New Britain herald., 1920-12-09
WAGE REDUCTION OF 2.5 PER CENT LS
 FORECASTFOR TEXTILE MILL ENPnOYES
of New Eng land and New York, Em- ploying About 30O,OOO Persons, Say This Action Is Necessary.

Boston, Dec. 9.-A wage reduction of 22 F per cent in textile mills in New England and New York state was forecast today in a statement issued after a conference of textile manufac- turers, Approximately 75 per cent of the industry in this section was repre- sented at the conference it is under stood. The industry employees 300. 900 persons
 Wages Are Stin High.
 Such a reduction according to the statement, would bring the wage schedules back approximately to the figures that existed a year ago and would leave the wage standards gen. orally more than double those of 1915.
 The present stagnant condition of the textile industry made considera- ton of a wage reduction necessary it was declared The statement said:
 Tt is evident from what has trans pired in the past few months that there has been an insistent and com public that the cost of living should be lessened by a readJustment of the prices of commodities entering into the expense of daily life.
 Living Prices Arc Lowered.
 Manufacturers have been reluctant to make any radical changes in wages because of its effect at time when there has seemed to be so little Will ingness on the part of the retailer to do business ma lower basis or prices.
 Now that the process of readjust- ment has operated in the wage earn CTS favor and living costs are still further to be Iessened as the present low prices of raw materials are re- fiected in retail costs the manufacturer can properly take some action to les sen the labor cost involved in produc- ton.
 Markets Are Stagnant.
 .sTbe refusal of buyers to purchase roods for the past four or five months of a high basis of cost has led to a stagnation of the markets upon which the manufacturers depend so that at the present time many of the textile mills in New England have been obliged to shut down; many more are working on short time, and unless something is done to remedy these conditions unemployment will be in- creased and continue.
 Tn order to stabilize conditions so that goods can be purchased and busi- ness be done it is indispensably neces- sary, unfortunate though it may be that there should be some wage re- duction. The textile manufacturers have given careful consideration to every phase of this situation and have taken into account all possible methods of bringing about conditions whereby their plants may be operated without any change in the wage scale, but they find that this is impossible.
 Reduction Is Necessary,
 Accordingly it has been suggested that a reduction of 221s per cent. will aid materially in stabilizing the market.
 ''If this reduction is made. it is hoped that merchants will feel that the factor of labor as we'll as raw ma terial costs have been so adjusted that they will feel secure in placing their orders for merchandise.
 "If this turns out to be the result, employment can be provided, and it is hoped that the public will respond to this suggestion and that manufac- turers will be able to go with no further reduction in the wages of em- ployes'