Evening star., 1922-10-28
FORD BOOSTS PRICE
OF COTTON FABRICS
Demand for Auto Tops, Cur.
tains and Cushions Has
Greatly Helped Market.
BY J. c. ROlLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, October 2S.-lndepen
dence OF one industry from the infu-
eace OF others is a thing OF the past
in the United States. The long ex-
pected advance in the prices OF cot
ton and cotton goods is clearly in
dicative OF this. A new trading range
is becoming definitely established in
those lines. A dozen different fac
tors. radiating to as many dinereht
industries. are responsible for present
cotton goods prices.
Henry Ford. whose activities reach
in many directions, is held Responsible
to some extent for the advance IN
cotton fabrics: Interests wnich sup
ply the Ford factories with tops,
curtains, cushions and other acces-
sories have bought 100000 yards
OF cotton goods within the last three
weeks. Cloths used for ieatheriIinS
-sateens and meleskins-haVe been
widely sought.
OtAer Makers In Market.
Other makers of cheaper, grades OF
automobiles have rushed into the
market. fearing that they would have
difficulty in securing the goods they
will require. Some single purchases
have run into a million yards ana
mills have had to cover on many
thousands of bales of spot cotton at
once.
Rumors are current that Ford will
pursue his policy of making his facto-
ries independent Of outside supplies oy
entering The tire field, and tire fabrics
have been heavily bought. with conse-
quent uptrend Of prices. Spinners nave
been taking more bales. All this IN
dicates a scramble among spinners IN
view of the short crop and an increased
American demand.
This situation is creating speculation
and recessions In both raw cotton ana
print cloths are not unlikely. Such
drops are not expected to be large, how
ever, as many manufacturers VIII fo'-
low q policy Of buying at every drop.
On the other side OF the cotton picture
is the slack foreign demand.
FsfA Competitors Unafrafd.
The recent cut in Ford prices has not
frightened competitors. This WAS IN
dicated by preparation OF the Durant
Company to add q miilion-doilar factory
at Flint to their string Of plants for the
production Of Star cars.
Increase Of Ford business in the first
month under the new prices is estimated
at $4,000 cars. This is expected to
enable the Ford company to operate this
winter at a monthly rate OF at least
100000 cars. A large quantity Of nm
isired Fords must be driven to desttnA-
tions under their own power and the
company is keeping a close watch on
prospects of severe winter weather and
Blocked roads. The company, in this
respect. Is more fortunate than many of
its competitors, as with assembling
plants all over the country the drive
awhys are shorter.
The neck Of the bottle will be ship
ments Of engines and parts to those
outlying plants. Even here Ford has
an advantage in having his own rail-
road.
Other Industries GainfnE.
Scores of other Industries are equally
interdependent, Improvement in one
reacting on a dozen others. Move
ment Of hides and packing house by
products has increased in proportion
to the activity in meats and fats both
at home and abroad. Prices have
values are SO interwoyen that it is
impossible TO separate them.
Lumber. lime, brick. cement,
shingles. hardware and other building
materials are following the trend Of
building construction. Lumber pro-
duCtion now is IS per cent of noxnAl
and new orders would keep pace If
adequate transportation facilities
were available. Wooiens are up in
sympathy with shortage of raw wools.
Demand for finished silks is following
the bulge in raw silk prices in Yoko-
hama and here.