Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-14

- -------------.------
Then whoever needed wool would buy.
knowing that they would not be hurt
later by drop in prices.
The mill owners would stock up If
they knew wool prices could not break
later. They would accept the fact that
wool Is high and that the retail prices
OF their products must be correspond
ingly high.
There will be 900. 100000 bounds of
American wool added TO the country's
, supply next June. when the sheep will
be shcared. The Government has de-
cided not TO 'ouci this wool. 1t naturally
will sell. however, at prices established
by the sale of wool which the Gov
ernment now holds.
England has not only ccmmandeered
all tho existing supply In the British
market. but also has arranged to take
over the Australian and New Zealand
clips up to July /, 1920.
England has avoided our trouble.
however. by stabilising prices.
II the American Government con.
tinues TO force wool buyers TO make their
purchases on the present auction basis
II can mean only one OF two Things
Either the manufacturers must buy wool
at the Governments present figures and
run on a loss or close down the mills.
II takes little business knowledge ~
understand which of these alternatives
the manufacturers would adopt
"The establishment of uniform prices
for the various grades of wool now held
by the Government would eliminate the
wool dealers for while, but they should
be unseliish and stand aside
H. G. FetterolI. owner of one OF the
biggest carpet and rug mills i'll Pnila-
tlclphia and president of the Floor Gov
cring Association of America, admits
that the present situation is very
serious one. and. like Mr.. Webb. ascribes
II largely TO the high prices which the
Government is asking for its WOOL!
"The carpet and rug industry, espe-
cially where the higher grades are con-
cerned, is at a standstlll because OF
Migh-priced wool" said MI Feserolf i'll
all interview
Communicated Entire stock
THE Government took over millions
Of pounds of wool at rne highest prices
when we went into the war, command
ccrug everything. Now it hnds ltseIi
with the wool on its hands. 1t wants to
get its money back; but IL is ho!dlhg lts
wool at prohibitive prices.
/ What the Government asks is ABOVE
what the manufacturer can anord to
pay. other elements entering into the
making of carpets and rugs are CORE
spondingly high also Labor is getting
big wages, which must be figured intt
the selling price of rugs and carpets.
THE resultant high retail price o
floor coverings is driving purchaser
away from the more expensive to thu
less expensive grades. \ high-grad
Wilton rug, made in my factory. of ;
size that I could afford to sell four o
five years ago for from $47 TO $50 mus
now bring $3.50. And at that price
do not make as good profit IA for
merly The result of these high price
is that retail buyers are turning fron
the Wiltons to the slightly but les
durable Administers.
"The jobbers vino mad large stock
of carpets or rugs on hand when price
began to go upward have made money
of course. The mills have been TIL
sufferers
al present the joobers and the de
Dartnlent stores, understand, are a.
most entirely out of floor coverings
The department store buyers are no
stocking up either, They are purchas
ing few rugs instead of many. The.
are waiting for the prevailing hig
prices to come down.
yet [ cannot sec how prices cal
come down. Wool is up; jute is UP
cotton ia up; labor is UP. All tn
things that enter into carpet-makin
cost more than ever before. How cal
the manufactured product sell for les
in view OF these conditions"
Not Selling High Grade Goods.
| Perhaps the answer will be in mah
ing cheaper floor coverings for tn
= present Instead Of the fine worste
- rug the manufacturers will have t
produce a cheap wool rug.
Opinions differ as to how long thcs
conditions will last Recently in Ney
; York I was talking with Il group o
| manufacturers. Some were optimisti
| over the situation, estimating that nor
mai conditions might be expected with
t in six weeks others believed It woul
$ he six months before there is a read
t justment. My own Judgment is tina
there will be no return to former con
. ditions until next summer, when W
begin to take the fall orders.
AT present the foor-coverng indus
try is marking time. The majority o
the mills have either been closed alto
gether for a period or are working o
; part time
, Some Of the mills-my own anon
. them--were engaged on Government
) contracts during the time this countr
. was in the war. We were working da
} and night turning out cotton duck. Thi
was a period OF prosperity for the worl;
ers, as they were earning big none
with their overtime. During the wa
weavers who formerly had earned Sc
| ,la