New-York tribune., 1919-09-24
English Textile
Men Hopeful of
Larger Output
Delegates to World Cotton
Conference Discuss Pro-
duction Difficulties ON
Arrival in This Country

British cotton goods manufacturers,
large number of whom arrived here
Yesterday, state that in England. as
IN this country, the textile industries
are confronted with serious problem
IN production owing to the shorter
hourS for mill hands and increased
wage demands and other conditions
tending to hold down output. These
manufacturers are members Of a dele
CATION winch has come to this country
to attend the world cotton conference,
which will open in New Orleans on
October 13. In the interval the dele
gates, numbering about 100, will visit
the cotton mills Of New England and
some Of the Southern states and hold
conferences with American manufac-
turers in the hope Of finding ways to
eliminate many of the delays in the
production Of cotton goods.
The installation Of new machinery
and additional mills is the vital point
in the restoration of normal produc-
ton in England, according TO Frank
Nasmith. general secretary of the Brit
ish delegation. Mr.. Nasmth is a
recognized textile authority He is
JOINT editor Of The Textile Recorder"
member Of the council Of the Textile
lnstltIte and Of the council Of the
British Association Of Textile Works
Managers, acting at New Orleans as
delegate for both bodies.
Machinery Is Impaired
During the years of the war" Mr..
Nasmith said. "machinery in our cot
ton mills could not be replaced. Con-
stant operation has seriously impaired
its efficient use, and right now our
greatest problem is first to replace
this wornout machinery with new
equipment and secondly to enlarge ex-
listing plants and build new ones
That is made difficult because
of the effects of the war on the manu-
facturcrs Of cotton mill machinery. AS
general rule orders placed now for
spindles and looms cannot be filled
for twelve months.
Machinery costs vastly more now
than it did before the war In Eng
land we have to pay from 800 to $50
per cent more for our equipment than
we did in the early part of 1914. And
coal we formerly bought for So ton
now costs us SO.
he cost of producing has been in
erased not only by the tremendous in
creases IN equipment costs, but by the
attitude of labor as we'll. Working
hours have been reduced from fifty
tive and half a week to forty light.
Wages paid mill operatives to day
average l45 per cent greater than they
did during pre-war periods. And our
labor is not as efficient Many of our
prohcIency, were called to the army,
and while large percentage of those
who returned to England have re-
entered the mills, there are enough Of
them gone into other industries to have
ahectcd the production materially"
One Manufacturer Confident
Mr.. Nasmith's statements were con-
cured in by j. Barber Lomax, one
of the largest manufacturers in the
Manchester district. Mr. Lomax said
! that the British industry, despite the
handicap under which it is working, is
making rapid strides in the way of re-
covery and estimated that within a few
months maximum production VIII
have been reached.
Labor ITSELF Mr.. Lomax said, "is
satisfied. 1t is the agitation of the
radical leaders that disturbs our work
ing forces and leads them to their de-
mands for higher wages and shorter
working periods"
He explained that production in Eng
land was not comparatively as great
as in the United States, because of
the general use of hand looms. Few
mills employ automatic weaving ma
chinery, he explained, and some were
rigdly opposed to its use
During the war we had to employ
~ NO !
and young people. Our productions,
naturally, were seriously curtailecl.
Women operatives, taken in during
those four years, are now being re-
placed whore possible bv demobilized
soldiers. and productions are beginning
to increase. AS an additional expedi-
ent to increase our outputs we have
added one more loom to the number
tended by the weaver
MIR. Barber stated that English CON
sumption OF raw cotton from the United
States would reach about the same
amount as in 1918. The demand for
cotton goods from the English mills is
not relatively as much in excess of the
supply as it is in this country, he
thought, although the production does
not equal the demand. Mr.. Barber
agreed with Mr.. Nasmith that produc-
4 4.
! be restored in q few months
Fifty Million Spindles Represented
The British delegation. which has its
headquarters at the Hotel McAlpin,
represents every phase of the British
cotton industry. 1t is regarded as one
OF the laost important industrial dele
cations that has ever been called upon
to attend a conference The chairman
is Sir Herbert A. Dixon, Bart chair
man Of the Fine Cotton Spinners and
Doublers' Association. Ltd. a combine
Of mills which have 100000 spindles
Sir Herbert Dixon is also a delegate
from the British Board of Trade. He
was chairman of the Cotton Control
Board and is director Of the Man
chester Royal Exchange and the Great
Lever Smelling Company, Ltd.
RnC.n