DEPARTMENT STORE PROBLEMS.

The article discusses several problems faced by department stores during a war-time economy. The author discusses the idea of determining whether an obstacle is a problem which can be solved or a situation to which adjustment must be made, and attributes the main problems of department stores as being merchandise, manpower, and regulation. The biggest problem is keeping merchandise of the shelf, since many resources have been directed toward the war effort. Secondly, labor turnover in the retail industry has increased with many employees leaving retial to work in defense industries. Government regulation, while necessary, causes consistent aggravation in the form of price control, salary control, rationing, credit control, etc.