The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-09-24
United States Is Purchasing Overcoat
Cloth From Wooden Mills and
Cutting 1t Up Into
Blankets.
ARMY TO BE KEPT WARM
And Then There Is Increase In Costs
of Everything That Goes Along
With suits Of
Clothes.

iOyercOat cloth from wooden mills anu
from wholesale clothing houses and
| is cutting it up into blankets for the
army. This is one reason why cloth
ing will be higher this fall, according
to a we'll known clothier.
| Speaking of the wars effect on ma
lterials that 20 into the making OF
mems clothing, he says:
| although we have heard no little
discussion of the wool shortage that
threatens the country, few people not
directly connected with the clothing
industry realize that within con-
paratively short time there may be
practically no wool available for civil
ian clothing, and We may all have to
be content to wear cotton or mixed
fabrics in place Of woolens.
only one-third Of the wool norm
ally consumed in the United States
comes from within our borders" con-
tinued the clothing man. Foreign
wool markets are practically closed to
us, because Of lack Of ships as well as
result of the British embargoes. AS
a result the total shortage OF wool for
the year 1917 will exceed 246 millions
of pounds.
weaving night and day for Uncle Sam,
only about 25 peNcent Of the wooden
machinery of the country available for
the weaving Of fabrics for civilian
clothing The United States govern
ments needs Immediately great guam
titles, Of wool for clothing and blan-
kets for our troops.
"WooIen fabrics cost the wholesale
houses twice as much now as when
the war broke out-and they are go
ing higher. Felt, linen, canvas and
percaline as used in the making Of col
lars. lapels and coat fronts also but
tons. cotton and linen thread, Innings
all have kept pace with the advance
AS for dyes and dye stuffs, some OF
them have increased thousands Of per
cent in price.
Other Items Cost More.
, 1.-The increase In the cost Of such a
small item as the sewing silk used IN
coats has increased the cost of pro-
duction for one representative clothing
house, whose line we carry, over a
} thousand dollars month.
"And then there is the ever present
problem of labor Never before in the
, history Of the world have such high
, wages been paid for skilled workers.
) Huge contracts placed by the govern
ment are requiring great forces OF
y workers to complete them.
Financial authorities agree that
this country Is entering Upon period
Of prosperity such as it has never
known The great Liberty loan and
the 100000 900 war loan to our al
lies, and even the hundred million dol
ars recently raised for the Red Cross,
instead of taking the money out of the
country simply liberate It for circula-
ton here. These immense sums will
be paid out to American manufacture
ers, who in turn will hand 1t over IN
the form Of wages to the great army
of working people. With contracts
for stupendous amounts of supplies
being placed by our own government
as well as by our allies, with every
form Of industry going at to speed.
the general public will have more
money to spend than ever before.
Cause for Increase.
But meanwhile scarcity Of labor
and higher wages, like scarcity Of ma
terials, increase and cost of produc-
ton. So the wholesale clothing
houses of the country have come to
the Cross Roads, the merchant ex-
pressed it. 1.-TWO courses are open
to them. The first Is to hold prices
where they are. They can only Go
this by substituting mixed cotton
goods for pure woolens. or by using
cheaper Innings and canvas, or by
substituting machine operations for
the more expensive hand tailoring, or
by com binations Of these various de.
partures from previous stands. This
means temporary profit, quick sa.-.
and hundreds of dissatisfied custom
ers.
1.-THE second alternative is in spite
of every obstacle to Keep the Quality
Up This, of course, means higher
prices and at the same time 1t means
less profit for the manufacture But
it means adherence to past standards,
keeping faith with the public and
therefore, ultimate gain.
Certain Of the large clothing houses
will adhere strictly to this policy.
They feel that they have established
by years of conscientious work a rep
t,+o+;oo ZOO n he sacri flood