Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-09
Government Asked to Act to
Obtain Release of Ger
man Shipments.
TEXTILE MILLS MAY HAVE
TO SHUT DOWN ENTIRELY
Committee Representing Philadel-
phia Master Dyers Calls on
Secretary Lansing.

Textile plans of the United States
notably at Philadelphia. the heart of
the dyeing industry-are threatened
with closing down for lark of dye
stuffs to be obtained only in Europe.
The master dyers want the United
States government to take measures to
prevent such a catastrophe to the in
dustry.
To appeal for administrative action
to relieve the existing scarcity in i'm
ported dyestuffs a committee depre-
senting the Master Dyera' Association
o. Philadelphia called today upon Sec
rotary of State Lansing, and later at
the executive Offices of the White
House. The committee did not see the
President. who was pursuing his la
bors in the Executive Mansion.
Held in German Ports.
The situation. the committee declared,
can be relieved at this time only by hav-
ing the dyes released which are now
detained in German ports. Upon certain
conditions the German government would
release these goods. The committees plea
to Secretary Lansing today was that the
state Department endeavor to meet in
e.
leasing the dyestuffs.
The committee consisted of D. F.
waters. president of the organization w.
H. Brehm, vice president and J. Wall,
secretary. They discussed the dye stu
alton in the United States with Secre-
tsry Lansing, as representatives of the
largest dyeing center in the world, and Of
an organization which has been untiring
in EFFORTS to relieve the situation since the
beginning of the war.
Urge Government to Act.
The committee placed before the Sec
rotary OF State the actual emergency
conditions. as they exist in Phila-
delphia. The State Department was
urged to extend efforts in an endeavor
to relieve the famine which is threat
ening to close the largest textile plants
in Philadelphia and nearby
1t was also set forth how the asso-
citation of master dyers has gone to
great expense and inconvenience to
follow up every prospect that would
represented at every public demonstra-
ton which has aimed to develop some
thing that might at least serve the
purpose until normal conditions again
prevail. 1t was emphatically asserted
that no new practical methods have
been evolved for the manufacture of
dyestuffs.
Evidence was produced to show that
large manufacturers in Philadelphia
have about exhausted their supplies of
dyed yarn. Letters from such manu-
facturers urged that some may be found
by which they may be supplied with
certain colors, SO that their mills may
be kept running.
May Have to Shut Down.
One of the largest concerns in the
manufacture of bathing suits in the
country stated that it would be use
less for the firm to go ahead making
cloth unless the cloth could be dyed.
and unless it could be promised relief
the concern would be compelled to shut
down its knitting machines.
Another large concern engaged in the
manufacture of fancy knit wooden
goods in its deter to Mr.. Waters stated
that "it was a most deplorable state of
affairs when you have business on your
books to keep running full time and
cannot deliver goods because of the
fact that the yarn cannot be dyed"