The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1920-02-28
World Meeting of the
Cotton Men in 1921

Active preparations are under way
for the second World Cotton Confer
ence to be held in Manchester, Eng
land, in 1921. It was planned orig
inally that this meeting would be held
in June, but the prospects are now
that it may take place as early as
April. Rufus R. Wilson, general sec.
rotary of the permanent organization,
will soon go to England to confer with
Sir Herbert Dixon, president, and
with other members of the executive
committee, as to exact date and 9TH
er details in regard to the Manches-
ter meeting.
The first World Cotton Confer
ence, since that of 1907, which was
not entirely representative of the
worlds cotton industry, was held last
fall in New Orleans, this country be-
ing selected for the first meeting be-
cause Of the fact that the United
States is by far the largest producer
of raw cotton. The next conference
is to be held at Manchester, in view
of England's leadership in spinning
and weaving the staple. Other future
meetings win be held at intervals of
two years, in other countries which
are prominent in producing and man
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The New Orleans conference was a
distinct success, beyond all expecta-
tions, as to the number of cotton men
in attendance, as to the diversity of
interests and the number of countries
represented, and as. to the serious
thought given to the problems con-
fronting the trade in the addresses be-
fore the meetings and in the resolu-
tions adopted as basis for future
action. But it was seen from the
start that the actual results accom-
plished would be small unless the con-
ference was organized into perma-
nent body, with officials and COM
mittees authorized to carry the reso-
buttons into practical effect as far as
possible, and with definite plans for
future meetings, when further action
might be taken. Hence the arrange
ments for the Manchester meeting
next year
At the New Orleans conference,
there was lively discussion of the I'M
scientific methods now used in COM
pressing, baling, warehousing, mar
keting and transporting American
cotton, the European delegates char
acterizing the present practices as
crude, antiquated and wasteful in the
extreme. Resolutions were adopted
pointing the way to specific remedies
for these conditions. 1t is expected
that when the Manchester conference
convenes the officials and commit
tees which are carrying on the work
of the conference between the bien-
NAL sessions will be able to report
substantial progress in these matters.
The influence of the New Orleans
conference was exerted toward in
surfing an adequate production of cot
ton and toward stabilizing the price
under conditions which would be equi-
table to both producers and consum-
ers. It was brought out clearly that
spiners are not so much concerned
about the price of cotton as about
the volume and quality produced. So,
between the biennial meetings, much
thought is being given to such prob
lens as the future requirements of
the worlds cotton trade, and The de-
velopment of longer staples and high
er grades through more careful seed
selection and more scientific cultiva-
ton.
1, The adequate warehousing of cot
ton was another subject to which the