davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
War Put Fur Trade
On Map of Business
International Authority Says
Future Is Bright for Amer.
lean Industry

The war brought the fur industry
into its own. August Goetz, of New
York and Paris, an international au-
thority on fur conditions, who was seen
at his local office yesterday, told The
Tribune that military needs, the in
creased buying power of women who
went into war industry, together with
the normal sources of demand, greatly
augmented the position of the fur
trade among the important national in
dustries.
Russia, which was the principal
source of supply, he said. was secured
for everything which would help meet
this heightened demand. The United
states, too. was called upon to provide
vast quantities of pelts.
Speaking of the outlook for the fur
industry, Mr.. Goetz said: "A bright
future Is in store for the American fur
dealers. Instead of shipping skins to
Leipsig, the leading Teuton fur market,
many trappers have been sending pelts
during the war. and many may be ex-
pected to continue to do so.
"Furs have been so popular in the
United States that women are now
wearing them all the year around. This
condition has tended to stabilize the
business Prices on furs will be lower
next winter. This drop has been in
dlcated by the decrease which has
taken place at the present New York
sale and that held in st. Louis :ast
week. The auction at London, held by
A. & w. Nesbitt, also showed tend
ency toward lower prices"
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Peace Industry No,c
=. Forging Into Lead

r. In the labyrinth of seemingly uncor-
related facts about current industrial
conditions throughout the country,
= "4Bradstreet's" sees signs of better
business prospects. "The most definite
conclusion" it says, "to be drawn be-
ing that in some lines, at least, price
cuts have brought business within
haiing distances of new demand, and
therefore of ultimate betterment.
in the variety of conflicting elements
presenting themselves may be men
'tioned the actual precipitation in the
form of strikes and lockouts of the
movement for a shorter week at textile
mills, and of a trend in the Pacific
northwest toward the calling of sympa-
.thetic strikes. On the reverse side of
the industrial picture may be cited the
beginning at some centers of progress
toward readjustment in manufacturing
from war to peace basis, with peace
lime activities beginning to forge
ahead"
~. The crux of the trade situation CON
EDITIONS to be prices, ''Dun's Review"
!, asserts, saying: THAT progress mainly
rhinges on prices, as has been the case
since the signing of the armistice, is
! now more widely recognized, and SELL
sers display less independence as buy
aers hold off for the further conces-
'slons which they believe inevitable"
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Woollens for Favored BUYERS
Sales Effected Quietly by Mills
Having Raw Material

While there has been little business
conducted openly between wooller
mills and buyers for some time. no
small amount of cloth has been sold
quietly in the last month or two to
favored buyers. Some mill owners
1ortunate enough to have stock on
hand before switching to government
work when the war began, or who have
obtained wool from the government on
an adjustment basis after the cancel
latlon of war contracts, can make un
fabrlcs much cheaper than if they
had to buy their wool at the govern
ment auctions to-day.
on such cloths the mill does not
hold formal opening or Offering. The
agent goes to few selected customers
and tells them that his mill has a Ger
tam amount of stock on hand and can
produce some cloth at fairly cheap
price. The buyers take advantage of
the offer and the goods are then made
up and shipped out and the whole
transaction is kept under cover unless
either the buyer or seller chooses to
tell about it,
One firm which controls two mills
is said 70 have disposed of 10000
pieces of cloth. about 10000 yards. in
the last month in this manner.
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08

Better Demand Reported
for Ciuilian Styles Of
Shoes; Leather
Cost High

FACTORIES producing mems shoes have
considerable business in sight, with in.
dlcations, according to local jobbers
that the demand for civilian styles OF
footwear will increase as more soldiers
returning from abroad are discharged
from military service. At the same
time the trade in women's shoes, which
in the last few months has reflected
the practice of economy by many fami-
lies during the war period, is also
showing Improvement.
AS for prices that will be asked for
shoes for delivery next fall, recent de-
vclopments do not include any ma
terial reductions. On the contrary, the
present high cost of feathers going into
the manufacture of footwear for next
season, together with the high labor
costs, suggest the possibility that the
trade may have to pay even more for
shoes than heretofore.
One large wholesale dealer COM
mented on the situation yesterday as
follows:
after the armistice was signed many
retailers cancelled their orders with
manufacturers, but a little while later.
When the shortage of raw materials
that enter into the making of shoes
became manifest, these retailers wrote
back begging for the reinstatement of
orders which they had withdrawn. They
were willing to purchase the same
stock at advances Of 10 and Is per cent
over the original quotations.
When the question is asked how re-
tallers can afford to advertise sales on
shoes during the months of January
and February, in spite of high costs,
the answer is evident. These shoes are
generally of odd shapes and colors, in
complete sizes and part Of the usual
inventory cleanup which takes place
periodically iii every business.
The consumer is selecting his shoes
with great care, simply because the
difference In price between good shoes
and poor shoes is unusually slight.
There can be no decrease in the price
of shoes while raw skins are high"
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08

20 per cent larger than in the CORE
spending month of the previous year
and that of January of this year 25 per
cent larger. The gain in February
promises to be still larger, and the
prospects for March, April and May
seem still better.
Wholesale dealers will do an
extraordinary business until after
Easter (April 2o), and the retail deal
ers during April, May and June will
find a demand which may result in an
increase of 100 per cent oyer the cor
responding months of 1918, when the
prospects of a favorable termination
of the war seemed remote"
Asked whether a shortage Of SUD-
plies would result from the strikes
in the mills in Paterson and elsewhere,
Mr.. Hanson replied in the affirmative.
Looks for Foreign Trade
"Is there any substantial reason for
pessimsm in the silk industry ?" was
the next inquiry.
Absolutely not" he answered. "Pros-
poets as far ahead as next fall seem
splendid, and soon we ought to be able to
do big business in Europe and other
foreign fields. American merchants
should look courageously ahead and
pay the strictest attention to the pos
sibilities Of developing business. The
nation has already placed itself in
position which will put her in the fore
front of the fabric world.
"Women everywhere might perhaps
follow the American example and cele-
brate peace by wearing more silk"
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Export Textile Selling
Commission Sails To-day

A selling commission, headed by
John 4: Mum, president of the Amer
lean Woollen Products Company and
also of the recently formed Textile
Aiilance Export Corporation, sails to-
day on the steamer Adriatic to repre-
sent the latter concern in Europe.
Accompanying Mr.. Mum are Ralph
Helmar, who will represent the cor
poratlon in England; E. f. I. Martin.
who will have charge of the Paris
5onlce; Theodore A: Post, who will open
headquarters in Brussels, and Victor
4. Gutwillig, who will go to Scandi-
navia.
The commission will carry with it
comprehensive and extensive samples
OF the products of American cotton
ana woollen industries, in piece goods,
yarns, knit goods ana blankets.
The party will go first to London
and from there the agents will pro-
ceed to their designated posts.
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Protests Luxury Taxes
Dry Goods Man Asks Reneal
of ImpOst

Believing that continued and CON
slstent protest against the inclusion of
the so-called luxury taxes in the new
war revenue bill will lead to reneal
or a removal Of the clauses imposinp
such taxes, Lew Hahn, executive Sec
rotary Of the National Retail Dry Goods
Association, representing more than 600
retail dry goods and department stores
throughout the country, yesterday tel
egraphed Claude Kitchn. chairman of
the House Finance Committee a re-
quest that he introduce a Joint resolu-
ton to remove or repeal the l.,xurv
taxes.
The telegram reads in part:
business men and general public
ARE prepared for inevitable tax burden
to pay for the war but they feel their
Senators and Representatives in Con-
gress have acted unwisely in the Gre
alton of such cumbersome, discrimina-
tory, and bothersome imposts as the
luxury taxes In order to meet tho
great demands Of the revenue bill as
you have reported it, it is necessary
American industry and labor be fully
employed. Luxury taxes must operate
to discourage demand for better class
products, thus constituting stumbling
block to conditions which must obtain
II the people are to pay for the War.
We feel if you will undertake respon
sibility of introducing the joint resolu-
tlon, Senators and Congressman now
are sufficiently informed of public's
temper toward luxury taxes to insure
success of your resolution"
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Louis Wizard Chosen
e For Important Place
Will Manage Protective Associa.
'' ton for Cloak and Suit
Industry

Inc Cloak, Suit and Skirt Manufact-
urers' Protective Association. an ~
Eahtzatloa OF about $50 of the leading
oinens coat, suit and skirt manufact,
,.'ers IN this city, has gone outside Of
1ts own industry to fiji the pogit;on ~
general manager, made vacant ''seVm seynrai oi
months ago by the Resignation If
Eugene l.: Lezinsky. The new general
manager ls Louis Wizard, a member ~
tne New York State Industrial Comnis
SION; The selection Of a man experi-
enced along general industrial and
labor lines indicates that the associa-
{aon rs preparing to undertake the So
luton OF industrial and labor problems
IN the trade. Mr.. Wizard will assume
is new duties about February 20
i feel that my greatest task will be
30 work out the problems that concern
path employers and employees in the
coat ana suit industry in New York,
said Mr., Ward yesterday. "The first
'ning Wiil be to bring both factions to
an amicable agreement. | think also
that by broadening the scope of the
exiktiug BUREAUS in the association and
aoa.nx new ones much can be accom-
Dii.hed for the trade as whole.
- ~ the base Of many of the troubles
.lh Ene needle industries, which lead all
atners IN this city, is the lack of con-
tinuous employment, due TO the sea
fonal character Of the market for an
pafei, II we can find some way or
creating a market for the trade's pro-
auction during the normally slack ne
RODS think we will have solved Yosny
o. the problems with which the indne.
ifl - now surrounded.e
Mr. Ward was engaged in manufact-
xrng IN Bafayia. n. r., and was twjca
Mayor Of ~ city
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
lJeweIry
" ealth acquired in Var
Period NoaU Being In.
Uested in Costly
Gems

War prosperity did not receive us
full expression in the purchase Of fine
jewelry until after the armistice was
signed. Even now in the months Of
adjustment of industry to peace
basis, when salaries and profits are
less fantastic. buying of stones ana
ornamental jewelry continues unatatea.
Regardless of the extent OF the
wealth captured in the boom days o.
the war, men and women hesitated u
buy articles that were then character,
lzed as less essential. The appeal o.
the Liberty Loan, the Red Cross, ana
the other agencies Of war relief com.
pcted relentlessly against impulses "
buy Jewels and other things that wei.
hot directly related TO the Winning o.
the conflict. The burst of retail buy.
ing enthusiasm for iewelry in recen,
months has been as marked in England
and France as in the United States.
In drawing attention 10 these facts'
Ludwig Nissen, a leading gem dealeI'
yesterday said: The greatest problem
that confronts the jewelry trade 10
day, especially that part of it whlea
caters to Il high grade clientele. is thss
TACT that they cannot get the class 2.
goods they want to sell. Certain
classes and sizes of diamonds are en-,
tirely out of the market. and the olo
stocks of stones have been used up
The scarcity of pearls is even more
acute, because of the embargo Of es.
portations from India. No pearls have
been imported into this country fo'
nearly a year =.
The chief retail demand for pearls
at present comes from those able .e
buy necklaces ranging in price, il Is
said. from $1,000 to $4,000. The class
OF people who are able 10 purchase
such articles were the very ones wno
curtailed their buying during the var
emergency. ~
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Western Merchants Place
Order for Spring Woollens

One of the leading authorities in
the woollen goods trade declares signs
already are at hand of an awakened
interest in the market on the part of
the buyer.
The present apathy is merely
psychological and due to a lack of con-
fdencc in the MARKET" he said, "but,
like typhoid fever, it has about run it's
course, and l think we are entering
upon period of activity. l am in
formed that buyer representing a
combination of Western merchants
placed an order for $4,000 worth Of
spring woo1lens in this market only
few days ago. To mysmind that in
dicates that retailers stocks are get
ting. low and they must come into the
market to get more goods There are
few spring goods for sale. and no mills
of which I have any knowledge are
working on spring merchandise right
now"
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Metals
Tin Embargo Profess,
by importers; Large
Supply Is No,o
Held Here

The Tin Importers Associate.
terday sent letter to severa, 9 N'
tors IN Washington asserting thu, s'' !
British embargo against certain az As
can goods, and against which a. ''S
Senators had expressed thsm.sa .asS
IN strong terms, is no more ' =
TIC than the present Amos
embargo against the ,mpo,t.s
OF tin into the United g..
lhe latter marks furtba0 0~ses
IN the fight being wagpd 1. STEP
tin importers against the govern 70
restrictions on importations II t'asn's asaI
that the American rannf. S.asss
barred from British markets .5I.su'ss .5s''ss
the latest action of the British sih'oasss
ernment will probably not enna, ,Sa Gov
total of the tin. which is now SI 49, W
from this country and which ,,auso ,s.ss
come from British possessions "vas ~
estimated that $4,000 tons of n;r - =:
valued at about 100000 900 ON tba bp'g IN
OF present prices for the metal l. uasls
nually imported by dealers in tn, the + IIr;. sa'
ed States. 'He Unit
The outlook at present is that A.
embargo against the metal vii w;, 'ae Ne
maintained for perhaps another " ~
months because the United States ny VA
Products Corporation, which he's ',ssl l'4
the sole license to import the nrodmaa ,'au
still has on hand some 6.OoO ,vsus' tonS !;
its original 10000 ton allotment r., "
reason for this is that buvers viii vii, ,ae aae
go into the market at The ,r.a nra.e NV
price. 1t is the general opinion amon. nu,a"
consumers that the price of tin. if tbs
embargo were lifted, would drop eon' rss
slderaD ply from the 219 cents pouna
1lXed Tor the product at present
The letter addressed by A. E. Win.
ter, president of the Tin Imports,rss, ,s
ASSOCIATION, to the Senators reads as
follows: "1' do
"Sir: have read with much into,
est the press reports of the debate IN
the Senate, yesterday, in which ths
matter of the British embargo bora
prominent part Apparently. Won an
opposed to the spirit of embargoes in
general and the British embargo h
particular. -"
Il trust I may be permitted to call
your attention to the fact that hi,
country has, not only in the past ss.
tabllshed embargoes against British
goods, but even at the present time
there is an embargo against imports
tions of pig tin, most of which come
from British possessions.
Il do not know whether you hays
been following the tin situation or not
but If you have you are probably awsre
of the fact that the embargo on in
is being continued for the purpose q
counteracting the mistakes of the War
Industries Board, on whose authority
10000 tons of tin was purchased and
paid for by the United States Stee
Products Company when there was nc
necessity for its purchase.
Either the government is indebted
to the United States Steel Products
Company for the difference between the
cost and tie market price of this tin,
or else the arrangement with The
United States Steel Products Company
was made without proper authority
from the government. In either case
Congress should act"
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Colors
Use Of Dyes Curtailed bv
Closing DoaUn Of
Many Textile
Mills

Buying of dyes is still curtailed on
account of the strikes in the woollen
cotton and silk industries. Besides
this, many dye users are still delav-
ing purchases in the hope of being able
to buy at lower prices later on.
Ihere was some activity yesterday
III staple dyes. A fair demand fo,
anime sulphur black for dying cotton
was reported at from as to SO cents
a pound.
Certified colors, used for colorino
foodstuffs and medicines, were in ac,
tive n0 e.. demand en- nc. orders coming from all
tsss pales Oh % 1he country. The supply of
these colors is far short of the de-
mand. They are made by only two or
three manufacturers and domestic
buyers buyers, are taking up the output as
qatfSAiy q,itS y, as 1T comes into the market,
Which are coming in freely, are BENZ .,
hlled only in limited quantities
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Troy Factory Reduces
Selling Price of Shirts

Because reductions have been made
IN some of the lower grade cotton
goods used in the manufacturing OF
mems shirts of the cheaper class
George P. lde & Co., collar and shirt
manufacturers, Troy, n. Y, announce
such shirts are now being delivered tc
their customers at lower prices.
Inc company asserts that in so do
ing it is taking loss on the shirts
at the new prices. since the material
IN them was bought at the time when
cotton was selling at about peak prices
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Business Men Are
Hopefulfo for Future,
+. r. Board Reports
-,
Federal Field Agents Predict
Only Slight Drop in Cen
ID eral Price Level During
~ the Next Few Months

WASHINGTON, Feb. t. Business
conditions are characterized by slack
tning of production, reluctance of COM
.mercial buyers to acquire stocks Of
goods in anticipation of reduction in
prices and only by slight falling off
OF retail business, says the Federal
Reserve Boards monthly review, made
public to-day. The board does not at
tempt to forecast the future course of
prices, but Federal Reserve agents in
several parts of the country predicted
that the general level of prices would
not fall much within the next few
months. Confidence in a healthy de-
velopment of the situation was ex-
pressed by the board.
I'm some cases more readjustmcnt
than had been expected has proved to
: he necessary" said the review. "There
has been hesitation in business, but
not essential losses of confidence in
the future of the general situation.
-A asst changes are now occurring in in
dustry and extensive readjustments in
labor. Slackening in productive effort
us reported from manufacturing dis
sfricts, but retail trade has as yet
fshown only moderate decline and in
some cases little or none.
- "ln the manufacturing field the
changes that are taking place are af.
tected primarily by alterations in the
prices of raw materials and changes
IN the direction of demands. The
changes that have taken place are,
hoA ko;~
of less disturbance than might reason
ABLY have been expected, while the
tone of the business community and it's
expectation of prosperous conditions
'tio develop in the near future is
Strong"
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
TO Visit Southern Conferences

series of trade conferences among
Jobbers Of dry goods in various sections
Of the Southern states will be visited
by Norman Johnson, secretary Of the
Southern Wholesale Dry Goods Asso-
ciation. On February II, Division ,
OF the association, comprising iobbers
1T South Carolina Georgia and Florida
VIII convene at Atlanta. The Alabama
Jobbers VIII meet in Mobile on Fcbru~
a.ry L, and the Louisiana jobbers in
New Orleans on February 13. A CON
Terence among the members Of Dis
trlct 8. composed of jobbcrs in West
Virginia, Eastern Kentucky and West
ern Maryland. viii take place on Feb
ruary IL at Huntington, w. Va.
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
An Innovation

An important step toward standard
ization of goods used in the manufact-
ure Of ready-to-wear clothing was
taken yesterday when Alfred. Decker
d. /Cohn. a leading Chicago house. an.
nounced that hereafter they would feat
nre the Label Of the manufacturer OF
piece goods used in making the cloth.
ing they produce. The house uses the
all wool fabrics made by Strong, Hewat
II Co., and the latter house is now car
rying on an advertising campaign an.
pcaiing directly to the consumcr OF
-
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
An Unknown Quantity

The retail. merchant who takes an
inventory. for the purpose of finding
out exactly where he stands this wear
listed his stock on hand. not at the
price he paid for it, but at price be-
low that figure, to take care of the
depreciation his stock has suffered
through the lowering of prices on
many lines of manufactures This
depreclation has not been equal in
all lines and in the annual statements
prepared for the stockholders of in
corporated stores, "stock on hand" is
going to appear as an item of unknown
quantity.
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Bright Colored Silks Take
Place of Drab War Carb
Women Throughout the Country Are Buying Nov
city Fabrics for Easter Wear, and Manufact-
urer Says That Retailers Will Do Big Business

November II, the day the armistice
was signed, has become a pivotal point
OF recent history, and nearly all cur
rent developments that are new date
from that event. A nationwide move
ment of the women of America to re-
vert to silk garments found its begin
ming in the end of hostilities, which
terminated the need of solemnitv in
attire.
T.. Irving Hanson, vice president and
treasurer of II. r. Madison & Co.. lead
ing manufacturers of high grade nov
city silks, told The Tribune
yesterday that the industry
was now near the crest Of
the greatest buying wave in silks
that the country has ever faced. Bright
colors and extremely delicate fabrics,
he said, are fast replacing the sedate
clothing which women, clad in khaki
and other drab material. wore during
the days when the very fabric of civil
lzatlon itSelf was under fire.
Women Replenish Wardrobcs
"The resumption of pre-war social
activities" Mr.. Hanson said, "has
lmpelled women, whose consuming
thought was until recently war relief
work, to replenish their depleted ward
robes. Silks in new designs and smart
colors have appealed uniformly to
women from Maine to California. who
sought relief from the dulness of war
clothes.
"Our own business serves as barom-
eter of the general development in
the trade. For December, 1918, it was
New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Jobbers Try to Shift Losses
Mill Agent Asserts They Over
bought Cotton Goods

A prominent cotton mill agent stated
yesterday that for over two years past
commission men had endeavored to
educate jobbcrs against overbuying
but at the height of the war activity
the latter preferred to speculate on
the war continuing until the summer
of 1919. Now, so this mill agent as
serts, the same jobbers are endeavor-
ing to shift to the mills the losses they
may have to stand on goods that have
been delivered.