New-York tribune., 1921-06-12

bodied in this new cooperative sche
rent pressure of last year that prom
establishment of centralized manu1
The women's garment industry, as
such, probably is one of the most mis-
understood in the country. largely be-
cause it has produced no large combi-
nations that can be pointed to as en-
bodying the ideals and policies of the
entire trade. The garment people are
fond of pointing out the contrast be-
tween their own industry and that of
the great steel trade In the latter the
United States Steel Corporation really
stands for the industry. In the women's
garment trade there is no single firm
that compares in magnitude to the
Steel Corporation. Some idea of the
size of the industry may be gained,
however, by reference to the 1919 CEN
sus figures, which show that the indus
try produced about $1,1s4, ,o9e, 900 worth
of merchandise in 1919. The clothing
industry, as whole, is said by those
in it to be third largest in the country
in point of capital Invested, value of
output and the number employed. The
wcmen's garment end of the industry
naturally is larger than that devoted
to the production of mems apparel, and
it is said that about 80 per cent of the
industry is located in New York City.
The new Garment Center Capitol,
cooperative idea born Of the exigencies
developed when rents became almost
ruinous, according to the manufac-
turers, consists Of two large buildings,
one twenty-four stories in height and
the other seventeen, and contains
about 100000 square feet or fifty
six acres, of floor space, all of which
will be devoted to manufacturing, SELL
ing and shipping of women's apparel.
H0iu Plan Started
The buildings were begun in May,
1920, following notices served on the
manufacturers by their various land
lords that rents would be increased,
in some cases more than 200 per cent,
ming from FIVE to ten years. Like
frightened children, the manufacture
ers turned to some one in authority
to protect them. That some one hap
pened to be Saul Singer, of Singer
Bros, firm of cloak and suit manu-
facturers, who at that time was presi-
dent OF the Cloak, Suit and Skirt Man
ufacturers' Protective Association. He
called meeting of all those who had
been served with rent increase notices.
Thirty-six responded to consider ac-
ton. Few came with any clearly de-
fined plan. But into the meeting came
Mack Kanner, a garment manufac
turer who formerly had been in the
contracting business. Mr.. Kanner had
the germ of an idea. He also had
options on certain pieces of property
on Seventh Avenue.
The idea of tenants becoming their
own landlords by the cooperative erec-
ton of their own building was
broached. 1t fell on fertile SOIL and
at subsequent meetings the idea was
developed, and finally it eliminated in
the decision to erect such building.
The thirty-six men who compose the
stockholders of the organization are
proud of the fact that the whole idea
was based on confidence, and That no
contract other than those made with
outside parties necessary to the erec-
tion of the buildings has been made.
When publicity was given the prof
ect there was a rush of other garment
manufacturers to join. subsequently
the plans were enlarged to include
additional tenants. and the idea ex-
panded from one building to two. AS
the project now stands there are the
original stockholders and approximate
ly the same number of tenants who
will occupy the two buildings Many
of them have taken an entire floor.
Ethics NoaU Stressed