EXHIBIT 24

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  that the  undersigned  constitutes and
appoints Steven J, Douglass,  Ullrich E. Porzig, and William J. Rainey, and each
or any one of them acting  alone,  as his true and lawful  attorney-in-fact  and
agent, with full power of substitution for him and in his name, place and stead,
in any and all capacities,  to sign  Post-Effective  Amendment No. 1 relating to
Registration  Statement 333-25877  respecting the Payless ShoeSource,  Inc. 1996
Stock Ownership Plan,  Post-Effective  Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement
333-30371  respecting  the  Payless  ShoeSource,   Inc.  Stock  Ownership  Plan,
Post-Effective  Amendment No. 2 relating to Registration Statement No. 333-28483
respecting  the Payless  ShoeSource,  Inc.  Profit  Sharing Plan and the Payless
ShoeSource,   Inc.  Profit  Sharing  Plan  for  Puerto  Rico   Associates,   and
Post-Effective  Amendment No. 1 relating to Registration Statement No. 333-50671
relating to the Payless ShoeSource, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan, and any and
all further post-effective amendments to any such Registration Statement, and to
file the same,  with all  exhibits  thereto and other  documents  in  connection
therewith,  with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission,  granting  unto said
attorney-in-fact  and agent full power and  authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises
to perfect and complete such filing(s), as fully to all the intents and purposes
as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney-in-fact  and agent,  or his  substitute  may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue thereof.

         Dated this 22nd day of May, 1998

                                                      /s/  Steven J. Douglass
                                                      /s/  Ullrich E. Porzig
                                                      /s/  Howard R. Fricke
                                                      /s/  Thomas A. Hays
                                                      /s/  Michael E. Murphy
                                                      /s/  Richard L. Stark
                                                      /s/  Daniel Boggan Jr
                                                      /s/  Mylle B. Mangum
                                                      /s/  Ronald A. Cooperman






                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that the  undersigned  constitutes and
appoints  Jeffrey  A. Long and  William J.  Rainey,  and each or any one of them
acting alone, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power
of  substitution  for him  and in his  name,  place  and  stead,  in any and all
capacities,  to sign  Post-Effective  Amendment  No. 2 relating to  Registration
Statement No. 333-28483  respecting the Payless ShoeSource,  Inc. Profit Sharing
Plan and the  Payless  ShoeSource,  Inc.  Profit  Sharing  Plan for Puerto  Rico
Associates   and  any  and  all  further   post-effective   amendments  to  such
Registration  Statement,  and to file the same,  with all  exhibits  thereto and
other  documents  in  connection  therewith,  with the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission,  granting  unto  said  attorney-in-fact  and  agent  full  power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises to perfect and complete such filing(s),  as
fully to all the intents and purposes as he might or could do in person,  hereby
ratifying  and  confirming  all that said  attorney-in-fact  and  agent,  or his
substitute may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

        Dated this 22nd day of May, 1998


                                                    /s/Jed L. Norden
                                                    /s/Ronald A. Cooperman
                                                    /s/Ullrich E. Porzig
                                                    /s/William J. Rainey
                                                    /s/Jeffrey A. Long