The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-01-14
CLOTHING COST IS
SLASHED A THIRD.
Considerable Reduction to
Be Felt in Spring and
Summer Wear.
BUT NO CUT IN WAGES
Increased Buying Shows Real
Bargains Bring Renewed
Business Activity.

CHICAGO, Jan. 13.---Local cloth
ing manufacturers appear to have
reached the conclusion that many
lines Of fabric have about reached d
a stable level at the textile mills,
writes Arthur VI. Evans in the Chi
cago Tribune.
Hart Schaffer % Max. the cad.
ing factor In the ready made trade,
which TWO months ago was advising
the trade TO defer placing its spring
order until mill prices of cloths be-
camc less flighty, opened its lines
Of spring and summor wear ycsters
day. showing reccssions of approxi-
mate'y one-third from last season y
mark.
No Wage Reductions Yet.
The reductions have been brO.ught
about despite the fact thai as vet no
cuts IN wages have been made in the
clothing industry. 1t Is declared by
some trade experts that at the new
prices, the clothing business is on a
mo- o-profit basis for the manufartur-
ers, whose greatest concern at pres
tnt is to maintain volume and db-
sorb overhead.
|, was said last night that for the
present 1t will have little bearing
upon unemployment in the garment
Industry in Chicago. 1t apparently
depends upon the size of the orders
placed by buyers, who are now gath
cred here from all sections of the
country. Some OF tho big houses
say they have been running at 10
per cent capacity and what curtail-
men; they have is the usual seasonal
slump.
Despite this. unemployment has
been prevalent among garment
workers for the last month or two,
as any factory Inspector or west
side politician or social worker will
tell one, and many small shops have
closed up FOR lack OF orders.
Back east, as noted several days
ago the resumption of buying by
some manufacturers who have been
holding back until prices came down
further has led to the reopening of
several textile mills. II is reflected.
100, In increased purchases OF wool
during the last few weeks. Prices
fall buying IL resumed an dindus.ry
begins to start UP all along the line,
and there you arc.
Heavy Buying In State Street.
Meanwhile State street, ever since
Christmas, has witnessed most
cheering phenomenon -- despite
growing unemployment and part
time work, the consuming public in
the last ten days has shown q great
purchasing power. particularly in
clothing, Some large stores report
the price slashes brought them the
. largest weeks volume OF business in
two or three years. They report
that wherever real bargains were
given u land office business was
done.
1t Is all borne out by trips through
the stores in the last week. Long
queues of customers were In front OF
delivery windows: II has been moth
ing extraordinary for a store To put
on so or 60 extra bushelmen, the
men who make alterations. In
some lines goods are declared to
have been on the counter at less
than replacement values.
Buyers from all sections say that
great quantities of goods bought at
peak prices have been liquidated and
the retail trade in general IN re-
adjusted to the new level. In the
manufacturing trade the feeling Is
that while mill prices of textiles
may be deflsted still further they
are nearer stabilized basis than
ever, and when supply and possible
demand are figured in the period for
marking time has been passed.
Lumber Men Gather To-day.
Today the lumber industry will
gather In Chicago to discuss pos
sible ways of stimulating building
activities. The gathering was called
by Edward Hines, but on account
Of illness he IL unable to attend. and
John II. Kirby OF Houston, Texas,
president Of the National Lumber
Manufacturers association, will pre-
side.
The lumber market, It is pointed
out, is demorslized. Prices have
been cut but there Is no demand and
many mills are idle. Despite the
drop in lumber and some other sup
plies, building materials are higher
man any other group OF commodi- :
lles with the solitary exception OF
mouse furnishing, so government
ilgures show, and the meeting today
is designed to formulate some ac-
non to persuade manufacturers OF
o'her building materials to put
prices where construction activities
may be revived. The meeting Is at
inc Congress hotel