Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-10-17

Clothing Stores; we must all wear
clothes and we all are especially SEN
sltive to the rapidly rising prices:
Its the easiest thing in the world to
cry "Prohteer" but the most sensi-
bic thing Is to give consideration to
Aldts and existing conditions and
reflect that your local business men
have no desire or reason to extort
excessive prices from you their steady
customer. They want to remain IN
business here and in order to do so
must have fair profit.
The National Association of Retail
Clothiers has under way propaganda
campaign to show the consuming pub
lic the real reasons why clothing
prices are at their present altitude
and why no relief can be expected
during the next spring season.
A committee representing the re-
tail ASSOCIATION is cooperating with
committee of manufacturers in pre-
parIng facts and figures regarding
the increased costs of labor and ma
terial. This matter, in the form of
articles, viii be circulated among the
members of the National Association
u Retail Clothlers. through their Of
f.cial publication, with the request
that the retailers have these articles
rspr.nted In their local newspapers.
A press bureau will also be establish
ed IN charge of an experienced press
agent. VINO will secure publication in
nsumer periodicals Of facts regard
M the increased costs and big ad-
N;nces made TO all labor IN the tex
tile industry. This bureau will at
a osataf n laa
i..s scanda4 d. Of prices.
The "Why" of High Clothing Prices
One of the educational articles
prepared by joint committee reads
IS follows. {
sThe financial equivalent of gar
ment is tsday represented by the eu-
mnlative cost of labor in GZery pro-
csss of manufacture. The actual
value of the raw material is negligl-
be In comparison with the retail
selling price Of garment.
Wages have advanced trsmerdn-
ously IN the garment industry, iogl-l
cal reaction from the condition which
prevailed in the past. Until 1914
he wage scale in the garment indus
tries had been far below the pre-
vailine standards in other industries.
Labor was cheap for the simple rea-
son thft the supply exceeded the de-
mand. Jreigners exhibit a peculiar
talent for the needle trades and I'M
migrants in enormous numbers
found Il fexpedient to turn to those
industries for a livlihood.
Such labor was obtainable at the
manufacturers own price, and IN SELF
defense because Of keen competitive
conditions these manufacturers were
obliged to purchase their labor as
losR as possible
The war and subsequent develop.
ments have forced new order Oh
Things. n complete reversal OF labor
sunplv and demand conditions, with
the inevitable consequences OF ID
hor shortage. There has been no mi
yri0ration during the last tive years.
On the contrary, thousands OF gar
ment employees have returned 70
tLair native land. This condition
{ further aggravaga.cd by thu re-
dpction of working hours. A com
narison of the wages now paid to gar
poent workers in the four leadlng
clothn0 markets of this country re-
s,aals an increase of $50 to zoo per
cont over the pre-war wage SCALE
The garment industry is IN tne
,,onouard of Americas economic ad-
;nstment. Garment manufacturers
hsrala the new and enlightened era
which brings labor due reco2nitloh'
as inst reward. Employees IN the
garment industry now labor under
deal conditions at high wages.
Approximately 80 to 90 per cent OF
the cost of a finished garment is now
represented by labor the raw ma
teriaIs being either by-product OF
a gift of nature. 1t may therefore DC
readily understood why clotnlne
prices have so greatly advanced. int
increased cost of labor has toucneo
every process of garment productlor
from the obscure sheep rancn EN-,
ployee to the inspector OF the nnisheo
The raw products in suit o.
clothes, wool oniy has eight separate
and distinct turnovers before Ih'
garment reaches the consumer. Eaci
turnover implies possession and sew
eral essential operations.
Not-Snearing The wool grow
er, heId,ng sheep, the raw materla
i.s incipiency. The raw wool pass
es from the grower to the, =,
NO2-Wo0l Dea'er, lwhe1e tn
wool is assembled, sorted and dis
tributed; to the
No. 3-Scouring process, where tn
wool is separated from grease an
foreign substances. thus prepared 10
No. 5-Spinnng. The yarn the
goes to the
No.6-Mfas, where the threads ar
dved and the cloth is actually mad'
The fabrics then passes to the
No. Z Clothing Manufactures
where II is mt last converted to gan
ments and then distributed to the
No. s-Retailer for sale to the cor
sumer.
The higher wage scale in the ga
ment inustry is typical of the az
vances effected in every one OF II
processes by which wool Is prepare
for use. When it is remembers
that these advances are cumulativ
one increase added to anothr, 1t ms
he eadilv understood why clothir
prices have so greatly advanced.
Piices After Civil War
Another article to be circulated
the association contains the emarl
of Ludwig Stein, president of Il
National Association Of Clothiers,
the recent retail convention IN Chic
The average retail price of a 81
of clothes at different periods sin
1860 is as follows; 400
1860 .............'. 90
1864 ............'''. 81 90
1851 .''.'''''' -