New-York tribune., 1922-03-12
Trade i'm L Finished
Cotton Goods Dull
In New England
General Curiailment in Ac-
tivity of Mills Now Regard
ed Extremely Doubtful:
Prices Are Holding Firm
Special DISPATCH to The 1yibvae

NEW BEDFORD, Mass, March IL
Except for slight extension Of cur
tailment in the New Bedford and Fall
River cotton mills, this week has been
one Of the most sterile of outstanding
events 'of any week in the last two
years. Trading in. finished goods and
raw cotton has been either quiet or
actually dull.
t. So gradual has been the progress Of
curtallments that the trade finds itself
at a loss TO explain it's significance.
The New Bedford mills have curtailed
about Is per cent. In, Fall River the
decrease in operations is more than 25
per cent. The mills that have curtailed
m New Bedford are closing Friday
night. There are still some mills in
this city. however. that are operating.
in addition to full time, on night
schedule
Several weeks ago. when the wage
issue seemed to be getting nearer New
Bedford and Fall River, a general cur
tailment was declared to be the only
alternative to a wage reduction. While
the talk of curtailment has been shown
TO have been justified in part by subse-
quent events. there is now only most
casual comment on the prospects of its
assuming the proportions of general
cu1 tailmcnt.
Print Market Quiet
The only line of finished goods re-
porting any activity this week was EalI
River print cloths. The drop in the
sales there. however. made the print
market quiet, the estimated sales beipc
100000 pieces. The sales of about 15O'
600 pieces last week about eoualled
production, but for the week Just ended
the production is in advance of the
Sales. Prices were f1n, trading being
confined to spots and nearbys.
Other lines Of finished goods v,ere
similarly disnclined to rel;no,isl1
their price levels, though there was no
encouragement given By actual tradinr.
Any test that sales would have Sut on
the goods market would have boosted
prices The advance in yarns that was
proving gratifying the past two or
three weeks has been checked. This
week the quotations we're stationary.
Gray goods and fine goods have met
with virtually no change.
Here and there through the market
there is a feeling that improvement is
a matter of the not far distant fu-
ture. Yet the conviction is more gene
raj that there will be no great break
in the situation until the Rhode Island
strikes are settled. one way or the
other. There is little doubt but that
New Bedford and Fall River will base
their action cn the outcome in Rhode
Island. and the various issues tied up
in the struggle are having a deterring
ipHnpNna so ;.,Iu
See Cotton Advance
The belief among mill men that the
future promises a higher raw cotton
market is given as the reason why
they will not accept orders that would
involve them in distant contracts. The
absorption of the 1921. crop Of cotton
has gone on scarcely noticed. Through
out the year, buying of cotton has been
dull, but the mills have been persistent
in taking small amounts Brokers
have pointed to the lack Of supply as
making a price increase inevitable
within the next month or two.
This view gains in merit by the re-
fusal of the mills to accept commit
ments on finished goods ahead, such as
some houses are reported to seek, and
the mills refusals to consider bids un-
der the market. Whether in the raw
goods market or finished goods, the
seller has emerged from the state OF
dictation that the buyer was able to
impose, ard this influence is tending
to effect soundcr conditions.
Neither Fall River nor New Bedford
are providing much activity in mill
share markets. Holders OF mill issues
are not inclined to let go. Brokers re-
port they have been unable to meet
the demand, though the demand has
been confined The latest sale Of Soule
stock at 17S is eight points above the
1921 high.