New-York tribune., 1922-07-19
Disapprove Textile Price Adj
vanccs at Meeting Here;
Forecast Spring Lead
ers i'm Silks and Coitons

Although dry goods MERCHANDISING
prospects appear TO be good, there -
enough uncertainty In tho situation 70
demand continued cautious operation
~ was declared yesterday % the md
srmmcr meeting Of the Jobbers' Asso-
ciatIon OF Dress Fabrics Buyers, an
.rriliary OF the National Whoicfaie
Drv Goods Association, 90 tho waldorf
t..oria Hotel. The meeting was at
tended by more than O. hundred buyers
og cotton Foods. woOlcns and silks TOT
leading Wholesale dry goods hfms
tbropehout the country. A separate
cropp meeting Of silk buyers was heid
In the morning and steps were taken 70
organize a separate body Of silk buyers
as an auxiliary 20 the main association;
Some OF the jobbers present declared
that they would not be ready 70 opef.
ate on cotton wash goods Tor next
spring Tor another two month";. On
Tie outlook for next spring general
discussion favored ratines, erepes ana
tissue fabrics as the probable leaders.
Designs and styles, 10 was said, are
likely 10 be affected by the move 20
longer skirts One or two OF tho loD.
bors doubted the possibility that
ratlnos would continue as the strong
sellers In cotton dress goods next year
in view Of the fact that they were 20
widely distributed this year 10 the
women Of the country.
Need More Original Designs
The need Of more original designs
In cotton wash goods was expressed by
several Of the jobbers, and apparently
epproyed by all those present. The
tiade seems 20 be swinging away from
the old-liue staples, IL was declared.
Another merchandising point that was
emphasized was the advisability OF con-
eentrating on few lines rather than
building up stocks from a great many
lines. several OF which are bound 20 be
slow movers. The experience Of most
jobbers lately has been that only Few
fabrics move briskly enough 10 give
the desired rate Of turnover.
Textile price advances were dis
cussed 20 slight extent, and the con-
sensus OF opinion seemed 10 be that
advances will seriously eurtail con-
sumption. At the same time cognizance
was taken Of the fact that raw ma
terials, such as cotton, wool and silk,
have registered some sharp price in
crcases since cloth prices we're last
named
The association adopted resolutions
assuring the President and the govern
ment Of the United States Of "its sup
port during these troublous times,
especially in regard 20 railroad and
coal strikes, which appear about 20 be
made the subject Of Executive action,
declaring that the association believes
"that an excessively high tariff would
be inimical 20 the best interests OF
the country's business, and hoping for
a speedy action on pending tariff legis-
lation.'
Gingham Conferences
u also was voted TO appoint COM
mittecs 20 confer with gingham manu-
facturers and silk manufacturers 20
iron out some OF the difficulties in
these two divisions. The jobbers want
better spacing Of deliveries on ging-
hams. less restriction on the gingham
patterns that mills will sell them and
better terms In silks a request will
be made that manufacturers refuse 70
sell the smaller retailers, customers OF
the iobbcrs, small pieces Of silks in
competition with the jobbers.
The practice Of imposing a service
charge for the cutting Of short-length
silks was approved in the silk group
meeting, and general opinion leaned 10
the advising Of cautious buying Of silk
goods. in view Of the fact that raw
silk is still 100 per cent above average
pre-war levels In silk goods the job
bcrs expect crepe de Chimes, Canton
crcpes. satin Cantons and chiffon vel
vets 20 be good sellers next season.
Francis X Walsh, Of the Rice-Stix
Dry Goods Company, St. Louis, pre-
sided az the meeting and +. b. Patton,
OF the Pittsburgh Dry Goods Company,
headed the silk group.