Islington, at the beginning of October, throughout the week discussion at the Fair has, not unnaturally, centred on the prospects of the boot and shoe industry in the new season.
Now that the international situation seems likely to exercise a less marked effect upon trade for a time at least, it has been possible to consider these prospects in the light of normal peacetime influences. Discussion of trends, other than those of fashion, has been even more widespread than usual this year; for adversity breeds anxiety, jand the pest twelve months have been by no means easy for the trade as a whole.
Its difficulties have been largely similar to those that have faced other industries—rising costs, both of material and labour, difficulties of passing that rise on to the consumer, diminishing purchasing power, foreign competition and political crises.
Two further factors have been the extraordinarily dry weather during the winter and spring months (climatic vagaries have a remarkably strong influence on profits) and price cutting competition within the trade itself.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.