davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
Export Demand for
Steel Expanding
Cut in Prices Brings In Orders
That Had Been Long
Deferred

Demand from foreign markets for
American metal products has increased
considerably since the recent reduction
IN the price Of steel. Inquiries and
orders arc especially heavy from South
America. Manufacturers of metal
products are generally Of the opinion
that these orders represent accumu-
lated demand which was deferred in
anticipation of price cutting
Exporters to South America arc
handicapped bv the harbor strikes
which arc tying up shipping in this
port as well rs at Bucnos Ayrcs and
Rio dc Janciro. The South American
strikers have been out for several
months now and the situation is caus-
ing concern. At the port of New York
metal exporters are compelled to pay
thousands of dollars in demurragc
where goods arc being held in freight
cars awaiting transshipmcnt to steam
crs, while III many cases mills are pre-
vented by the railroads from forward
ing finished goods for export because
of the congestion at points Of dc
parture.
A prominent metal exporter asserted
yesterday that Japanese competition
in South America need not be feared
by American manufacturers. Japanese
arc finding some markets on the west
coast of the continent, but even in
these markets American goods are pre-
fcrred by consumers.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
Plain-Faced Cloths
In Fall Overcoatings
NAVY Blue to Offset MonotOny
of Black and Oxford
Shades

Leading sellers of high grade over
coatings say there will be a tendency
next fall toward ovcrcoats of plain
faced fabrics, such as kerscys. meltons
and beavers. The rough and long
mapped materials are said to have run
their course as fashionable overcoat
ing fabrics, and next fall will be rele
gated to ulsters and storm coats.
This contention is borne out by the
style models suggested to the trade
at the designers convention a couple
of months ago. The fashionable over
coat next fall will be tight and form
fitting. The rough finished fabrics are
not as applicable to these models as
are the smooth faced materials
To get away from the plain black
and oxford shades which have rcigned
so long in the smooth faced woollen
materials, there is a tendency on the
part of high class manufacturers of
clothing and merchant taiors to turn
to navy blue. A strong demand for
kerseys, beavers and meltons in navy
blue is noted in the Offices of sales
agents of woollen mills.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
The Tribune's Page of Business News
Silks
of Silk Goods on
Duplicate Orders Con-
tinueS .4ctiUe

Statesmen at the leading silk genccs
Statesmen at the leading silk agencies
Of customers yesterday, despite the in
clement weather. The mails also
brought in numerous requests for
goods, these representing duplicate or
ders, and in almost every instance the
buyers insisted that the fabrics be
shipped without delay. Selling agents,
encouraged by the large amount of
business in sight. were confident that
trade in spring silk fabrics will keep
up longer than usual. though it is eX-
pected that from now on buying will be
mainly ltr the purpose of replenishing
stocks, and orders will be placed in
accordance with immediate require
ments. The West and South seemed to
figure prominently in the buying, the
buying power of those sections having
been increased by high prices for farm
products.
Road statesmen reported that demand
for fall fabrics was becoming ivclier,
and, in addition, they sent in fair
number of orders for spring goods,
principally for the fancy colored
weaves. While accounts for March
have not been fully cast up, it was
dicate that trade for the month has
run about 70 per cent ahead of the
orders booked in February of this year
and probably 80 per cent over the
business taken in March Of last year.
Demand for artificial silk was said to
be active and somewhat in excess of
the immediate available supply I'm
ports were reported to be light, and on
that account the domestic manufacture
crs have the market all to themselves.
Trade in raw silk was active, and the
Japanese market was reported to have
shown another slight advance in price.
Stocks held by American manufacture
ers were said to be decreasing steadily.
and on that account importers declared
that demand must increase. The
higher prices demanded for the Jap
ancsc product have caused American
buyers to cvincc more interest in the
Chinese raw silks, but trading in the
latter has been held down by the alb
sencc of ready supplies in tho New
York market. The Italian silk reelcrs
arc preparing to rcestablish their ex
port trade, which has been dormant
since Italy entered the war.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
Appeals to President
In Coal Controyers,
Industrial Board Asks for Dc
cision OF Price Fixing
Agreements

WASHINGTON, March 28.-An sp
peal to President Wilson for defnit,
pronouncement as to how far depart.
ments of the government shall 90 in co.
operating with the price fixing agree.
ments of the Department Of Com.
merce's industrial board. apparently
has resulted from the controversy be-.
tween the railroad administration and
the National Coal Association.
Officials intimated to-day that III,
refusal Of the bltuminous coal pro.
ducers to negotiate with the industrisl
board on the ground that the atttud.
of the railroad administration made CO.
operation impossible, had been brougt!
TO the Presidents attention and tts'
the board had asked for decision as
to whether the railroad administrator
should make its purchases both of coal
and steel in accordance with agfee.
ments reached between the industries
and the board. A large proportion Of
output of each industry is taken By
the railroads.
National Coal Association officials re-
lterated to-day their assertions that the
railroad administration had no. lived
up to a promise made the first OF TIE
year that its orders for coal would be
evenly distributed without arbitrary
shifting from one field TO another
Henry B. Spencer. director Of pDT'
chases for the railroad adminstra'ioI'
declined TO comment on the situation
IN the absence Of Director Genera
Hines, who is on an inspection tour.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
Rubber
Stormy Weather Causes
Belated Demand for
Rubber Footwear

Retailers of rubber footwear cleared
off some Of their large stocks of rub
bers as a result of the storms of yes
terday and Thursday. and if the in
clement weather continues for day
or so it is expected that conditions
in this line will Improve TO the ex-
tent of encouraging manufacturers in
regard to next years sales. The two
days of wet weather were looked upon
as blessing by the rubber shoe deal
ers, but they came too late in the sea-
son TO bring big sales. Because of the
poor demand by retailers manufact-
urers of rubber footwear reduced
prices materially during the last few
months, making cuts Of as high as
% per cent III some cases.
Outside Of the tire end of the in
dustry business in rubber goods is
generally quiet Manufacturers of
mechanical rubber goods report that
they are lust plugging for business"
but that no improvement in the de-
mand for their product has become ap-
parent during the )sst few weeks. One
concern which lakes most of the air
brake couplings for railway trains
says thst even !f the railway admins
tration was not hampered in the pur-
chasing by the lack OF funds it would
not likely be in the nlarket for ma
tcr'al because during the war 1t ac-
qulred large stocks which WILL not be
exhausted for some time to come
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
New England May Lose
Supremacy i'm Textiles
Boon for Southern Mills Seen
in Massachusetts, 18-Hour
Week Bill
business Neus Bureau
Srecini Cnrrcannndcncs

NEW BEDFORD, Mass, March 2s.-
The passage of the forty-eight hour
week bill through the present session
of the Massachusetts Legislature is
practically certain. This act vitally af-
fccts the textile industry of the state.
and manufacturers have predicted that
1t VIII go far to make the South predom-
mate over New England as the textile
centre of the country. 1t is probable
that other states in New England will
follow the lead OF Massachusetts, in
cutting the hours of work in the cot
ton and woolen mills.
Following the favorable report on
the bill by the legislative committee
IN Boston this week, the four dissent
ing members announced that they
favored the 4S hours and disapproved
only Of the clause limiting the daily
hours of work of women and children.
ms declaration is considered an as
surance OF the passage of the measure.
The bill provides: "No child under
eighteen years of age and no woman
shall be employed in laboring in anv
factory or workshop, or in any manu-
featuring, mercantile, mechanical es-
adjustment, telegraph Office or tele-
phone exchange, or by any express or
company, more than
nine hours in any one day; and in no
case shall the hours of labor exceed
forty eight in week. except that in
manufacturing establishments where
the employment is by seasons, and
the state board Of labor and indus
'ries shall determine what employments
are seasonal, the number of such hours
IN any week may exceed forty eight,
but not fifty-two, provided that the
total number OF such hours in anv
year snail not exceed an average of
fotry-elght hours week for the whole
year, excluding Sundays and holidays;
and II any child or woman shall be
employed IN more than one such place
the total number of hours Of such en-
pioyment shall not exceed forty-eight
hours in any one week"
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29

plethora of money comes at time
when commercial agencies arc report
ing at unprccedcntcdly small number
Of failures.
The bank acceptance market was
quiet. Sales were good at Boston, how
ever, and number of good New York
bills made their appearance here. Some
good bills are expected to make their
appearance around the first Of the
month
Food Administration bills have been
a feature of the past week. Some are
expected to be drawn Monday.
The Treasury announced the post
ponemcnt of tho next issue of certif
Gates of Indebtedness from April to
April 10. The cause of the DELAY is
that the Treasury has large funds on
hand from the heavy tax receipts.
Fifteen to sixty day prime trade ac
ceptances were quoted at 5M5l, per
cent; sixty to incty days. 5n5la per
cent Endorsed trade acceptances, az
per cent, all maturties.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
Metals
Copper Demand Fails to
Hold Up, Inquiries
Being Wnhdra,un

Copper producers arc disappointed
over the failure Of the demand which
made its appearance week ago to hold
up. Many of the inquiries made in the
last day or two have been withdrawn.
with the result that the business trans
acted yesterday was light. The lead
ing producers were quoting 15h cents
to l5A cents pound, while the small
sellers were inclined to shade these
prices, which they we're not willing to
do on Thursday
The markets for lead and spelter
continue dull, with prices practically
unchanged. representatives. of the
Copper Export Association who went
to Europe to study the field are ex-
pected to return to New York to-mor-
row aboard the Aquitania
The pig iron output for 1918. as re-
ported by the American Iron and Steel
Institute, was 39,05l 991 tons, the sec
ond largest of any year. The produc-
tion figures for the three years pre-
vlous were: 3s,621,216 tons in 1917,
39.434,797 tons in 1916 and 29,916.215
tons in 1915.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
TELEPHONES.
Beekn1an 8243
Beeknan 5000
British Govt
Goes Into the
Oil Business
May Create Petro,s,.
Ministry; Combination =,
All British Owned Com.
panies Is Now Forecas,ea

: LoNpoN. n u. n, March IS 1corresD..,
ence OF The Associated Press N,
nri'ish government is going Inv, me
on business. Profiting by tba "'0 s, ,ns
experience Of the war when ,.Os'ly
compelled to send enormous s,,. ~ was
otner countries in payment for "0 n.. ,n'O
ieum and petroleum products !, ps.fo'
ADOPTED clearly defined oil MA ~ mas
and is already credited with IN polsy,
backing what is expected hera a.e'ay
velop INTO the most powerful an ~ oe-
ducIng, refining and transport;n pro-
terprlse IN the history of the ,r.,s ,s en-
The governments first ;r'nay. ;,"sus'sy.
move, 1t was stated by authorifiap" san'
Will be the creation of q rer,',n, o,ss nefe,
ministry, the machinery for Which b;"eus ca
lstS IN the petroleum department VII "a
iooKed after the empires oil ;ntsx..a "n.a
during the war, and which is s.;,, Ssss Va
actlve institution. This machinorn an aa
De charged with the task of act;sl WIN
petroleum. adviser for all denartmns..s' az
includlng the army and What - ."euS'
important, the navy; it viii have nss
troll over concessions for rho 49,, yOn'
ment of possible oil territorv a.ssIOl' .,..e
9ne empire and will advise and assn
niloish companies or individuals in os
laln'hg concessions and leases IN fos
elgh countries, as well as helm tbcn
oonuu't ihelr oil business in countr;s,
outside the empire. N''"'i'''
ne Importance of the ministrv will
DC better understood when il / '
allzed that large part of tbc md.
Nelopcd OIL territory of the world E,'
uhder British dominion. and. acrora;os
70 BRUSH law, the capital of overv o'I
company operating in British tcrr;,o.. ".
must be not less than 90 per cent H.
ish owned, and all the control mns, \.
III IN the hands of British citizens.
nc next move in the dcvelopmen, =,
ms policy' 1t is asserted, is the com.
olhatlon under the protection Of n.
government OF the most important oil
companies operating IN British md
neutral countries, if they are wholly ~.
partly British owned These inciuS,
such, concerns rs the Royal Dutch ,Ss
smell and the Lord Cowdray intcrost,
ihiS Royal Dutch Shell rroun fS,'' cor'
trols immense production in msnv
lnnuS' including many properties in trs
ukiahoma- -kansas-Tcxas. Californ;a ard
wyoming fields, and has FOREIGN a..
partment which makes note of ali thu.
is gong on in the oil world. ''
travellers recently returning from
Persia report great activity in tho III
section near Bagdad The British co,'
ernment acquired control of these oil
properties in 1911. Particularlv o..
thuslastic observers of the drilins,
IN Persia assert that eventually the al
strip there would produce enough 10
take care of the petroleum needs Of
Southern Asia.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
New Sulphur Producers
Texas Property Has Output of
1oO Tons Daily
business Nc1cs Bwcau
.Nnccini Enrrcnnnrlln...


MAlAGORDA, Tex, March 2S.-
Sulphur is being brought to the sur
face at the rate of $50 tons a dav bv
the Texas Gulf Sulphur Company.
which placed the first unit of its big
sulphur mining plant in operation at
Big Hill, near here. few davs ago.
This output comes from one we'll.
Other wells are now being drilled.
The sulphur is liqucfed in its un
dcrground deposit by means of steam
that is forced into the hole through q
pipe that leads from battery Of
boilers. This same steam nressnpe
causes the molten sulphur to flow to
the surface. where it quickly hardcns.
Situated east of here about thirtv
miles, and near the mouth of the Bra
EOS River, is another large UNDERGROUND
sulphur deposit. which has produced
more than S25.000000 of sulphur dur
ing the past five years. 1t is owned
ana operated by the Freeport Sulphur
Company.
1t is predicted that within the NEXT
eW years Texas and Louisiana will he
supplying most of the countries of the
world with sulphur and sulphur. prod
uces; me mines at Sulphur. La. have
produced more than 100000 900 Of
raw sulphur during the past eighteen
years. At present 90 per cent Of the
sulphur used in the United States is
produced IN these two states
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
Want to Hold Tax
Protest Convention
Leaders i'm Fur Trade Favor
United Fight on Impost When
Congress Meets

Leaders in the fur trade are in favor
of calling a convention to formulate
protest against the 10 per cent excise
tax on finished furs. 1t is proposed to
hold such a meeting before Congress
convencs and it is expected that all
interests in the industry will be rep
resented
While local dealers believe the con-
vention should be held in New York
because the trade Of the country CEN
tres here, a good many Western fur
men want Chicago to be the meeting
place. II is proposed that this meeting
be preliminary step toward the for
nation of national fur trade organi-
cation.
In some quarters it is claimed that
there is no need for a national asso-
cIatlon but that convention called
for the purpose of cooperating in pro-
testing the tax would be of value. On
the other hand there are fur dealers
VINO declare that q Big trade body
would be of service to the industry. not
only IN handling problems of taxes and
t,arlits, but also in improving relations
between manufacturers and others and
IN determining the terms upon which
they could sell their goods. Chief
among the services which it is said
could be rendered is the elimination
ol trade abuses by buyers, such as last
minute cancellation of orders, memo
fandums and cons ignments. practices
'ha' nave proven costly to manufact-
urcrS.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29

are showing greater inclination to
buy literally, getting away from the
hand to mouth policy which has been
necessary since the armistice was
signed. On falling market retailer
cannot afford to carry large stocks IN
some lines of merchandise prices will
go still lower. The price tendency is
ward, taking merchandise gener-
ally. Not little OF the reductions in
prices IS due to the squeezing of
prof1teerng out Of business Take
ready -to-wear apparel for instance.
The textile mills have reduced profits.
The coat and suit manufacturer does
the same thing and then the retailer
also shades his profits. The consumer
gets the benefit, Of course. and when
out OF business we can think about re-
duclng the price Of labor However. it
would be folly to think of labor's re.
celvlng less than it does now until the
cost Of living has decreased greatly"
Expects Large Foreign Trade
Foreign trade in merchandise will
peace terms arc concluded Mr.. Fantl
believes. and on April ) corps of OK
pcrts will sail from this country under
his direction to open buying and sell
ing offices in London and Paris.
I'VE intend to buy all sorts of things
IN Europe as soon as VIC cam" he cX-
planned. eve need European goods.
trimmings, novelties, ready to wear
clothing. linens, hosiery. woollcns,
silks, glassware, chinawarc, etc. In
turn we will represent American manu-
facturcrs Of all sorts of textiles and
kindred lines abroad. There will be
a great interchange of all sorts Of
goods. more than ever before, and it
will be beneficial to manufacturers and
retailers on both sides of the ocean,"
"ics VIC shall buy German and Aus
trian goods, If VIC can got thcm,' he
replied TO a direct question. Com
mcrcc, you know, has no conscience.
But aside from that We shall have to
deal with Germany commercially if
tho Germans arc to pay an indemnity.
Sentiment doesn't enter into that phase
Of the question. There arc certain
textiles. glassware and chinawarc
which are not produced anywhere but
in Austria. for instance We will buy
those articles as soon as VIC can.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
Boston Takes Hopeful
View of Woollen Trade
Orders Taken by MANY Mills
Are Equal to Present
Output

oooioN, March 27.--In statement
70 Inc Tribune the editor of the
american Wool and Cotton Renorterv
says: "'po' 'ef
a general feeling of optimism nre-
/. sa''s IN the textile industry. but in n.
sso'' business the volume Of traneac.
T., 10 10 hot particularly satisfactory
~ inc woolien goods situation tho ~
.p .poA may be called satisfactory u,hn, 49,,
err many uncertainties are cons;dnrsI
ye,' ~ sulume OF business has been Iare,a
oS b,,.e tne conservative attitudc
s.s;Js Jessls . and the reduced production
"a cs.ahI; p'ices nave been low enough
stability. @"o prihg about
ne outlook is certainly ,n,ch
hopeful than it has been Ma, more
gani@auons have sold ali the good. W"
.hey can produce, and they NAV cvan
nc called upon TO cut down ordsrs ~ ~
some fabrics. Full mill onerat;nr VI ~
nigh wages in the trade ought m craa.a
iarge buying power and force nr;css :
70 h1gner levels where there will be a
greater margin of profit. There ara
some farsighted manufacturers WIN
predict that stability is the ncccssarv
feature and that high wages will ultf.
maeeiy permit satisfactory profit, al
though no one expects such profits A.
have been secured.
"of the future for cotton there can
oc no doubt; prices will certainly be
high, and the fluctuations may be more
or less radical. Unless the acreage
planted be large and unless the growing
season be particularly favorable, the
price IS not likely TO decline TO formcr r
levels and probably not much less than
under conditions mnch less favorabfe
than those noted at present"
New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
Prices Yield as Profteering
IS Squeezed Out Of Trade
Specialization in Department Store Methods, Resi-
dent Buyer Says, Will Help to Reduce Cost of
Merchandise to the Public

Specialization in all departments and
economies in department and drygoods
store operating costs will contribute
to the lowering of prices to the con-
sumer, according to Alfred Fantl, resi-
dent buyer, who represents a hundred
out the country.
"Wise merchants are beginning to
realize" said Mr. Fantl yesterday, chat
they can't do business now as they did
before the war, or even during the
war We are passing through a great
commercial as we'll as political crisis,
and as the map of Europe is changing
so is the structure of our commercial
life. 1t will take six months or a year
for things to become readjusted and
once they are rcadjusted they will be
different from things as we knew them
in the past One of the biggest prob
lens which the merchants have before
them is the cost of doing business. At
present it is too high. 1t must be cut
down, and leaders in the mercantile
trade are cutting it down now. Five
and SIX deliveries a day by stores in
relatively small towns are things of
the past. Other things of that sort
must go. The economies instituted
during the war will remain and other
economies will follow, Every cut in
the cost of operation in the retail trade
means a cheaper article for the ut-
mate consumer.
"Another factor which will contribute
to the general good Of the trade is
spec ialization. This is an age of spc-
cialization, but few department stores
have realized it. Soon they must. Each
department will be conducted by spc-
cialists and this will make for greater
efficiency Instead of having one buyer
for several different lines, there will be
an individual buyer for each line Of
merchandise. He or she will specialize
on a particular subject, and know more
about that subject than buyers gen
orally do today. Fewer mistakes will
be made and less unsalcablc merchant
disc Will be purchascd.'
Textile Mills Cut Profits
MIR. Fantl was asked for his views
concerning tho price and sales outlook
in the retail trade.
"ln some cases prices arc now as low
rs they will be for some time" he re
piled, "and in those lines merchants