Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-16
PLAN POOLING SYSTEM
IN PURCHASE OF YARN
Knit Goods Men Suggest Con-
sOlidating Orders and
Shipments

Reading, Pa, April l6.--Japau as a
rival Of American knitting mills in post
war competition and other topics afford
ca plenty OF material for talk at the
monthly meeting Of tho Pennsylvania
knit goods manufacturers. auxiliary to
the National Association Of Hosiery and
Underwear Manufacturers. at their
monthly meeting here.
The delay in delivery Of yarns and
means Of pooling yarn orders in carload
lets to get quicker deliveries the effect
Of the war on the German knitting mills
ana the Central Empires export busi-
ness stricter terms of sale among them
the ten-day net rule. and the prospect of
Government price fixing occupied the at
lention of the many members present
Edward Blood. of Philadelphia. presided
There were limitations that the Gov
crnmcnt may fix tho price of finished tex
tiles without setting price for the raw
materials for such products. The knit
goods men at the session were evidently
uncertain of their ground in this direc-
ton, as there was no discussion what
ever whCu the matter was Informally
brought up. The manufacturers present
seemed to think that when the prospect
Of such action is moro immediate would
he the time to debate it.
Reading may become a yarn diStribut-
ing center for the Schuylkll valley mills
scattered over ten or twelve counties. il
a plan suggested by the delayed and ir-
regular deliveries of yarn il adopted
At present the manufacturers order as
many cases of yarn from New England
q Southern mills "A thpN Mood for ~
dlvidual mills from time to time. IIav-
ing orders pooled and the yarn delivered
in carload lots is the suggestion made at
the meeting
\ committee. of three Philadelphia
mill owners will he named to make the
proposition to the yarn manufacturers,
The plan would save work and time for
the yarn men, and favorable action is
looked for. 1t would mean redstributing
the yarn from Reading, but this could
be done quickly and at a minimum of
expense. There would be two more dis
tr;bution stations, Philadelphia and
Pottsvilc Much of the yarn used here
comes from New Bedford, Mass. and
If shipments were made, by rail or
steamer, in one lot the yarn delivery
stuatio would be much improved.
After-war conditions in the trade were
discussed. 1t was reported that Japan
Is now selling knit goods I'm India,
China and Egypt and will undoubtedly
try TO extend her sphere of influence
and trade after the war. Gustav Ober-
laender Of the Berkshire Knitting Mills,
wyomissing. took an active part in a de-
bate on Germans future role i'm the tex
tile trade. IT. was stated that the largest
full-fa shoued knittius mill in the world
situated in Poland was destroyed during
the war. Germany. according TO some
speakers, will he kept busy supp wing
Russia. Rumania and other neighbors
with knit goods after the war. South
America, IL was stated offers a rich field
FOR American textile manufacturers.
A suggestion that manufacturers must
take more interest in their employees was
made at the luncheon preceding the busi-
ness meeting. The picturiZing of GER
tain features of welfare work on the
pay envelopes at a certain large plant
near Reading was cited as an up-to-date
move. one issue of pay envelopes showed
pictures of the plants free dental dis
pensary.
The uniform sales plan came in for
considerable talk. A few months ago the
Pennsylvania knit goods men almost
unanimously adopted the sales +. o. b.
mill plan, the consignee to assume all
risks and pay all carriage and freight,
system of selling At least 80 per cent
of the manufacturers in the Pennsyl-
vania section Of the National Knit Goods
Association are now working along this
plan \ strong plea for 100 per cent
cooperation was made. A similar plea
was made for the recently proposed
ten-day net uniform terms of credit
plan. At present many hosiery H"I un-
derwear makers arc selling ten days net,
but many still cling to the old and less
disadvantageous terms ten days with
2 per cent Off for cash. or thirty days
net
The association went on record IS
favoring the arbitration of all contro-
versies regarding contracts, written or
verbal; quality of goods commissions
and 'other issues. There is hardly a
mill owner who has not had some trouble
along one or more of these lines recently.
A large number of these disputes have
found then way into the civil courts,
with no advantage to either ltigant.
1t was unanimously decided to have a
board Of arbitration named. to sit at
regular intervals, and to have fifteen
members. FIVE will be taken from each
of the following organizations: Jobbers'
Association OF Knit Goods Buyers, Ma
tional Association of Hosiery and Under
wear Manufacturers and National Asso-
ciation OF Knit Goods Selling Agents