has taken on the appearance of a small, well-kept grocery store of the corner variety. In front of the polling booths on the left side of the store (going in) the committee in charge of the estab- lishment has erected a large group of shelves where the canned goods are stored. In front of the working por- tion of the store and behind the coun- ter there is a large table with a variety of foods. At the rear of the establish- ment are the scales and various other measures used in the distribution of foods. Ald. Benjamin {H. Graf, council representative from the Second ward, said to-day that the store was open for inspection at any time during the regular hours of 8:30 to 12 o’clock in the morning and 1 to 5 o’clock in the afternoon. In explaining the establish- ment of the city-owned store, Ald. Graf stated that all goods purchased by the city and distributed to the city’s needy were obtained from local wholesale houses. ‘Ald. Graf said that the com- mittee in charge of the store has bought only the necessary foods and an effort is being made ‘by those in charge to keep the cost of the goods and the cost of operating the estab- lishment as low as possible. He explained that while no plans have been made by county officials and no announcements have been made as vet, it is possible that the county may join the city in the operating of the store, Ald. Graf said that the estab- lishment of the store saves the city large expenditures as well as the in- dividuals who make purchases at the commissary. Goods sold at the city store include groceries, meats (obtained at the local packing houses), flour, canned goods, tobacco (not more than two packages with each order), vegetables and dry goods, So September 2, 1931 Late Business News From Indiana. Crawfordsville—Joseph E. Fisher, 77, owner and manager of the Wide Awake Department Store here, is dead at his home here after a short illness. He is survived by the widow, three sons and one daughter. Greensburg—Curtis McCoy, 68, mer- chant tailor, died of paralysis. He came to Greensburg in 1889. The sur- vivors are a daughter, a son, two brothers and a sister. Kentland—Guy Rettinger, senior member of the firm of Rettinger & Son, local men’s furnishings, clothing and shoe store, died at his home, after an illness of four months.. Death re- sulted from a throat infection suffered some time ago. A heart attack was the immediate cause of his death. He had conducted a store here for twenty years. Fort Wayne—The order by which G. B. Buist was appointed receiver for the New Haven Silk Hosiery Co. has been modified by A. M. Campbell, judge pro-tem in Superior ourt No. 1. Under the revised order, the receiver is instructed not to borrow any money or fix or pay any salaries of attorneys or superintendents without specific or- der of court. The judge pro tem ap- proved of the rehiring of M. H. Gro- trian as superintendent of the mills at a salary of $80 a week and of Gustave Rump as sales manager and credit supervisor at $47.25 a week. The re- ceiver was ordered to pay employes out of the first funds he receives the amounts due them as wages prior to receivership. Terre Haute—Jacob Schwartz, vice- president of the American Art Wood Products Co., art wood and novelty furniture manufacturers, has filed a voluntary petition in bankruptcy in the Federal Court here, listing assets at $533 and liabilities at $349,664, all the assets being claimed on personal ex- emption. The liabilities are divided between $96 in taxes, $285,761 in secur- ed claims and unsecured of $63,806. Greensburg—Work of placing ma- chinery has begun in the new shirt factory which is to start operation here Sept. 1, under the name of the South Bend Co., Inc. Sixty persons will be employed. The company will manufacture work shirts, Pakogan—Bids are being - received for the construction of a new wing to the Pottawatomie Inn, at Pakogan state park on Lake James. The new wing is designed for use as the main hotel in winter and will have twenty- four rooms, increasing the total to fifty-eight rooms. There will be a new dining room, a new lobby, added kitchen facilities. Split boulders, stucco and tile roof, with beamed ceilings, compose the chief construction ma- terials, ——__»-. —___ Seven New Readers of the Tradesman. The following new subscribers have been received during the past week: Michigan Masonic Home, Alma. W. H. ‘Heldenbrand, Pontiac. Farmers Co-op. Trading Co., Han- cock, Christian Anderson, Gowen. Grant A, Rice, Rockford. G. A. Oslund, Twin Lakes. F. E. Weeks, Howell. They have grown up together When business was largely barter, mutual insurance was protecting those engaged in it. To-day there are few other businesses important in the commercial life of the dominion that have back of them so much of tradition; of obligations faithfully met; of actual public service—as mutual fire insurance. The remarkable stability and vitality of mutual insurance is based on absolute adherence to one basic aim—the furnishing of sound insurance at the lowest possible cost to the insured. Mutual fire insurance companies have paid losses promptly and fully—they have led the way in fire preven- tion—they have consistently returned savings to policy- holders. There is available to you through the insurance service department of the Michigan Tradesman all the traditional advantages of the mutual plan of fire insur- ance—safety, service and savings. Through this depart- ment many retailers are finding a happy solution of their insurance problems. They are making substantial sav- . ings through mutual ideals of management. Get the facts! They speak for themselves! ostsoantnape EIA Ea 5 tf \ Sataheiei es eS CALL US WE SAVE YOU 25% TO 40% ON YOUR INSURANCE COST GAOL’O THE MILL MUTUALS AGENCY 208 NORTH CAPITOL AVENUE LANSING, MICHIGAN Phone 20741 Cin ae oa m0 : BS ee p a : a nt ge (yl or every occasion nan Discuit (0, Grand Rapids,Mich. ..~Lhe Road To Satisfied Customers! OYAL Baking Powder takes the chance out of home baking. It’s the Cream of Tartar in Royal that supplies perfect baking action resulting in better flavor and smooth, even texture. Recommend Royal and you'll have satisfied customers. Three generations of women have made it famous the world over. Order it from your jobber! ROYAL BAKING POWDER A Product of STANDARD BRANDS INCORPORATED