davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Toy Buyers to Organize
Plans to Eliminate Hun PLAY.
things From America

The toy buyers of the country, those
who represent the retailers, are deter
mined to wipe Germany off the map, so
far as the toy business in this country
is concerned. To this end possibly two
hundred toy buyers will gather next
Wednesday afternoon at the Bush Ter
minal Sales Building, 1870 West Forty
second Street, to effect a permanent or
ganization. M. Sweyd, 200 Fifth Ave-
nue., one Of the organizers of the meet
ing, said yesterday that all indications
point to an enthusiastic meeting, which
will close with a get-together banquet
in the evening.
"The organization will be formed for
purely constructive purposes" said one
Of the buyers yesterday. "No objects
will be purely ethical. They can be
summarized as follows: Cd To ex-
change thoughts and ideas on success
full retailing; (2) to make toys a prom
inent mercantile feature; CD To in
fuence manufacturers to make more at.
tractive and better toys-toys that have
a meaning and that will instruct as well
as amuse.
be a student of human nature; he must
see through the children's eyes. The
merchant looks to the toy buyer to feel
the pulse Of the growing generation anc
find what it wants. The parents pay
the money, but toys are really bought
by the children.
"The new organization will thus have
a great field. 1t is buyers propo
sition pure and simple. While the con
vention will probably meet every year
local meetings will probably be helt
moro frequently in the buyers owr
towns to see if they cannot give The
children more interesting grade Of
toys.
Germany has always done big toy
business. But the popular impression
that Germany is the exclusive Sants
Claus Of toys is mistaken idea. Be
fore the war she sent about 40 per cen
OF the toys that were consumed il
America We will leave no step un
turned to constantly develop the mer
camille importance Of American toys
and make them more interesting, yalu
able and instructive for the children"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Why Cotton Consumption
Was Large in January

Several explanations were offered
yesterday by cotton mill men for the
increased cotton consumption during
January, 1919, shown in the govern
ment statistics made public on Friday.
These statistics showed that 32,774
more bales Of lint were con-
sumed during the month just
passed than were used in Jan
uary. 1918, and that the number Of
active spindles was greater during
January, 1919. than January, 1913, by
306,134. Increases over December of
1918 were also noted.
Possibly the best explanation of the
figures, which came as somewhat of q
surprise, because of the opinion that
there has been little activity at the
mills, lies in the fact that many of
the mills were finishing up their gov
eminent contracts during last January.
The government cloths were heavy
fabrics, running on an average of three
to four yards of material to the pound
of cotton. On the other hand, fairly
heavy civilian fabrics average as high
as seven to eight yards Of cloth to the
pound. In other words, yard for yard,
the government tabrlcS consume about
twice as much raw cotton as do civilian
fabrics This being the case, it would
not take so much government produc-
ton to bring the consumption of cotton
above normal
1t also is explained that there was
not quite SO much production last year
because of the coal shortage during
January, necessitating the closing of
many mills. AS to the increase over
December Of last year, the idea is ad-
vanced that as a rule the Southern
mills close down in great many
cases during the Christmas holidays.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Japanese Industries
Cut Their Dividends

Industrial Japan is feeling the eff
fects Of the contraction of business
following the cessation of hostilities,
and the most important companies have
already been compelled to make drastic
dividend reductions as a result of the
sharp drop in earnings.
Advices from Yokohama show that the
Osaka Weaving Company has cut its
dividend from % to ~ per cent; the
Osaka Zinc Refining Company has
passed its dividend of 10 per cent a
year, and the Meiji Zinc Refining Com
pany has reduced its disbursement to
stockholders from so to 80 per cent.
Dividends of the Osaka Copper Re-
timing Company have been reduced from
35 to so per cent; the Osaka Cotton,
Cotton Yarn and Cotton Cloth Elk
change from 40 to 35 per cent; the
Osaka Rice Exchange. from % to 10
per cent, and the Toyoda Loom Com
pany, from 55 to so per cent.
Spinning and shipping companies in
Japan have not yet been forced to
make important dividend reductions,
the decline in their financial prosperity
having yet to be revealed in their ac-
counts.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Silks
Buying of Fancy Silks
i'm Good Volume; South
america PurcIlas-
ing Here

Central Western buyers purchased
fancy silk fabrics in liberal volume
yesterday. Buying the last two weeks
has been so heavy that stocks of some
of the more fashionable products have
been pretty we'll cleaned up. A few
of the leading houses remained open
after / o'clock yesterday for the pur-
pose of reassorting stocks. Although
.mestic demand for the cheaper
grades of plain silks is light more ex-
port business has developed. South
American buyers are III the market,
and they have been taking rather
large quantities of dress silks of all
kinds. One house reports sales to
Brazil, also to Argentina and Mexico.
Wide fancy colored silk ribbons in
brocades and tapestry effects are in
good demand. Dealers explain that
the coats on women's spring suits do
not close in front, and therefore
vestees, calling for the use of much
ribbon, will be commonly worn by
women.
Trimmings for women's spring
dresses and mats, including beads,
spangels and tinsel goods, are in &C
tive demand at high prices. Prices
are not likely to decline because the
French manufacturers, from whom
most of these fancy articles are OBJ
tanned, have been unable to produce
goods at anything like the normal
rate
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
~ The Tribune's Page OF *
China Now a Factor
In World Dye Trade
Supplying Own Needs and Elk.
porting Vegetable Colors

The elimination of Germany from
the Chinese dye market has brought
about reviva, Of the vegetable-color
producing industry of China. That
country is to-day not only supplying
her own needs but is even exporting
vegetable dyes. especially indigo, ac-
cordlng to report recently submitted
by Julian Arnold, the American COM
mercial attache at Picking.
Before the war the Germans ex-
ported to China synthetic indigo. val
ued at about $4,000 900 a year. This
was in addition to three or four mill
ION dollars worth of German aniline
dyes. which had replaced in great
measure the native vegetable dyes.
which abounded in China.
indigo, which was long regarded as
one of China's principal agricultural
products, is now again finding a mar
ket. 1t is grown throughout the
country for local purposes, but as
sumes greater Importance in trade in
the South: One acre of ground will
produce about 5000 pounds of indigo
dye, of which, however, only about
sixty pounds are pure indigo. China
exported in 1917 more than 5000 tons
of liquid indigo, valued at S66O,O0O
China's blacks are produced mostly
from gall nuts. These blacks can
only be applied to fabrics which have
first been dyed blue. The capsules of
acorns are also used to produce black.
Yellow is produced from the flower
buds of the locust tree. They are
baked to a light brown color. placed
in cold water and brought to boil
ing point. Alum is used as q NOR
dant.
Red is produced from gallAower;
green, used for dyeing cotton cloth, is
obtained from the bark Of trees and
also from leaves; brown is produced
from the false gambler, grown ex-
tensively in southwestern China. The
darker browns are produced by the ad-
dition of gall nuts and alum.
These vegetable dyes are said to be
particularly we'll suited to the color
ing of Chinese rugs and will last
longer than the fabric. In addition to
exporting Indigo, China, during the
year 1917. exported 1000 tons of other
dyeStutfS
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Jewelry
Price Of Platinum Takes
Drop OF SIS Siluer
Plated Ware in
Demand

A slight decrease in the demand for
platinum yesterday resulted in the re-
duction Of the price from sos to 500
an ounce. This is not accepted in the
trade as an indication Of any relaxation
in the buying of jewelry on the part Of
the public. On the contrary, the heavy
demand for all kinds OF jewclry con-
tinues from all parts of the country,
and it is generally agreed among deal
ers in precious stones and metals that
the industry has never had as good
period Of business az at present.
This condition is also true Of the
plated ware industry, which has been
kept busy since the irst Of the wear
replcnishing the stocks Of retailers
who were cleaned out during the rush
Of buying which came with the business
holidays.
The manufacturers Of plated ware are
now finishing on government orders
which are due to be completed about
March l. During the war the plants
engaged in making this class Of goods
wcrep put to lead plating liquid fire shells
and manufacturing pcriscopes.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
German Substitutes for
Textiles Not Formidable

An American consular report from
Holland states that the only textile sub
stitute of any Importance in Germany
which may endure in the future is the
socalled staple fibre, used as subst-
tute for cotton. The process by which
staple fibre is manufactured is said to
resemble closely the process by which
artificial silk is made in this country
and in France. The raw materials are
available in large quantities. During
the war, however, munitions consumed
most Of the chemicals used in the manu-
featuring process, SO these chemicals
were not available in any great quaint
ties for the making of staple fibre. 1t
is suggested that progress may be made
now that the war is over, the chemicals
will be cheaper and that the staple
fibre will be able to compete with
cotton
The paper yarn about which much
was written, seems to be unsuitable for
clothing, and little is heard now about
yarns made from nettle, broom or pine
needle fbrcs.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Business Money

mark similar to the $50,OOO,O0O Bel
gian credit made known previously. Ac-
ceptance dealers in general do not be-
lieve these credits will have any APP
preciable effect on rates here, but think
they will be readily absorbed. Another
interesting incident was the formation
of a special acceptance company" by
the General Motors Company foi
financing the distribution of that con
Germs cars and trucks.
Increasing attention is given to s
new form of acceptance called "the in
dorsed trade acceptance" This is q
trade acceptance taken by a bank, in
dorsed by it and sold on the open mar
ket. 1t does not go for so low a rate
as a bank acceptance, but it sells for 6
lower rate than an ordinary trade &C
ceptance, and it is this difference il
rate which enables the bank to make
it's profit.
The range of rates for commercial
paper was unchanged from the weel
before; Two, three, four, five and s>
months, 6(G5M per cent.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Leather
Large Increase in Sales OF
Leather Bags and
Other Travelling
Requisites

Both manufacturers and retailers Of
leather novelties and travellers re-
quisites are having a prosperous Win
ter season. With the hotels of New
York overlooking with out of-town
people, sales have mounted until deal
ers say they are unable to supply the
demand
Leather handbags, travelling bags,
suitcases, leather carryalls, purses and
brief cases are all in demand. During
the war period government restric-
tons limited the production of many
of these, but in spite of the high prices
large purchases were made by the pub
lie. A large holiday business was
transacted by retailers, whose stocks
in consequence are now depleted, max
ing it necessary for them to place
more orders with manufacturers This
buying is not so heavy as it might be
if prices were more stable, but orders
come frequently, and the total. accord
ing to some of the larger manu-
facturers, is in excess of last years
business. Statesmen on the road re-
port that their sales have about
doubled
The take your small-purchases home
campaign throughout the country has
resulted in large sales of medium
sized leather bag, made up in various
novel ways.
Leather goods manufacturers also
expect an active demand for luggage
as a result of the heavier foreign travel
by business men and the prospective
increase in tourist travel next summer.
The general expectation is that sales
will be at least SO per cent larger than
last year.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Metals
Makers Place
Larger Orders for
Machine Tool
Equipment

Manufacturers of automobiles have
been making large purchases of ma
chine tool equipment. The Ford Motor
Company, Detroit, the WHY'S Overland
Company, Toledo, Ohio, and the Chev~
rolct branch of the General Motors Cor
poration, Toledo, Ohio, have bought "a
great deal Of new equipment, the pur-
chascs of the Ford company alone ex-
ceeding 100000. A New England ma
chine tool builder is reported to have
booked orders amounting to about $2,-
100000 within the last few weeks. No
other class of manufacturers is showing
any marked interest in buying new
equipment. There arc many inquiries,
placed.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Plan Textile Plants
In Eastern Siberia
Russian Expert Urges Use of
Industry to Re.establish
Economic Security

VLADIVOSTOK, Jan. Establish
ment of textile factories in Vladivos-
tok and other Eastern Siberian locali-
ties is advocated by a writer in the
Dalny "Vostok," which says that the
textile industries of the Polish and
Moscow districts no longer exist The
writer asserts that order soon will be
firmly established here in Eastern ST.
oerla, and that the waterways insure
the delivery of raw materials and ma
chinery. He adds:
Cotton is near at hand in India,
lndo- China, Corea and South Man
churia. wool in Australia, silk in Japan
and China, flax in the Amur district
and IN Siberia and hemp in the Amur
regions. Merino has future in the
Tran sbaikal region; rough wool is to
had from Mongolia and Transbaikala.
Raw material and its delivery are
cheap, especially with the help Of the
Russian commercial fleet. Fuel is near
at hand; immense coal fields are near
the coasts. Suchan awaits exploitation.
Labor is insured by the presence of i'm
migrants and the trained cheap labor
of Chinese and Japanese.
THE Far East and Manchuria used
100000 900 rubles' worth of textile goods
from Moscow at the price current be-
fore the war per year. Siberia offers
All immense market, not to consider
Russia, when it is cheaper to transport
manufactured goods by sea than to
bring cotton from Turkestan to Mos
cow. Vladivostok and the surrounding
districts must be declared free port
with free access for raw material. The
government must cooperate to firmly
establish foreign capital in textile in
dustries. We must hurry before Great
Britain, America and Germany get to
work at full speed, for then it Will be
too late
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Chemicals
Manufacturers Of Drugs
Behind in Filling
Orders for
Remedies

Pharmaceutical chemicals continue
IN active demand. Drug manufacturers
are still buying raw materials in large
quantities to catch up with orders
which have accumulated since the ma
tion-wi outbreak Of influenza. The
stocks on retailers shelves are low and
orders are pouring into the manufact-
uf1ng centres from all parts Of the
country, the greatest demand being for
cold and grippe remedies.
South America is also a heavy buyer
Of American pharmaceutical products,
the demand being fully as active as
before. the signing OF the arrnistice
This is taken BY manufacturers az in
dicating that the European countries,
which supplied South America before
the war, have not az yet been able TO
compete effectively in the trade gained
By American producers since 1914.
The pharmaceutical industry Is now
confronted with the problems that will
ariEs out Of the new revenue bill
which provides Il tax Of cent on every
25-cent purchase Of proprietary ar
t)eies. II has not been decided yet
whether the tar viii be collected in the
form 81 u stamp or through the add
lion 0f the tax 10 the price of the
article.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
What Argentina BUYS

A table compiled by the Director
General of Statistics for Argentns
SHOWS that during the first half Of 1918
goods valued in pesos 81 gold pesos
equals S0.964S) were imported By that
country in the following amounts
IeXt'les-Silk, 2,305.565; wool, 1904
945; cotton, 39.678,13s; other textile
fabrics, 25,202,664; oils, fixed, mineral,
volatile, medicinal and greases, $685.
oo9; chemical and pharmaceutical sub
stances and products. 12,s56,981; coors
and dyes, 1,475.259 timber, other
woody substances and their msnufsc-
ture: unmanufactured and partly
t"escasa") manufactured, 10,890,73s;
manufactures Of, 9S1 653; paper and It's
manufactures: paper and cardboard
5,o95,957; manufactures Of. 629e4'
leather and its manufactures, 9lS'Ole'
IRON. and its manufactures: unmanuisc'
tured and partly ("escasa") manufa'-
tured, 6,l84,763; manufactures Of iron
and steel, 11,o34,161; other metals ana
their manufacturers: unmsnui actufeu
and partly manufactured, 10,lOI,oao'
manufactures of 3,015.913; agricultural
2,614,540; stones, earthly substances,
glassware and ceramic products: rss
and partly manufactured, 20,64l'l ool
manufactures of, 1,605,133; electresl
goods, 3,945,479; various articles anl
manufactured goods. 5,977976.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Wool Auctions Fail
To Stabilize Prices
Manufacturers Want Market
Released From Govern
neut G,Onfroi

1t is gradually dawning upon the
woollen mill owners of the country
that the Governments method of Lam
ding the raw wool situation through
the medium of auctions ut which mini
mum prices are set is not working to
the best interests of the trade. 1t is
apparent that the auctions are not
stabilizing prices, according to trade
leaders. Last week the executive COM
mittee of the American Association of
Woollcn and Worsted Manufacturers,
headed by George B. Sanford, of San
ford e. Russell, reinforced the resolu-
ton presented by the war service COM
mittee in the woollen industry, recon-
mending that the ~7oollen markets be
freed from governmental control. This
resolution was passed imme diately
upon the signing of the armistice. The
other members of the executive COM
mittee which Reimbursed the resolution
last week are A. L. Clifford, of the
Worumbe Company; Robert T. Francis,
A. NJ. Plyer and j. P. Stevens.
While many Of the woollen mill men
indorse the movement toward a tree
wool market here, others are of the
opinion that such a course would not
ease the present situation, but would
only serve to throw it into further
chaos. AS one woollen man phrased it
yesterday, THE release of govern
mental control of raw wool would
simply let the bottom out of the mar
ket. The supply of raw wool now is
more than the mills can possibly use"
This man is an advocate of the British
system, whereby wool is released by
the government to the mills at a fixed
price, without the medium of an auc-
ton. In this system any mill can pur-
chase wool at the same price paid b.
every other mill and competition ?is
placed on an even basis.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16

labor costs have contributed their
share toward higher prices in waists,
but although we are now paying about
double the wages we were two years
ago, all these advances have been
gradual. Girls who formerly received
S12 a week are now drawing weekly
salaries Of S24. However. this advance
haa been gradual too, and not SO
noticeable as in some other lines of
the garment industry. In the making
Of an ordinary waist the labor costs
us about half of what the raw ma
terial costs. For instance, if there is So
worth of silk in waist the labor used
in making the waist costs us about
81.
"Now, silk goods are not likely to
be cheaper for some time to come. If
raw silk drops in price it will be Offset
by the increased labor costs in the silk
mills. SO our raw material costs will
be fairly stable for the next few
months at least. I don't believe our
own labor costs will increase material
of the present labor trouble in the
waist and dress industry is good"
"Did the strike affect production to
any extent?" was another question put
to Mr.. Lerner.
IL doubt II the enecc or the Strike
will be felt for another month" he
said, land then I think it will be only
slight. There has been almost normal
production in the waist factories out
side of New York, which were not
touched by the strike, and even here
in town some of the manufacturers
have managed to get some production
by taking in new employees.
"The retailers Of waists are short of
merchandise right now and are giving
us big orders for immediate delivery
Their own sales have been large and
they are compelled to come into the
market to replenish their stocks.
There isn't any reconstruction
problem in the waist industry" CON
cluded Mr.. Lerner. "Our business
suffered but little during the war.
The economies effected as war meas
ures, such as the standardization of
colors, more economical methods of
packing, etc, have helped cut down
our waste, and most of them are 60
ing to be continued as good business
policies"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-16
Utilizing Government
SURPRISES of Piece Goods

In an effort to show the various
agencies for foreign relief and foreign
nations themselves to what use* the
surplus piece goods now in the hands
of the government can be put, a special
exhibit of garments has been compiled.
An agent is now abroad with one ex-
hibit, and another is on view in this
city at the Surplus Property Division
of the ,Quartermaster Corps.
Included in the exhibit are mems
suits, coats, trousers, overcoats, over
alls and shirts. Many articles of wom-
ems and children's apparel also are
shown. These include overall suits,
coatss suits and dresses made from
meltons, convalescent fannels, cham
bray and brown denim.
The samples were made by Bod &
Boskin, Cohen, Brown G. Co., Philip
Mangone, the Heidelberg w off Com
pany and Cohen, Goldman & Co.