Ae Ni S b iB x EN S d a % X - Clif Mew ZEA OLEN fo NCSS SPUBLISHED WEEKLY % @5- CERES SITES LEAN ie ee Fifty-second Year GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1934 Number 2670 ik: AA A AAA AA ARATE aaa a a AA AFA VAVAVAVATATVATAVAVAVAYVAVAYTA: ' GOD’S DREAM Dreams are they—but they are God’s dreams! Shall we decry them and scorn them? That men shall love one another? That white shall call black man brother, That greed shall pass from the market-place, That lust shall yield to love for the race, That man shall meet God face to face— Dreams are they all, But shall we despise them— God’s dreams! fas meat iy Dreams are they—to become man’s dreams! Can we say nay as they claim us? That men shall cease from their hating, That war shall soon be abating, That the glory of kings and lords shall pale, That the pride of dominion and power shall fail, That the love of humanity shall prevail— Dreams are they all, But shall we despise them— God’s dreams! THOMAS CURTIS CLARK. | $ y C4 Lf $ L 3 A $' y $' i ‘4 Ly $' bi $' i $ t 3s i $' x $' i $' g $ % $' Uy $' Ly U Ly $' i $' Li $' i $ x $ Ly U x U z U y ti bi $' LU $ t U x U x $' % $ t $' t U 8 $' 8 $' Ly $ by eee reer ee ae ee a eR ree eee re rece Oren eee ere eee GOOD REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD STOCK es Me brand BISCUITS a nainsste ~ you Rnow 5 Michigan facto- A ries for the can- ning of products grown by Michi- Hekman MAY BE BOUGHT Bree piceo td oh rete vegetblog and Beas WITH CONFIDENCE AND SOLD Rademaker-Dooge Grocer Co. Distributors for WITH PRIDE KARAVAN KIRO COFFEE KARAVAN EL PERCO COFFEE KARAVAN SIXTY-SIX COFFEE Phone 8-1431 Grand Rapids, Michigan Home Baker Fiour A High Grade Kansas Hard Wheat Flour High Quality - Priced Low Milled to our own formulae which is pleasing thousands of housewives. Sold throughout the entire State of Michigan. Will prove to be a valuable asset to your business. Sold by Inde- pendent Merchants Only. LEE & CADY Fifty-second Year MICHIGAN TRADESMAN E. A. Stowe, Editor PUBLISHED WEEKLY by Tradesman Company, from its office the Barnhart Building, Grand Rapids. UNLIKE ANY OTHER PAPER. Frank, free and fearless for the good that we can do. Each issue com- plete in itself, DEVOTED TO the best interests of business men. SUBSCRIPTION RATES areas follows: $3. per year, if pgid strictly in advance. $4 per year if not paid in advance. Canadian subscription, $4.56 per year, payable invariably in advance. Sample copies 10 cent. each. Extra copies of current issues, 10 cents; issues a month or more old 15 cents; issues a year or more old, 25 cents; issues five years or more old 50 cents. Entered September 23, 1883, at thé Postoffice of Grand Rapids as second class matter under Act of March 3, 1879. JAMES M. GOLDING Detroit Representative 507 Kerr Bldg. Crinted by the Tradesman Company, Under NRA Conditions Monthly Report of Michigan Hardware Association The President’s Message Like the early Puritans let us give thanks that we have come through the stress and storm of the past years, that we have maintained the integrity and solvency of our business and that we have regained confidence in the future of our industry and in ourselves as parts of that industry. Let us con- tinually be on the alert, like the Puri- tans, armed and ready to aggressively defend ourselves and our business against any attempt to wrest them from us, Let us continue to work co- operatively that each may gain the strength of all others within our in- dustry. I sincerely hope that we will have an exceptionally large attendance of hardware retailers at the meeting of the Michigan Federation of Retail Mer- chants to be held in Lansing, Thurs- day, Nov. 22, 6:30 p. m. at the Olds Hotel. The Federation, comprising ten state retail trade associations, will have as their guests state officials, Senators and Representatives, who will guide the destiny of our State after the first of the year. Come, let’s get better acquainted with them and secure more complete understanding of their prob- lems and their activities. On to Lan- sing, Thursday, Nov. 22. Meet me at the Olds Hotel, 6:30 p. m. Send in the reservation, mailed you a few days ago, to the association office. Henry A. Schantz, President. 1935 Convention. The 1935 conven- tion. to be held in Grand Rapids, Feb. 12 to 16, is certain to be the largest convention and exhibit in the past five years. Many new lines, shown by old and new exhibitors, will be on display at the Exhibi tin the Civic Auditorium. New Merchandise . . . new ideas in selling will carry out the exhibit idea “How-to Sell Hardware.” The final program for the convention has not been completed but it will start with the president's complimentary luncheon at 12 noon, Tuesday, Feb. 12th. The Tuesday program will study sales opportunities under various Fed- eral acts and merchandising for home building and repairing. Wednesday there will be a discussion of “Taxa- tion and the Merchant,” the “Hunt- ing License Fee” and a brief considera- tion of all codes affecting the hardware merchant. Thursday the problems, pol- icies of the manufacturer, the whole- saler, and the retailer will be studied and their relation to each other. The Friday proram will start with an innovation, to be announced later, and will close with an inspira- tional talk by the best speaker avail- able. There will be solid meat in every convention session. morning Plumbing code and assessments. Representatives of the Divisional Code Authority of the Plumbing Contract- ing Division, have asked some harc- ware dealers to sign the following cer- tificate, “We, the undersigned, hereby certify that we are not in the plumb- ing business, neither contracting nor on an hourly basis, and that if we pre- viously were, we hereby certify that we have and will positively discontinue all such. activities from above date.” No one should sign such a certificate. Hardware stores are legitimately en- gaged in the plumbing business and expect to continue. The certificate, in question, has been forwarded to Wash- ington as a basis of complaint. This Code Authority possesses no right to assess stores, with plumbing depart- ments, whose principal hardware and allied lines. We are ex- empt from assessments, under this code, through order X-36. Should a dealer be asked to pay any assessment we suggest that he notify the Code Authority making such a request that he is not primarily engaged in their business and is not therefore subject to the assessment. business is Trucking Code, Representatives of the Trucking Code Authority stopped the truck of one of the Hardware Asso- ciation members claiming that this truck was operating illegally and was subject to their Authority. The mat- ter was immediately taken up with the state NRA Compliance Director. The reply is as follows: “A conference at which the Trucking Code Authority was present, was held in this office on November 8th, at which time the sub- ject brought up in your letter was dis- cussed. The developments brought out the fact that practially all compiaints of this nature have been confined to the (town) area. Proper steps will be taken to instruct the representative of the Code Authority as to the proper methods which should be pursued bv GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1934 him in obtaining the registration of ‘for hire’ vehicles of that Industry. As you know, interpretations from Washington on the question have det- initely limited registration under this Industry strictly to ‘for hire’ vehicles. Our understanding is that a firm oper- ating trucks hauling products or mer- chandise wholly owned by them can- not be considered as a ‘for hire’ ve- hicle and are therefore exempt from registering under the Trucking Code.” Members are requested to immediately report any attempt by the Trucking Code Authority to interiere with op- erations. In doing so, give coniplete detail. Labor provisions of construction codes. Hardware retailers while not subject to assessment under Construc- tion Codes (plumbing code, sheet metal code etc.) are subject to the labor provisions of those codes, whether or not they are located in towns of 2,500 or less. Should the hardware retailer be requested to ask for labor provisions of these codes, from the Code Authori- ties, he should comply with such re- quests and post the labor provisions. Application for these provisions does not subject the retailer to an assess- ment. Again, the suggestion is made not to sign Certificates of Compliance. Price competition. Last month, members were sent 14 pages showing price comparisons with principal com- petition. With this issue of the Mer- chandiser a second installment of ten pages is mailed. Another installment will appear next month. Use these sheets when buying merchandise. Keep this series intact, they are purched for convenience in filing. The matter of price competition is going to be a par- ticularly live one in the coming year. Wholesale and retail groups must work more closely together in controlling price competition. Five hardware men in the legislature. Battling up through the Primaries and the Finals, five hardware men emerged as victors and will sit in the next legis- lative session. Anthony J. Wilkowski of Detroit again will take his seat in the Senate as a member of the Wayne County delegation. Herman H. Dignan of Owosso, Past President of the Michigan Retail Hardware Asociation received a splen- did majority in his county and will, we know, give a fine account of himsclti in the House. Chas. D. Parker, Otis- ville, known as an advocate of good, safe legislation, succeeds himself as a Representative. Fred J. Gartner, Wy- andotte, and Chas. F. Sundstrom of Michigamme in the U.P., complete the roster of hardware men. Congratula- tions gentlemen. Best wishes for your success. Stop—look—but don’t listen too long (for confidential information of miem- Number 2670 bers). Keep this summary of sales promotion, credit and collection agen- cies who have been operating in the Most of these have been men- tioned in previous issues. Write your Association for information on these or other concerns, unfamiliar to you, whose representatives may approach In no case pay anything down state. you. or sign an order for merchandise to be sent C.O.D., unless you know the concern or are previously acquainted with the salesman. Ad-Ad-Day Adv. Co., Minneapolis (9) Affiliated Under. L. & F., Chicago American Tableware Co., Detroit (8) American Trade Alliance, Chicago Assoc. Bonded Adjuster (7) Asoc, Protect. Agencies, Chicago (73 Berry Co., L. M., Omaha Birdsell Loan & Fin. Co., Evanston 3ordeau China Co. (1) Bronx Spec. Supply Co., Cnicago 3ull’s Eye Serv. Co., Atlanta 3urns Protect. Agency, Indianapolis (7) Bristol Co., Denver Business Men’s Fin. Co., Wichita Colonial China Co., Chicago (4) Color Ware Steel Co., Chicago Consumers Christmas Fund, N.Y.C. Continental Sales Co., Tiffin Cronin China Co. Pub. Dept, Chi- cago (4) Dunn’s Service, Waco, Texas First Amer. Life Inc., St. Louis Floral City Rose Co., Manchester, Conn, Green Tree Expert Co., (Illinois) Interstate Sales Corp., Cleveland Internat’l. Detective Bureau, Padu- cah. Kamerette Sales Co., Omaha Kingston Publicity Bureau, Chicago (4) Liquidation Corp. of America, Chi- cago, Marks Commission Co., St. Louis Mchts. & Mfgrs. Securities Co., Chi- cago. Mchts. Public Bureau, Chicago (4) Mchts. Sales Syndicate Co., Chicago Mt. Union Chemical Co., Alliance, Ohio. Mobile Adjusting Co., Mobile, Ala. National Adjust. Assn., Chicago Natl, Publicity Bureau, Omaha (6) Natl. Association, Bend Natl. Silverware Co., Detroit Nomis Oil Burner Co. Nu-Penn Oil Co., Chattanooga (10) Ohio Products Co., Columbus Penn, China Co. Publ. Dept., Chi- cago (4) Penn. Petroleum Co. (10) Pur-O-Zone Air Purifiers, Alliance, Rating Seuth O. Rogers Natl. Dis., Toledo (3) (Continued on page 24) Lines of Interest to Grand Rapids Council We have erected and dedicated mon- uments to the unknown soldier, the known solon and to memories of glori- ous days, now we are starting in on pioneers. No obelisk can be erected that will be more impressive than the already acclaimed memorial to the pio- neers—the great America of to-day. The venturesome spirit of our fore- fathers that urged them onward in their quest for new frontiers to conquer lives to-day in ourselves and our ses- ame is still: nothing risked is nothing gained. We are wondering if a memo- rial in the shape of material and pro- ductive relief for our distressed people might not be more appropriate at this time instead of trying to glorify those who have left a monument of their own building to perpetuate their mem- ory. Gil Ohlman: “Charlie, how in the world could they build such a large bridge as the Ambassador Bridge which connects Detroit and Windsor?” Charlie Ghysels:: “Huh, that is easy to answer. They built it when the De- troit river was a creek. While leafing through a book and cogitating upon ways and means of protecting ourselves against the crow- bar bills of the pesky mosquitoes next year when we go fishing, our glance fell upon a short article that stated mosquitoes detested the color of yel- low and will shy around anything that is draped in that color. If that will work, the “yallerer the yaller” the bet- ter one may be off when those blood buzzards start humming their melan- choly tune about one’s ears just as the big one strikes. “Yes,” said the old man, “I have had some terrible disappointments, but none stands out over the years like one that came to me when I was a boy.” “And what was it?” “When I was a boy I crawled under a tent to see the circus, and I discov- ered it was a revival meeting.” We are afraid the 15 mill advocates who voted in the cut in taxes are go- ing to find themselves in a sorry mess before very long. If their children enjoyed the pleasures of a nearby park - and swimming pool, those kiddies may have to play in the back yard, if any, and use a wash tub for a pool because many of the recreation centers may have to close. Another list added to the unemployment. Those who have felt themselves secure against vandal- ism and thievery may have to use self- protective measures when the efficient police department must be weakened to meet the budget. More men out of work. The low insurance rates may be hiked skyward due to an impaired fire department caused by a lack of funds. Again, more men out of em- ployment. Those who have pridefully pointed to our educational system may have to endure a curtailed school pro- gram and that will not help any com- munity. It was stated by the strong MICHIGAN advocates of the measure that the state would provide funds to aid the cities who voted themselves into. the mess but the state is asserting that it will have no funds to allocate to just a few beggars but will spread the funds forth- coming over the entire state without favor to any one locality. Perhaps in the near future some of the “don’t want to pay taxers” will wake up and be more studious of a measure of im- portance before they cast their ballot. Who dominates the conversation when a couple of dictators get to- gether? One of the community weekly pa- pers in suburban Grand Rapids has inaugurated a sales campaign among dealers of his locality who advertise in his paper. The idea is rather unique as campaigns go because it has been taken from the much discussed and often mentioned inflation threat. The paper has printed several thousand dollars of paper money which will be in bills of $1,000 denomination. When purchasing from a dealer that is co- operating in the project, the purchaser is entitled to a thousand dollar bill for every purchase he makes regardless of the size of the purchase. Those bills are then used to purchase standard merchandise such as is handled in any of the participating stores. As an il- lustration of the ramifications of the plan: A hardware store will exhibit a flash-light that can be bought for $25,- 000. Twenty-five purchases from the merchants that hand out inflation money will entitle the customer to se- cure the flash-light with the twenty- five $1,000 bills which they may have. Fifty-thousands dollars may purchase six cans of corn, beans, peas, etc. The plan is arousing quite a lot of interest, as it comes at a time when inflation is a threatening cloud on the horizon. Only twenty-seven more shopping days before Xmas. The citizens of Bolinia are pleased that H. J. Fox, owner of a large gen- eral store in that center, has recovered from a two years’ illness to the extent that he can get around outdoors again. He frequently takes long walks into the woods and fields with his dog. During the illness of Mr. Fox E. B. Miller has been manager and _ his shrewd merchandising has built up a remarkable business. Although located near Cassopolis and other larger trade centers, the Fox store has continued to increase its sales until the remittance for the retail sales tax is twice as large as last year. Mr. Miller came to Boli- nia from the Sol Strand store in Mar- cellus, where he gained valuable expe- rience in merchandising for a general store. We are sure that those who know Mr. Fox will be pleased to know he is slowly recovering and hope that he may soon regain his normal health. Also, that he may see fit to retain the services of Mr. Miller who has so ably handled the business for the past --two years. Among the pioneers of business in Southern Michigan is R. S. Butler, har- ness and shoe dealer of Centerville. Mr. Butler settled in the county seat when it was a village and has served the community honestly and faithfully for the’ past fifty years. Although well advanced in years, he is alert and keen TRADESMAN of mind and can converse knowingly on any subject one cares to discuss. He follows a strict schedule in his work- ing hours, although he has accumu- lated enough of this world’s goods to sit back and take life easy. His many friends wish him many more years of activity in a business that has served his community for so many years. Mr. Butler is the father of Superintendent Butler of the Grand Rapids schools. A flirtation may or may not be harmless, depending on how deter- mined the girl is. Twenty years ago Henry Dieble came from Napoleon, Ohio, to Michi- gan, looking for an opportunity to en- ter business. He finally purchased a hardware stock in Bronson and from a meager stock and a mediocre business he has built up as fine a business as may be found in the lower tier of coun- ties. About a year and a half ago his health failed and his son, Bertram, has successfully conducted the business since that time. Mr. Dieble has been a dominant factor in his community and his many friends will be happy when he regains his health again. The Ladies Auxiliary of Grand Rap- ids Council are making extensive plans for the dinner they will serve the mem- bership on the evening of Dec. 15 at 6:30 o’clock, The ladies are going to give a great big feed for 35c per plate and the net proceeds will go to the Widows and Orphans Fund. Reserva- tions for places must be made not later than Friday, Dec. 14. The ladies must know how many they will have to feed or some one will have to go hungry. This is not a pot luck, all you bring thirty-five cents and an appe- tite. This will be a very appropriate time for the boys to treat their ladies to a good dinner away from home at a nominal sum. Following the supper the men will hold the regular meeting of the council and the ladies will play bridge. To make your reservations call the following: Mrs. R. E. Groom, 35019; Mrs. Gilbert Ohlman, 86635; Mrs. T. F. Fishleigh, 51890; Mrs. L. L. Lozier, 54998; Mrs, Chas. Ghysels, 55014, and Mrs. L. V. Pilkington, 52757. At a recent pot luck luncheon and bridge party held at the home of Mrs. Gilbert Ohlman, the Ladies Auxiliary arranged tables for about twenty play- ers. Mrs. Van der Kelen won first prize and Mrs. Mader took second hon- ors. This party is the second of a series to be held during the winter. Gil Ohlman did a nice business on his last trip to Muskegon because he had his boss, Jacob Van den Berg, along to show him to sell backs of whales for a nickle a throw. The team had a little fun as they visited the trade. Van den Berg is quite a popu- lar name in Michigan and the boys, just for fun, introduced Jake as a brother of the Michigan solon. We don’t know how much Jake knows about politics, but we do know that he can show up some of the young squirts when it comes to selling cigars. Woman: “Does your husband kick about meals?” Other Bridge Player: “No, what he kicks about is having to get them.” We guess that Frank Holman is not much of a success as a batchelor, as November 21, 1934 he drove clear to Chicago to get Mrs. Holman, who had been visiting friends there for several days. They returned Sunday night. Word has been received that W. S. Riggs, familiarly known as Bill, has been ill for the past two years and is entering a hospital in Pittsburg for an operation. His Pittsburg address is 5800 Rippey street and he will be glad to hear from any of his friends. Bill was a former member of Grand Rapids council. Counselor Traverse Daniels, Jr., of 817 Merritt street, has returned to the hospital where he will undergo treat- ment for an old injury suffered to a wrist several months -ago. Counselor D. N. White, of 559 Lyon street, was called to the Eternal City Tuesday, Nov. 14, after a prolongéd A widow and two daughters survive him. He was a member of York lodge, F. & A. M., the Elks, Knights of Pythias and the United Commercial Travelers. He died at the age of 78 years. Counselor Byron S. Davenport an- swered the call of the Supreme Coun- selor on High at his home, 811 Fair- mount street, Friday, Nov. 16, after a three months illness with heart disease. He spent all his life in the merchandis- ing profession and for the past several illness. years represented well known whole- sale grocery concerns. He was con- nected with the local branch of Lee & Cady when he passed on. His widow and son in Detroit survive him. He died at the age of 71 years. A gentleman: can’t criticize his wife in public except to say that she made him what he is. Stop, Look and Listen when coming Give the en- gineer a break without having to brake Notgniklip. to a railroad crossing. the train. Short Greeting From Detroit Travelers _ Detroit, Nov. 20—It seems that Comtailer was in Grand Rapids and stopped in to see his friend, Tom Luce. Tom, with the jovial smile and friendly greeting which is characteristic of this big square built six footer, naturally told about some of his thrilling ex- periences with his sail boat. But as it was too cold for sailing he took Com- tailer up to the Houseman building to the office of our new Grand Council Secretary, Homer R. Bradfield. Un- fortunately, the jovial Homer wasn’t in. But his efficient office girl was there, _We saw an entire change in the operating methods of this important office; a change from old methods to new, modern methods. Letter files of correspondence that we didn’t have before, careful and systematic book- keeping and, best of all, a great big fire-proof cabinet about six feet high and almost as wide devoted entirely to U. C, T, records, What an improve- ment! cone ne j a November 21, 1934 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 3 Al Guimond is going on all four pins these days. And with his usual amount of energy is helping put over the Na- tional movement of Buy Merchandise —Give Men Work. Then, too, he has secured Jim Daly to speak in Grand Rapids in December. Our entertainment committee is cer- tainly hitting on all seven cylinders. And lucky are those who get turkey and geese and fowl at our keno party for Thanksgiving. Our research com- mittee is out on a new project. Latest fact on membership is the basis of their work and the survey on this is so ex- tensive that a report is not really ex- pected for two months. This commit- tee has undertaken a task which in- volves analysis of a lot of facts bear- ing on membership. Wigstaff. Running through some clippings the other day we found the following poem: The Busy Man If you want to get a favor done By some obliging friend, And want a promse, safe and sure, On which you may depend, Don’t go to him who always has Much leisure time to plan, But if you want your favor done, Just ask the busy man. The man with leisure never has A moment he can spare, He's always “putting off’? until His friends are in despair, But he whose every waking hour Is crowded full of work Forgets the art of wasting time— He cannot stop to shirk. So when you want a favor done And want it right away, GO TO THE BUSY MAN WHO CON- STANTLY WORKS TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY He'll find a moment sure somewhere That has no other use, And fix you while the idle man, Is framing an excuse, Look for a boom in modernizing rail transportation facilities. It could boom recovery. Town Where Home Loyalty is in Evidence So long as the people continue to patronize the chain stores of the great monopolies, so long will the depres- sion continue. The profit on trade is and always has been the lifeblood ot every community. The large part of this profit, which is taken away by the greedy chain stores, is what further en- riches monopolies and impoverishes home communities. This fundamenta? truth should be taught the people by the newspapers and magazines, but these important sources of informa- tion, are also owned or controlled by the money changers, also the radio. The old-time publishers and editors are no more with us, to sound the alarm, as did Paul Revere. They have been replaced by writers who are in- structed by the money changers to suppress facts the people should know and direct them into the path they de- sire them to follow. They have become like lambs led to the slaughter. The American people are certainly glut- tons for punishment. They have wait- ed altogether too long by letting mo- nopoly secure control of their sources of information. This is why we are in the deplorable condition which yet prevails, with millions yet in distress and unable to secure jobs to earn a liv- ing. The financiers are prolonging the depression to break down what spirit of resistance the people yet have, so as to reduce them to continued industrial slavery. It is high time the peop!e arose for action against their oppressors. They can greatly help business conditions in their own communities by refusing to buy from the greedy monopoiies. In most towns and cities there yet re- main home merchants, although their number has been greatly reduced by outside chain stores. If tne home people keep on enriching the chain stores, the home merchants who were leaders in building the community will be starved out. Then what kind of a town or city will remain? Community spirit, co-operation and loyalty is what built towns and cities. Chain store cor- porations impoverish them—bleed them white. If a community is good enough for a home—a place to raise a family and educate them—it should be good enough to fight for, especially when it can be done at a profit to every citi- zen. When the profit on trade is kept at home it increases greatly the money in circulation. This increases employ- ment and lowers welfare needs. 1t will increase jobs of repairing and painting of buildings, and again bring a demand for property of all kinds. With more money in circulation, the doctors, den- tists, lawyers and other professions will benefit, also the churches, public ard private schools. Every citizen should study the needs of his home community and be loyal to its best interests. There are towns in this state where its citizen have driven cut the greedy chain stores by refus- ing to buy from them. One of these towns has not a single person on wel- fare. Its citizens returned no unpaid taxes except one item of $1.35. This is a town in which the spirit of co-op- eration is alive and home loyalty is in evidence. Other towns and cities will meet with the same experience if the citizens will use the same good com- mon sense. When a careful survey of business conditions in this state shows chain store corporations are getting from 40 to 65 per cent. of the trade of leading towns and cities, which is nearly all sent outside the state, the loss runs into many millions of dol- lars. Before the chain store era these profits were distributed over the state which, like its towns and cities, suffers Driving out chain store corporations by refus- from this tremendous drain. ing to buy from them will not cure all of our troubles, but will help greatly. There is yet another fight to wrest from the money-changers the control of our monetary system. This will come in due time. The first step is for civic leaders in every community to org:fiize the people to be loyal to home interests, thereby helping to restore better times. E. B. Stebbins. Misunderstood “How could you be so heartless!” cried Mrs. Robinson, as she _ flflour- ished a slip of paper at her husband. “Now what’s the matter?” asked that longsuffering man. “Dr. Peters has just shown me the telegram you sent him when mother was ill. Listen! You said: ‘Mother-in- law at death’s door. Come and pull her through, ” ——_++>__—_—__ In Doubt, Try Silence One of the best things to say when you are in doubt—is to say nothing. Timely suggestion to all merchants who face increased costs. Increased costs of doing business require a further search for methods that will assist in reducing operating expenses. Since the secret of many merchants’ profits lies in the sav- ings which they are able to effect in items of their overhead expense, it is important that retailers make a serious study of ways of reducing these expenses without sacrificing effi- ciency or safety. In this respect, all merchants should make certain that they are not passing by an opportunity for saving with safety in regard to one important item of their overhead expense __their insurance protection. They should know of the way that scores of merchants have reduced the net cost of this item materially. They should be familiar with the services which are available to them through their mutual insurance companies and how these may lead to practical savings. We suggest that you let the fieldmen of the mutual insur- ance companies make a review of your insurance protec- tion and give you their recommendations. This will not obligate you in any way——and they will aid you in placing your insurance program on a sound and economical basis. A telephone call or a letter at your convenience. They will be pleased to study your insurance problems with you. # asia lain al nee Pesiiniadbaadd sinbudiedobieichis, sesesewuccoe ests 4 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN November 21, 1934 MOVEMENTS OF MERCHANTS. Birmingham—The Wabeek State Bank has increased its capital stock from $62,500 to $150,000. S Mason—The - First State Savings Bank has been incorporated with a cap- italization of $25,000, all paid in. Detroit—The Be-No Sales Co., 414 Grand River avenue, has increased its capital stock from $10,000 to $30,000. Detroit—The Howard Flint Ink Co., 2545 Scotten avenue, has increased its capital stock from $300,000 to $500,000. Fennville—Thieves entered the gen- eral store of W. E. Shiffert and car- ried away stock estimated at about $700. Climax—Frank E. and Nela Moon have engaged in the grocery and meat business under the style of the Moon Grocery. Detroit—The Maintenance Materials Corp., 680 East Fort street, has de- creased its capital stock from $10,000 to $5,000. Detroit—The W. A. Gabel Dairy, Inc., 15315 Wisconsin avenue, has in- creased its capital stock from $25,000 to $35,000. Chelsea—The Chelsea State Bank decreased its capital stock from $110,- 000 to $50,000 and then increased it to $110,000. Grand Ledge—The Loan & Deposit State Bank of Grand Ledge has de- creased its capital stock from $50,000 to $46,575. Detroit—The American Tire Guard Co., 1626 Dime Bank Bldg., has in- creased its capital stock from $250,000 to $500,000. Detroit—The Sidney-Hill Health System, Inc., 6535 Second Blvd., has decreased its capital stock from $20,- 000 to $1,000. Detroit—The Winslow-Baker-Mey- ering Corporation, 428 Fisher Bldg., has changed its name to Dallas E. Winslow, Inc. Kalamazoo—Thieves entered - the plant of the Wolverine Candy Co.. 1119 Race street and carried away considerable merchandise. Detroit—The Calvert Fuel & Supply Co., 6505 Second Bivd., has increased its capital stock from $37,000 and 1,000 shares to $40,000 and 1,000 shares. Detroit—The Michigan Forging Co., 4000 West Jefferson avenue, has been incorporated with a capital stock of $60,000, $36,000 being subscribed and $13,650 paid in. Detroit—Sy Blum, Inc., 6375 Wood- ward avenue, dealer in furnishings for men and ready-to-wear apparel for women, has increased its capital stock from $1,000 to $10,000. Detroit—The Peerless Steel Prod- ucts Co., Inc., 546 New Center Bldg., dealer in steel and other metals, has been incorporated with a capital stock of $25,000, $2,500 paid in. ’ Detroit—The Parker-Wolverine Co., 5203 Martin avenue has increased its capital stock from $120,000 and 100,000 shares no par value to $177,073.50 and 100,000 shares no par value. Hamtramck—The Enterprise Oil Burner Co. of Michigan, 2314 Hewitt street, has been organized to manu- facture and install heating systems with a capital stock of $10,000, all paid in. Highland Park—The Claude Camp- bell Lumber Co., 15853 Hamilton ave- nue, has increased its capital stock from $10,000 and 2,000 shares no par value to $20,000 and 4,000 shares no par value. Chesaning—The Perrot & Richards Sales Co. has been incorporated with a capital stock of 5,000 shares at $10 a share, $13,000 being paid in. The company wil conduct an auto sales and service business. Detroit— Men’s Cinema _ Fashion Clothes, Inc., 45 West Grand River avenue, dealer in clothing for men and boys, hats and shoes, has been incor- pooated with a capital stock of $50,- 000, $1,000 being paid in. Detroit—Snitz Produce, Inc., 2601 Russell street, wholesale and retail, import and export, has merged the business into a stock company under the same style with a capital stock of $10,000, $1,000 being paid in. Ann Arbor—The Dorray Labora- tories, Inc., 212 West Huron street, has been organized to manufacture Dor- ray solution and other chemicals with a capital stock of $20,000, $10,000 be- ing subscribed and $2,000 paid in. Detroit—Samuel Zuieback & Sons, Inc., 5428 Michigan avenue, dealer in ready-to-wear apparel for women, has merged the business into a stock com- pany under the style of R. Zuieback & Co., Inc., with a capital stock of $10,000, all paid in. Detroit—Yockey’s Auction House, Inc., 4291 14th street, has merged its furniture business into a stock com- pany under the style of Yockey Broth- ers Furniture Stores, Inc., with a cap- ital stock of 20,000 shares at $1 a share, $20,000 being paid in. Charlevoix—The Charlevoix Coop- erative Association has merged its ag- ricultural cooperation business into a stock company under the style of the Charlevoix Cooperative Co. It is cap- italized at $40,000 common and $10,000 preferred, $8,500 being paid in. Manufacturing Matters Detroit—The Electrical Appliance Manufacturing Co., has been incorpor- ated with a capital stock of $25,000 preferred and $25,000 common, $1! 060 being paid in. Detroit—The Sanidraft Pump Co., Inc., 8620 West Vernor Highway, has been organized to manufacture and sell pumps with a capital stock of $30,000, $16,400 paid in. Detroit—The A. Von Dolcke Co., Inc., 1631 Glynn Court, has been or- ganized to manufacture and sell regalia and lodge supplies with a capital stock of $1,000, all paid in. Tecumseh—The Carson Foundry & Manufacturing Co., has been organized with a capital stock of $25,000, $17,000 of which has been paid in. Detroit—The White-Way Supply Co., 12850 Strathmore avenue, has been organized to manufacture «end sell laundry supplies with a capital stock of $3,000, $1,000 of which has been paid in, Detroit—The Stark Products, Inc., 1601 Dime Bank Bldg., succeeds the Stark Chemical Industries, Inc., manu- facturer and dealer in chemical prod- ucts, with a capital stock of $24,000, $2,400 being paid in. Lansing—Mr. Ben Fry, for 34 years connected with the Hugh Lyons & Co., Inc., manufacturer of display and store fixtures, has organized the Fry Plat- ing Works and located it in the former Korff Manufacturing plant. Lansing— The Service Company of Lansing, Inc., 2701 East Michigan avenue, manufacturer and dealer in lumber, building supplies and fuel, has been incorporated with a cap- ital stock of $25,000, $5,000 being paid in. South Range—The Stella Cheese Co., of Ontonagon, has purchased a site here and is preparing plans for the erection of a cheese factory in which several styles of Italian cheese will be manufactured. The Stella Cheese Co. maintains plants at Mass, also at Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin. Muskegon—The Campbell, Wyant & Cannon Foundry Co., has received several large orders for new business and some increases in releases from major automobile manufacturing con- cerns which have resulted in plans for increased production at the main plant and the probable reopening of the San- ford street plant in Muskegon Heights. Battle Creek—The George Weston Biscuit Co. with Canadian, British and American trade areas, having plants in the above named countries, has pur- chased the former Sanitarium Equip- ment Co. plant and will install approx- imately $200,000 worth of machinery and will begin manufacturing its prod- ucts late in Dec., employing 145 people to begin with and increasing to 250 as production swings into full action. —_++ Labor Board Policy The announcement of Francis Biddle that the National Labor Relations Board under his chair- manship will abide by the deci- sions on policy made by Lloyd Garrison, his predecessor, fore- casts a new series of controversies over Section 7a. The change in chairmanship would have presented the ideal opportunity gracefully to change the ruling on exclusive majority representation in collective bar- gaining, many feel. Labor Board members during the interregnum also had shown a tendency to strengthen the legal rights of or- ganized minority groups, it is said. There are some observers who believe that Chairman Biddle’s announcement may not be more than a gesture of acknowledge- ment to Mr. Garrison, who is said to have recommended him for the position. Others, however, in- sist that he means what he says. Thev predict he may be success- ful in winning over the Depart- ment of Justice to a more “‘liber- al’’ interpretation of the law. Lumber Outlook for Railroad Traffic The outlook for railroad traffic during the remainder of 1934 is decidedly more auspicious than at this time a year ago. The 2 per cent. gain in loadings over 1933 reported for the week ended Nov. 10 apparently marked the turning point in freight movement after four months of unfavorable an- nual comparisons. Traffic officials anticipate gains in the movement of merchandise, coal, lumber and ore. The brisk holiday demand for goods has al- ready been reflected in the traffic volume of those roads serving wholesale centers. Following’ the heavy advance buying movement of last spring, stocks of coal and iron ore have been considerably depleted. Shipments of coal are expected to rise with the advent of colder weather and _ heavier steel operations. While the sharp contraction in the movement of farm products will militate against any contra- seasonal increase in car loadings at this time, the extent of the year-end decline should be much smaller than in the past few years. oe Retail Trade Prospects Current efforts of retail mer- chants to bring about an earlier start of holiday buying are ap- parently meeting with very limit- ed success. While current business is hold- ing its gains over last year, many stores report that sales reflect the usual drop below the preceding week despite heavy promotional efforts. Where special price re- ductions have been made, the re- sponse is active, however, al- though more than the normal per- centage of purchases is being “charged” at this time. Prospects are that Christmas buying will not become heavy un- til after the first week in Decem- ber. In view of the relatively low stocks of fall season merchandise remaining on hand after the active demand in recent weeks, seasonal markdowns in some cases will not be taken before the clearance sales scheduled following Thanks- giving Day week-end. Repair Parts in Active Demand While leadership in the current plant modernization drive is be; ing taken by large corporation$ with adequate financial reserves, many smaller concerns are also putting their equipment in better operating condition. Reports indicate that machine shops all over the country have enjoyed a marked improvement in demand both for smaller ma- chines and for repair parts within the last few weeks. While the improvement cur- rently noted is already better than seasonal, the wide diversity of or- ders being received gives promise of an even broader demand with- in the near future, manufacturers feel. as. A Tyndallmetric method by means of which gelatin in boullion cubes ca” be determined is described in detail in “Mitteilungen auf dem Gebiete def Lebensmitteluntersuchung und der Hygiene.” The test takes two~hours. asa eee os ee eh es a ee ee ee fi RA i ee a ee ee oye bh il A eh oe kad A Oe q@ as ae ee a ee Ee ee hi ee ee ee tt eat ee te ee st eeore November 21, 1934 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 5 Essential Features of the Grocery Staples Sugar—Jobbers now hold cane gran- ulated at 5.08 and beet sugar at 4.80. Tea—Figures given out during the week show a decline in the exports of India tea of about 13 per cent. as com- pared with last year. Ceylon tea ex- ports are about the same. Demand for Formosa teas has been so poor that some shading is being done, also some pressure is being made to move Ping- sueys. In this country, however, there has been practically no change since the last report. The first hands de- mand was quiet for everything. Con- sumptive demand about as usual. Coffee—The prices of future Rio and Santos coffee, green and im a large way have shown some advances since the first of the month but the market is still much below the highest point of the year. During the week there had been fluctuations both ways, but the net result is somewhat lower prices. Actual Rio and Santos, green and ina large way, have shown practically no change since the last report. Demand is very quiet, but the undertone easy. Milds show no important change since the last report. The jobbing market on roasted coffee is about where it was a week ago. Consumptive demand for coffee unchanged. Canned Fruits—Florida grapefruit packing is getting under way but as yet only a few plants have begun ac- tual operations. The cooler weather is said to be regarded as a probable fac- tor in the ripening of the crop. There has been considerable business booked against the new peck, and, of course, the industry is anxious to get started on these orders. But experience of the past has shown that early packed grapefruit is often too bitter and pack- ers have been inclined to hold off until December. In unusually early years, however, plants begin to operate around the middle or last of Novem- ber. Last year there was a lot of erapefruit packed in November which was acceptable, and this season is said to be another early one. Buyers have been well sold up on grapefruit here and elsewhere throughout the country and will doubtless lose little time in making the most of this item when the first of the new pack reaches them. It is one of the cheapest in the fruit ~ line, and while it did not get down quite as far as the price went last year in a flurry of competitive selling, the price on grapefruit this year is closer to that of last year than almost any other fruit packed. Canned Vegetables—Prices for the week show no special change. There is very little business being done from first hands, although some from one second hand to another. Prices, how- ever, throughout the list are well main- tained and show no indication of im- mediate change. Stocks are not heavy in most lines. Tomatoes, corn and peas are not materially changed from a week ago. Perhaps tomatoes are a little easier. Also some sales of standard crushed corn show a little lower prices. Peas and string beans are unchanged. Canned Fish—The demand is quiet all along the line. Maine sardines in spite of the dullness.are a little higher. Japanese salmon has appeared in American markets, but there is no such price cutting as there formerly was. Japanese pink salmon, however, still rules about 2%4c below domestic. Dried Fruits—The dried fruit market here keeps active. Some encouraging reports are being received on prunes here as special sales drives on prunes have met with good response among consumers. The relatively low price on prunes as compared to some other fruits is having the usual effect of drawing the great masses to them. Old crop prunes are still moving well, with prices showing little change this week. There is a fairly well sustained de- mand for holiday items, with some items running into definite scarcity. California reports new business rather quiet, but prices are holding firm be- cause of replacement costs. First hands have maintained that they have had to pay. fractionally higher prices for prunes recently to growers which, if reflected in present quotations for ship- ment, would mean advances above the present levels. Apricots are being held firmly in anticipation of improved de- mand for shipment in January, while dried peaches, apples, etc., are close supply. Beans and Peas—Red kidney beans have shown a little strength during the week. The balance of the list dull and easy. No change in dried peas. Nuts—Nuts in the shell are gener- ally higher this week. The latest list to reach the trade shows some strength- ening up all along the line. Califor- nia walnuts are unchanged but firm. Brazils have advanced a little all through the various grades and so have California almonds. Pecans are show- ing particular strength in the small and medium grades. Shelled nuts have shown increased strength in filberts, cashews and broken Brazils. Activity continues at a good pace, generally speaking, and advances in the main have come in grades which happen to be in particularly short supply. Rice—The rice market has been fea- tured here lately by a better demand for Prolifics, Blue Rose and Japans for nearby needs. It was also said in the trade that Fortunas and Lady Wrights were also more active and had shown increased strength. Fancy and extra fancy grades of these varieties have not been very easily obtainable. As a result of the recent advance in rough parity prices, and the lowering of the conversion charge, millers have shown reluctance to make new commitments to growers and have allowed their stocks of clean rice, particularly Blue Rose, to run to small compass; and this, it was said, might easily lead to an acute shortage in clean rice sud- denly without many realizing what it is all about. Prosecution by the Ad- ministration of chiselers under the code is soon to get under way in earnest and this is being watched with interest. Salt Fish—Demand for salt fish is seasonally less active. This lack of de- mand is likely to carry through the year-end holidays. However, the mar- ket remains in good shape. No over- ‘supply of mackerel is putting pressure on prices. The no better than moder- ate American pack, plus the failure of the catch in Ireland has put the mar- ket on a good statistical basis. Herring of all kinds remain scarce and high in price. Syrup and Molasses—Sugar syrup is ruling firm with an adavnce on the better grades of about 1 cent a gallon. Production is still limited. Demand for compound syrup is still dull. Prices un- changed. Better grades of molasses in moderate demand at unchanged prices. Vinegar—Cider is doing a fair busi- ness, although prices are considerably higher than last year. No basis has been arrived at yet for new cider vin- egar, but the outlook is for a higher price. It is the off season for vinegar. —_+++___ Review of the Produce Market Apples—Jonathans, $1.25; No. 1. Mc- Intosh, $1.50; Snow, $1.15; Northern Spys, $1 @ $1.50. Artichokes—$1 per doz. Avocados—$2.75 per case from Calif. Bananas—-5e per lb. Brussels’ Sprouts—l6c per qt. Butter—Creamery, 30'%c for cartons, and 30c for tubs. Cabbage—25c per bu. for white, 40c for red. Carrots—20c per doz. bunches or 50c per bu. Cauliflower—$1 @ $1.50 per doz. for home grown. Celery—20 @ 30c per dozen bunches. Celery Cabbage—35c per doz. Dried Beans — Michigan Jobbers pay as follows for hand picked at ship- ping stations: C) HP: trom farmer... $2.40 Light Red Kidney from farmer_- 4.50 Dark Red Kidney from farmer__ 5.75 light Gramberry 22-3 4.00 Dark Cranberry. 22.2 3.00 Eggs — Jobbers pay 20c per Ib. for all clean receipts. They sell as fol- lows: Large white, extra fancy------.__-37c Standard fancy select, cartons_____32c Medinm 22 lati 31c Candled, large pullets_______-__-___ 30c Checks {2.0 is is ee 28c Storage eggs are being offered as follows: OXe Aprile es 26c MA i ee 24c @hecks 22 ne se ee 22c¢ Garlic—I15c per lb. Grape Fruit—Florida, $3 for all sizes. Grapes—Tokays, $2 per box. Green Iseans—Louisiana, $3.50 per hamper. Green Onions—Chalots, 50c per doz Green Peas—$4.50 per hamper for California and Washington. Green Peppers—30@40c per doz. for La. and Calif. Honey Dew Melons—$2.50 per case. Lemons—The price is as follows: 360) Stmkisto so $6.00 300) Sunkist. =) 6.50 960 Red Balle ices 5.00 300 Red Balle tes 5.00 Lettuce — In good demand on the following basis: California, 4s and 5s, crate______ $3.50 eat, out-door- 027 3c Limes—25c per dozen. «Mushrooms—30c per box. Onions—Home grown, 90c for yel- low and $125 for white. Oranges—Fancy Sunkist California Navels are now sold as follows: 126) ee $3.50 BOO) eee 3.75 176) 8 ee ee 3.75 200). 4.25 ZEG | e e e 4.50 202) BO ea 4.50 258) oe 4.50 $24 4.50 Red Ball, 50c per box less. Florida oranges are now in market in half box sacks, which are sold as follows: Mo $1.75 6 1.75 7) die 1.75 io ee 1.75 Parsley—25c per dozen. Potatoes—Home grown, 30c per bu.; Idaho, $2.50 per 100 Ib. sack. Poultry—Wilson & Company pay as follows: Reavy Springs!) 9 63 2 ae 15c Efeavy Howls 1 ee 13c Nicht Bowls) 9c Ducks 322 12c “BUEKGYS) 20 ee 17c Geese oc ee 10c Radishes—Hot house, 25c per doz. bunches. Spinach—50c per bushel for home grown. Squash — 40c per bu. for Red or Green Hubbard. Sweet Potatoes—Virginias, $2.50 per bbl. Tomatoes—Hot house, $1 fo 8 Ib. basket. Turnips—20c per doz. or 50c per bu. Veal Calves — Wilson & Company pay as follows: Raney) 0 ese ee 8c Good Ze Wax Beans—$4 per hamper for Fla. —__2+~+___ Oppose General Tax Law Revi- sion Government tax experts prob- ably will recommend against any general revision of the present revenue law, if there is any move in that direction when Congress again convenes, and urge that fur- ther opportunity be given for ex- perience in the administration of its provisions. Some business men have been fearful that a genera! revision might be undertaken, but it ap- pears here that the experts believe that more time should b given for th application of the law before it is condemned. However, previsions for the raising of some $400,000,000 of revenue throuzh excise taxes will stand repealed next year by stat- utory limitation and consideration will have to be given this situa- tion. The matter undoubtedly will be dealt with in the President's budget message in January. The Hill subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee will meet December 3 to consider possibilities for cutting red tape in the administration of the law. —»~--> ___ Complete Examination Girl—I have broken my glasses. Wilf T have to be examined all over again? Optician: No, only your eyes. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN November 21, 1934 MUTUAL INSURANCE (Fire and Life) Use of Radio in Fire Fighting In this eventful day and age it is not uncommon to read of new discoveries, inventions and processes in all fields of scientific endeavor, and of the almost limitless confines of research which are being explored and sounded. Invari- ably the slightest scent of a new dis- covery is heralded as an actual accom- plishment, and the prophets of the times enliven our imagination by vivid word portrayals of the potentialities and wonders that are in store for us as a consequence. Duly mindful of this spirit of the times and of the darts of adverse criti- constantly overshadowing any mention of newly discovered data, I nevertheless make bold to assert that rivalling in importance the most recent scientific and technical advances in the art of fire fighting, the use of radio for emergency communication will pro- vide the Chicago fire department with a most potent weapon to combat fire, cism irrespective of its proportions. During the recent Chicago stock yards conflagration, acute congestion and scarcity of water supply made it obvious that the proper handling of fire equipment and personnel demand- ed a system of communication instan- taneous in response to insure speedy functioning. Accordingly, to forestall any future contingency our mayor, the Honorable Edward J. Kelly, turned his attention to radio and more specifically to two-way radio communication ashe solution to the problem of quick dis- patch of orders by officials directing operations. With the enthusiastic endorsement and cooperation of our fire department and Police Commissioner James All- man, the Chicago police radio engi- neers were directed to work out a radio system adaptable to the needs of our fire department. Of necessity the task was no easy one. First of all no com- mercial equipment for two-way ultra- short wave communication was avail- able. Secondly the many technical dif- ficulties peculiar to quasi-optical waves such as severe attenuation of signal due to metal structures; the need for a small and consequently low powered portable transmitter to be carried into a burning building, yet one powerful enough to. penetrate through walls screened by steel girders, smoke, mist and adequate to permit voice and sound communication despite the din of me- chanical and electrical disturbance at- tendant, all seemed to offer obstacles almost insurmountable. After several weeks of careful re- search and experiment equipment was evolved capable of operation at low power-on a frequency of 115,000 kilo- cycles.. A test of equipment ‘was ar- ranged under conditions of mechan- ical and electrical. interference more severe perhaps than the equipment ever would. experience in practical use. Talk-back sets were installed in the ground floor office of Chief Fire Mar- shal Corrigan and in a car in the street outside, while an eight pound portable combination set of the knapsack variety was carried through various parts of the building and two way communica- tion was successfully established even on the sixth floor fire alarm office de- spite the din and roar of one hundred direct current motors, without filters, where programs from ordinary broad- cast stations get lost in the noise. By this I do not mean that the experi- mental test was perfect. I do state how- ever, without fear of reasonable con- tradiction, basing my statement on the data obtained by these experiments, that the ultra-short waves not only promise much for the future in fire fighting but are an actuality of the present. With a few circuit mechan- ical refinements for types of portabie power supply now being manufactured according to our specifications we hope to be able to demonstrate at a real fire the practicability and necessity of radio in fire fighting equipment. While we are on the subject, a few facts con- cerning the advantages of ultra-short radio waves in fire fighting should not be amiss. In contrast with the conven- tional longer radio waves such as are used in broadcast, the ultra-short or quasi-optical waves possess consider- able advantage. These waves, while they cannot be used for long distance com- munication can be used day and night with no change in signal intensity— provided enough initial power is used, which is insignificant compared with the power used in commercial broad- cast. Disturbances due to atmospheric noises become only a minor considera- tion. The limit of its useful range, which is evidenced by the inability of the signal intensity to reduce the noise level to a value sufficient for intelli- gible speech, hardly if ever would be reached in modern fire fighting where a relatively powerful transmitter and receiver mounted in an official’s car at the scene of a fire would more than prevent the signal from becoming sub- merged in the noise level. In confirmation of this statement I offer the findings of our recent experi- ments where with even the lowest of power input available, at no time ex- ceeding one and nine-tenths watts, and an output approximated not in excess of one-half watts—we were able to achieve a carrier signal capable of con- veying an intelligible two-way voice communication. Again, these ultra-short waves may be efficiently projected in narrow beams, thus concentrating their energy in one direction. Obviously this is a distinct advantage in fire fighting. Firemen stationed on the roof of a building adjacent to the one in flames can communicate immediately the con- ditions as they see them. Streams of water or additional lines of hose can be played to the best advantage with- out loss of time. Warnings of wall collapse or other contingency can be given in time to prevent loss of life or serious injury. Innumerable other uses will be found as experiments and practical application increase. In some instances, fire fighting radio * systems to be effective must be devel- oped to suit the local needs of munici- palities, which differ as do individuals. How soon commercal organizations will have equipment available is a ques- tion that cannot be answered offhand. We know of no ccempany that can give a satisfactory answer. We in Chicago however are not waiting for the an- swer. We are continuing our experi- mental research and development in- dependently, so sure are we of the dis- tinct advantages to be had from radio in connection with our work. To our way of thinking municipal fire radio systems are logical developments that had their genesis in the fundamental law of mankind: “The safety of the people is the supreme law.” From the days of the origin of the Chicago fire department the facts chronicled in the pages of history attest the sacred regard in which its mem- bers hold the safety of the people. As the changing times have given us more effective ways and means to enhance that protection we have been eager to embrace them. And so to-day, as we stand on the threshold of a new fire fighting era, we extend a cordial wel- come to another product of science, the microphone. In conclusion, we feel privileged in having had occasion to bring to the attention of fire departments through- out the country the results of our ex- perimental research. It goes without saying, however, that the many and intricate problems essential to a project of the nature outlined, demand more research by other fire-fighting units. Individual findings, collectively consid- ered, not only will be mutually bene- ficial to all but also a stimulus to greater effort on the part of all to excel in efficiency in fire fighting equipment by the use of two-way radio communi- cation, Anthony J. Mullaney, Deputy Chief Fire Marshal, Chicago, Il. re Bare Legs as Peril To Children’s Health Vitality sufficient to offer resistence to extreme cold should be assured where children are subjected to undue exposure by going stockingless in the winter months. As many children are physically under par, the wisdom of this fashion is questionable. A greater regard for temperature re- quirements in the matter of clothing children is urged by Dr. J. Bruce Mc- Creary, deputy secretary of health of Pennsylvania. Winter apparel should be adequate to assure bodily warmth, in his opinion, The practice of letting small chil- dren go bare-legged in the worst of weather does not meet his approval. Parents who favor the fashion on the theory that it promotes physical hardi- hood, he suggests, should be certain that the child has a vitality which will justify the lack of covering. —_—_++>___ In the course of my observation, the disputing, contradicting and confuting people are generally unfortunate in their affairs. They get victory some- times, but they never get good-will, which would be of more use to them.— 3enjamin. Franklin. oe a Finnish Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Calumet, Mich., has paid losses promptly and fully — have led the way in fire prevention — have consistently returned annual savings to policyholders. There is available to you through Finnish Mutual Fire Insurance Co., all the traditional advantages of the mutual plan of fire insurance — safety, service and sav- ings. Get the facts. They speak for themselves. CRO_ Finnish Mutual Fire Insurance Company MICHIGAN INSURANCE AT COST (A Non-profit Organization ) It means a saving to you of 25% to 8714% Below the published board rate LecaL RESERVE MicHicAN CoMPANY 18 years of Sound Operation M. B. & M. MICHIGAN BANKERS & MERCHANTS MUTUAL FIRE INS. COMPANY Fremont, MIcHIGAN Inquiries Solicited November 21, 1934 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN SOME TRENDS IN TRADE Sidelights on the General Business Situation According to current estimates of the }rookmire Economic Service, the na- tional income of the American people for 1934 will be about 58.5 billion dol- lars, which represents a gain of ap- proximately nine billion dollars over their 1933 estimate of 49.5 billion dol- lars. This is the first real turning point in national income since the depression started, and the total gain will be the greatest for any one year since the turn of the century, according to Brookmire estimates. The was in 1925, next largest uptura The Irving Fisher preliminary index of business conditions for October more than seasonable gain for the month; the normal gain over September is 9.7 per cent. while the gain this year is 14.2 per cent. Agri- cultural markets, steel activity, retail trade, and the value of stock trans- actions recorded sharp gains, while car loadings, electrical output and debits made conservatve gains. shows a bank Present indications are that business activity will increase during the remain- der of the year, contrary to the normal seasonal tendency. Ordinarily only re- tail trade is an uptrend at this period. The improvement is likely to continue to be slow. Profits of 263 industrial, railroad, utilities and miscellaneous companies in the United States, for the first nine months, were 27 per cent. larger than the comparable period last year, ac- cording to a survey made by Eastman, Dillon & Co. Profits in the third guar- ter were down 25 per cent. from last year, chiefly through declines in the automobile, railroads, oil and steel in- dustries, while increases were record- ed by the chemical, electrical, railroad equipment, mining, office equipment, metal and tobacco lines. Contracts for residential building awarded during October in the thirty- seven states East of the Rocky Moun- tains involved an expenditure 22 per cent. greater than the total for the same month last year, and 47 per cent. higher than the aggregate for Sep- tember, according to the F. W. Dodge Corporation figures. The amounts in- volved in residential construction are still small as measured by pre-depres- sion periods, but the steady upturn is significant. The subject of profits continues to receive lots of attention. Both Presi- dent Roosevelt and Secretary Roper have gone out of their way to reassure business. Remington-Rand buys very expensive magazine space to drive home the point that business not only has the right to make a profit, but that it is an obligation, and the Hearn De- partment Store in New York argues that the first duty of American indus- try is to get the 10,000,000 unemployed back to work; that we can have no security, nor safety for dividends, for profits, or even for business itself until these 10,000,000 are back at work earn- ing salaries instead of draining relief moneys from the public treasuries. Their plan to get them back to work is to put all profits back into lower prices, and they report that in two months since the plan has been in operation, they have put 1,000 more employes at work in their store, and countless thousands more in the plants of the manufacturers who supply them. Axtel J. Byle, president of American Petroleum Institute, told the members of that group the day before yester- day: “In the long run, in this, as in every other business operated under the private or competitive system, the individual or group of individuals who can furnish to the public the best prod- ucts at the lowest cost will longest sur- vive and derive the greatest proflts; the alternative is a government control which would inevitably lead to state socialization.” “What America most,” ac- cording to Axel Wenner-Gren, presi- dent of Electrolux, Inc. (before the New York Advertising Club) “is a good two-fisted general sales manager of the United States. The greatest service that could be done for Ameri- can and for the American people would be the organization of a needs business national sales drive—a national selling campaign as distinguished from a buy- ing campaign. The answer of Mr. Pub- lic to a ‘buy now’ campaign is ‘let the other fellow do it,’ but when you stand him up in the corner, show him a need and a reason, and with typical Amer- ican precision make it important, he comes through.” His company has not had to write a single monthly report in. red ink during the past four years. Automobile men estimate that auto- mobile obsolescence is still proceeding at a more rapid rate than placements, and that more than 3,000,000 additionai motor vehicles will be scrapped during 1934. This will bring the aggregate junked cars for the five-year period, beginning in 1930, to approximately 15,000,000 units. In consequence of this, unless new car sales in 1935 ex- ceed the volume scrapped during the current year, automobile registrations next year will be at the lowest level since 1926. If all cars seven years and older were junked, a total of 9,000,000 new automobiles would have to be sold to restore registration to the 1930 level. First reports from a nation-wide in- vestigation being made by the Ross Federal Service, Inc., indicate that the average sales organization is planning to increase its sales force for 1935 and to work territories more intensively. That commercial travel is increasing markedly this Fall is shown by hotel registration figures all over the country. The rate of increase in each of the last three months has shown an upturn and for October country-wide room sales were 23 per cent. above last year and resturant sales up 40 per cent. Detroit makes the best showing with room sale up 44 per cent. and restaurant sales up 80 per cent. Highlights in the business news of the fortnight include an upturn of 11 per cent. in October bank debits over last year; increase in October failures of 38 per cent. over September, but a loss of 9.5 per cent. compared with last October; the largest increase in elec- trical power production over the cor- responding period last year since the middle of June; engineering awards for the week ending November 1 were the second highest for the year; an upturn in the steel output to the best rate in three months; and a continued slow de- cline in wholesale commodity prices. October sales of General Motors cars to consumers in the United States ‘totaled 69,090, compared with 63,518 in October a year ago. Sales to dealers were up correspondingly. sales for the first ten months totaled 823,211, as comapred with 708,410 last year. Consumer Among the larger cities in the Chi- cago district, Detroit, Milwaukee and Chicago stores showed increases of 42, 36, 21 and 14% per cent. In September and October busi- ness in the entire district averaged 11 per cent. better. In the Kansas City district, September saies in thirty-two department stores were the largest in three years—25.2 per cent. above a year ago and 25.5 per cent. above August. Indianapolis, This year’s money returns from cash crops in the Richmond district far ex- ceed the total returns from last year’s crops. October store sales were up 20 per cent. Our Washingotn correspondent re- ports that an indication of the way the President intends to eliminate the per- manent army of unemployed (which he refuses to believe a necessary evil in any well-regulated economic state) may be found in the suggestions of so- cial legislation promised for considera- tion at the coming Congress. Old age pensions would remove those from re- lief and unemployment rolls who are forced to retire; unemployment insur- ance would remove those displaced by young blood and machines; health in- surance would remove those injured or maimed or incurably ill. This program may fail of complete enactment, but in- dications are that some parts of it will be approved. The creation of rural-industrial com- munities is a significant trend in the national picture. Such have two major possibilities—one the decentralization of industries and the scattering of employment; the other, a contribution to improved standards of living. communities These projects are already under way in some sections under the supervision of the Rural Rehabilitation Division of the F.E.R.A. Through branch factories at these points it is hoped to effect a de- centralization of industry not only to prevent overcrowding in cities, but also to aid industry by lowering distribution costs through well-chosen branch fac- tory sites. establishment of New industries which would be en- couraged would be aimed at improv- ing the general comforts of living, the manufacture of newly developed con- trivances not deemed necessities, but nevertheless desirable, and other added conveniences that would make for high standards and wider enjoyments for the great masses. —_>+~+ We never have more than we can bear. The present hour we are always able to endure. Hospitalization One of the important questions fa- cing authorities these days is hospital- ization for folks unable to pay hospital bills. The American public has been educated to use Modern marvels of medicine and _ surgery should not be denied even the most humble, although, abuses will have to be avoided. When a per- son is told that only an operation, a period of rest in a hospital, X-ray and other observation or special treatment will save a life, or a life as a cripple, then it seems necessary to provide the remedy. But operations and_ special treatments are expensive and author- hospitals. of course, ities are of necessity made to use ex- treme care in expending public funds for them. The Tradesman sees the day when every little city in the country will have a hospital, either privately or publicly owned, where the poorest of the poor will be as welcome as the richest of the rich. Be Yourself Be yourself! Have you ever been th edinner guest at the home of some excellent woman who could take an ordinary rib of beef, a pan of potatoes, a few turnips, and with the help of a tasty gravy and a pot of coffee give you a blissful mem- ory? What a sense of taste she had! For ability to achieve downright good- ness and appetizing flavor she had no equal. But if she became awed by the dignity of a prospective guest, what a mess she could make of a_ meal! Scrawny lamb chops with paper han- dles, watery peas, tough lettuce cov- ered with a dressing, ice cream from the drug store and pastry from the bake shop. A gallant effort and nothing fit to eat. All of us are something like that when we follow the prompting of “au- thority” instead of the instinct of our own sense. revolting —_>-+—___ The Code of a King King George of England has a priv- ate code of conduct which he has had framed and hangs in his bedroom, At first flash the code appears to be easy to follow, but upon second reading it becomes rather difficult of achievement. It runs as follows: Teach me to be obedient to the rules of the game. Teach me to distinguish between sentiment and sentimentality, admir- ing the one and despising the other. Teach me neither to proffer nor to receive cheap praise. If I am called upon to suffer, let me be like a well-bred beast that goes away to suffer in silence. Teach me to win, if I may; if I may not, teach me to be a good loser. Teach me neither to cry for the moon nor to cry over spilt milk. —~++>____ Money and credit are not mecha- nisms of finance but are bound up with life and with basic moral problems of every man and woman. Thus, high business standards require men who are technicians in the sense of making the connecting link between the golden rule, on the one hand, and the most complicated business transaction on the other—Owen D. Young. Oath A ae ate Ce ee et are ere ee 8 SHAPING PLANS FOR SURVEY Plans will be shaped this week for the sounding out of opinions of mer- chants throughout the country with respect to whether the Master Retail Code “should be retained, altered or discarded.” Herbert J. Tily, president of Strawbridge & Clothier, Philadel- phia, and chairman of the code com- mittee named last week by the board of directors of the National Retail Dry Goods Association, said yesterday the committee will meet within the next few days and that the canvas of views will be speedily pushed. The survey amounts to the first na- tionwide referendum on the code since it went into effect a little more than a year ago. To a considerable degree it represents an outceme of the ferment in the retail field paralleling that in in- dustry with respect to the future of the NRA, particularly after the expira- tion of the National Recovery Act next June. Mr. Tily, in discussing the work to be done by the committee, indicated that in any such broad field of busi- ness, such as distribution, there natur- ally is a wide diversity of views. The committee plans to weld all of these views into a comprehensive picture of how retailers feel and to present the data to Congress. Giving his personal reaction, Mr. Tily saw little possibility that the code would be dropped. “Tn approaching this task,” Mr. Tily declared, “it is my belief that the same method employed in formulating the code last year should be followed. At that time the code was drawn up by co-operative efforts of the nine trade associations representing the major di- visions of the retail field. The Na- tional Retail Dry Goods Association played an important part and the pros- pective code was agreed upon by the Retailers National Council. “To get the widest and soundest re- actions on proposed modifications of the code, essentially the same plan should be followed in this survey, In my opinion the committee’s personnel information of value to the committee should be enlarged, and I will pro- pose this at the meeting of the group this week at the offices of the National Retail Dry Goods Association. “Tn launching upon the work, an in- ventory will be taken of the views of the local retail code authorities throughout the country. These local code authorities, in my opinion, have functioned extremely well, and _ will undoubtedly have a wealth of specific information of value to the committee in its work. “The committee itself, in its enlarged form, will cover the country by zones, resulting in a representative spread of views from the various districts. With this as a basis, the Retailers National Council will be asked to join with the comunittee. The work will be thor- ough and will be completed as speedily as possible. “Naturally in a craft so widely diver- sified as retailinz, opinions will un- doubtedly be as diversified as the craft itself. They may be expected to vary from no code at all to sustained belief in the code which included an exten- sion of the fair irade practices beyond MICHIGAN their present scope. For example, a standardization of credit terms to the customer might well be considered a desirable inclusion under the fair trade practice rules. “My position, for the time being at any rate, is that in cities and towns where there is no merchants’ associa- tion to act on the evil of competitive abuses or to remove unethical prac- tices, the code, which has the sanction of government, is a distinct aid to the right-thinking merchant. On the other hand, in cities where strong merchants have controlled unethical procedure, the need for a code is less pressing and the problems are far simpler. “It also seems to me that proposed modification of the code should give consideration to the effect of store hour regulation in relation: to the indi- vidual worker’s hours, chiefly in the in- terest of the smaller merchants. For example, if a store’s employes work forty-eight hours a week a reduction in the required number of hours the store must remain open from fifty-six to fifty-two appears desirable. “In fact, there must be considerable research to ascertain what has been the general: experience of small merchants under the code. “Opinions appear to differ on the value of the stop-loss provision in the code. There is a growing conviction that nothing should be done under codes to fix prices. From one angle, the setting of this limitation might be regarded as a bad precedent for price fixing in other codes, although, of course, the provision does not insure the merchant a profit.” SENTIMENT IMPROVED Further evidence of the conservative swing of the administration was pre- sented last week and proved of prime interest to business circles. Home loans will be discontinued, foreign ex- change restrictions were lifted, Presi- Roosevelt seemed to draw a definite limit to the security program by post- poning all action except on unemploy- ment insurance and the order went forth for co-ordination of lending agen- cies, Coming on the heels of an unprece- dented endorsement of policies at the polls these modifying measures had a distinctly uplifting effect upon busi- ness sentiment. The long-desired “breathing spell” for business appeared to be at hand and the immediate re- action in industry and trade was one of distinct relief and encouragement, Sen- timent is measurably higher and busi- ness interests give all signs of ending their feud with the New Deal and getting behind the administration with a will. The index has registered another advance. Electric power production supplied the principal impetus, fol- lowed by a gain in steel mil] activity. Railroad carloadings were off rather sharply. Preparations for new models held down automobile operations. Complete figures on building con- struction awards last month disclose that the total was larger than for any month since last March. The feature of these figures was an increase in res- idential awards of 50 per cent. over TRADESMAN the September level and a gain of 20 per cent. over October, 1933. RETAIL CODE PROPOSALS While a good deal can be said in favor of the recommendations made by the retailers’ protective committee of the National Retail Dry Goods Asso- ciation, for which consideration will be asked in the revision of NRA codes, there are also strong arguments on the other side, The retailers can be sus- pected to some degree at least of try- ing to eliminate fair practices from the manufacturing codes which are for the good of those industries as well as themselves. Twelve recommendations were put forward by the committee. They cov- ered price fixing, advertising allow- ances, returns, changes in terms, etc. In a few lines of merchandise, perhaps, monopolistic control permits evils un- der these headings, but as a general rule competition is much too keen to allow sellers to take unfair advantage of their customers. The retail association at one time, for instance, decided to proceed against dress manufacturers for fixing prices when, as a matter of fact, various price groups had been created to fit into spe- cified retail selling ranges. Compe- tition in each group was of the keen- est. Similarly, where discount changes were made any increases were soon re- flected in lower selling prices. It would seem that the retail inter- ests might better attack positive cases of monopolistic practices rather than tear down beneficial rules. BUSINESS TREND UPWARD Immediate prospects in business seem to have more to rest upon than the newly established amity of lead- ing interests and the government. Trade reports continue to give the brightest picture, but there has also been slow though definite progress in industry. The low ebb of the year’s decline was probably made around the middle of September. Since that time the trend has been upward. The weekly index has recorded only one interrup- tion to this ascent and for the week ended Nov. 3 crossed the correspond- ing level of last year for the first time since early in June. The decline last year from the Sum- mer pre-code high continued until the end of October. Then the movement was reversed and the index climbed to the top made in the Spring of this year. This was primarily the effect of dollar devaluation, although opera- tion of the codes brought about cer- tain shortages which heightened de- mand for goods. In another direction the present lift in business confidence also receives support. Prices are buoyant again and price relationships are more normal, The Annalist index stands at 116.3, against 106.6 a year ago. Only the fuel group is out of line with the combined index. UNITE TO PUSH RECOVERY As an illustration of the new turn in business sentiment, from which much is expected, there was the pledge to- ward the end of the week by the direc- tors of the Chamber of Commerce of November 21, 1934 the United States to support the ad- ministration in pushing recovery. This constituted a rather amazing about- face when it was recalled that less than two months ago the same organiza- tion addressed a questionnaire to Pres- ident Roosevelt calling upon him to defend many features of the New Deal. The strategy of this latest move is obvious. The election results con- vinced business interests that the coun- try is behind the President and that there was little use in continuing the guerilla warfare of the pre-election. pe- riod. Secondly, it is hoped to strength- en sound administration policies and extend recovery, thereby heading off radical legislation in the next Congress. Whatever the motives, however, the plan to have business, industry and agriculture unite upon common objec- tives gives promise of far greater ac- complishment than could be hoped for while these important interests were pulling in different directions and dis- crediting even the necessary steps tak- en by the administration to cope with the depression. Realities are now be- ing faced on such questions as stabili- zation, budget balancing and relief, and private initiative should make the “pump priming” experiment success- ful. DRY GOODS CONDITIONS Reports on retail trade in the week were still more encouraging. In this section the Armistice day holiday brought in excellent business to the stores. Advices from other centers in- dicated that previous gains were not only continuing Lut mounting. Early holiday business was said to be run- ning easily 10 per cent. ahead of last year. Local executives look for a_ half month increase of 8 or 9 per cent. over a year ago, including liquor sales. They also predict that holiday business will run 10 per cent. at least, above that of 1933 and prove the best in three years. Chain stores expect November sales to improve upon the October increases. An added stimulus to the business which will be done until the turn of the year is found in retail price con- ditions. The Fairchild index for Nov. 1 recorded a small decline after re- maining stationary on Oct. 1. This re- sumed the downward movement since the high was reached: on April 1. Prices are now only fractionally above those of a year ago. Wholesale merchandise markets re- mained steady in the week. The prin- cipal activity was disclosed on formal attire and the new sportswear and cruise lines. Gelatin is determined in ice cream, according to a German scientific jour- nal by first precipitating the principal proteins of the milk with copper sul- phate, and determining the gelatin in the filtrate from this precipitate with phosphomolybdic acid. A correction must be made for some of the milk proteins which precipitate along with the gelatin. To meet the great tasks that are be- fore us, we require all our intelligence, and we must be sound and wholesome of mind. We must proceed in order. The price of anger is failure. November 21, 1934 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 9 OUT AROUND Things Seen and Heard on a Week End Trip I had a pleasant call last week on Harold Royal, manager of the Oceana Canning Co., Shelby. I reached the cannery just in time to see the steam turned off for the last time for the sea- son of 1934. For some weeks the can- nery had been running on kiefer pears produced in the pear orchard formerly owned by the late Mr. Daggett, who conducted the Coopersville cannery for several years up to the day of his death. The orchard is now owned by the son of the deceased. This is the first season the Shelby cannery has canned any kiefer pears to speak of. This has been a peculiar season for canning operations at Shelby. The winter freeze killed peaches in Oceana county and the early summer drought destroyed the strawberry crop. Other specialties of the factory such as peas and string beans, were produced in the usual quantities and much apple sauce was made. More cherries were canned than ever before. The kiefer pear prod- uct completed the activities of the sea- son. The following evening the usual annual party was given the 180 employ- es of the cannery. The usual festivi- ties were in evidence and motion pic- tures and vaudeville were presented. Square dances were provided under the auspices of the employes themselves. Manager Royal is very happy over the completion of his warehouse, 100 x 160 feet in dimensions, two stories, sufficiently remote from any other building to ensure safety in the event of fire. The building comprises steel and cement construction and is deemed to be the finest structure of the kind in the state. The building was planned and constructed under the supervision of Owen, Ames & Kimball, which is a sufficient guaranty of its utility and ex- cellence. Mr. Royal is entitled to a great deal of credit for the efficient manner in which he and his associates have built up the great industry which means so much to Shelby and the surrounding country. Of course, I called on my first assis- tant in conducting the Tradesman, fifty-one years ago, Harry M. Royal, whom I found very happy over the outcome of the election. He and his wife leave about Dec. 1 for Sebring Florida, where they have spent their winters for several years. He writes very interesting letters to his four newspapers from his winter abode. C. F. Schuster has moved his dry goods stock three stores South of his former location. At Montague I was told that the Lutheran clergyman there refused to patronize his own church members in the purchase of food, but confined his purchases to the chain stores at White- hall, which policy has given him an unpopularity which will, if persisted in after this timely warning, ultimately result in his undoing. I visited a town last week which has two independent grocery stores. One of the stores is small in size, but the goods are displayed with so much taste and genius that is a pleasure to in- spect the establishment. Although it was during the noon hour I had to wait a half hour to get in a word with the owner, who appeared to be anxious to obtain my idea of the future of the independent merchant. I told him frankly I believed he had already solved the problem, with a few minor exceptions. One of the latter was his failure to carry out the purchases of a lady customer from the country and de- posit them in her car. Instead he packed them nicely in a boxboard con- tainer and permitted her to carry them out. I would not recommend this course if we had been alone in the store, but a clerk—apparently an extra good clerk—was present in the store at the time. He would have watched ‘out to see that no pilfering was under- taken in the absence of the owner. Customers who dropped in were greet- ed cordially and served promptly, giv- ing every indication of being well sat- isfied with the goods they needed and the manner in which they were treated. After a brief talk with the owner, who would apparently have been glad to have prolonged the conversation ex- cept for the presence of customers who were waiting to be served, I passed on to the other grocery store, which was in charge of a lady clerk. She said the owner had just gone to luncheon, but would surely be back by one o’clock. The store was about six times as large as the little store above described, but the stock was not displayed with any regard for symmetry or relationship. The entire store gave one an idea of emptiness, lack of experience and ab- sence of care. The atmosphere of the store was anything but harmonious. I waited until 2:30 for the owner to re- turn. During the two hours I devoted to inspection and retrospection, not a customer entered the store. I went to that town to add his name to the sub- scription list of the Tradesman, because traveling men had told me he was meeting many losses which could be avoided by a perusal of our paper. When I saw how shiftless the owner was I assumed that he was one of the “know alls’ who have “no time to read” and went on my way. I expect to learn sooner or later that he is in the hands of a receiver or has sought the seclusion of the bankruptcy court. As I passed the little store first re- ferred to I noted it was still crowded with customers. The A. & P. case gives independent as well as chain merchants something to think about. Less progress toward unionization of retail employes has been made than in perhaps any other field. Left to themselves it is prob- able that unionization efforts will come in time, even if only on a comparatively local scale. But the A. & P. case dis- closes that initiative toward unioniza- tion need not come from within. When established unions show themselves so anxious not only to acquire benefits for themselves, but also to force benefits down the throats of people who have no urgent appetite for them, it is plain that any retail business of sufficient im- portance to attract attention of organ- izers becomes a fair and shining mark. It will be even more difficult for an in- dependent store to resist than for a chain organization. A threat to pull stakes and move out, lock, stock and barrel, wouldn’t be taken seriously. A department store lives or dies where its roots are. Though the cloud appear only as large as a man’s hand, there may be lightning in it. At the recent banquet given the Bat- tle Creek grocers by their fraters of Kalamazoo, Peter De Korte, city sealer of the Celery City, read an excellent paper on the Market Basket, which he has kindly furnished me for publica- tion, as follows: The subject assigned to me, Market Basket, may mean many units within its proper category and scope. If your committee on program had in mind such baskets which are used only as a carrier, then my task is completed as rapidly as begun. On the other hand, if said committee contemplated a real discussion in relation to the merits and demerits of the various packages used for marketing, a real field to function in has been included and, without doubt, the words market basket contain as many possibilities to discuss as others possessing a more sensational appeal. What are the more important factors apparent and concealed in my subject matter: 1. Sanitation—freedom from contam- ination; 2. Durability; 3. Attractiveness; 4. Non-deceptive in appearance re- garding volume; 5. Convenient to carry. Thus I have found five factors which may be intelligently discussed within the scope of the paper requested. Sanitation and freedom from con- tamination involves many subsidiary connections. However, I will hold to the main and record the fact that mar- ket baskets should be sanitary in con- dition which means clean and free from any infestation that may be communi- cated to either man or beast. Of course, a market basket, in order to be a success, must be durable and meet all such requirements within a reasonable limit. We find that an attractive market basket with a real sales appeal is the one which pays the best dividends, al- though the cost may be somewhat greater than those which lack this fac- tor. To be attractive a market basket must be clean, unstained and of the right color or colors. A non-deceptive basket, one which without hesitation bespeaks the size it represents, is a modern day require- ment. Such is not always the case. Within our immediate vicinity we have in use the 2, 4 and 12 quart clim- ax baskets, which are of a known di- mension and capacity, yet, perhaps, 50 per cent. of our fruits and vegetables are sold in baskets that no one can tell the capacity of without a yard stick, paper and pencil. I wonder if this re- flects both application and efficiency unto weights and measure officias. It may be considered a long step from baskets to crates. However, a large percentage of the fruits and veg- etables are being sold and bought in crates, some of which are less than a bushel, some a bushel and some five pecks in volume capacity. Smart folks buy in five pecks and resell in bushels. What are we doing about it? Or are we so self satisfied that such conditions are too insignificant in character for our observation and consideration? We think and thus decree that every crate used for marketing purposes should in- dicate whereat a bushel capacity rests, as well asa liquid quart or gallon meas- ure. A bushel crate should contain the required number of cubical inch space. If more, a definite line should indicate where. Of great importance is the use of old dilapidated containers which have lost their value as a measure. Some, by virtue of their weakness, are short and others are long. Why permit their usage and thus belittle our standing with the consuming public? The subject market basket is eaasily and naturally associated with econom- ical purchases direct from producer to consumer. If a unit is long it injures the producer, if short it injures the consumer. Why not insist on having them right? In conclusion, permit me to suggest, inasmuch as some fifty million people purchase annually through the various facilities which require a market basket, that more attention be given the vari- ous types and kinds now in use. Arthur A, Frost, who has managed the Hotel Vincent, at Benton Harbor since July, 1933, has taken the man- agement of the Duluth, at Duluth, a new 400 room hctel. Mr. Frost left Benton Harbor last Friday and as- sumed his duties at Duluth Monday of this week. His successor at the Vin- cent is George Dauchy, formerly man- ager of the Warm Friend Tavern at Holland. Carl Herrud has retired from the firm of Herrud & Son, sausage manu- facturers at 542 Grandville avenue, Grand Rapids, and removed to Cleve- land, where he has taken the position of manager of the Honey Moon Food Products Co., manufacturer of sausage. The business here will be conducted by Andrew Herrud and Earl Herrud un- der the style of Herrud & Son. B. C. Forbes, editor of Forbes Maga- zine—an excellent publication, by the —wonders if uniton labor will succeed in browbeating President Roosevelt. His discussion of the subject is as follows: Union labor leaders apparently are determined to attempt to browbeat President Roosevelt in- to acquiescing in their demand that America become a ‘closed shop.” The President pleaded for a truce between employed and em- ployers. Organized labor has re- sponded by ordering more than one strike. The most brazen vio- lation of the President's will was the arbitrary refusal of team- sters to deliver merchandise to the Atlantic & Pacific stores in Cleve- land. Although few, if any, of the company’s employes were dissat- isfied or wished to strike, the high- handed action of outsiders brought about the temporary clos- ing of some 300 stores—and the unemployment of fully 2,000 workers. Sooner or later President Roosevelt must take a decisive stand against attempted dictation by unionists. Surely if the vast majority of A. & P.’s employes were satisfied with their jobs, it was cruelly unfair for outside meddlers to throw them all out of work. It is unthinkable that (Continued on page 23) oS a aa f E ie: if F aN cme Eonar semm ecm compre mance epee me om bas ene ros ee, FINANCIAL Changed Attitude Good Sign Mr. Roosevelt’s determined stand that unemployment insurance should be derived from taxes on payrolls or rather from contributions by industry, raises a new item in manufacturing costs and makes the difference between profit and loss much narrower. But any system of unemployment insur- ance requires co-operation between employers, employes, and the state and Federal governments. It is one thing that cannot be imposed from the out- side successfully. It must be sold from within industry. This is one reason for the new at- mosphere of co-operation. Government cannot bring recovery by arbitrary ac- tion or fiat money. Business cannot go ahead unless government policies are clarified. President Roosevelt as the leader and spokesman of the American people has the responsibility of getting the whole team into action within the next seventeen months. For seventeen months from mow members of Congress will be cam- paigning again for re-election. The New Deal must succeed in that length of time or it will lose a substantial block of seats. So it is to the Administration’s in- terest to win the co-operation of the very elements whose help it has been inclined to spurn. The existence of this changed atti- tude is the best augury we have had of an improved morale in business as a whole. ‘David Lawrence. ——_o + + -__- Party Mutations All will agree that the Democratic party under Franklin D. Roosevelt is not even remotely related to the party of Thomas Jefferson. If a younger Democratic immortal, Grover Cleve- land, for example, could look in on Washington this morning, he would find himself in a foreign capital. And if Mark Hanna could wangle a leave of absence to survey terrestrial affairs, his emotions at the fate of the Repub- lican party could be reported only in part. It is manifest, of course, that if American democracy, as we _ have known it, is to endure, there must be two parties, intellectually officered, and morally capable of functioning as gov- ernment when so chosen. What their names may be is unimportant. — St. Louis Post-Dispatch. ———_> + > Master Politician Farley There is no political art that Mr. Farley does not know and of which he is not master. He has described him- self as “just a big Elk at large,” and that explains largely his amazing suc- cess in corralling American voters. Mr. Farley exudes brotherly love and geniality. There is not apparent in all his big frame a scintilla of hate for any man. In a huge correspondence—to another it would be overwhelming in its scope—he keeps in touch with the far corners of the country and co-or- dinates public opinion. Political bosses, big and little, are Farley’s best friends, MICHIGAN or they think they are. — Richmond Times-Dispatch. > ++ Liberty League Policy We have no political mission. As an independent, I am against the Repub- lican party because it is static, ineffi- cient and timid. I left it because of its stand on prohibition and other vital questions and I have no interest in seeing it come back. We will not fight the administration as such, but will oppose legislation that we deem against the interest of the country. I think it should be helpful to President Roosevelt, whom I sup- ported. For instance, we are opposed to in- flation. If the President should be op- posed to it, we might help him in per- suading members of Congress to up- hold his hand against further devalua- tion of the dollar. Mrs. Charles H. Sabin. ——_>+ > Federal Charters The free grants of power now given corporations by some states have en- abled them to mulct their stockholders and the public. Were these corporations required to incorporate under the Federal pow- er, all the states and all the public would be protected from business char- ters that, in effect, have enabled these corporations and their managers to conduct themselves without regard to their stockholders’ wishes. The major objection to the proposal has come from the states which grant the free charters, and one may sus- pect that their primary interest is in the fees which the corporations pay for their charters. Ferdinand Pecora. —_2> 2 ___ Relief Insurance I suggest that as soon as recovery has advanced far enough to warrant it, our Legislature and municipal authorities make continuing appropri- ations, that the proceeds be placed in a special fund or funds until the funds reach an adequate size, and that the funds be invested in the bonds of the state and municipalities, respectively. This would mean that public debt would be decreased during periods of plenty; the governments placed in pos- session of additional borrowing power for relief purposes in periods of scar- city and the necessity of imposing new taxes, at a time when they are least bearable, avoided. Ogden Mills. —_+>____ Warning From Canada Mr. Roosevelt is assuming a very great deal if his resoluteness to rush the seaway treaty through the Senate is based on a belief that ratification by that chamber will mean the early exe- cution of the plans sanctioned in that treaty. Canadian taxpayers could not stand the added burden that the costs of this stupendous underaking would put upon their shoulders, and under present conditions it may be doubted whether Premier Bennett will consider it to be practical politics, when and if it falls to him to refer this issue to Parliament, to give the treaty the gov- ernment’s endorsement.—Montreal Ga- zette. — Pummeling of utility stockholders is being overdone, TRADESMAN Uniform Sales Contracts As the time for the renewal of annual purchase contracts ap- proaches, attempts are being made in a number of industries to introduce uniform sales contracts, or in some other way to provide for stricter terms of purchase. Many manufacturers have felt for a long time, it is said, that con- tracts in many lines were, in fact, one-sided agreements. If prices rose, manufacturers were bound to make deliveries at the old prices as per agreement. If prices fell, purchasrs would frequently refuse deliveries on some pretext or other. While recognizing that abuses of contract provisions were ram- pant in many lines, purchasing ex- ecutives feel that substantial prog- ress in this respect has already been made under the codes. Thev now fear that manufacturers, hav- ing become conscious of their or- ganized strength, may attempt to reverse the situation and saddle all risks on the buyer. Where such attempts are contemplated, they will be strongly resisted by purchasing officials, it is said. es NRA Enforcement Reform Appointment of a special As- sistant Attorney-General in charge of NRA enforcement is likely to end the confusion in this field which has prevailed ever since the Department of Justice refused to prosecute alleged NRA violations at the request of compliance offi- cials. While compliance bodies will probably continue to function, their authority will be curbed. In- stead of exercising semi-judicial powers as heretofore, they will be reduced to purely administrative agencies, chiefly used for fact finding purposes. Restoration of supervision over the law enforcement activities of the NRA to the Department of Justice should raise the prestige of the Recovery Act. Business men can now be sure, it is held, ‘that traditional legal procedure will rule again, and that the arbi- trary exercise of punitive powers by minor NRA officials will come to an end. Business Expansion A further moderate expansion of general business activity is ex- pected in the near future, despite the fact that seasonal factors in many industries tend toward a de- cline. Administration measures de- ‘signed to restore business confi- dence, such as the curb placed on social insurance plans, the lifting of foreign exchange restrictions and the shift away from organ- ized labor, are held chiefly re- November 21, 1934 sponsible for the current improve- ment. In addition, public spend- ing continues at a high rate. Fed- eral excess expenditures over re- ceipts in the first twelve days of November reached $167,213,624 as against $91,219,246 in the same period last year. —_++>—___ A successful and satisfying life is not usually attained by chasing fancied salaries and fictitious costs of living. Wise men often wander, but wherever they are wandering you also find them working. Any real career and any joyful life must be constructed as well The only way is to learn as discovered. earn your way, for you will sonner or later that vou cannot crash the gates of happiness—Roger W. 3abson. All Issues CONSUMERS POWER PREFERRED BOUGHT SOLD QUOTED Your Inquiries Solicited ROGER VERSEPUT & CO. Investment Bankers—Brokers 813-816 MICHIGAN TRUST BLDG. GRAND RAPIDS Phone 8-1217 THE GRAND Rapips NATIONAL Bank BUILDING Offers OFFICE SPACK At the Lowest Rates in the History of the Building Telephone 9-7171 or Call at Room No. 722 ® 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 Offices GRAND RAPIDS Phone 9-4417 J. H. PETTER & CO. INVESTMENT BANKERS MUSKEGON Phone 2-3496 a : November 21, 1934 IN THE REALM OF RASCALITY Questionable Schemes Which Are Under Suspicion Dental supplies which do not contain platinum in substantial quantities will no longer be advertised by means of such words as “Platinum,” “Platinel,” or “Platinized Platinum,” according to a stipulation agreement between the Commission and A. Alfred Haymes and Herman L. Mann, copartners, trading as Kromel Laboratories, 3118-3120 Third avenue, Bronx, New York City. Haymes and Mann manufacture mechanical work and dental supplies for use by dentists and dental labora- tories. Use of the word “Doctor” or of the abbreviation “Dr.,” in connection with a name or other words as a trade brand for shoes, will be discontinued by B. Rosenberg & Sons, wholesalers, 215-221 Decatur street, New Orleans. The respondents agree not to adver- tise their products so as to deceive buyers into believing that they are made in accordance with a design of, or under the supervision of a doctor, or that they contain special scientific features which are the result of medi- cal advice or services, when this is not true. Respondents also agree to cease using in printed matter the word “man- ufacturers” so as to deceive buyers into believing that they manufacture the products they sell, or cwn or oper- ate a factory in which they are made. E. D. Moore, 7941 South Halsted street, Chicago, engaged in a mail order business selling and distributing window sign letters, agrees to discon- tinue using in his advertisements the word “gold,” either alone or in con- nection with the word “metal” or “leaf,” so as to imply that his products are composed of gold in whole or in part, when this is not true. He will also cease making representations to the effect that his products are or have been at any time used on United States mail trucks or American Express trucks, and from using representations purporting to be testimonials of cus- tomers or users of his products, when such statements are false, fictitious and have not been written by customers. Charles W. Cromer, hosiery manu- facturer, of Hagerstown, Md., agrees to cease using the words “Pure Silk Thread Reinforced With Art Silk,” as a brand or label for such hosiery, or as descriptive of products not composed of silk. He will also stop using the word “Silk,” either independently or in connection with the word “Art,” so as to imply erroneously that the hosiery is composed of silk. Provision is made that if the hosiery is composed in sub- stantial part of silk and the word “Silk” shall be used, it shall be accompanied by other words clearly indicating that the product is made in part of mate- rials other than silk. Use of the word “Doctor” or of the abbreviation “Dr.”’, in connection with a name or other words as a trade brand for shoes, will be discontinued by Na- than Marbach, Benjamin Marbach and MICHIGAN Philip Kimmel, trading 1s Kimmel and Marbach Shoe Co., jobbers and whole- salers, 111 Reade street, New York City. The respondents agree not to advertise their products in any way which would deceive buyers into be- lieving that they are made in accord- ance with a design of, or under the supervision of a doctor, or that they contain special scientifific features which are the result of medical advice or services, when this is not true. The word “Victor,” either alone or in connection with the word “Interna- tional” or other words, will no longer be used by Pyramid Radio Distribu- tors, Inc., 16 Hudson street, New York City, as a trade name for its products, or in any way which would tend to de- ceive buyers into the belief that its products are those products recognized and understood by the public to have been manufactured by or for RCA Victor Ccmpany. Inc., or its prede- cessor, Victor Talking Machine Com- pany, when this is not true. Pyramid Radio Distributors, Inc. sells and dis- tributes radio sets. 3ailey’s Inc., 25 West Van Buren srteet, Chicago, mail order dealer in military uniforms, insignia and acces- sories, agrees to stop using in its cata- logs, price lists or other advertising matter, erroneous representations to the effect that its products will not tar- nish, that they are made of solid metal, and that the company is a manufac- turer making the articles it sells. Re- spondent will also cease advertising that it is an importer or that its prod- ucts are made of imported cloth or of Kersey or other cloth of high quality, when these are not the facts. Selling candy products in interstate commerce, Ambrosia Chocolate Com- pany, 1121 North 5th Street, Milwau- kee, agrees no longer to use any scheme or method for promoting the sale of its products which involves the use of a gift enterprise, lottery or scheme of chance whereby an article is given as a prize or premium for or in consider- ation of the purchase of another article. Use of the words “laboratories” and “mills” as part of the trade names of distributors not engaged in manufac- turing, will be discontinued by Ben Berg and Sol Nathan, co-partners trading under the names of Berg & Nathan, B & N Sales Company, B & N Sales, Best Ever Laboratories, and 3est Ever Spice Mills, at 25 South Halsted street, Chicago. The respond- ents sell flavoring extracts, spices, kitchen equipment and polish. They will cease using the word “extract” in advertisements, either independently or in connection with the words “vanilla,” “lemon,” “almond,” “maple,” “straw- berry” and other flavor names, as de- scriptive of their products, in a way which would deceive buyers into be- lieving that these preparations are ex- tracts or products in concentrated form composed of the materials named, when this is not true. American Extension University, 737 North Michigan avenue, Chicago, con- ducting a correspondence home study course in law, agrees to cease using the word “university” either alone or ¢ TRADESMAN with the word “extension” as part of its corporate name and from using the corporate name containing tne word “university” or the words “extension university” in its catalogs, enrollment blanks and other printed matter, so as to imply that it is an educational insti- tution or university extension organ- ized for teaching in the higher branches of learning, Use of the phrase “Pure thread silk reinforced with rayon” will be discon- tinued by Elliott Knitting Mills, Inc., 941 8th Street, Hickory, N. C., as de- scriptive of its hosiery, so as to imply that the product is composed in sub- stantial quantity of silk, when this is rot the fact. Respondent will also cease use of the words “Rayon Rein- forced with Silk,” in a manner tending to mislead purchasers into believing the silk content of the hosiery to be of substantial quantity, when this is not true. Violation of the Federal Trade Com- mission Act in the sale of medicine in interstate commerce, is charged in a Federal Trade Commission complaint against Creomulsion Co., Inc., of At- lanta, manufacturer of ‘Creomulsion,” a cough remedy. The product is a treat- ment for some classes of coughs only, such as coughs due to colds or minor irritations of the bronchial tubes and throat, according to the complaint. Among false and misleading state- ments made by the respondent com- pany, according to the complaint. are the following: That Creomulsion is a competent treatment for coughs from colds that hang on; that it will attack the “seat of the trouble” or will check the growth of germs, and that it has tonic property or effect and is useful for building up the system after colds or flu. Alleging unfair competition in the sale of an electric device for use in treating diseases, the Federal Trade Commission has issued a complaint against the Electro Thermal Co., of Steubenville, Ohio. The respondent’s “Thermalaid,” is sold in competition with medicines, preparations and treat- ments for prostate gland, according to the complaint, and is advertised as a relief for prostatic gland troubles and kindred ailments. According to the complaint, Thermalaid is not a remedy or cure for these diseases and the ben- efits alleged to be derived from use of the device are greatly exaggerated, mis- leading and inaccurate. device, The Federal Trade Commission has ordered Ucanco Candy Co.,, Inc., of Davenport, Iowa, to cease and desist from selling and distributing to job- bers and wholesale dealers for resale to retail dealers, or to retail dealers direct, candy so packed and assembled that its sale to the general public may involve a lottery, gaming device or gift enterprise. In the findings, it is stated that the sale and distribution of candy by lot or chance is against the public policy of many of the States, and some of the States have laws mak- ing the operation of lotteries and gam- bling devices penal offenses. called. 11 Unfair competition in the lumber trade in the sale of red cedar shingles is charged by the Federal Trade Com- mission in a complaint issued against Quality Shingle Company, Inc., of Ed- monds, Wash., manufacturer, and Gray Lumber & Shingle Company, of Seat- tle, wholesalers handling Quality shin- gles. The complaint Quality company, in order to create a demand for its shingles, branded them as “extra clear.’ According to the complains, use of the word “clear” means, in the lumber trade, that they are free of all defects or imperfections, while use of the word “extra” conveys the implied assurance that they are not only of first quality, but are of the best and highest degree of quality. How- ever, the Quality shingles are in fact neither “extra clear’ nor “clear,” but contain many defects and imperfections not in shingles of the first or highest gerade, according to the complaint. charges that the Certain dealers are informed of the actual qualities and imperfections of the respondent’s shingles branded “ex- tra clear” and are induced to buy them for resale in preference to competitive products, so as to make use of the false and misleading brand, according to the complaint. Lowell, Nov. 8—We conduct a new and used furniture store, antiques, etc. We have high class goods in a three story building at 212 East Main street. We were told by friends and ac- quaintances that used clothing would go nicely with our business and sent to Publix Sales Corporation, 568 Roose- velt road, Chicago. We received their catalogue through the U. S. mail, which lists three grades of suits, $24, $36 and $42; overcoats, $18, $24 and $39. These were adver- tised as being cleaned, repaired and pressed. We sent a postoffice order for a sample shipment. When the goods came you should have seen them—dir- ty, faded, torn, patched, buttons miss- ing, moth eaten, something terrible. We fired them right back prepaid. They sent some of the same ones back again and a few different, but not one bit better. Can you tell me what I can do about it? We cannot sell this class of goods. A. R. Smith, According to our files, the owners of this business are Ben Vollen and Ben Belansky, who have also operated in the past under such names as Worn Shoe Co., Reliable Shoe Jobbers, Stewart-Yale Co., etc. A great number of complaints have been received at this office to the effect that the merchandise sold by the sub- ject is unsanitary and unmarketable. We have not been successful in obtain- ing satisfactory adjustment of such complaints, the company usually merely offering to exchange the goods for other merchandise. The concern does not appear to be reliable. We have exposed this concern as fraudulent many times in the past. If you had been a subscriber to the Tradesman you would not have been victimized by these crooks. Some years ago Julius Brink called on the leading banker of a town of some 30,000 inhabitants in central New York to explain that he was embark- (Continued on page 23) 12 RETAIL GROCER Retail Grocers and Meat Dealers Associa- tion of Michigan, President—Rudolf Eckert, Flint. _Vice-President—O. A. Sabrowski, Lan- sing. Secretary — Herman Hansen, Grand Rapids. Treasurer—O, H. Bailey, Sr., Lansing. Directors—Holger Jorgenson, Muske- gon; L. V. Eberhard, Grand Rapids; Paul Gezon, Grand Rapids; Lee Lillie, Coopers- ville; Martin Block, Charlevoix. How Much Does the Grocery Business Change? Maybe all “deals” and “free” goods are out now. Again, maybe they are not so far out that the following en- quiry will fail to be interesting: “Buying a bill of goods which amounts to $13, getting one case free, worth $8.10 list, what would the discount in percentage be? I figure it at 62 per cent. Figured this way, what would be the percentage on the free goods? Should the free goods with 62 per cent. taken off would it be the actual cost of the free goods or would I figure the 62 per cent. off the $8.10 and then figure the net amount to be the amount of free goods given?” It seems to me I have never seen any argument against “free” deals as conclusively as this enquiry, for here, surely, we have such confusion of thought as must make it impossible for the merchant to arrive at correct net values. To read his letter and his mixed-up expressions makes that quite clear, No trade trap can be set so effective to catch the _ half-informed storekeeper as such “deals”; and they are made additionally effective by sim- ilar half-baked reasoning on the part of the salesman, plus his willingness to deceive if he thinks deception is to his advantage. There are still plenty of men in this world who think decep- tion profitable, although enlightened sellers know that in the long run it is the most fatal boomerang. There are salesmen, particularly those who visit grocers regularly, those who expect to return and do business many times—not the one-time strong armed variety—who think out such problems in advance, correctly, and take pains to set right their cus- tomers. More: Those men take their time, willingly and gladly, to figure out any problem for a customer, and repeat the operation until the customer knows how to go it alone. That kind of salesman will say this: “George, what you get is goods worth $21.10; $13 and $8.10. You pay $13. Your discount is therefore $8.10 on $21.10 of total value. To get per- centage, divide 810 by 2110—or 211, omitting the cipher, thus: 3839 211)8100 633 1770 1688 820 633 1870 1899 showing that your discount is just un- der 38.39 per cent.” That salesman breeds confidence every day he travels. minus MICHIGAN TRADESMAN He would no more think of deceiving a grocer-customer than a good grocer would think of misleading a consumer- customer. Best of all this is that such figuring bears examinations. You can twist and study it from any angle you like and it will prove true and reliable —something the 62 per cent. boy could never hope to have happen. But to see whether the business changes much, not that this enquiry is dated August 12, 1924—just over ten years ago—on which I happened to- day. The grocer-enquirer is thill in business, so I incline to think he has followed what I wrote to him at the time of his enquiry. The value of all this is that it brings home to us the fundamental truth that we must always do our own thinking and that there can be no let-up. De- tails change. Basic economics do not change. Let’s not forget that. Let us not forget, either, that nobody will do our thinking for us—not AAA, NRA or anybody down in Washington or our. state capital. Finally, beside such thinking, such items as milk wars, grievances against the other fellow and such like—quite important as those things are—sink into compara- tive insignificance, because our own thinking within our own store must go on daily, hourly regardless. So the following may furnish food for some such reflection: Grocery World editor says: “You are probably going to be asked soon to supply food to strikers on credit. What will you do about it?” A time since Herbert Hoover said that nobody willing to work must be permitted to suffer. That has been modified in plenty of places so that men do not have to work unless they want to and unless they find what they “like,” yet claim the “right” to food, clothing and shelter regardless—often on a plane far higher than they ever enjoyed as a result of their own efforts. In Denver, as I write this, men are attacking public works projects—not because work is not provided; not be- cause all necessities are not provided; not because money is not provided, but because the “pay” rate has been cur- tailed. What should we say to that, as grocers approached for food supplies on credit? I have said that I think our funda- mental rights are apt to be more stren- uously —and effectively — safeguarded in some of our older states than in such Western commonwealths as have been formulated within the last seventy-five years or so, because older states have been through prolonged struggle to gain liberties and therefore hold them dear. Thus now comes Maine, where, in the city of Portand we have this picture: “Sept. 5. The decision to withhold unemployment assistance from strikers was voted by officials. ‘Let the unions support them’ the overseer said. They'll either work or not eat. Anyone who strikes in these times deserves to starve.” That kind of reasoning is apt to appeal strongly to old-fashioned folks who have been through panics and worked their way out with no help from anyone. A Sacramento district grocer is re- ported in Commercial Outlook as say- ing NRA is worth $50 per week to him. If, as I strongly suspect, this is because he is an able grocer, one who has made his way in the past, here is evidence that he gets this extra $50 because he knows enough to make plans and schemes work for himself effectively. But if it should develop that this extra earnings comes auto- matically, because of NRA and its local officials, we may be absolutely certain that such easier conditions in our business will attract additional mis- fits, with eventual adversity to gro- cers already established. There is no something for nothing in this world— thanks be! Somebody says that it costs 43c each to get people into a market the first time. In your store or mine the cost is our total expense divided by the total number of our visiting prospects. But any such figure should serve to fix our minds on the primary duty to hold each customer. Plenty of thought and endless writ- ing, advertising talks and otherwise, is expended on the theme: How to get new people into our stores. We con- centrate so exclusively on that plan that we lose customers about as fast as we get them. That is the kind of turn- over we must always strive to lessen. It can be lessened by painstaking at- tention and service. Let’s keep our customers. Then automatically, others will be added about as fast as we can care for them. Paul Findlay. ——_—_-> +2 What do You Know About Your Tea? Now maybe you know ali about every item of merchandise you carry in stock—and maybe, too, every one of your clerks is thoroughly posted on every piece of merchandise. If so the little suggestion that a great majority of clerks behind the counters do not know as much as they should about their merchandise, does not apply in your store. For instance, just try this: Ask the clerk either in your store or in your neighbor’s store to tell you the differ- ence between green and black tea. Why, of course, the clerk can answer —one is green and the other black. Why what a simple—almost silly ques- tion; any one should know. that much. But then why is one black and the other green? Then when you ask the why you probabiy offer a stumper. Then it might be a fine thing to give the clerk a little, simple talk on tea just in order that when some customer asks that question the clerk may have an intelli- gent—and an interesting answer. Tea is an interesting thing to study. About a century before Christopher Columbus discovered America ships out of the East brought “Cha”—the Chinese name for tea—to London. It sold then for about $50 per pound. It had been used in China for centuries— in fact it was discovered in China about 2,800 years B. C. But transportation was slow in those days and it required a long time to make the journey from the Orient to London. Tea is grown on a shrub about four feet tall—it is kept at about that height by pruning, as it is more convenient to pick the leaves from the shrub when November 21, 1934 thus pruned than when it is permitted to grow taller, Now then, get this: Green and black tea are the same tea up to a certain point. The tea leaves are picked by hand, one by one. The green tea is made by first drying the leaves, then putting in water and heating to just below the boiling point—stirring ali the time; then when again dried, ready for the market the tea is green. Leaves for black tea are first withered until soft; then they are piled in heaps and per- mitted to ferment, then they are finally roasted. In shrinking the tea leaves: it requires about four pounds of raw leaves to make one of tea. ———_-+ Reduce Canned Goods Prices With some of the more poorly fi- nanced packers anxious to dispose of their surplus stocks, a slight down- ward movement in prices has devel- oped in branches of the primary mar- ket. Prices of the better-known mer- chandise remain firm, however. Re- ports indicate that the California pack of tomatoes just completed exceeds last year’s production by a good margin, while in Florida and Texas the acreage planted is much greater than usual. Packers in the Middle Western sec- tions are well sold out, but many in the Eastern territory are not in so strong a position. ——_++. Nation’s Consumers Taper Off on Candy America’s “sweet-tooth” still shows signs of a depression-cavity. From figures compiled by the Cen- sus Bureau Director William L. Austin revealed that the total value of confec- tionery and salted nuts produced in the United States in 1933 was $204,525,095, a decrease of 27.5 per cent. as com- pared with $282,216,327 reported in 1931. Caramels, gum drops and_ fudge showed less of a proportionate drop in value than fancy packaged candy and hard candies. Salted nuts, which in 1931 had a manufacturing value of more than $15,000,000, decreased in 1933 to a little more than $10,000,000. Marshmallows, roasted on beach par- ties and a favorite with campers, had a total value of $5,442,596 in 1933 with 45,930,158 pounds manufactured. —_+ +. Food and Drug Bill Up to Next Con- gress The Pure Food and Drug Act, a measure which caused a torrent of con- troversy at the last session of Congress, is to be revised before it again is pre- sented for enactment. A statement to that effect has been made by Senator Copeland (Dem.), of New York, original sponsor of the bill. He says he has turned the old bill and the evidence of the hearings on it over to Ole Salthe, former Direc- tor of the Food and Drug Bureau in New York, who will help him in the revision. No announcement has been made of the extent of the proposed changes. ——_+¢~__ Wealth Is of the Heart There is nothing that makes men rich and strong but that which they carry inside of them. Wealth is of the heart, not of the hand. Milton. ae = |» gi re ke yé ric in tri to of or st cd November 21, 1934 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 13 MEAT DEALER Goes Limit Remodeling; Fnds It Pays “Clear out everything,” was the order given when Paul Hoffman decided to remodel his Lincoln Packing Co., mar- ket at 3303 North Marshfield avenue, Chicago, which he has operated fifteen years. Now every blessed thing is new and he has one of the niftiest mar- kets to be found anywhere. Fifty-five feet of refrigerated display cases of the latest type shows the meat so splendidly, in such great varie- ty, that customers do not have to ask, What have you to-day?” As a result, in the three weeks it has been opened, his volume has increased and_indi- vidual sales are larger. A window, en- closed and_ refrigerated, has very noticeable pulling power, for in it is a skillfully arranged display that can be seen from across the street. Bright lights flooding the store elim- inate all shadows, and the white upper walls and ceiling, with pale green be- low, free of all decorations except slen- der chrome plate rails on which are hung sausage, proclaim the cleanliness of the entire establishment. Only a medium sized mirror and a door mark the location of the cooler, the entire rear wall being like those of the sides. Formerly on the sides were huge wooden racks reaching to the ceiling, and at the rear an old style cooler, in- side of which pans hung low and dripped. In the new Perfection Cool- ing room there is a high deck allowing meat rails three-high. This and also the other store equipment were man- ufactured and installed by Bromann 3ros. Arthur Bromann, who super- vised the remodeling, states that the display cases are the new overhead fin coil type, the design of which is car- ried out completely with the cooler front and walls. This case is so ar- ranged that the bottom or back fin coil does not interfere with the cleaning of the bottom, which is lined with a high grade stainless steel. It gives absolute- ly clear vision from one end of the cases to the extreme far end and plen- ty display for merchandise. Two 2-h.p. Freon York compressors installed by Westerlin & Campbell, dis- tributors for the Central states, provide total refrigeration capacity of two tons of melting ice daily. Weighing is done on four Dayton magnifying scales in- stalled by Hobart Manufacturing Co. An air conditioning system keeps the air cool and pure in the summer and warm in winter. This is supplied by the building owners. Even the sausage machinery is all new, for Mr. Hoffman makes his own sausages—ten varieties—and cures his own hams’ This is his ‘pay-off’ line. He has built up a handsome trade in these products. Blood and liver saus- age are the best sellers, but all have a good run. A two-day opening, held simultane- ously with the opening of a grocery, fruit and vegetable store next door on the corner, attracted crowds of people from the throngs who shop in this busy center. Many of these people have con- tinued to trade at the Hoffman store. Modernizing has increased the busi- ness beyond expectations, Mr. Hoff- man says. He thought he had a big trade before, but the old ones come oftener. It keeps eight men busy reg- ularly, besides himself and Miss Eliz- abeth Hoffman, his daughter, who han- dles the cash and office details, The employes have been with him for long periods. One man has been on the job fifteen years and another twelve years. He is a good boss and they work in his interest. Having been forty years in the meat business in Chicago, this veteran is going stronger than ever. He was form- erly on the West Side, at Chicago and Ashland avenues. He is therefore well known in the trade. In fact, he has been a member of Central Retail Meat Dealers Association since it was first organized. While at his present loca- tion he has seen numerous competitive markets start and stop. He handles only the best grades of meats, which are always fresh, and works for rapid turnover. Leaders are never used in this market, No groceries or canned goods are carried—only pickles and pigs feet—by arrangement with the neighboring grocer, who handles no cured meats. Since the reopening there has been a barrage of compliments on the store’s fine appearance and improved service. Women repeatedly comment on the absence of sawdust, which they say was so annoying. Now they don’t get their shoes and hosiery soiled or have to shake sawdust out of their parasols when they drop them. Mr. Hoffmann invites meat dealers to visit him and see his new layout. It is an inspiration. —_22>—___ Crabs Now Obtainable Through Entire Winter N. R. Coulbourn of Crisfield, Mary- land, who deals in crabs and crabmeat, tells us that there is one interesting fact about a crab which is not generally known to the public, and that is, a crab does not increase in size except at a time it sheds from a hard crab to a soft crab. In other words, says Mr. Coulbourn. any hard crab, of whatever size, must first shed to a soft crab before it can increase its size. The hard crab reaches the first stage of this development as what is known as a “peeler” or “shedder” crab, there . being a fully developed soft shell under the existing hard shell, and in a day or two, depending on the temperature, it will shed to a soft crab. After shedding, the crab, if allowed to re- main in the water, immediately starts turning to a hard crab again, and dur- ing the process of shedding from a hard crab or “peeler” to the soft crab state, it has increased in size. In this way a three-inch peeler will shed to about a 34-inch soft crab. This process is repeated several times before the crab reaches maturity. For the crabs that come from the Chesapeake Bay region the season runs from May 1st to November Ist. Recently crab dealers have developed a process of freezing crabs during the months of September and October so that the crabs can be served during the winter, and it is claimed that this freez- ing process is a successful one, When the winter is unusually cold and the waters are completely frozen over the supply of crabs is seriosuly affected and prices are sharply increased. Defies NRA Sam Damm, who conducts a meat market at Dickens, Ia., and also owns an 80-acre farm nearby, has been noti- fied that he has violated the code of the general contractors’ industry be- cause he did not notify the NRA that he intended to build a residence for his own use on the farm. He has been commanded to appear at Des Moines with books, records and witnesses. “What I want to know is: have I lost my rights as an American citizen?” Mr. Damm says. “I wonder if equal rights, justice and liberty have been destroyed by a bunch of alphabetical letters. If so, let us call for another George Washington. I say the so- called new deal is bunk. It is robbing the American people of their rights. TI do not propose to answer the sum- mons to go to Des Moines. ee Bathing Relaxes It is a mistake to consider bathing merely an aid to cleanliness. A leis- urely bath in a full tub of water after a hard day at the office, does as much for a man as a good cigar after dinner. Bathing often has no more relation to cleanliness than smoking has to hunger. To jump into a tub or under a shower, and lather, rinse and hop out is all right if one is pressed for time, but if there is no hurry the wise man will tarry to enjoy and benefit from the relaxing qualities of warm water. He will immerse himself and release all strain on mind and body. Few lux- uries are comparable and probably no recreation is so healthful. The commonness of bathtubs in the United States has led us to under- estimate, even to ignore, the pleasure of bathing as distinguished from plain body-scrubbing. In Europe, where in most hotels and homes one bathtub must do for ten people, bathing is an event that is as important as dining. The bath is spoken for in advance. At a hotel, it costs from 25 to 50 cents. Towels as thick as comforters and as expansive as sheets are supplied the bathers. A maid or a valet draws the water after ascertaining the tempera- ture wanted. A European requires half an hour for his bath. He may compose a sonnet, ponder a legal problem or merely let his mind drift, as he re- clines in the tub. —_—_ + -—-—-- A Wise Policy In Canada there is a string of haber- dashery stores. In one town a visitor made a pur- chase in a small shirt shop, adjoining one of the chain stores. The proprietor was alone and willing to talk, so the visitor said to him: “What’s your idea having a store right next to the chain?” “Where do you think I should go?” asked the boss. “Out in the woods? No, the chain knows where to locate shirt shops. The next best place is next door, and that’s where I am.” This retailer was not so dumb. The place to get business is where business is. If there should be nine high-grade jewelry stores within two blocks on “one street, a good place to open an- other store would be on the same street, close to the others, and not in another part of the city. Each of the others. The shirt man made another wise observation, “The bosses of the big chain don’t know I exist,” he said. “I’m too small. 3ut I watch the big chain like a hawk and I learn something from them every day.” stores will help the a Restrained Ambition A man asked: “How’s business?” The answer was: “Very good.” Thinking this might indicate excep- tional prosperity, the man who had been questioned added: “When I say business is good I mean it is good con- sidering my expectations. From this point of view my business is always successful. By restraining my ambi- tion I have managed to enjoy life.” Is that a sensible attitude? Often men are handicapped by inability to enjoy what they have, due to their greedy eagerness for more. Others, moderately competent, are cursed with inflated ambition and conceit. What- ever they accomplish falls so short of their goal that they get no pleasure from the progress they make. It seems better to take life realistic- ally. Instead of expecting too much heaven why not be prepared for a little hell? What we get may be better than we anticipated, and if the good is not discounted in advance we will en- joy it like an unexpected Christmas bonus. ——__~> +2 -— Something for Nothing The old adage that we can’t get something for nothing isn’t entirely true. The truth is we get a lot of good things for nothing—or almost nothing. All that is asked of us is a capacity to enjoy them. A sense of humore costs nothing, but few of us would exchange our ability to perceive the comedy in human life for any sum of money. The enjoy- ment of a sunset, the rhythm of a dance, the roll of breakers on the sea- shore, the sweep of a musical composi- tion, the grace of a bird in flight, the majesty of a cathedral, and the del- icacy of a precious jewel, cost nothing. To capture the joy of these eternal beauties it is as easy for the humblest as for the millionaire. —_+~+-—___—_ Seek and Ye Shall Find How strange it is that we indeed Who represent the folk and land So fail because of human greed And do not see nor understand That heaven is not up yonder there But all around us everywhere. Just take a wood, a tree, a glen Through which there runs a dancing stream Survey from hill a mead or fen Ask daisies what the fairies dream Along in June when sleeping there— All whisper heaven is everywhere. Awake at early dawn in May And hear the robin redbreast sing Or in the orchard spend a day When all the trees are blossoming And you will lisp a grateful prayer Because you find that heaven is there, I do not think this world was made For anything but worth and good And values rise when unafraid e delve into our neighborhood Discovering that as we dare We find a heaven anywhere. Charles A. Heath. —_—-> 4+ A guess: Government loans to indus- try won’t amount to much. 14 MICHiGAN TRADESMAN November 21, 1934 HARDWARE Michigan Retail Hardware Association. President — Henry A. Schantz, Grand Rapids. Secretary—Harold W. Bervig, Lansing. Treasurer—William Moore, Detroit. Field Secretary—L. S. Swinehart, Lansing. Six Hundred Merchants Expected in Lansing Alton J. Hager, President of the Michigan Federation of Retail Mer- chants, announces a banquet to be held in the Olds Hotel, Lansing, 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 22. This banquet is held in honor of state officials, state senators and representatives inducted into or continuing in office on Jan. 1. Six hundred retailers from all over the state are expected in Lansing, at this meeting, to honor their guests. President Hager will wecome the guests of the Federation on behalf of the assembled retailers. Addresses will be given by several state officials. The organizations represented by the Federation are: Michigan Bakers Asso- ciations, Inc., Grand Rapids; Michigan Farm Equipment Association, Grand Rapids; Michigan Retail Coal Mer- chants Association, Lansing;- Michigan Retail Cothiers Association, Adrian; Michigan Retail Dry Goods Associa- tion, Lansing; Michigan Retail Gro- cers & Meat Dealers Association, Grand Rapids; Michigan Retail Hard- ware Association, Lansing; Michigan Retail Lumber Dealers Association, Lansing; Michigan Retail Shoe Dealers Association, Lansing; Michigan State Pharmaceutical Association, Wyan- dotte. These groups represent 22,210 Michigan retailers. The objects of the Federation, an- nounced by President Hager and incor- porated in the constitution of the Fed- eration are, “To study National, state and local governmental budgets and expenses; to submit such information to governmental bodies or officials with suggestions for constructive ac- tion; to suggest to governmental bodies and officials such changes in laws or in administration of laws that seem prac- tical for the general good and are in consonance with efficient and economi- cal government.” Harold W. Bervig, Sec’y Mich. Federation of Retail Merchants. —_»++—____ Invoice Forty-Seven Years Old Grand Rapids, Nov. 16—Here is an interesting news item. Mr. Claude E. Gillette. proprietor of the Sparta Fur- niture Co., was sorting over some old papers that had been filed by a former owner of the store. Among the papers he discovered an old invoice from H. Leonard & Sons made out to S. S. Hesseltine, of Sparta, dated March 12, 1887, for two casks of plain white dishes to the amount of $96.11. It was inter- esting to note the assortment contained such things as chambers, ewers and basins, soap dishes, ete-—big sellers then, but long since passed out of date. The shipment was made direct from our East Liverpool, Ohio, factory on March 10, 1887, over forty-seven years ago. The invoice was written in long hand, as was customary in those days. The bill of goods was sold by W. B. Collins, who was at that time sales manager for Leonard & Sons. Mr. Col- Kins later went into business for him- self and was many years identified with the wholesale jewelry trade in Grand Rapids. This may be classed as dusting off the old ones, but it makes you stop and think of the past half century and the millions of pieces of crockery and china which have been supplied in that time through a Grand Rapids house. Leonard & Sons was founded in 1844 and has been selling crockery and china continually ever since. It gives a wonderful feeling of satis- faction to have your friends think of you in the regular course of business, therefore we are greatly indebted to Mr. Gillette for bringing this old record to us, We are also delighted to say that Mr. Gillette is one of our good cus- tomers for dinnerware. His establish- ment would be a credit to any place and is as attractive as any big city store. W. G. Peterkin. Sec.-Treas. H. Leonard & Sons. +--+ Hardware Buying Active Demand for all types of hardware is above seasonal levels in the wholesale market this week. Calls for holiday goods are exceptionally heavy, with re- tailers asking for immediate delivery on the bulk of their wares. Building hardware and tools are ordered in vol- ume, as are furnace accessories and other Winter items. Wholesalers pre- dict that active purchasing will con- tinue until early next month on regu- lar goods and will carry up to the week before Christmas on holiday merchan- dise. Prices in the market are firm on practically all lines. —~»+++—___ Glassware Nears Demand Peak Demand for pressed and blown glass ware for home, table and decorative uses is advancing toward its peak for the last half of the year. The call for blown stemware and bar goods is re- ported by most producers as very good to excellent, with quite a few producers looking for a heavier demand before the holiday season draws to a close. Operations in the container industry are being maintained at a good pace, and conditions are close to normal for this period of the year. Improvement is also noted in the flat glass field. ——»++>—__ Farmers Want Return To Nor- malcy Farming breeds a spirit of stur- dy independence. The typical farmer likes to think of himself as his own boss. He doesn’t enjoy dictation. Although, naturally, many farmers rejoice over the manna which has, to their amaze- ment, fallen upon them from Washington, they dislike, resent, rebel against the official “‘snoop- ing’ inflicted upon them. They would much rather be able to con- duct their own affairs in their own way and earn their own living. Being showered with fat govern- mental checks for not producing crops and animals, just doesn’t strike them somehow as making sense—or making for rugged manhood. Restoration of business and financial confidence, fructifying in revival of activity. work, prices and profit, would be welcomed by no class more than by our he- man farmers. Mav Washineton and industry, co-operating har- moniously, speed the day. ——<—_+ >> _ Penalizing savers won’t ultimately benefit non-savers. Purchases of Farm Lands A considerable amount of Eastern money is currently going into choice farm land of the Mid- dle West, accounting in part for the greatly improved market that now exists for good agricultural land. Long-pull buyers are relying in substantial measure upon the pol- icy of the Administration to buy up and retire from cultivation poorer farm land. As a result, a sounder basis will be laid for prof- itable exploitation of better lands, which will not face competition from the products of marginal farms. Limitation of such competition will be especially significant be- cause marginal farms normally are least able to afford resort to or- derly processes of marketing. As a result, differences in price between good and poorer farm land have tended to widen, re- ports from scattered areas indi- cate. —__ eee Proceedings of the Grand Rapids Bankruptcy Court Nov. 13. On this day the schedules, reference, and adjudication in the matter of Apko Sportel, bankrupt No, 5952, were received. The bankrupt 1S a “celery farmer of @omstock, The scheduies snow total assets of $7,800 (of which $5,800 is claimed exempt), and total liabilities of $10,393.49, listing the following creditors: Brophy Chevrolet Sales Co., haiomazoo .. . iS 729.01 K. C. Kievit, Kalamaz. 0 2 $00,0€ Mrs. Ella E, Gray, Comst ock.. 500.00 Home Owner sLoan Corp., Wash- inpion, > Coo Holland Planter Co., Holland .._- Farmers Produce Co., Kalamazoo Vans Chemical Co., idolland Erne Beas Schuring Brothers, Vori: Armout Fertilizer Wor ks, 63.00 ago 420.00 tuster Brothers, Marine, Mich., and Chie. Comstock 22 ee 250 60 John M. DeYoung, Kalamazoo_- 61.19 Dr. D, J. Scholten, Kalamazoo_...- 198.00 Dr. W. M. Dewey, lKalamazoo__ 3500 Langeland Mfg Co, Muskegon__-. 141.54 Swift & Company, Harrmond, Ind. 495.00 Archie R. ‘Peer, Comstocx______-_ 48.65 Paper City Motor Sales, Walamazoo 28.75 Tether Seed Co., Paterson, N. J. 10.25 H. C. Fleckenstein, IKalamazoo__ 13.00 Little Brothers, Kalamazoo__-___- 201.60 Dillman Industries, Inc, Caruther- walle” NTO.) oe ee Armour Fertilizer Works, Chicazo 420.00 Wan’s Chemical Co., Holtland____ 63.00 Schuring Brothers, f'urtage______ 63.09 Armour Fertilizer Works, Chicago 420,00 Nov. 18. On this day the schedules, reference, and adjudication in the matter of George A. Thorsoa, bankrupt No. 5953, were received, The bankrupt is a farmer of New Era. The schedules show total assets of $911 (of which $666 is claimed exempt), and total liabilties of $5,595.13, listing the following creditors: 5&.75 State of Mich., Lansing .__._ ~..$ 100.06 Angus J. Rankin, Sie. 53.00 Rex R. Royal and Thomas Read, Shelby foc. e een 3,848.75 Anna Helferick, kes abd eo Hila Hawks, Montazue._ 790.00 C. I. Atwater & Son, “Sheiby_. 6.03 Frank Burmeister, New WHra 22.50 Howard Biarnum, Sheliy _____. 131 Byron Center State Bank..._._.__ 200.00 Churchill & Webber, New Era___. 67.00 Courier Radio Shop, Hart_ 52.00 Victor E. Coper, Shelby__ 200.00 Great Lakes Fruit Industries, Shelby 100.00 Dr. W. L. Griffin, Shelby __ . 20.00 Dr ASR: Hayton, Shelby_ ee 8.00 E. P. Johnson & Co., Shelby_ = 1.25 Kelly & Spellman, Shelby_. -- 545.00 Floyd L. Meyers, Shelby_. 24) 228.00 Miller & Raeth, Shelby_______. 4.3 Postema Brothers, New Graco. 28.75 _@. Bankn, Shetby 20.08 Shelby Roller Mills, Shelby_ $37.19 Shelby Radio Shop, She2lby__-_-- 2.00 School Dist No. 4, Claybanks ‘Township, New A io os 78.00 Sears, Roebuck & Co., Siete eee en State Bank of Whitehall__ 3.00 John M. VanderVen, New 33, 87 John VanderWali & Co., New Bra €6.00 folly Vanette, New [ra__-----_._ 3.81 Harry E. Van Arman, Shelby_ 0. L. Wilson, she, by__-... Westing & Swanson, New Peter Norberg, New Bra Edward I. Webber, Shel D. E. Ossman, Shelby_- Jacob Schiller, New Era Barnard Miller, Montague -aul Schroeder, Muskegon__-.____ Charles Omness, Montague, admin- istrator, 2 £57.40 Nov. 18. On this day the schedules, reference, and adjudication in the mat- ter of Julius Schlipp, bankrupt No. £954, were received. The bankrupt is a farmer of Coloma. The sehedules shew total assets of $540 ‘all of waich is claimed exempt), and totul liabilities of $5,085.57, listing the following creditors: Citizens Finance Cc,, Penton Har- bo ee ee Mrs. Marian Kaibel, Minneaovolis 1,259.00 Slaughterback Motor #ales, Benton Glarbpor) 22s Dr. J. W. McQ a, Dr. F. W. Brown, osu William Jerguens, Cclona. SO es 136.00 Fred Fritz, Dowagiac_ Grants Store, Coloma ._ Charles houpe, Coloma-_-_--- 15.00 Mrs. L. E. Canfield, Coloma__- Sears, Roebuck & Co., Chicago- 3.42.00 Robert Rankin, Uartford_______- 40.00 Lyle Mott, South Haven__ a 50.00 Reéeul Pelton: Coloma a $0.00 Mrs. J. B. Krause, Coloma____-_ £0.00 Gelder & Sons, Milldurg—__ - 238.00 Clarence Geisler, Ccloma________ 00.3 Helen & Charies Vogt, Coloma__ 65.00 Mich. Shore Lumber & Supply (Co.. Coloma. ee 265.83 Umphrey & Rorick, Coloma_ 173.50 Al Umphrey, Coloma___.._._ 170.38 John Rorick, Coloma. Coloma Fruit @xchan Allie Meyers, Coloma A. R. Collins, Watervlie : Thayer & Co., Benton Harbor_- 200.00 State Bank of Coloma____.____- 1,380.00 Nov. 18. On this day the s< 3 reference, and adjudication r the matt of Frank Donovan, bankrupt No. 9555, -were received. The bankrupt is a tarmer of Township of Grattan. The schedules show total of $1,768 (of which $1,010 is claimed exempt), and total lia- bilities of $10,776.16, listing the following creditors: Township Treasurer, Grattan._.__ 183.40 Township Treasurer, Oakfield____ 47.91 Federal Land Bank, St. Paul_--- 4,500.00 Barney Scally __-_ .._- Bee 000) Arthur M, Werner, Belding (judg- ment and COSts) 22002) os 8-991 60 John Hessler, Belding _. __ 160.90 Witam Ward, Beidins .__._._.. 300.00 James Dixon, Saranac —__._..__. 300.00 L. E. Johnson, Lowell..___ $3.25 Wiilam Donovan, Belding £00.00 In the matter of Lawrence Hendricks, bankrupt No. 5809. The first meeting of creditors has been called for Nov, 28. {in the matter of Gerrt J. Boeve, bank-~ rupt No. 5951. The tirst meeting of cred- itors has been called for Nov. 23. In the matter of Apko Sportel, bankrupt No. 5952. The first meeting of creditors has been called for Nov, 2°. : Nov. 15. On this day the schedules in the matter of Hermie F. Warren, debtor, were received. The bankrupt is a farmer ef) Casnovia Tovrsnip Whe sehedules show total assets of $3,050.90, (of which $1,015 is claimed exempt), and. total liabilities of $6,900, listing the following creditors: ‘laxes, State ef Mich, County of Muskegon, andi Township of Cas- NOVia ee $ 350.00 George K, Herman, Ravenni___— 2,500.00 Bankers Trust Co. Muskegon__ 1,800.00 M. Kelley, Casio: ooo, 165.90 George Rulli, Casnovia. 825.60 M Kelley, Casnovia. 20.00 eon C, Norris Wstute, Casnovia__ 190.60 Eckstrom & Saur, Grant-_.-_____ 80.00 icon Shaw, Ravenna ss 130.09 Clara Shaw, Ravenna___ 8.00 Ravenna Inecrp. Putter Co ._-. 40.00 Muskegon Savings ank_._-___.__ £0.00 ——7+2>>___ It’s great to be great, but it’s greater to be human.—Will Rogers. DAVENPORT-McLACHLAN |NSTITUTE Chartered by the State as a Class A College A PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS TRAINING FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GRADUATES Granp Rapips, MIcHIGAN ——— eh Sek tA a 2 eae Se 3 ) ) ee oe ec ee eS eh re Oe re gp was ears ee eae = ee ee ee ee ee Ser eee en oe es November 21, 1934 DRY GOODS Michigan Retail Dry Goods Association President—Jos. C. Grant, Battle Creek, First Vice-President —D, Mihlethaler Harbor Beach. : Second Vice-President—Clare R. Sperr Port Huron. pape: Secretary-Treasurer—Leon F, Rosa- crans, Tecumseh. Manager—Jason &. Hammond, Lansing. Retailers To Seek Freedom in Trade Announcement is made by the Na- tional Retail Dry Goods Association of twelve “basic principles which retail- ers in all probability will suggest to the Federal Government in the contem- plated revision of the NRA so as to restore more freedom in business rela- tionships and remove the retarding in- fluence on distribution of many provi- sions now in NRA codes.” The salient points to be advocated by the Association, it is stated, are con- tained in the report of the retailers’ protective committee of the organiza- tion, which for more tham a year has been protesting against many provi- sions in manufacturers’ codes at hear- ings in Washington. The board of directors of the Association, at a meet- ing last Wednesday, it was added, en- dorsed the report of the committee, which js headed by Walter N. Roth- schild, vice president of Abraham & Straus, Inc., Brooklyn. The twelve recommendations fol- low: 1. Manufacturers and _ wholesalers should not be permitted to control or fix retail prices. 2. Codes should not fix wholesale prices of an industry. 3. Codes should not contain changes in terms which result in hidden price increases. 4. Codes should not eliminate open and economically justifiable allowances for advertising, demonstrations or quantity purchases which speed distri- bution. 5. Codes should not shift responsi- bility for quality of merchandise from the seller by unfair returns restrictions, guarantee limitations and one-sided cancellation clauses. 6. Codes should not restrict retailers’ rights to supply the public with varie- ties and qualities of wanted merchan- dise by production. limitation, air-tight consignment clauses and outlawing of cut-make-and-trim by such manufac- turers who have complied with the code of their industry. 7. Codes should not shift legitimate manufacturing costs from seller to buy- er by imposing extra shipping charges, packing costs, rehandling, fees and re- pair charges, 8. Codes should not arbitrarily im- pose marketing conditions through uni- form sales contracts or one-sided con- tract limitations. 9. Codes should not permit arbitrary classifications of customers which im- pose discriminatory differentials. : 10. Codes should not set up price control devices that promote industry price levels beyond the buying power ‘of consumers. 11. Manufacturers’ and wholesalers’ codes should prohibit retail selling to consumers competing with retailers on whom such industries depend principal- ly for their business. MICHIGAN 12. Retailing should be subject only to regulation byy one code—the Master Retail Code, Mr. Rothschild, in commenting upon the recommendations, said: “On these basic principles the Na- tional Retail Dry Goods Association has urged specific modification of codes that affect retailing since the beginning of the NRA. It is our feeling that these principles, based on observation and experience, form a sound and con- structive program for the future of the NRA.” —_2+>—___ Michigan Is Asked To Curb Jail Out- put The National Association of Work Shirt Manufacturers, through its exec- utive secretary, Harry Rogen, has tele- graphed Gov. William A. Comstock of Michigan to accede to its request that he order an investigation of various subversive practices in relation to the production and sale of Michigan prison merchandise. The message to the Governor follows: “We respectfully request an investi- gation of certain activities of the prison department of Michigan which reflect no credit on the great commonwealth of which you are the honored head. We believe you will find these activties to be a gross breach of the principles of comity and equity in interstate rela- tions and a serious injury to the busi- ness and labor not only of New York, but of your State as well. “As you are no doubt aware, the three Michigan penal institutions, at Jackson, Ionia and Marquette, under the name of Michigan State Industries, operate large plants for the manufac- ture of overalls, shirts and pants which are marketed in competition with pri- vate manufacturers. The sale of con- vict-made goods is illegal in over a score of States, among them New York, which abandoned the production of goods in its prisons for the open market nearly fifty years ago. In spite of this, Michigan State Industries has recently established a sales office in New York City. The output of your prisons is sold in competition not only with New York, but also Michigan manufacturers. The consequences are, as pointed out repeatedly by Federal investigations, factories abandoned or running on part time, unemployment and bankruptcy. “We not only admit. but proclaim that men in cages cannot be kept idle, but submit that they can be kept em- ployed without demoralizing the gen- eral market. Our leaflet “Solution of the Convict Labor Problem,’ inclosed herewith, points the way. A ‘score of states and advanced foreign countries have found out how to avoid the twin evils of prison idleness and outside de- moralization and unemployment. Why not Michigan? May we ask you there- fore to order an investigation with a view to having your state recede from its undignified position of aiding and abetting the violation of the law of a sister state?” —_++>—__—_ When fortune smiles upon a man he congratulates himself upon his own in- telligence. When misfortune frowns he looks for a goat. TRADESMAN Cheaper Silks Growing Scarce A marked scarcity of cheaper silks and rayons is developing as a result of the Paterson tie-up and the preference being shown by dyers in other areas for turning out the better-grade fab- rics. Premiums of 2'%4 to 5 cents per yard are being paid on finished goods. Orders from the dress trade are not heavy at the moment, owing to the slowness in this industry. The problem of delivery of silks is particularly acute for the undergarment trades, which cannot get sufficiently large supplies of wanted colors and fabrics. While the Pennsylvania dyers are operating full, they are most active on the better- grade acetates. ———_»++—_—_ Holiday Imports Sell Freely Christmas buying this week brought a sharp rise in activity to importers of practically all kinds of consumer merchandise. Smokers’ articles, wines and liquors, food specialties, toys, nov- elty giftwares and several apparel ac- cessory lines were included in orders placed by buyers. The purchases cov- ered substantial quantities of goods and provided a sharp contrast to the small orders which retailers placed in the wholesale markets before Christmas last year. Some interest in Spring mer- chandise is already being shown by re- tailers handling piece goods and ap- parel lines, importers said. ——_—_~+<+.+_____ Corporations Wound Up The following Michigan corporations have recently filed notices of dissolu- tion with the Secretary of State: Eager, Inc., Detroit. Shechter and Cohen, Detroit. Dome Development Corp., High- land Park. Franklin Press Building Co., Detroit. New Whittier, Inc., Detroit. S. A. Robinson, Inc., Detroit. George F. Murray System, Inc., Detroit. Benzonia Waterworks, Benzonia. Federal Motor Truck Co. of Cali- fornia, Detroit. Saeger-Smith Land Co., Ltd., De- troit. Universal Dairies, Inc., Detroit. American Airways, Inc., Detroit. Porcelain Enamel and Manufactur- ing Co., of Baltimore, Detroit. Battle Creek Equipment Co., Battle Creek. Double Action Manufacturing Corp., Grand Rapids. 15 General Fixtures Co., Detroit. Aural Phonetic Institute, Inc., Grand Rapids. Columbus Metal Tire Cover Co. Glennie Mercantile Co., Glennie. Jam Shops, Inc., Detroit. Luke J. Leonard & Co., Inc., De- troit. Q-C Engineering & Tool Sales, Inc., Highland Park. Sawyer Manufacturing Co., Hudson. Vandemark- Cooper, Inc., Battle Creek. Wolverine By-Products, Inc., Rock- ford. American Plub Co., Ann Arbor. Permanent Concrete Products, Inc., Kalamazoo. Wolverine Sheet Metal and Ventilat- ing Corp., Detroit. 3everage Industries Corp., Detroit. Mary and McKee, Inc., Detroit. Old Kent Corp., Grand Rapids. White Castle System of Eating Houses Corp., Detroit. Cudahy Packing Co., of Nebraska, Ishpeming, Jacobs Embossing Co., Detroit. Oakland-Campau Corp., Detroit. Vanborn Land Co., Detroit. Ae Wise Men Say— That little men have short tempers. That it is not work that kills men, it is worry. That if you and your job are not friends, part company. That the longer you live, if you live right, the less you think of yourself. That following the line of least resis- tance is what makes rivers and men crooked. That determination reduces hard work to nothing; procrastination makes hard work out of nothing. That to keep watching, to keep working, to let the brain and hand go together—that is the secret of success. That if you divide the mind, you scat- ter the effort. It is not only neces- sary to concentrate but it is necessary to concentrate on one thing at a time. That the man who is an optimist is usually a success, for his mind is never worrying about the reasons why a thing cannot be done. He doesn’t think that way. ——_>->—___ Laughter is the saving emotion of the human race, when genuine, for from its presence the cynic flees, the pessimist retreats, the misanthrope is driven to cover. The 320 Houseman Bldg. One of the 72 Selected Companies of the FEDERATION of MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO’S GRAND RAPIDS Merchants Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Affiliated with the Michigan Retail Dry Goods Association GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN Phone 95221 16 HOTEL DEPARTMENT Prosecute Criminally Offenders Who Defraud Hotels Los Angeles, Nov. 17—Paul Simon, the noted hotel financial authority, in a recent address, made the statement that “if all th ehotel rooms were rated 50 cents higher, and the price of meals, etc., were increased in the same pro- portion, it would not keep a single per- son at home who for any reason at all has to travel.” Yet because each indi- vidual hotel is afraid of other individ- ual hotels, during the depression prices for all hotel service have been driven lower and lower. Yet the operator of any hostelry can in five minutes figure out what it woud mean to him if he obtained even 25 cents additional for each occupied room. Apropos of all Lucius Boomer, a _ leading hotel operator, New York, states that hotel patronage is increasing encouragingly, but that government problems have been officially inflicted upon the in- dustry. In New York October’s hotel receipts averaged over 20 per cent. larger than a year ago, and for the copntry at large the improvement in- dicated fully 15 per cent. This gain has been achieved in face of somewhat lower rates, notwithstanding that NRA has raised costs without preventing uncontrolled, even suicidal, competition. Restaurant departments, due inostly to beverages, have increased receipts fully 50 per cent. But net increases are com- paratively small. Mr. Boomer enum- erates increased payrolls, dearer sup- plies, heavier taxes, greater expense for building services. “Before the hotel business is capable of earning anything for investors or even of generally meet- ing mortgage obligations, substantial increases in rates wil have to be made,” he declares. “First-class hotels in New York City are charging for rooms only from 50 to 60 per cent. of the schedules which existed for many years prior to the boom years. It had been hoped that NRA, in imposing great additional cost, would do something compensa- tory. Such action not having occurred, it is now necessary for hotels, in self- preservation, to increase rates. Gen- eral prosperity should make this pos- sible. I therefore anticipate a tendency to increased business activity will grad- ually bring about a favorable change in the economic condition of hotels.” In Detroit, Paul Shapero, David P. Katz and their associates of the Dover Hotel Co., have leased the Eddystone Hotel and have taken over the opera- tion of this 150 room property. Messrs. Shapero and Katz are supervising the management of the Eddystone, as well as other units in their chain. Ed. Jenter, who has been manager of the Eddystone for the past nine years, remains with the front office force. The Dover Hotel corporation was formed two years ago to take over the Hotel ‘Madrid, which was renamed the Dover. A year ago this company also took over the Royal Palm. Both the Royal Palm and Eddystone were originally units of the Tuller chain. Chicago hotels have organized to op- pose a meal tax which has been pro- posed by the Illinois legislature. It is the opinion of the attorneys represent- ing the hotels and caterers that such a move is illegal. However, such taxes are being collected in Michigan, Cali- fornia and other states and there is little comment over the arrangement. In California the sum total of all sales taxes for the past year have exceeded $37,000,000 and very few are disturbed over the levy. ‘The International Stewards’ and Cat- erers’ Association met at Hotel Book- Cadillac, Detroit, last week, to hear an address by Frank Smith, international president, -as well as addresses by Ralph T. Lee, president of the Michi- MICHIGAN gan Hotel Association; M. V. McKin- non, president of the Detroit Hotel As- sociation and a report by Prof. Proulx, of the Michigan State College Hotel School, which is sponsored by the state hotel organization. Due to an amendment to the Cali- fornia state constitution, at the recent election, the saloon operator finds him- self very much up against a high wall. Beer will-henceforth be the only com- modity offered over the bar. Other liquors will only be dispensed by li- censed cafes, and the licensee will be compelled to run the gauntlet of a commission as to his morals and par- ticular fitness for the job. I note that among the visitors in New York last week, in attendance at the National Hotel Exposition, Grand Rapids was ably represented by J. Bingham Morris, manager of Hotel Rowe. Some of the Eastern hotels are mak- ing offerings of the flesh of th eseal as an article of food. Why not that of the elephant and various fauna, too numer- ous to mention? I have maintained that using the family pet, the rabbit, for culinary purposes, is drawing pretty close to the border line, but of course, the earth is revolving constantly. Joseph Denawitz, of the Detroit-Le- land front office force and secretary of Michigan Charter 29 of the Greeters, was married recently to Miss Mary Lou Sheffer, secretary in the promo- tion department of that hotel. The management of the hotel tendered them a royal reception. Upton Sinclair, late candidate in the gubernatorial contest in California, says he is glad his opponent, Governor Merriam, carried off the sweepstakes. Presumably for the reason that it re- leaves him of the responsibility of car- rying out the notion of two cars in every garage and double portions of poultry in the Dutch oven. Doctor Moore pounced down on me the other day and claimed my condi- tion indicated the necessity of an “air- ing.” I got it! Firstly he snatched me out on Foothill Boulevard to San Bernardino, Redlands, Beaumont and Banning and down the Eastern slope of the pass to the desert. Just beyond the big bridge over the Whitewater, we left the boulevard and climbed steeply up the road that leads out across the Devil’s Garden, past San Jacinto and San Gregonio mountains, both carry- ing their first winter coat of snow. Over desert roads we quickly reached the brown wall of the Little San Ber- nardinos and climbed the Dry Mor- ongo to the Morongo Valley. Here a pleasant surprise awaited us, for many miles have recently been paved with an oil mix, and the long, black smooth rib- bon road leads clear over the Morongo pass and for some length in the Yucca Valley, encouraging my doctor chauf- feur to speed up a trifle, a considerable departure from his usual habit. Well, we loped alongside the Bullion, Pinto and Sheephole ranges and sped along to Twenty-Nine Palms, where we pro- ceeded to attach the feed bag. There was time enough there to walk to the cluster of ancient palms that gives the place its name, and see their majestic columns sithouetted against the sun- light. From Twenty-Nine Palms we set out on a sandy desert road that climbs south from this Oasis up the long desert slope to the mountains. Entering the canyon that divides the Hexie and Pinto ranges we crossed the boundary of San Bernardino and Riv- erside counties and a short distance beyond turned to the right on the road to Split Rock Tank and the well- known Bill Keys‘ ranch. Here begins some of the most beautiful and spec- tacular desert scenery in Southern Cal- ifornia. Gigantic, rounded domes of TRADESMAN granite, weathered into fantastic shapes, rise above the desert floor. The ele- vation is between 4,000 and 5,000 feet, and the desert sky has the magnificent blue that belongs to the higher alti- tudes. There is a perfect forest of Joshua trees, and green junipers cling among the giant rocks. An irresisti- ble temptation to stop and explore among the strange granite formations is everywhere afforded. The climber is said to be rewarded here and there by majestic views of Mts. San Jacinto and San Gregonio that peer into this strange country from their vast eleva- tions. At Bill Keys’ ranch, tucked into a little corner of the granite walls, we were afforded the opportunity to Bill Keys’ View. An eight-mile gradual climb takes one to the summit of the Little San Bernardinos, where a tre- mendous panorama over the Colorado desert is spread below, with the green ranches of the Indio section contrast- ing strangely with the barren desert floor, and the sapphire blue waters of the Salton Sea mingling with the blue desert sky on the Southern horizon. When you make your proposed trip to California this winter, take a can- teen of water and a lunch, for emer- gency cases, but be sure and make this trip. It represents approximately 325 miles travel—just a good day’s average for the enthusiastic newcomer, and this sight-seeing is all thrown in. Doctor Store, Office and Restaurant Equipment G.R.STORE FIXTURE CO. 7 lonia Ave., N.W. Phone 8-6027 Warm Friend Tavern Holland, Mich. Is truly a friend to all travelers. All room and meal rates very reasonable. Free private parking space. JAMES HOEKSEMA, Manager November 21, 1934 An Entire City Block of Hospitality Have You Seen Our New ®@ Cocktail lounge — Popular afternoon and evening rendez- vous, @ “Pub,” our famous Tony at the service bar. Delicious 60c lunches and $1 dinners. “Dantlin GRAND RAPIDS 750 ROOMS $2 UP Hotel and Restaurant Equipment Glassware, China, Silverware H. LEONARD & SONS 38-44 Fulton St., W. GRAND RAPIDS - MICHIGAN THE ROWE GRAND RAPIDS The Most Popular Hotel in Western Michigan 300 ROOMS — SHOWERS SERVIDOR Direction of American Hotels Corp. J. Leslie Kincaid, President “ MORTON 400 ROOMS EACH WITH BATH $1.50 up ‘Grand Rapids’ Friendly Hotel Phil Jordan, Manager CODY HOTEL GRAND RAPIDS RATES—$1 up without bath, $2.00 up with bath. CAFETERIA IN CONNECTION ALL GOOD ROADS LEAD TO IONIA AND THE REED INN Excellent Dining Room Rooms $1.50 and up MRS. GEO. SNOW, Mangaer Park Place Hotel Traverse City Rates Reasonable—Service Superb Location Admirable GEO. ANDERSON, Mgr. ALBERT J. ROKOS, Ass’t Mgr. New Hotel Elliott STURGIS, MICH. 50 Baths 50 Running Water European D. J. GEROW, Prop. Occidental Hotel FIRE PROOF CENTRALLY LOCATED Rates $2.00 and up EDWARD R. SWETT, Mgr. Muskegon ote Michigan Columbia Hotel KALAMAZOO ’ Good Place To Tie To See ee ee eee ee pore Se oe ae ae November 21, 1934 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN. 17 Moore said he was going to give me an “airing.” I reiterate that he did! Looks as though another heroic mark had been hung up. Press dispatches tell of a Minnesota man who recently ate fifteen pounds of saurkraut in as many minutes. Any wastrel who has dabbled in this delicacy will know that to put away a pound of kraut a minute is a gargantuan undertaking. Those who are using it for medicine would probably say it was an overdose. One of my hotel friends out here grasps my idea of operating a real home-like institution in a discourse of very small compass: “Get back just a small amount of ‘ye old landlord greet- ing’ and remove about one-third of the unnecessary service. Sure, put out a little salve, but make it tasteful. Too much effort is being made to make the new hotels the most palatial in the world (with not enough customers for this type if they have to pay in propor- tion to its worth.) Provide motor stor- age with the room price, provide for the $2.50 guest and build accordingly so you can eliminate as far as possible the outstretched hand for tips, and in its place, substitute the outstretched hand of hospitality and cordiality.” Hotels throughout the country are giving much attention to the matter of mutual insurance. For no apparent reason hotel rates have been made to conform to hazard classification, while in reality they are preferred risks. The newer structures are invariably fire- proof and the casualties among the older structures have been negligible in their character. Stock insurance companies have recently discovered that the hotel risk is desirable business and some of them are specializing on same. In some sections of the coun- try state hotel organizations possess a stability which would warrant them in entering the underwriting field ond for one I see no reason why they could not accomplish a great saving for mem- bers if they undertook this class of pro- tection. The American Hotel Association, at its recent meeting, placed itself on record on a very important topic when it requested its membership to adhere strictly to the policy of prosecuting criminally, instead of compromising with offenders who defraud hotels. If restitution is offered by or on behalf of such offenders, before the acceptance thereof, the secret service department will make an effort to find out if such is a first offense, in which case leniency may be permitted. Otherwise the cul- prit will be prosecuted to the full ex- tent. Many thousand dollars annually have been lost to hotel operators through the passing of worthless checks and also by what are known as “skippers”—individuals who fade away without lingering at the cashier’s desk on their way out. The pioneer national organization, succeeded by the A. H. A., supplied a service which was of unquestioned benefit in locating frauds of this character, and the same or even more stringent methods will be applied hereafter. Frank S. Verbeck. —_»++>—__ Items From the Cloverland of : Michigan Sault Ste. Marie, Nov. 21— The mighty army of hunters has arrived and is combing the woods. Records show that from Nov. 9 to 14 for the five days a total of 5,676 down-state hunters’ cars crossed Northbound, as compared with 5,235 last year—an in- crease of 241. Hunters estimated at four to a car, increased from 20,940 to 22,704. At Drummond Island it was reported that 208 cars and 521 pas- sengers had crossed on Tuesday night. This is more than last year and Wed- nesday and Thursday was expected to boost the total. The army of hunters out to make the most of the fifteen day season were scattered over eighteen North counties of the Lower Penin- sula and fifteen counties of the Upper Peninsula. Estimates placed nearly 40,000 hunters in the woods above the straits alone and at least 50,000 in both peninsulas. At least 25 per cent. more hunters thn a year ago were reported in the Standish region. Conservation officers reported that the number of women hunters apparently increased this year. Hunters moved into the Northbound camps in motor cars with trailers attached, fortified against the weather for the next two weeks. State officers took every precaution to warn the marksmen against the dangers of hunting, especially this year, with the North woods inhabited-in many places by Civilian Conservation Corps men. So far only two accidents have been reported. The Gannon Grocery, a wholesale house at Iron Mountain, was destroyed by fire last Monday, with a capacity stock, valued at between $60,000 and $80,000. Fire fighters said they believe the cause was defective wiring. Things we think will move along slowly are much more prone to move fast. This is one of the facts which mot disconcert us as we go through fe. H. A. Appelton, 71, former Sault resident, died at his home at Toronto, Ont., last Friday night, after an illness of a few days, following a stroke of paralysis. For two different periods Mr. Appleton lived in this city. The first time about thirty years ago and then again for ten years prior to about 1924. Mr. Appleton will be remem- bered here as the man who promoted the formation of a company to con- struct a railroad from the Sault to Les Cheneaux. It was known as the Soo- Snows railroad company. John Dion, who for the past thirty- two years has been engaged in the meat business, has sold out to Adolph Wandler & Sons, who will conduct the business under the name of Superior Meat Market at 213 W. Portage ave- nue. Mr. Wandter, Sr., is an expe- rienced meat and sausage expert, hav- ing learned the business in Germany before immigrating to the United States, over thirty years ago. The Wandlers have been employed by the Pittsburg Supply Co., having charge of their meat department for many years. They will continue the business with a fine selection of the best meats and homemade sausages and should make a success of their new venture. They have the best wishes of their many friends. Key of Happiness: So live that the sound of the postman opening your mailbox will bring joy, instead of the mere announcement that another in- stallment is due. Thomas Macki’s Cloverland Oil Co., of Rudyard, has been designated agent and distributor in three counties for the Phillips Petroleum Co. motor oils and gasoline, it was announced last week by E. S. Nelson, Grand Rapids, representative for Western Michigan. Three 66 stations are located in the Sault. Alex Bush,, for the past several years employed by the Sault Co-op. Mercan- tile Ass’n, has entered in the grocery business on his own account in the store formerly kncwn as the Bosely grocery on Maple street in the East end of the city. The location is one of the best in that neighborhood, thickly populated and near the Union Carbide plant. Mr. Bush should make a suc- cess of his new venture. : Some wives want to be loved, hon- ored and obeyed, but the majority seem to be satisfied if they are just obeyed. William G. Tapert. —++>—__—_ Russian scientists have found that the development of micro-organisms, especially in the presence of moisture and oxygen, is primarily responsible for the spontaneous heating of grain. Proprietors of Drug Store for Eighty Years Lapeer, Nov. 17—For almost eighty years the Vincents—father and son— have passed out cures for Lapeer’s ills, from stomach ache to falling hair. Within the walls of their store they have watched the fashion in cures change as it changes in everything else, and they have been confidants for enough secrets to shake the city loose from its foundations. In earlier days, even more than to- day, the druggist was peculiarly the friend and father confessor to his pa- trons. The Vincent. store was tied even more closely to its customers since the elder Vincent, Shadrach N., was post- master as well as druggist. His post- office was the center for news during the Civil War. Many a night during the dark pe- riods of the war, silent, gloomy groups gathered in the postoffice and awaited the post, sometimes remaining until 2 or 3 a. m. for the latest news from the front. In those days also the people beieved the postmaster to be directly their servant. They had no hesitancy in awakening him in the early hours of the morning to ask for their mail, James T. Vincent, the son and succes- sor to the business, recalls. James Vincent has been behind the counter of S. N. Vincent & Son’s store since he left the University of Michi- gan in 1880. He assumed active man- agement of the business in the 90’s. His father established the business in 1855 and, according to drug trade journal writers, no other drug store in the country has been under the di- rection of a father and son for so long a time. The elder Vincent was named post- paster. by President Lincoln and held office for twenty-eight years. He also served as mayor of Lapeer for four terms in addition to running a saw mill, cigar factory, farm and other minor businesses. A grandson, Shad- rach W., is following the family tra- dition and is now a wholesale druggist in Miami, Fla. Dean, second son of the elder Vincent, escaped the drug busi- ness and is now president of the Port- land Trust and Savings Bank, of Port- land, Ore. The present store has been in the same location for fifty-one years. Until his death at 94 on Dec. 29, 1927, the elder Vincent was reguarly in the store although his son managed the business allowing the elder Vincent more time for talking politics with patrons, a pas- time in which he delighted. The business had its birth in the practice of Dr. Wesley Vincent, broth- er of Shadrach and a pioneer physician of Lapeer. As a necessity he main- tained a pharmacist’s shop which he surrendered to his brother as his prac- tice grew. ——_+-+ Business Will Have More Voice in Government Important ‘indices of business showed no material changes during the week, indicating that business remained at a level approximating that of a year ago. However, there were some signs of business emerging from the stag- nation of a few months ago. Even the business reports remain mixed. Steel production increased slightly contra- seasonally. Electric power production showed some increase. Retail sales continue to make a very good showing. Car loadings, bank debits and loans and discounts declined, however. No outstanding improvement in business over the near future is anticipated. Much has been said and written about the changed attitude of the ad- ministration towards business and the general economic problem, as well as possible co-operation of business and Government. Regardless of the vari- ous conflicting accounts and_ state- ments there are definite indications of more sober reflections on the prob- lems involved. The lifting of restric- tions on the export of capital suggests more stability in the dollar and less anticipation of monetary experiments. The labor policy now seems to indi- cate no special favor to either labor or employer. Administration of the NRA is expected to be more moder- ate with greater emphasis upon price relationships. Although various de- mands and additional spending will be made, the recent announcement that no additional applications for HOLC loans will be accepted and intimation that the RFC will ask for no more accommodations, indicates some change in attitude towards Government spend- ing. Also the President recently in- ferred that social legislation, other than unemployment insurance, might have to await improved business conditions. The recent co-operative attempts of business and the administration indi- cates that business will have more voice in future policies. Jay H. Petter. ————_2+<-___ Deadlocked on Steel Company Data Further time may be required for the completion of the joint study by the National Industrial Recovery Board and the Federal Trade Commission on the basing point system in the fixing of steel prices, although Chairman S. Clay Williams of N. I. R. B. is hopeful of having a report ready when due about December 4. Delay, it is said, will be charge- able to the insistance of the Fed- eral Trade Commission that it be furnished with intimate facts on steel company activities with re- spect to their price system, on the - one hand, and support allegedly given the American Iron and Steel Institute by the Recovery Admin- istration in its resistance to com- plying with the commission’s de- mands. — 7.2 >____ Roosevelt to Trim Salaries The administration, it is rum- ored, quietly is ‘“‘lopping”’ off sal- aries at the top of the list to bring them into harmony with the re- muneration of those who hereto- fore suffered wage reductions. Cuts of as much as $2,500 per annum in individual instances are understood to have been made in the move for economy demanded by President Roosevelt. The Comptroller General, it is said, also has ruled against the payment of certain salaries where employ- ment did not seemingly warrant the wage. This is regarded as op- position to political appointments against which there has been much opposition. Vast savings are expected to result. The only way in which one human being can properly attempt to influ- ence another is by encouraging him to think for himself, instead of endeavor- ing, to instil ready-made opinions into his head. aisle eae aca aa asi a Saab tah iach 18 DRUGS Michigan Board of Pharmacy President—Earl Durham, Corunna. Vice-President—M. N. Henry, Lowell. Other members of the Board—Norman Weess, Evart; Frank T. Gillespie, St. Joseph; Victor C. Piaskowski, Detroit. Director—E, J. Parr, Lansing. Examination Sessions — Three sessions are held each year, one in Detroit, one in the Upper Peninsula and one at Ferris Institute, Big Rapids. Michigan State Pharmaceutical Association. . President—J. E. Mahar, Pontiac. Ex-President—Duncan Weaver, Fenn- ville, First Vice-President—Ben Peck, Kala- mazoo, Second Vice-President—Joseph Maltas, Sault Ste. Marie. _ Treasurer—Henry Hadley, Benton Har- or. Secretary—Clare F. Allan, Wyandotte. Executive Committee — M. Henry (chairman), Lowell; Benjamin S. Peck, Kalamazoo; A. A. Sprague, Ithaca; Leo J. Lacroix, Detroit; James W. Lyons, Detroit; Ray Jenson, Grand Rapids; Dun- can Weaver, Fennville. Election of Officers and Adoption of Resolutions President: Our next report will be that of the Nominating Committee, Mr. Frank Jones. Mr. Jones: For President—Paul Gib- son, Ann Arbor; J. Ernest Mahar, Pontiac; and Nick Heeres, Muskegon. For First Vice President—Ben Peck, Kalamazoo; Marvin Tomlin, Port Hu- ron; John Miller, Plainwell. For Sec- ond Vice President — Glenn Staines, Detroit; Roy T. Smith, Chesaning; Joe Maltas, Sault Ste. Marie. Treasurer— Pete McFarlane, Lansing: A. B. Clem- ent, Traverse City; Henry Hadley, Benton Harbor. Secretary—Clare Al- len, Wyandotte; F. B. Drolet, Niles; Bill Taft, Lansing. Executive Com- mittee—Nort Henry, Lowell; Frank Jones, Battle Creek; James Lyons, De- troit; Louis Middleton, Grand Rapids; Howard Hurd, Flint and Guy Phillips, Holland. Trustee Prescott Memorial Fund—Charles Stocking. President: You have heard the re- port of the Nominating Committee, what is your pleasure? Mr. Maltas: I would like to have my name withdrawn. I feel you need officers who can work. President: I would like to say a word, I had the privilege of calling on Joe Maltas last September and I want to say for his benefit and for the State Association I don’t think we have a better worker than Joe. I believe every druggist in his county is a mem- ber of the Association through his ef- forts. His name was put on at the unanimous consent of that Committee. I think if we should place a vice-pres- ident in the Upper Peninsula it would be nothing more than what the people up there have a right to expect from the Association. To my knowledge we have never had a vice-president North of the Straits, perhaps years ago, but not to my knowledge, and I heartily endorse him for the position MICHIGAN if he will go on and serve. He has done wonderful work for the Associa- tion. We have no other paid member- ships in the Upper Peninsula except from Chippewa county and that is Joe’s county. Mr. Staines: I would like to with- draw my name. He is active up there and his name should be on because it helps to get memberships throughout the state and I would like to have all the support for Vice-President go to Joe Maltas. President: That is a question for the convention The by-laws specify we must have three men for every position, so I think in view of that you should leave your name on and make the third ‘man and that will make it in conform- ity with the by-laws. Mr. Staines: Then fellows, when you are voting, vote for Joe Maltas. President: I sincerely appreciate Mr. Staines’ position and it is mighty fine of him to get up and make the state- ment he has, but we also know the good work the has done in Detroit and the Detroit Association, to my knowl- edge, has more pep that it has had for many years. We are still waiting for a support to the acceptance of the Nominating Committee report. Motion supported that the report be accepted. Motion carried. President: The next item of busi- ness is something not on the program. We have a gentleman in our midst who has been in the drug business for sixty years, been a paying member for fifty-two years to my knowledge and is one of the original founders and I will ask Mr. Vandecar at this time to give us a little message. (All rise to pay homage to Mr. Van- decar.) Mr. Vandecar: Mr. Chairman and brother pharmacists, I wasn’t aware that I was to be called upon to-day for a speech. I haven’t very much to say— only that I have enjoyed the drug busi- ness for sixty years since I went be- hind the counter. I worked four years for another party, then his health failed him and he went to Florida and I ran it for fifty-seven years in my own name. I haven’t been so much of a success, but I have had enough to eat more than half the time. I am gilad to be here and just as long as I remain the way I am I shall attend the M. S. P. A. convention as long as the expenses are not too high and it is not too far I am mighty glad to be here My interest is with you and away. with you. (Continued on page 22) Complete modern Drug Store fixtures for sale at a great sacrifice, consisting of plate glass sliding door wall case, show cases, cash registers, count- ers, back bar soda fountain and utensils, ete. ABE DEMBINSKY, Liquidator 171 Ottawa Ave., N. W. Grand Rapids Michigan YPSILANTI oem 0am cam Came 0amD 0ame: ‘e Increase your Sales without a cent of Investment Write for full information. JOSEPH P. WENZEL Manufacturers’ Outlet 0 CD 0 Monthly Report of Michigan Hardware Association (Continued from page 1) Rogers Publicity Dept., Minneapolis (9) Rogers Redempt. Bureau, Minn=- apolis Rogers Silv. Natl. Dist., Detroit Royal China Inc., Sebring, Ohio Sales Plus. Adv. Corp., Chicago (43 Saxon China Co., Chicago (4) Security Sales Syn., Chicago (1) Sec. Silverware Adv. Co., Chicago (4) Silverware Adv. Co., Chicago (4) Silverware Redemp. Bureau, Chi- cago (4) Silverware Sales Syn., Chicago (+4) Surplus & Waste Materials, Phila- delphia Tourists League of Am., Cleveland Truscon Refrigerators, Indianapolis U.S. Credit Bureau, Los Angeles (5) U. S. Detec. Bureau (7) United Advertisers, Omaha (6) Wayne Display Co.,. lowa Western Paper Co., Peoria, [linois (1) Same promoters. (2) Operates under 4 names. (3) Operates under 8 names. (4) Same promoters. (5) Same promoters. (6) Same promoters. (7) Same promoters. (8) Operate un- der 8 names. (9) Same promoters. (10) Same promoters. Housing Act. A bulletin explaining how merchants and contractors may cooperate on the Better Housing irc- gram sponsored by the government under the National Housing Act, is mailed members herewith. This book- let explains, in complete detail the methods of assisting your customers in arranging for credit, how to cooperate in the campaign and the proper direc- tion of sales activities. This office has a supply of the “Check Lists,” a 30 page pamphlet, to be used by Home Owners contemplating repair work or modernization. If these are not avaii- able from a local committee, send this office a postcard mentioning the num- ber of copies you desire. The limit to one firm is ten. One dealer says about the Housing Act. “I don’t know what the rest of the members are doing, but bel‘eve me, they should get behind this movement at once if they have not already, as it will pay them big dividends. You would be surprised how the average citizen hates to go to the bank alone for a loan of this kind. Al! he needs is a little help and encouragement. It is surprising how many different inter- ested parties have come to us. We have succeeded, in nearly every case, in getting the loan through for them, in which case we have sold them paint or roofing, hardware ana many other sundry lines allowed under this plan. In each case we have enjoyed a nice profit, and at the same time building up a world of good will.” There is business to be had under the National Housing Act. What are you doing to route that business your way? Government Bulletins. The follow- ing government bulletins, published by the U. S. Department of Agricuture, furnish some valuable information un- der the titles named. They can be ordered from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C., for 5c each (stamps not accepted) or, while our supply lasts, from this office (stamps accepted): No. 1452—Painting on the Farm. No. 1426—Farm Plumbing. No. 1513—Convenient Kitchens. No. 1460—Simple plumbing repairs. No. 927—Farm Home Conven- iences. No. 97—Saving Fuel in Heating a House, Regrets and Condolences. With re- gret we mention the death of Mrs. Chas. H. Miller, wife of Past President Chas. H. Miller of Flint. Charlie’s friends will grieve with him over this heavy loss. George Hutchinson, of the firm of Lamont & Huntchinson, Hart, died of heart disease on Oct. 15. Bruce Rutledge, of Roscommon, who has been ill for several weeks, died a short time ago. Past President Rankin’s Fortieth An- niversary Sale. A. J. Rankin put on a most interesting fortieth anniversary sale that has attracted widespread at- tention, being published in the, Hard- ware Retailer and Michigan Trades- man. The sale was well planned, well executed and very successful. A let- ter, going to his customers, which ac- companied the circular was exception- ally interesting in his comparison of conditions 40 years ago when the Ran- kin store was started, and now. Through the use of direct mail adver- tising the Rankin Hardware store has tripled its trade territory in the past few years. They’re Remodeling. Store plans have recently been made for Green- ville Hardware Co., Greenville; Wm. Montague & Son, Ovid; W. W. Parks, Detroit; Central Hardware Co., Mus- kegon; Smith-Crampton Hardware Co., Royal Oak; Leo Garrett Hard- ware, Detroit; Lowe’s Hardware, De- troit. 1935 will see more extensive and numerous alterations than have been made for many years. If you have a store arrangement problem write your association. H. W. Bervig, Sec’y Mich, Retail Hdwe. Ass’n. yu SS) en he Se ee En Be WHAT MAIL ORDER HOUSES DO NOT DO. The retail catalogue houses do not buy the farmer’s produce. -They do not buy the farmer’s stock and hogs. They do not help to educate the farmer's children. They do not pay any taxes in your community. They do not help support your schools, churches and charitable insti- tutions. They do not encourage the farmer’s boys or young men in small cities to engage in business. They do not help to build your roads or care for your streets. They do not sell you as good a grade of goods as you can buy in your own home town. They do not show you goods before you pay for them. They do not deliver promptly the goods you buy from them. They do not advocate the building up of country towns. They do not oppose the centralization of business in the large cities. They do not, in return for the farmer consumer’s trade, who buy their clothing, household goods, farm implements, etc., from them, buy the farm- er’s butter, eggs, cheese, grain or wood. They do not buy your grain, butter, cheese and stock from pictures and pay in advance, the same as you do. They do not buy anything from the farmer or consumer from a picture. They do not spend one dollar with the farmer or consumer. They never spend one dollar with your local merchants. They do not furnish employment to a single resident of your com- munity. They do not extend to you credit the same as does the local merchant, when you are hard up. They do not sympathize with you when you have sickness in your family. They do not sympathize with you when your wife or children are taken from you. They do not care for anything or anybody, except for your money. They do not care for anything or anybody, except for themselves. They do not want to see your local merchant prosper in business. Do you ever see one dollar of their money? THEN WHAT IN CREATION DO WE WANT THEM FOR? IF YOUR BUSINESS IS INTERRUPTED BY FIRE. YOUR LOSS OF PROFITS AND OVERHEAD COST SHOULD BE PROTECTED BY MUTUAL USE and OCCUPANCY INSURANCE THROUGH THE MILL MUTUALS AGENCY MUTUAL BUILDING LANSING MICHIGAN DETROIT SAGINAW GRAND RAPIDS @ @ Today’s BIG NEWS in the grocery world FLEISCHMANN’S XR YEAST more effective ... more healthful. Contains newly discovered yeast “strain” or variety and supplies vitamins A, B, D and G. Quickly corrects constipation and those mal-conditions that may come from this ailment, such as indigestion, skin disorders, fre- quent headaches and rundown condition. The greatest health advertising campaign in American history is now featuring the new Fleischmann’s XR Yeast from coast to coast in newspapers, magazines and by radio. A great demand is being created. Millions are now buying this new and better health-building yeast. |R. Get in line. Try Fleischmann’s XR Yeast. 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