Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-06-24
sH0DDY FOISTED
ON CONSUMER IN
PLACE Of WOOL
Real Article Allowed ID Ac-
cumuIate in Warehouses
While Spurious Stuff Is
Made Into Clothing.

Especial Correspondence to The JournaL)
Chicago, June 23.-Half bill
lion pounds of shoddy were thrown
on the American clothing marker
in 1919, while a billion pounds OF
manufactured virgin wool were
accommodating in the storehouses.
Shoddy is made of wooden rags.
re-spun perhaps as often as eight
times. 1t is usually woven with q
small percentage of virgin wool TO
stick the broken fibers together.
OF the 620,000,000 yards OF AN
wool" cloth produced by the ma
tion's mills, the amount of shoddy
used would have produced $50
100000 yards, if straight shoddy
cloth had been turned out, Mixed
with a little new wool. 1t entered
into the composition Of a vastly
superior yardage. In the same
period, thu amount of new wool
used would have produced 24O,
100000 yards of virgin wool cloth
if ii had not been aduIterates with
shoddy.
Truth In Fabric Bill.
These statistics were made publi
today by the National sheep ano
Wool Bureau of America, No. q
South La Sale street. which Is or
ganiZing the sheep, farm and busi.
ness interests Of the country behind
the French Capper Truth in Fab
ric bill. This bill was left in The
hands of the interstate commerce
committees Of both houses OF con
gress at adjournment. 1t is de
signed to compel manufacturers tC
stamp their cloth with the percent
age of virgin wool and of shoddN
il contains. Howard E. Greene
secretary OF the bureau, said:
Last year, as never before, thu
shoddy interests succeeded in foist
ing their goods on the public. Onl
500, 100000 pounds of wool in II
natural state, or 900, 100000 pound'
of cleaned wool, were converted
into cloth. Most of this amour
was mixed with shoddy to make /
stick together. If the entire 800,
600, 600 pounds had been made mt
pure virgin wool cloth. 1t wouit
have provided only 240.OO0,0O'
wards, as against 3S0,O0U.0O0 yard
of shoddy goods.
at would have taken 1850, 600,
600 pounds of virgin wool TO nav
made the entire 620,000,O00 YARD
Of all WOOL cloth turned out b.
our mills. But the entire amour
need not have been made or Vlr
Gin wool. There should have beef
virgin wool cloth for those VIII
could afford it and shoddy FOR thin
ner purses. That would have pro
yided for fair competition between
virgin wool cloth and shoddy an
for a fair range of prices Instead
through the lack of stamping
shoddies were sold as all wool AM
the public, accepting all WOOL I
mean virgin wool, was denied tn
right of choice and the beneflt o
range of prices.
Si0rs Filled With shoddy.
To-day, the stores are filled VIII
shoddy clothing and the store
houses, with q billion pounds Q
virgin wool. The shoddy interest
have become so thoroughly IN
1renched through the right of thei
product to masquerade as new WOO
under the popular term, all WOOL
that they have been able to Great
in their own behalf an artifleia
over supply of virgin WOOL.
"In spite of this billion pound
of virgin wool in the 9torehouse
the world produces annually thlr
less wool than it needs and the dc
mand for new wool is as great 8
ever. The shoddy manufacturer
have simply thrown themselves be
tween the public with its deman
for virgin wool cloth and the shee
men with their supply of virgi
wool.
GAS a result, the wool-groWel
are being forced into insoivenc,
To save those of the west frol
ruin, the federal reserve board hi
authorized the San Francisco fee
eral reserve bank to advance MOI
ey to help them carry their unsol
clips. But this aid affords onl
Temporary relief. The farmers an
sheep men must have permanef
relief from the unfair competitio
of the rag pickers.
Get Behind the Bill.
THAT billion pounds of unmat
ufactured, virgin wool in the stors
houses, kept from the public ths
wants and needs II by the Leg
right of manufacturers to use un
Identified shoddy in their all WOO
cloth. threatens the annIhtlation
the sheep and wool industry. 1t
TO the interest of every vOtSr to q
behind the French -Capper Truth
Fabric bill and sec that 1t Is CT
acted int law at the next sesSio
of congress. Between enlightene
public opinion and the truth
fahric law. the wool growers ma