The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-06-29
WOOL MARKET
HAS BASIS IN
SAODDY'S USE
Billion Pounds Of Virgin Clip
Cutters Nations Storehouses
Because Manufacturers Use
Much Old Stuff

pounds of shoddy were thrown on the
American clothing market in 1919,
while billion pounds of unmanufac-
tured. virgin wool we're accommodating
in the storehouses. Shoddy is made
OF wooden rags, re-spun perhaps as
often eight time. 1t is woven with a
small percentage of virgin wool to
stick the broken 6bres together. OF
the 620,0O0,000 yards of "all wool"
cloth produced by the nations mills,
the amount of shoddy used would
have produced 100000 yards, if
straight shoody cloth had been turn
ed out. Mixed with little new WOOL
it entered into the composition Of. a
vastly greater yardage. In the same
period, the amount of new wool used
would have produced z4o,OO0,OOO yards
OF virgin wool cloth, if it had not
bee adulterated with shoddy.
These statistics were made public
today BY the National Sheep and Wool
bureau of America which is organic
ing the sheep, farm and business in
terests of the country behind the
French-Capper, Truth in Fabric"
bill. This bill was left in the hands
OF the Interstate Commerce committee
Of both houses of congress at adjourn
ment. 1t is designed to compel man
ufacturers to stamp their cloth with
the percentage of virgin wool and of
shoddy it contains. Howard E.
Greene, Secretary of the Bureau said !.
Last year, as never before, the
shoddy interests succeeded in foisting
their goods on. the public. Only 6OO,-
10000 pounds of wool in its natural
state, or 100000 pounds of cleaned
wool, were converted into cloth. Most
OF this amount was mixed with shod-
dy to make it stick together. If the
entire 800, 100000 pounds had been
made into pure wool cloth, it would
have produced only 24OOOO,OOO yards,
as against the 2sO,OOO.OOO yards OF
shoddy goods.
1T would have taken 1,550OOO,OOO
pounds of virgin wool to have made
the entire 62O,00OOO0 yards of all
wool cloth turned out by our mills.
But the entire amount need not have
been made of virgin wool. There
should have been virgin wool cloth
for those who could afford it and
shoddy for thinner purses. Tha.
would have provided for fair compe-
tition between virgin wool cloth and
shoddy and for a fair range of prices
Instead, through the lack of stamping
shoddies were sold as all wool and
the public, accepting call wool tc
mean virgin wool. was denied thu
right of choice and the benefit of =
range of prices.
Over Supply Of Virgin Wool
Today, the stores are filled with
shoddy clothing and a billion.
pounds of virgin wool fill the
storehouses. The shoddy interests
have become So thoroughly en-
trenched through the right of their
product to masquerade as new
wool under the popular term, all
WOOL that they have been able to
create in their own interest an ar
ti6cial over-supply of virgin wool.
"1n spite of this billion pounds il
the storehouses the world produces .
third less wool annually than it need
and the demand for new wool is a
great as ever. The shoddy manufac
turers have simply thrown themselve
between the public with its deman'
for virgin wool and the sheep mel
with their supply.
"As reslt the wool growers ar
being forced into insolvency To saw
those of the west from ruin, the Fed
cral Reserve board has authorized tn
San Francisco Federal Reserve ban
to advance money to help them carr
their unsold clips But this aid al
fords only temporary relief. The far
mers and sheep men must have pei
manent relief from the unfair com
petition of the rag-pickers.
THAT billion pounds of unmanu-
featured, virgin wool in the store
houses, kept from the public that
wants and needs it by the legal
right of manufacturers to use un-
identified shoddy in their all wool
cloth, threatens the humiliation of
the sheep and wool industry. 1t
ID to the interest of every voters
to get behind the French apper
Truth in Fabric" bill and see that
it ID enacted into law at the next
session of congress. Between en-
lightened public opinion and the
Truth in Fabric" law, the WOOL
growers may be able to recover
some Of this springs losses at next
springs clip"