New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-19
Garment Firms
Say Retail Men
Planned Ruin
Letter Alleged TO Have
Suggested Holding Or
Buying Until Manufac-
turers We're Bankrupted
Result Might Be Panic
Accused Traders Will Be
Barred From Showroorns
aud Cannot Get Samples

letter reported TO have been sent
from the New York Offices OF q country
wide organization Of department stores
the Retail Research Association. SAG
yesting that the buying OF garments be
held back to await sharp fall in prices
;hat would probably throw MANY lob
bers into bankruptcy, has caused lnGig-
nation in the cloak and suit trade here
As a result the Cloak. Suit and Skirt
Manufacturers Association has voted
10 bar al buyers OF the Retail Associ-
alton from member show rooms.
THE Retail Research Association is
composed of nineteen dry goods con-
Germs il Newark, Indianapolis. Mime
apolis, Seattle, Boston, San Francisco,
Sacramento, Rochester. Pittsburgh De-
troir, Toledo. Columbus, Dayton. Dallas,
St. Leuis, Cleveland, x ashingtoa, Phila-
delpha. and London, England.
Buying Plan Suggested
TIE letter is said to hsve been sent
cut from 215 Fifth Avenue, where the
Associated Merohandi sing Association,
with which the Retail Research Asso-
citation IS affiliated, also have Offices.
Members were advised to prepare TO
purchase what it referred TO as dis
tressed merchandise" from manufac-
turers OF cloaks and suits who, it was
said. were expected to fail before long.
Should the members Of tne associa-
ton follow the advice which the letter
is declared 70 have contained the opin-
ION was expressed yesterday that the
result would De disastrous. Buying
has rot been brisk, it was said but
that there VAS any considerable num-
Der Of garment concerns on the verge
Of failure was vigorously denied. 1t
was even stated that A panic N ght be
caused here If a forcing down Of the
market by withholding purchases with
an ensuing train Of bankruptcies was
TO occur
The vote barring Retail Research As
ISOLATION buyers from the showrooms
Of the Cloak. Suit and Skirt Marufac-
ttrers' Association was taken Wednes-
day night at the Hotel Astor. Repre-
sentatives Of 233 manufacturers were
present and the letter was discussed.
IN addition to refusing ia show stock
to the retailers here, they also voted
not 10 permit their samples to be
shown in the stores of the retailers N
question.
In a resolution they charged the re-
,ailers with a deliberate attempt to
wreck the New York wholesale trade.
Financial Attack Charged
Yesterday the cloak, suit aud skirt
manufacturers sent letter to the Re
tail Research Association, referring to
the communication received by the re-
tsilers, and saying:
"A most casual reading of the letter
referred to leaves no alternative but to
construe its contents as calculated
and malicious attempt 70 discredit the
financial stability of this markets
4 further charge was made at
Wednesdays meeting of the manufac-
turers that the letter, IN addition 30
predicting many commercial failures n
New York, also said that the aid of
banks and credit institutions had been
sought 70 obtain information thai
would lead to the buying of goods
cheaply through financial stringency.
In behalf of the retailers, it was said
that the letter was written as mat
ter Of duty 10 the members. The stores
were entitled to buy at the lowest
prices possible. regardless of condi-
tons, it was explained.