New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
Address Delivered by William W. Wood at the Dinner
of the National Association of Clothers, at the
Hotel Astor, New York City, Wednesday, Euening
February / 8th, 1920
The Problems of Manufacturer
Mr.. Wood spoke as follows.

Mr.. Wood spoke as follows:
Mr.. President and Members Of the
National Association Of Clothiers,
GeNtlemen-
The operations Of modern tex
tile mill are, I think, but little
known to the public. People in gen.
eral have a very slight realization
Of the swiftness and efficiency of the
processes by which automatic ma
chinery turns wool into cloth, Great
ing fabric almost as by the touch of
an electric button. They little real
ize to what extent the operations Of
cloth making are simplified by mod
ern machinery; that almost any job
connected with it requires but little
physical labor and average intelli-
gence. Manufacturing is now a
scientific process in which electrical
power plays dominating part.
The changes that have thus been
brought about from the days Of the
little mills of our forefathers, op-
Grated among the hills of New Eng
land, beside the brooks and rivers
wherever waterpower could be
found, are very marvellous.
But with these changes have come
great and vital problems for solu-
tion-problems not only industrial
but social and political. We now
have vast factories where thousands
Of operatives work in one unit and
under a single roof; and beyond
this, scores of these great mills have
come under single management.
The advantages In the economy of
operation, as we'll as in many other
respects, have made this necessary.
Our own company, for illustration,
now operates fifty-four mills scat
tered throughout New England and
New York, and employs some forty
thousand operatives. While this is
the largest company, 1t is but type
and illustration of many similar
ones.
The ownership and methods of
management Of textile mills are also
changed. The smaller individual
mills were operated by a single
owner-or perhaps by two or three.
Then the owner knew all his help
Familiarity, and oftentimes by name.
He was in the closest touch With
them from day to day. The opera
tives were sons and daughters Of his
neighbors, alike of New England
stock, with history and traditions
and ideals the same. There were no
distinctions Of class, no differences
Of race or religion. There was not
only personal contact, but frequent
ly personal intimacy between the
owner and hts employees. Together
they constituted a great industrial
democracy.
But today, those who own or man
age textile mills see OF become ac-
quainted with the workers, If at all,
only by the merest chance. There is
no opportunity in the industry for
the personal contact of the old days,
contact which meant so much to
successful administration. For how
could I, for example, even hope to
meet and know forty thousand op-
eratives scattered throughout New
England; much less to know and
appreciate the quarter million people
or so that constitute their families?
Nor could I to any greater degree
know even the people who own the
mills. We have in our company some
seventeen thousand stockholders,
and venture to say l have not the
pleasure Of knowing a score Of the
number. 1t is impossible for me to
meet them. But few Of them attend
our stockholders meetings, and
there is no occasion for me to know
them except by the names on our
stock ledgers-and frequently these
give but little indication as to who
the real owners are.
A similar situation exists with re-
gard to those who buy and distribute
our cloth. The mill owner who In
the olden days used to manage
his own mill knew personally and
familiarly all his customers. But.
except upon fortunate occasions like
this, l can seldom meet those who
buy our fabrics; and it is almost
equally seldom that see or know
those mon from whom our company
buys its supplies.
These are the facts and this ia
the situation that have developed
the modern problems Of the manu-
facturer, which are now SO acutelv
presented.
You will pardon me, I am sure n
refer to my own position. BY wav