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EVENING PUBLIC LEDGERr-PHILlADELPHIA, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1921
.. r
'i linn -
mut Duuivi dim
BY COL FRIEDSAM
Had of Big Dry Goods Com
W pany Preparing for Pick-
Up in the Fall
WORST DEPRESSION GONE
"Kirar Vnrlt .Tnni 1. Therp arc nhnnt
? Utile inmc number of dry goods stores in
'-'v'the United States as there nre dally
newspapers. They constitute ml reier
lTolra for merchandise, each establish
aaent carrying from $1,000,000 to $10,
000,000 worth.
, What is true of one store Is es
sentially true of another In respect of
I prices and the business outlook. Any
etdlnc New York store is a fair bart
emeter of slmtlnr stores In Philadel
phia, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco
and the ottier population centers of
the country. Prices arc down every
where. "For" the next few months we can
xpect only a fair trade as It tUH be
a quiet summer." Colonel Michael
Friedsam. the erudite nnd silver-created
bead of n, Altmnn & Company, wild
yesterday when asked for his best guess
on the outlook. "In the early full I
expect a food steady business to develop
and gradually from then on the slack
lines will pick up. There is neither
cause for worry nor need for alarm.
TVe have passed through the wont of
'the post-war depression, nnd are well
on the upgrade.
And Colonel Friedsam does not be
long to that school of optimists which
can sever see the worn side of a piece
of tapestry. He says that ne carries
Bo rose-colored glasses in his pockctx,
and that when he talks of good times
ahead, he sees them coming
A dry goods merchant rub elbows
with the public upon nil social planes.
Henry Fitz-Alwyn, the first Lord
Mayor of London, was n dry goods
merchant, In Kngland called "a drap
er." There used to be guilds of drap
en, for Instance, one being merchants
confined to the retailing of woolen
cloths, another being merchants who
dealt In linen goods, and so ou. In the
United States we have all the kinds
.' of drapers merged Into dry goods mer
chants, who conduct the department
stores.
In view of the establishment of
branch banks, and the dotting of tho
suburbs with neighborhood theatres
Colonel Friedsam was asked for his
opinion as to the possibility of depart
Mnt stores in the large cities ever
opening branch stores in the outly
ing districts.
nrojich Stores Unlikely
"I do not think that will ever come,"
be said. "The telephone by which
orders can be placed at even a great
-distance, and the parcel post and ex
press by which these orders can be
promptly filled, centralize the dry
?:oods business. There is no necessity
or branch stores, and what would go
Into their rents, duplication of em
ployes and other overhead expenses.
1 makes for cheaper prices at the central
point. The cost of telephone nnd ship
ment is negligible, as against the up
keep of a branch store.
"Of course, the public, both near
and far, must be sure of service, qual
ity and value. It takes years and
Tears to build up a reputation that
seeds only an announcement in the
advertising columns of the newspapers
to bring orders. Onco this -cputntlon
Is established, however, the business
responds sometimes at a volume that
is unexpected in Its scope and volume.
Take our own store here, ulthough we
call ourselves a Manhattan enterprise
we take telephone orders from four
tates besides New York, and I nixume
the same Is relatively true of the lead
ing dry goods stores in the principal
cities of the country."
Delow Cost Sales Criticized
Colonel Friedsam said that "below
cost sales" were dangerous ground for
a dry goods house of reputation to
tread upon.
"During the recent depression roods
were offered and sold below cost, ' he
said, "bnt that was an exception. If
merchandise had the habit of going
below the price pnld for It, how long
do you suppose a merchant could stay
In business? Not long. It is not u
sound business policy to get a public
into the habit of waiting for your sales.
If you can got the people to realize that
by judicious buying you occasionally
have some genuine bargains, there, I
would say, Is a proper basis upon which
to conduct sales. It Is always well o
sell the best merchandise at very cheap
prices, but to keep in stock and at
intervals offer the cheapest of mer
chandise I have never considered ad
visable." Ho remarked, that tho vital thing
necessary to any business was regu
larity and steadiness In the demand.
"Wo merchants ore different from
the banks in that we are always letting
Ro of what we have, while banks have
the dual role of getting In deposits as
well as making loans," ho said. "I
know, for I am in the banks, although
I never use them in my dry goods busi
ness. That Is why I see no possibility
for branch department stores coming
into fashion. Still, I never like to make
definite statements on the future of any
business. A quarter! of a century ago
I did not dream that wo could have
advanced as we have in the dry goods
trade. Younger men are likely to step
in and forge ahead into daring methods
that seem impossible at the present
time."
Requirements for Merchants
Concerning a career In the dry goods
business. Colqnel Friedsam said ; "To
be successful In merchandising a man
must bo prlmarilj a merchant, but he
must also be something of a banker and
a diplomat as well. lie must have the
trick of establishing himself nmong his
associates and employes, so that the
whole establishment works together
with the spirit that makes n successful
house. As to the merchandising, n man
must familiarize himself with tho rudi
ments of buying and selling. Ho must
grnsp the great secret of how to keep
his stock turning over. Goods In quan
tity on the shelves may look pleasing to
the eye, but unless It Is constantly
going through the process of sale and
removal it is useless. Stock Is useful
only in so far as it sells, and this mcons
knowledge of whnt the public wants nnd
when It wants it.
"The administrative end is even moro
intricate. Take this store for illus
tration. We ' linvo 4 100 employes.
Ilulcs have to be made for their welfare
as well as their guidance. We feed in
our restaurant 2700 employes dally
We conduct a school for employees in
the building. There is the heating and
lighting to look after. Our people must
be trained how to meet the public, and
then there has to be supervision to sec
mm me contacts are properly mane.
"On the financial side, where trained
minds fte the stock from the point of
view of dollars and cents, there has to
be conducted a small banking business
in itself. Tho men of finance have to
keep abreast of the credit ratings and
know the pulse of nil branches of in
dustry. We starf our newcomers, It
they nre inexperienced, nt tho bottom
of which ever department yc think
thev arc best fitted to rise in. Retail
stores are alwas looking for young
men of a quality that will make It worth
the firm's while to push them along up
ward as rapidly ns possible: College
education is useful but by no means
essential, for a college degree means
only what its owner makes it mean.
Possibilities Unlimited
Colonel Friedsam went on to say that
tho possibilities of the dry goods busi
ness were simply boundless in a country
like America.
"The expansion ot merchandizing and
r.iniHncr la in pmrt ratio to the pros
perity of the country,' he sold. ' The
more prosperous the Nation the better
and bigger will be tho business of Its
merchnnts. As yet nobody has come
along with definite boundaries for the
prosperity of our Nation. The yard
stick that measures nny business in the
Nation Is the same yardstick that meas
ures the Nation Itself. I rcnlly think
the Nation Is going ns far ns we liavo
faith in ourselves. 'r ,
Colonel Friedsam Is a bachelor. He
looks forty, he may be forty-five and
I am sure that he Is not a day over
fifty. He Iiob a wonderful collection
of oil paintings and Chinese 'porcelains,
and he has ideals upon nil public ques
tions. He received his military title
for bis war work. He is the idol of
eighteen chief executives under hlra,
nnd watching him dnrt through the
heavy traffic around the traffic police
diagonally across Thirty -fourth street
at Fifty avenue to the Waldorf for
luncheon, ono would never even surmise
thnt he was one of our leading "mer
chant princes," which he is.
25 Students III of Ptomaine Poison
Washington, -June 1. Fourteen stu
dents of Georgetown University are in
the hnpital and eleven more nre 111 nt
the Phi Chi frntcrnltv house as a result
of ptomaine poit-nning attributed bj
physicians to preserved food. Those
most seriously ill In the hospital were
reported improved Inst night, but phj
Elclans would not say they were out of
danger.
.ATLANTIC,
.FUEL CO.
OPEN-SHOP PLEA
FOR BISCUIT MEN
Presldont of Association Also
Urgos Now Deal for Coun
try's Railroads
ADVERTISING IS ADVISED
Atlantic City, June 1. Brooks Mor
gan, of Atlanta, Ga.. president of the
Hlscult and Cracker Innufncturers of
Amcricn, representing millions in In
vested capital, in his address to the nn
nual convention of thnt body hero to
day, lashed the labor unions for alleged
Interference with indiistrv. He also
made n plea for n new denl for the
railroads nnd further standardization of
products.
"It Is un-American for labor unions
to say who shnll or shall not work."
declared Mr. Morgan. "When I meet
former soldiers who srty tney cannot
get a Job because the unions do not
allow them to learn a trade, it makes
my blood boll."
Tho speaker urged an extension of
the open-shon principle, observing that
raot of the larger cracker and biscuit
manufacturers were now operating on
that plan.
Machinery, he said, offered the quick
est way to standardization an4 reduced
costs of manufacture. At his plea the
convention adopted a resolution favor
ing the substitution of n pales tax for
the excess pr,oflt and super taxes.
The convention is considering n plan
for the establishment of n model bakery
"university" hero, from which grad
uates will receive their diplomas just
ns in the regular colleges.
T. J. Young, of the Punuo TjEdoeh
merchandising depnrtment mldresscd the'
convention tins morning on "Adver
tising and Merchandising," nnd pointed
out thnt while advertising is ns mys
terious and powerful ns electricity, it
should not be looked upon with awe
ns n sort of occult t-clcnco full of
"ologlcs" and "Isms."
Mr. Young urged tho members to
cducnto the public to the value of
crackers and cookies ait part of the
dally menu nnd to co-operate closely
with thcirctall grocer, who Is the real
link between manufacturer nnd con-
tv, "1 II- la rnrrdct." Wild tho
speaker, thnt tho annual per capita con
sumption of crackers nnd cookies in this
country is only , ns againsi jou m
nnl TlaJtntn tti(. n.OAnl fl f Inn . hv ro
opcratlvo advertising effort, can make
thnt $7 averngo n thing of the past.'
The speaker cited Bpcclficc instances
of successful co-operatlvo advertising
and sales drives.
ARRE8TED ON MURDER CHARGE
Atlantic City, Juno 1. Harry
Bcrthe, detained for two weeks in the
county jail at Mays Landing for carry
ing a concealed weapon, yestordny wns
arrested there on a charge of murder
ing Frederick Rucckort, wealthy manu
facturer, in Hobokcn a year ago. Tho
arest was made by Hobokcn detectives
who nrrlved with n warrant to take
Ilcrtho back with them.
TWO HURTJNFALUNGPUNE
Machine Strikes Tree In Attempting
to Land 'in New Jeraey
iiiutfnnuik. N. J.. June 1. Two
incn were seriously injured yesterday
when their airplane struck a tree and,
crnshed to the earth.
W. H. Alexander, of Now York, pilot
nf the ' mane, suffered n fm.t-J
noso .nnd possible internal lnjurfl
win o ucorne Ji. urtiicu. nisn.nf v.3
Yrrk. a nasscnecr in the innehlnA ..:
fcred a broken jaw and nose and uoirl
slide internal Injuries. m'J
Knclne trouble dovclbned wiiiu iC'
plnno was flying over the course of it,i
Hackensack Golf Club. In trying t
land ou the links, Alexander brush? ,
t. ll sfftflii:11 of hIs macM 1
IUU tiuru luiiwiuwi
European Travelers
KOn SALE-Several flnt elAta roomi
on Ourmrd S S llercngarla, formrH
tmwrator, June 30th to Cherbourit r
SoulhAtnpton
Annlr AI.IIRRT V. MOOIIK,
Ml l.iml Tltlr, Ilnllillnr
Join the
Presaer
Record Club
Pay a Little
Each Month
Come in
Today and
Bring Your
List With
You
VICTOR RECORDS
FOR
JUNE
AT
PRESSER'S
TO-DAY
PORTABLE PHONOGRAPHS
of Various Makes
for the Yacht, Bungalow or Summer Camp
$25, $35 and $50. Easy Terms.
THEO. PRESSER CO.
THE HOME OF MUSIC
1710-12 CHESTNUT ST., PhUa.
Tho largest stock In America of Educational, Cla&slc and Church Muslo
Publications All tho Popular and Show Successes.
if mm T&fMM AU
ML JUJIL N.E.Cor.
Chestnut at 11th
EJ5S
!:P
"S
$OK Whit or Green
v&0 Fllle'l Bracelet
Watch j
Cold
P
VF
tf
sks
Graduation
Gifts
no nuesi v lead la
JNO. Our four-ata
op per-
JKW.
1XWEST
3 WhIU
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anionJn
$!
REBH
ThftfA m
ALUB.QIV
Dili in r Domrar btiv h m
tunltv to. juyCyOICBST
iJlJll I UIAW1
nntntfO
ores MrM,ufi
courteav and convenience.
Confidential, Convenient Credit
That tvf all the court.- all the
value, all the service of caeh
tranaactlon.
Fine Oar Terr.Unueaal Teruu
which live rou Immediate tOem.
xlon, with the privilege of paying in
rm weekly or monthly eumi.
On a t3S $1
PtAcKUe, a uec
On a 930
I AriTIS Ptrrthau. n toted
Our
inirn
-- -
Big Gala Opening This Evening
BOOTHBY'S New Japanese
Roof Garden
13th St. Between Chestnut and Walnut
Dancing Nine Till Closing.
Society Exhibition Dancing By
LEO P. CLANCY AND AGNES CRYSTAL
MUSIC BY DICK REGAN'S FAMOUS ORCHESTRA
Souvenir and Lucky Favor Prizes Every Night
Tommy Milton Wins Indianapolis Race
in a Frontenac With DELCO Ignition
wAWf
3E
E2S.
PEERLESS
Motor Car Value is a Composite
an INDEX composed of quality of ma
terials and workmanship, mechanical sound
ness, power, pick-up, durability, reliability,
comfort, appearance and price.
To judge Peerless Value, examine Peerless
exhaustively, drive it, interview owners,
compare it with all other eights.
You will be amazed to find that for actual
superiority in all essentials, Peerless prices
are lowest.
Peerless prices are based upon former low
costs of plant and equipment, and present
costs of labor and materials.
WaaJJliHW
1
L
Touring Car $2,990
Sedaa $3,950
Roadster $2,990 Coup4, $3,680
Cedan-Limousine $4,210
PRICES P. O. B. CLEVELAND
Wtr lax not included
THE PEERLESS MOTOR CAR COMPANY
Cleveland, Ohio
LOAFING
""range"
HhH
SPORTING
RANGE
GIRARD AUTOMOBILE COMPANY
2314 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Phone, Spruce 1446
Tommy Milton, world speed king, in a
Frontenac car equipped with DELCO Ignition,
won the 1921 Indianapolis 500-mile Speed
way Race.
All the cars that FINISHED this great
race were equipped with DELCO Ignition.
The manufacturers of this apparatus do not
claim any credit for winning them the race
because that glory belongs to the car and the
driver.
The millions of DELCO users through
the world will rejoice in knowing that the
ignition they use on their cars every day is
capable of the extreme performance required
in racing.
This ignition must be well built and
naturally costs more for original installation.
The winning of this race is a compliment to
all motor car manufacturers using DELCO
equipment because those makers place quality
above price in the. building of their product.
The Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company, Dayton, Ohio, U. S. A.
'.;
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