Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-30
No Depression
Is Felt by Silk
Industry'inU US,
Import of Raw Material In,
creases in Spring Months
h While Other Foreign
Trade Decreases.
by HOLLAND.


n, at least. While reports
from Washington showing
hat seemed to be serious and pos.
Tibly momentous falling off in our
= foreign trade in the spring months
yet there was one exception. In.
stead of a decrease in the import oil
raw silk there was an increase.
This may seem to be a somewha,
trihng incident associated with our
entire foreign trade. Yet it is full
Of significance; for in the first place
1t shows that in spite of depression
some OF which was not ll-founded
an American industry was taking
the lead in imports and if it were i'm
porting large amount of raw ma
terlal il must be doing that in order
to furnish the plants in which this
industry is carried on with ample
supplies.
But if these factories have been
getting an unprecedented amount of
raw material purchased in other
lands and are about to convert it
into commodities suitab for do
mestic and foreign markets, then it
must be that those who manage
these industries are confident that
there will come large demand for
their products
Silk Industry Different,
1t is the silk industry of the United
states which has made possible a differ
ent chapter in the history of our foreign
trade for the past five or six months
from other chapters which told Of a fall
ing off In that trade 1t is not 80 many
years ago that the Cheneys were per-
suaded that 1t would be possible to manu-
facture in the United States certain kinds
OF silk goods which would find ready
market and might successfully compete
with like goods manufactured in other
countries Upon these foreign manufac-
tured silks. United States was compelled
to depend until the Cheneys demonstrated
mat we could make as good silks in the
United States Of a certain kind as those
that come from factories in foreign lands
and could market them successfully in
competition with these foreign silks
OF the United States had an output esti-
mated to have been of the value Of s4O.-
GOO. 900 This represented in considerable
measure the results OF the lessons earlier
taught by the Cheneys. At that time 1t
was predicted that the United States could
become the greatest silk manufacturing
nation in the world That prediction,
however. was regarded as without tustifi
cation because not a pound OF raw silk
was produced in the United states. II
would be necessary to go to China Japan
ana some other countries in order to pro-
cure the raw material That involved
heavy transportation expense
Making and Selling Silk.
And yet the prediction is likely to be
Justified. perhaps 1t is already Justified
IN. Ine industry would not have imported a
nttie under 100000 pounds OF raw silk
IN a single month of this spring had
mere not been confidence that this great
INDUSTRY IND was again on its feet 1t was
Ior the worst which began in the year
following the armstfce. Apparently It is
now now setting the example of change for
the better to other industries, for IL the
mannfacture and marketing of silk have
entailed the largest import of raw silk in
a a,,s single month in all our history as a
sir making nation 1t must be that other
industries will be directly OF indirectIv
stimulated by this industry
, import of raw silk in the midspring of
thls year was 100 per cent greater than
the import of this material year ago.
what was the peculiar impulse which
caused this quickenng OF one of the
greatest of American industries, although
.heir outpdt was not more than 50 per
cent normal? ~
Cotton stin in slump.
Cotton has not yet responded to this
impulse and the wonder is why IL the
silk industry has doubled its import of
Industry, which depends to some extent |
upon raw cotton which has fiber unlike
the fiber which is in the cotton which Is
produced in the southern states, should
have imported only about one-half as
much Of raw cotton in the spring OF this
year as it did in like period of year
ago,
This great industry Is chiefly confined
to eastern Pennsylvania. northern New
Jersey and the important manufacturing
district in Connecticut of which Hartford
,r thA J,, ..tY
featuring district Of the United States the
value of silk which was manufactured in
1890 was a little under 500, 900, 600. With
IN 10 years this had increased to s1O7,--
100000. Ten years later the output of
the American silk industry was $500. .000,- |
600. an increase in 10 years which with
the exception of the automobiles and one
or two other industries it was without
parallel.
Increase in Output.
How important a factor in our entire
industrial life is the silk industry as thar
has grown from 1890 IS shown by the
fact that our silk output two years ago
was of the money value OF nearly $780,
600 900. Perhaps some ether country can
report figures which would compare with
this. But it is doubtful whether switzer-
land and France are able to do ii, al
though Japan and China may match these
figures.
This American industry has been con-
stantly improving its methods of manu-
featuring. 1t has been able to pay much
higher wages than those gained by silk
workers in other lands. Probably as much
as sioo.ooo,ooo were paid to the amerl
can silk workers in the year 1919. and
yet it has entered the foreign markets
with success having achieved something
which 20 years ago would nave peeh
deemed impossible. That Is the almost
complete control of the American market
for silk goods excepting few special
kinds which are manufactured ABROAD,
and also a surplus which enabled them
to market in foreign lands nearly $780,
600 0oo worth of American made silk.
The story OF the American silk ipdus-
try as that was written in the spring
~ onths of this year, contains. when
properly read, hints of encouragement Tor
ali American industries.
New York Cotton.
New York, July 2s.-Offerings from Jap
anese and New orleans interests depressed
A. cattnn rSet SilghtlY At