New-York tribune., 1919-02-17
BUSINESS NEWS BUREAU:
Tribune Building
l54 Nassau Street
Needy Peoples of
Europe Look to
U. S. for Clothin G, 6,
Textile Manufacturer Sees
Need of Controlling En-
ports TO Prevent Prohteer-
ing in Resale of Goods

lHS lu xACSGlC Ol OOOAe
ssft
Some controlling influence must be
exercised by the textile manufacturers
of the United States engaging in the
export trade to prevent prohteering in
the resale of their products in the
European markets, where clothes are
needed the most and the people are
least able to pay for them. This is
the warning sounded by John S. Law
renee, of Lawrence & Co.. and drec-
tor of the American Manufacturers
Export Association.
"No one desires to prohteer out of
the miseries of others. either through
shortage abroad or shortage at
home said Mr. Lawrence.
"We in the United States spin some
25 per cent of the wool and Sc per
cent Of the cotton OF the world With
the resources of our country intact, We
cannot permit those who helped us win
suffer as at present. Let US. however,
relief foreign trade and not parade
under false pretences. The soundest
relief is good business"
The situation in the United States
with regard to the expectation of tex
tiles is summarized by Mr.. Lawrence
as follows:
Surplus Unknown Quantity
"No one knows what is the export
able surplus of the textile industry of
the United States. What we 90 know,
however, is that we must supply the
real needs of the people of the United
States at reasonable prices. We must
spare some clothing for the serious
needs of our allies first, neutrals sec
convenience only"
Mr.. Lawrence outlines world condi-
tions in the industry as follows: Dur
ing the last few years India. Australia,
Central America, South Africa. East
Indies and many other points in the
world have not received their usual
supplies of textiles.
Europe needs clothes the most, and
Is least able to pay for them We
have reliable reports regarding the
textile industry of Europe. In France
and Belgium the Germans have dclib-
erately sought to ruin the industry by
removing most of the machinery, the
means of transmission and the dyna-
mos and machine tools. and have left
only old machines from which they
have removed much OF the soft materi-
ais, copper, brass and bearings. We
may practically say that new equip
p ment is required for France and Bel
gian mills, which countries in 1914
had nine million cotton spindles and
about three and g half million woollen
splndles In Germany the mills, We un-
derstand, are substantially intact.
They have few, if any, raw materials
wool, cotton, copper, card clothing,
etc.
~ Polish Mills Crippled
"Lodz, in Poland, one Of the great
textile centres Of the world, with L.
100000 cotton spindles and 81 600 cot
ton looms, has been shot over several
j. times. There are very few roofs on
the buildings. What machinery has
not been destroyed by the retreating
Russians has, it appears. been treated
as that of France and Belgium. They,
too, have no raw materials and no
money.
Moscow, the textile centre OF Rus
sia, with its 100000 cotton spindlea
and $4,000 cotton looms, is IN industrial
chaos. together with other industrial
life of that country.
Most clothing must come from
England, America or Japan, the only
remaining large textile centres Of the
world which have an exportabie surplus
Although Brazil and india and China
are large producers, each OF them is
large importer of textiles, India be
5ng normally the largest importer of
textiles in the world.
an the United States our textile in
dustry is intact. Before the war we
exported fully two-thirds of our cotton
crop and imported about one-half OF
cur wool requirements. To-day we
have on hand, or in sight, about a
years supply Of WOOL although much
OF what we have is &C rather low grade
During the last few years the produc-
tive capacity OF the textile mills OF the
~ United States has not been increased
4. beyond that Of the normal growth. al
though We all appreciate that the CON
sumption Of cotton has been larger
owing TO the increased demand for
heavy weight goods. and that abou,
20 per cent Of the United States tex
Tie production during tho past two
years has been devoted to war work.
Many Unproductivc Spindles
"Of the 100000 cotton spindles
- throughout the world approximatel,
thirty million, or 81 per cent. are for
tne present unproductive. and Of the
twenty odd million Of wool and worstcd
bpind!es about 40 per cent are in Con
tinental Europe and unproductivc. The
American textile Industry consur.cs
approximately 20 per cent Of the cottor
and 20 per cent os the wool produced
In the world.
"The world will. Of course, use les:
textile products during the next few
years than 1t did during and previ
Gus TO the world war, and the market al
the moment has not recovered from tho
" shock Of the armistcc and adjusted il
self TO new conditions. hat there are
undoubtedly textile products enough tC
meet the worlds necessary demands
am convinced. but they are at present
in the wrong place. We all realize that
people throughout the world have beer
- drawing upon their reserve stocks no,
. only Of :heir wardrobes but also THEN
{ : window curtains, bed ticking, etc, to
meet their requirements"
=. The American Manufacturers Export