The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-01-16
FEAR DECLINE
 IN DRESS GOODS
Buyers Hesitate and Would Have Mills Make Rates That Would Insure
 Against Loss.

IL was made plain at the annual convention of the Jobbers' Associa- ton of Dress Fabric Buyers, held at the Waldorf-Astoria yesterday, that textile manufacturers would have to meet the dry goods wholesalers half way in the readjus -ment period fol- lowing the war if the buying of fab rics by the jobbers for the Fall trade was to assume more than a hand-to- mouth policy.
 H. Clay Miller of the Daniel Miller Co.,, Baltimore, President of the job bers' organization, presided at the meeting, which was attended by buy CTS from many of the larger whole sale dry goods firms in all parts of the country
 The subject of cooperation between the mill men and the jobbers in help ing to put business on it's feet after the upset by the war, was brought t' the attention of the convention by " Nj. c. Howse, President of the Johnston & Larimer Dry Goods Com pany of Wichita, Kan, who gave it as his view that, as a preliminary to placing orders for Fall merchandise, manufactura ought at this time 10 name prices on such goods which would have the effect of protecting tobbors against losses should the market sag.
 It was developed that dress fabric buyers were hesitatiug to place orders for Fall goods in the belief that ma terially lower prices might prevail la ter. Accordingly, 3Ir. TIowse proposed a resolution, which was adopted, call ing for the appointment of a special committee of five to invite mill treas urers and other manufacturing execu- lives to conference with the job bers. 10 he held tomorrow afternoon simultaneously with the annual con- veuti0n of the National Wholesale Dry Goods Association. It was said that if the manufacturers were in cIined to give assurances regarding g price stability, such an attitude would go long way toward ending the un- certainty in which jobbers find them selves at this time.
 The question of cancellations of or der8 provoked much discussion, Presi- dent Miller reading a paper on the subject in which he asserted that
 
 favor of the seller. Tt would be well for the seller to assure himself of the equity O. a contract" he said. r. A. Colt of Ostran5 der & Co, New York. discussed cancellation from the standpoint of the manufa cturer. Ar thur B. Eastwood of the Tootle Campbell Dry Goods Company, St. Joseph. Mo, told of the hardships in- flicted upon jobbers by the practice of the mills in requiring wholesalers to take so-called arbitrary assort- ments" Of merchandise when placing orders. A committee was named to take up this grievance with the manu- facturers The advantages of stan dard shade card for cotton goods were discussed by Paul c. Barbee of Smith -McCord Townsend Dry Goods Company, Kansas City, Mo. Mir. Bar bee gave 1t as his view tha, jobhers bysusing this card could reduce the returned goods evil 25 per cent.
 World supply and markets at the present time were discussed by G. A O'Reilly. foreign trade representa- tive of the Irving National Bank. It was proposed by President F. A. Patrick of the National Wholesale Dry Goods Association that the American gov ernment reduce the prices on its heavy stocks of wool 10 British levels in order 10 give American manufac- turers a chance 10 compete.
 All of the officers of the Dress Fab ric Buyers Association were reel ected. This afternoon the Jobbers Association of Notion Buyers will holG it's annual convention at the Waldorf to he followed in the evening by the annual dinner of the National Dry Goods Association.