The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-28
Indications Are Father Will Have To Dig Deeper Into Pocket To Dress Family In Latest Winter Togs
 ADVANCE DUE TO HIGH WAGE AND COSTLY GOODS Both Wool And Cotton Ad- vancing In Price-Big For eign Demand For FIeeCy Staple Affects Prices
By THOMAS l.. STOKES (By Leased Wire to Awe-Herals

WASHINGTON, August 27.-Father will have to dig down just as deeply into his jeans this winter to finance the family wardrobe as he did last maybe a trifle deeper.
 No indication of a material drop in prices of clothing Is seen in reports received here from the varied sources which contribute to the annual over coat and the winter dress, the fall suit and the heavy woolens.
 In fact, the head of the household starts the season this year with a handicap, according to latest figures gathered by the department of labor. In June this year clothing for the average family was 749 per cent higher than in 1913; last June. it was 72.3 ahead, and last September, 1t had fallen to 71.3 per cent over the 1913 figure.
 Wool and Cotton High. sharp rise took place last March, when clothing prices jumped from 71.5 ahead of the 1913 figure to TIA per cent, This gain has been main tained.
 There are two factors indicating that the level will be kept:
 l. Higher prices for both wool and cotton, the two principal compo- nents of clothing, are predicted by experts here.
 2. Wages In clothing factories have | been increased in the last year, and ether items of expense have not been reduced.
 On the surface, indications appear favorable for some decrease. Wool is cheaper now than month ago, though the price is still above Its normal. Cotton is selling for 25 cents. However, experts predict that both will go higher when the mar ket becomes active.
 There is very little buying going oni either of wool or cotton. Re- tailers are holding off. Very few of the large department stores through out the country have sent their buy CTS to New York to stick up for the
 winter. All are waiting to see the trend of the market.
 This trend, experts say, will be up- ward, which will mean for the aver age family higher price for fall and winter clothing.
 Big Export Demand
 While wool has sold five to seven cents cheaper later, advices here | show that the reduction is due to small holders selling at a sacrifice. ! Large holders of wool, it is indicated, are not selling. A shortage of wool Is expected, which will tend to raise it's price. While vne crop in this country is slightly larger, the Aus tralian crop, one of the principal itms of wool Import, is about 250,000 bales less this year.
 The cotton supply of this country, feeding the world market, is expect ed to be less this year. It will total around 13,000,000 bales, of which about 100000 will be carry-over with a crop this year estimated around 11,000, 900 bales.
 Though the American market will not demand as much cotton this year,
 advices from abroad indicate that more will be required this year than last and the United States will have 1t is estimated, 100000 bales less with which to feed the world this year than last, when the stocks were 15,00O,00O bales. China Will neeo large supplies, and Europe is expect ed to take more, though reports or Europes need vary. This demand
 will affect the raw material price, and in the last analysis the cost of clothes.