, 1921-05-05
WILSON TALKS
President Wyoming Wool
Growers Association
Gives Interview at
Chicago on Wool
Situation.

CHICAGO. May 3.--The impera-
tive need for the enactment of the
French-Capper Truth in Fabric bill
to supplement even the most advant-
ageous tariff law for the protection
OF American wool growers was ex-
planned today by J. B. Wilson. OF Nc
kinley. Wyo. MIR. Wilson Ia secre-
tary of the Wyoming Wool Growers
Association and also a governor OF
the National Sheep and Wool Bureau
of America and 1t was at. the office
of the latter organization, No. 23
East Jackson boulevard, that he was
found. He explained that he had
just made q general survey of the
leading wool growing states, OF which
his own Is chief. and declared that
the outlook for the American wool
grower is extremely blue. He said:
More than a tariff measure is
needed to afford the wool growers
adequate protection. We need to
have the French-C apper Truth in
Fabric bill enacted and need 1t in a
hurry. Why, / have sold wool for
1Ohc a pound. when the tariff was
lie a pound. and I have heard OF
other wool growers who sold for even
less. No tariff will protect the wool
grower from the secret competition
Of shoddy-re-worked rags. Shoddy
must be identified by labelling. 50
that the people will know what they
are buying and may choose between
shoddy and virgin wool. The Truth
in Fabric bill, which has recently
been re-introduced by Congressman
French and Senator Capper. will
compel textile manufacturers to
label their all wool cloth with its
content OF virgin wool and Of shoddy
and will force the shOddy vendors
out into the open. A mere mis-
branding bill, such as the Rogers bill
would only prevent mis-branding. 1t
would not compel branding In the
first place. 1t would allow the shoddy
vender to keep on hiding behind the
misunderstood term, all WOOL.
ION account OF the immense ac-
cumulations OF woods. the situation
OF American wool growers is the
worst in the history Of the country.
The stockyards report a big liquida-
ton of flocks by sheepmen who can
no longer afford to hang on till bet
ter times. Thousands OF sheep have
been sacrificed since the Department
OF Agriculture estimated that the
number in America on January l was
45,O67 .0O0-less than one sheep for
each w citizens. In Wyoming.
alone. more than hulf a million sheep
have gone since that estimate was
made. 1t will take years to get
American sheep husbandry back into
good shape. even with the aid of
legislation.
Fully seventy or s~eventy-five per
cent Of the 1920 wool clip is still un-
sold and the 1921 clip has got under
way with no prospect OF a market
whatever. The woql-growers can-
lot expect to raise as much money
on the 1921 clip as they did on the
1926 clip. though their iced is eve
more pressing than 1t was last year.
Westerners cannot possibly sell their
clips for the cost Of production. The
Tariff Board agreed that their 1919
clip cost them more than 45c a pound
to raise and their 1920 clip cost
dearer. The 1921 clip cost them
less because OF the openwinter and
the lower cost OF labor. but only a
few cents a pound less.
THE people, l have had oppor-
tunities to discover. want the Truth
in Fabric bill passed, because they
want to know what they are getting
when they buy cloth. The shoddy
manufacturers cannot ward Off the
enactment indefinitely. AS have
travelled about the country, / had the
insistence of the general public for
Truth in Fabric legislation brought
to my attention on many occasions.
Conversations in the smoking cars
have revealed that everyone present
favored the French-Capper bill.
lowing to the demand for virgin
wool fabrics. Jul organization and
the wool-growers' organizations OF a
number Of other states have found 1t
expdeient for the manufacture OF
cloth and blankets. We have been
unable to provide for all who wish to
buy. Since my organization has
been manufacturing blankets, we
have had inquiries from every state
in the Union except five. We have
had letters repeatedly. saying: II
your blankets are made Of real. hon.
est-to-goodness. virgin wool, ship
them to us We haven't been able
to get such blankets where We live
for years.
THE Wyoming state Truth in Fab
ric law--the first law OF the sort to
be passed by any state--is now in
effect and is giving general satisfac-
ton. Though outside reports de-
clare that there is dissatisfaction
with it, I have heard 10 complaints.
The clothing retailers are in favor
Of it. In the legislature hat passed
it, was n Of the states biggest re-
tail clothiers and several other mer-
chants. They had no objections to
raise at the time or since. The gem
eral public is a unit behind the mea-
sure.
lone of the few bright spots in
the wool situation, as I have found
1t, Is furnished by the success Of the
Ohio Wool Warehouse; which was
established at Columbus through the
efforts OF the Ohio Sheep and Wool
Growers Association. 1t has disposed
Of all the 1920 wool turned over to
It and Is the only organization Of
the kind that has accomplished the
feat. Further. the prices which It
has secured have averaged higher
than those secured by any other