New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-15
DRYCooDs AND TEXTILE NOTES.

The report Of the Department Of
Commerce. over which Secretary Red
field prcsidcs. following an invcstiga-
ton OF the claims made by the Manu-
facturers' Association OF Montgomery
County. Penn, that the tariff has in
iurcd their business, seems GO make I'f
principal attack on the hosiery trade,
not only as conducted In Montgomery
County, but IN fact, generally, and ss
the report seems TO hosiery mauuiatt-
urcrs onesidcd and incomplete they
cannot allow the statements made IN
the report 20 pass without strong
protest.
To get the matter properly before
the public It is necessary Go 60 back
TO the time when the Underwood tarl
law became operative, which vas so
late in the season that most orders tor
spring delivery Of hosiery were placed
in this country, consequently prac zeal
TX the same conditions prevailed as
under the Payne law, up 20 the early
spring.
The Underwood law began TO inIure
tho hosiery trade i'm March. 1914, so
that 10 the end Of July, 1919, IMPORTS
Of hosiery had increased 33e,U09 dozen
pairs over the same months DID 1913
This increase may not seem important
TO Secretary Rcdfeld, but the amount
is sufficient 10 supply business Tor sew
cral small mills for a year. or one Of
our largest mills for number Of
months. ,.,.
hosiery has been imported since the
beginning OF the foreign war, when, as
matter Of fact, from August 10 De.
cember 81, 1914, $500 dozen pairs OF
hose were entered at the ports or Ne"
York. Boston, Philadelphia, baltimore
and Chicago, falling but l6l,y39 dozen
noirs below the imports for the same
months In 1913, and as at least 70 per
cent Of all hosiery imported enters AZ
The above named ports hosiery manu-
facturers fail 10 see that there has
bcen anv material reduction in imports
during the war period. Furthermore,
ON Julv 81, 1914. there were IN bonded
warehouses 4l2.637 dozen pairs OF nose!
making i'm all 1926 dozen pairs OF
foreign made hose available FOR trade
nurDoses during the first five months
Of the foreign war.
II also states that low priced seam
less hose have 10 foreign competition
hut the facts are that foreign 1ash-
.oned hose. owing 10 the low value at
which they are imported, compete
actively with the seamless article, and
home manufacturers OF fashioned
Goods also compete with the seamless
crade in their attempts 20 compete
with the foreign fashioned nose ana
"a make this situation clearer We VIII
ouote some figures, showing prices at
which hosiery entered in January l9io.
compared with prices which prevailed
/ in September, 1918, the last month IN
dor the operation OF the Payne law. IN
January. 1915, hose intended 20 retail
for % cents a pair entered this coun-
NV at from 1912 TO Is cents pair
tbe same goods entering IN Septem-
hor 1914. at Is TO Is cents pair; ana
il should be noted that the prices.
opoted include duty and the proht OF
he foreigR manufacturer, consequent
To- such goods can and DO compete wl:h
! 10 seamless hose selling here at 10
cen.s pair and compete with all
Goods retailing up TO 25 cents a pair
wbjcb 70 our way Of thinking. proves
conclusively that hosiery manniac'ur,
ors !, Nontgomery County are affected
/ bv the tariff And here u may be peril
/ rcnt 10 say that the reduction IN me
/ yaIue Of foreign hosiery has not oc-
creased the retail price or such gooa7
/ in this country one penny.
| The statement that thcr" have hec1
J few imports .juce the war began would