The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20

huns actuaIiy ana poeeh-
lily the industrial balance of
the word. Countries that dominated
in some of the long established pro-
ductive activities have lost their pre-
eminence. This Is the case with fax
and the weaving from II of fine linens.
North America Is in a fair way, to
come into Its own share of this very
profitable field OF endeavor. The ques-
ton is, only, will the people of the
United States grasp their chance and
revive a business that was once ma
tionwide and make it again equal with
the domestic demand?
= In Canada, thanks to the energetic
steps taken by the Dominion Depart
ment of Agriculture, the farmers are
being encouraged in every way to go
in for the cultivation of FAX. The
manufacturing end also is being pro-
noted. The Canadians believe they
can make themselves entirely inde-
pendent of foreign fax, and they are
equally confident that their projected
factories will make it possible for
them 10 weave abundantly and Of the
very oest OF linen FABRICS.
From I.40O Acres to $4,000.
Four years ago the fax fibre in
austry in Canada was so small that 1t
was insignificant. The year after the
conflict began there was planted in
lax only 1.400 acres throughout the
.ength and breadth OF the Dominion.
last year the area devoted to this crop
amounted to $4,000 acres, and during
1919 the fields have spread 10 % 900
acres. According to a report issued
A few weeks ago by the Bureau. Of
Foreign and Domestic Commerce
there were only nine fibre scutching
mills in operation In 1915, and these
plants were scattered over a restricted
region in southwestern Ontario. They
we're the only ones remaining of
larger number formerly engaged in
the industry but which were gradually
forced to suspend operations because
Of the competition OF Russian grown
fibre and the cheap labor available
abroad. Since 1915, however. conditions
have improved and new scutching
mills have been established. In 1918
there were forty-seven plants In the
Dominion. Fibre is being grown in
Ontario superior to any quality of the
Russian product and equal to the
highest continental standards"
Some millions of dollars are now
devoted to developing linen weaving
mills in Canada, and 1t Is the deter
niination Of our neighbors to the
north TO increase these establishments
and to make the Dominion a great
linen centre.
Back in Colonial days we'll nigh
every farmer In the United States
grew his own flax and the women OF
the household spun the fibre and wove
It into the needed fabrics. But we
fell from grace and came to rely upon
foreign linens simply because pros
perity OF sort made US SELF
lndulgent. In 1898 the invention of
the cotton gin made possible for the
FIRST time the economic utilization of
cotton; and from that day on fax
fibre growing In this country dwin-
died steadily, whereas the cultivation
Of cotton expanded from year to year.
Long n DisagreeabIe Task.
The preparation OF fax for spin
ming has until rather recently been a
vexatious. a somewhat protracted,
and certainly a disagreeable process,
because one phase OF 1t called for the
workers TO labor in foul smelling
water waist deep. 1t was in this way
that parts of the fax straw were de-
composed and the fibre separated
from the pithy core which it envel-
oped. The American farmer was
quite ready to abandon this objec-
tionable pursuit when he found cotton
so much less troublesome and the
newer fabric satisfactory for SO
many needs. Further, the revenue
from the cotton made II fairly easy
for him to buy all OF the linen he de-
sired from foreign sources
But the march OF time and altered
industrial and economic conditions
have brought US TO a new era. Now
for the very best OF reasons. as both
the Department OF Commerce and the
Department Of Agriculture urge, IL Is
important that we take steps promptly
to develop an American linen in.
dustry. Flax is the Oldest of all OF
the hbres, of which we have recorded
evidence. that man has utilized fol
bis own comfort and convenience. and
the history of it's employment datei
certainly back for 5000 years. In.
deed, until decidedly recent times. ma,
and wool were the two staple fibres
upon which the vast bulk OF human
kind relied as a basis for their cloth
ing.
Nine years ago Sir William Craw
ford. then president OF the larges
arm in the Irish linen industry, eX,
planned in an interesting fashion JUS
why the aristocratic textile of th'
Pharaohs came TO be supplanted b,