| Show Silk Stock Stockings ng Scarce 1 l c J. J H. H C. C L L. Hoists Hosiery By 3 Uarda Varela McCarty person who first Ir t cracked tho lie T TUl old gag a about tho ho hours I wp nt with ith thee lice lear dear heart ann and ended It with my ray hosiery my hosiery must have havo been thinking o of the tho 1919 market conditions especially hu in the tho hosiery and knit underwear departments For Te- according to announcements I given hl out yesterday ia b by the tho local buyers I Ifor for foz the lar laro c e department stores knit underwear r and hosiery Is about as t difficult dif hf to find In tho manufacturing centers of ot thi Ih tho country HS us tho the proverbial IrO cr bial needle in the haystack It Il is o n case o of where hor If It predictions material material- ize Izo th the 1920 spring fall tall and winter will appear sans underwear Never Nc In the thc history tor of oC the country coun cOUn- W. W A. A try says sas buyer buer for bachs bach's department who ha has jUt Just t returned from a a. trip hack cost cast wh where ro rohn ho hn has luu been studying tho the situation has tho ho production of or knit underwear been estimated at such uch a low percent percent- arc age The supply for or the coming falland fall faU falland and winter Is o over r 25 per cent below bolow normal and a unless conditions change chango tho the spring production will bo be oven even lc leas nd And as an accompanying problem m of or tho situation prices s have o soared In many Instances per pcr c cont nt The Tho prices s are arc a a. great Creat heal deal hl higher her than during the tho yar var Mr 11 nr saul said Indeed Indel l it Is Is difficult difficult t to y Just when prices will cease flirting with the distant planets and seek ck terra firma once more or merchandise ma may be had as m in the tile good old days das before tho ho world shortage began to haunt tho the purchasers purchaser's dreams Haw Kaw silk Is hi skyrocket high and as a result It is predicted that silk Bilk un Underwear underwear un- un nay may be almost out of ot reach of at tho tie ordinary purse this fall tall How lIo- over ever the fact tact that most of or its fair wearers ha c long IonS ceased to regard It as u. u luxury J I Is taken for assurance that tho thio demand for It will not bo be materially material material- ly lessened lessoned Tho Tim reason for this subnormal condition condition con con- In tho the supply was given on h by Mr S Sayer yer as due JUC to the unsettled trade trado conditions following tho the Sn ng of the thea a armistice rm Is t I cc I. I I A Ar rr r f O. O H on When hen tho thio buyers for fOI the department department depart depart- ment mont stores throughout the tho country countr met In New York last luIl January to their fall orders prices a asked ked b by tho the manufacturers rs were o fOO exorbitantly hl high h th that the he buyers a as a 8 whole de decided ho- ho It would be bo Impossible to ask such prices from their customers con con- they refused to tn place any uny or orders order ho lie said Tho Time buyers returned return return- ed with no imo more tangible preparation tho the fall and winter inter r trado trade than bright hopes that the business situation situation situation situa situa- tion would ho lie brighter and tho they would be able to stock up UI with goods at lower lower low low- er cr prices But we Wc have haye waited in vain for an any decline Prices aro ro aa as high a as they were in ii tho the spring and in a addition havn bavo climbed up tip a n few ow more moro rUn rungs s. s When hen no orders were placed factories facto facto- ries rles stopped their production They remained Idle for three months and andus andus us a 1 result have c never ne been a able blo to catch up Manufacturers Jobbers and retailers alike tho l thought ht prices would decline No o ono wanted to go o on with business During the war tho civilian cl trade had to accept only such fluch stocks of underwear as the time navy Y and arm army did not want Stocks were short all RII allaround allaround around and the retailers had little tittle stock to carr carry over o from tho ti-mo fall tall and winter of ISiS 1318 As a a. result when it became fairly irly well wen established that hat prices would not decline and after tho the manufacturers had hid agreed to guarantee prices there was a rush of or buying which tho mills wert unable to handle because of ot tho the shortage e of l labor bor the tho decreased working work work- log ing hours and tho time inability to get raw ma materials I teria C ri a l Is Because of this unparalleled situation situa situa- tion ono one article that has become a I necessity essit in miladys milady's wardrobe the silk stocking will s oon soon be as hard to find as royalist in Russia A silk sill something to wear Inside of oC a shoe hoe can still be purchased but a full tull fashIoned fashioned fash fash- silk stocking r which is tho only silk stocking tho the fastidious wearer will vili consider Is ab absolutely out of ot the tho question Some stores still carry them hem b because ause of a largo large stock tock the they already had on hand but It Is Impossible impossible sible to got get nn any moro more from rom the thc facto facto- rIca ries This Is flue due entirely to the labor lahar problem Mr Ir Sayer said The la labor la In- bor for or making a n hl high grade h- h rado hoac hoso Ir If more expensive than time the labor for or making a cheaper per grade and tho the skilled k labor required has been absorbed b Ihor The lad with th time tho ore nrc ty tIP and the tho silk stocking thai that fit them like a glove o will soon oon have tiao t tt ho bo content In bandaging those anklet In several oral folds and drapes for th tru stockings obtainable the seamless ant anc tho the mock team seam variety aro those thos which carry no credentials to fit CIt merel merely make a a. brave bra pretense till th the first wn wash h Ia da day So It Is well wall If Ie ont one has a full ull fashioned silk stocking t tc ta put Pitt it a away tn as a souvenir with the thic champa champagne no glass lass As for tho the high cost consider this Stockings which sold Hold for fir 50 GO cents nocost now no co cost t. t 1 0 the tho former orm r JlKO grade grad a sells seib for 3 3 and and children's childrens hoso which before before be bc- fore the war cost cONt 25 cents no lion cannot bo be purchased for or less than 7 75 7 And I what is true truc of or stockings Is true truo of al all an l knit One reason for or the ad advance advance nd- nd vance anee of silk underwear Is given shen as thi the climb In price tho the raw material materia has ham taken For Instance tho the raw silk which was waft boU bought ht for 2 a pound In hr I n normal times now sells for tor 11 a L p pound It ii Impossible to tell what th s spring situation will be Prices un undoubtedly d will be higher but ever even w with ith higher It Is not a certainty certain t ty l that goods will b be obtainable It II ItIs Is 1 Impossible to place an any spring or or- tl I e C rs |
