The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-05-19
JAPANESE ARE
 BUYING UP THE
 BRITISH LOANS

Lancashire, England, May 19.-An effort must be made at once to save our cotton trade from the possibility of disaster.
 Every loom 1t is possible to trans port from Lancashire to Osaka, the Cottonopolis of Japan, is goins thither.
 am informed by one of the lead ing manufacturers in Lancashire that the avidity of Japanese purchasers of secondhand cotton manufacturing g plant has become alarming. Price does not matter so long as they get the machinery.
 If the latter has a lengthy lease of manufacturing life all the better, but they are satisfied with their purchas- es if only from the point of view that dismantled or idle looms in Lanca- shire are non-competitive.
 From Messrs. P1att Brothers the famous textile machinery manufac- turers. of Oldham, I obtained further facts about Japanese purchases.
 With this firm alone Japanese have placed orders representing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
 When these orders are executed the seriousness of the situation will have undergone a further stage of develop ment.
 Among the remedial measures urged are the lifting of the embargo on the export of cotton goods, the speeding building of ships for Brit tains, and the leaving of business matters by the British politicians to business men.
 Japan has, apart from cheap la bor a wonderful fleet of merchant men which has been improved by the aid of the hundreds of millions Ja- pan has made out of the war" said a British authority.
 "Whtlst Britain was manufactur- ing clothing for the troops that were GO end German tyranny, Japan was manufacturing for the markets Eng land had temporarily to withdraw from.
 "A peace that leaves one of the staples of the country in jeopardy Is tantamont to a victory for the enc nfes of England.
 The situation Is serious, but it Is not helpless" he continued.
 T think that whilst Japan may certainly become very strong com petitor with regard to the course, when she will not cause as much trouble as far as fine yarn Is con cerned.
 Stroke or Stroke.
 There are no cotton operatives like those of Lancashire. Go into any well-equipped mill and what Is 1t that strikes you? It appears as though the mill is running itself. One " oman performs wonders with hun dreds of spindles without fuss or ex- citement.
 Fine yarn is likely to be our line f,, adu cated to the advantages of superior materials. and the demand will grow accordingly. It may be, then, that if we go to foreign certain markets for the course goods we shall be able to develop to the full those for trade D
 We cannot expect countries to stand still--they are out for success. What we have to do is to play them stroke for stroke in the great game.
 Machinery to the extent of s2,- 500.0oo In value is on order for Lille.
 The amount is guaranteed by the British government. That is just another instance of preparation justifable and the provision Is very worthy of us.
 But permitting other condition which drive directly against us-and Lilie-is quito another matter.
 Japanese are making orders for cotton goods fin Lancanshire today.
 Lord Milner Surrrised
 placed the facts of tire situation as given me. before the right Hon. Viscount Milner who Is one of the representatives of British interests at the Peace Conference.
 We are informed that the Jap aneSe are buying up every available loom in Lancashire in the hope of fa- cilitaung their competition in manu- fac1lred cotton goods. They are con- tent to dismant1e or control them here, because by being rendered in active they are ceasins to compete If they can get them to Japan. the scheme cuts double,"I told his lord ship.
 The Japanese buying then?" he asked.
 affirmed the statement and further asked: Docs your lordship not think that any peace scheme emanatfng from the conference in Pa ris that does not prevent-or that