The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-26
EXPECT DRY GOODS
 TO ADVANCE WITH. PRICE IF COTTON.
One Seller Says Public Will Buy Costly Goods Only
 When Wages Are Hiqh

ttoAS AoAAo" iaW COllOH HIS QueS- tion, asked by one of the important cloth market factors, reflects what Is in the minds of all sellers. Thus far, the primary market has been satisfied with progress. In many in stances, business has followed ad- Nanees much better than many had expected. Cotton is going higher and there must be further adjustment in cloths. How high can cloth follow cotton?
 One seller says:
 As long as employment Is as full as 1t is at present, and good wages are maintained. l shall have faith in the market. The public will pay higher prices under such conditions. My observation has been that the consumer, in purchasing, pays ac- cording to what he has in his pocket. My belief is that the signal to get under cover will be when we are faced with strikes or other disturb ances that will mean loss of wages.Y
 Cotton opinion has been "one way so far as the old crop months are concerned. Higher prices are predicted. A strike in Fall River or any other cotton mill center, because Of the wage proposition, Is not con sidered as likely. Certainly it would be a last resort. Just what will happen to cotton before August is puzzling many. The situation in the cid crop months based on statistics will become more and more acute, and the possibilities for forcing cot ton to levels higher than suspected will become greater and greater especially if the present rate of con- sumption continues.
 So strong is the outlook for cotton in the old crop months that it is argued the large users of print cloths who have plants to operate, cannot delay much longer in placing f. ruyo r1 vy,ft me arf pf their requirements. Otherwise, the converting trade Is expected to buy right along, as needed, paying what ever the market demands.
 The Now England cotton industry faces the prospect of wage in- crease or a strike, or both. Fall River. the great cotton mill center, is the center of the storm. If an increase is granted there, it will al- most certainly be followed by wage rises elsewhere in the north and probably in the south as well.
 The Fall River situation Is compll- cated by the presence of two unions, one, the local textile council of the American Federation of Textile Oper- atives; the other the United Textile Workers, national in scope and the organization which is pressing for a general increase in the north. The Fall River Cotton Manufacturers as- sociation has agreed to meet the tex tile council in conference in It's demand for a 15 per cent increase, as in the past. It has refused to meet the United Textile Workers, preferring to deal with the A. F. T. O., which it considers controls the labor situation.
 The result of this tangle Is that the United Textile Workers Is likely to strike in Fal River, no matter whether an increase is granted the textile council or not, although un- foreseen developments, of course, may alter the prospect.
 There has been interest in buying gray goods during the past week at slightly under the first hand mar ket A number of bids have been out at all times, but they have not been successful in obtaining much merchandise. Small lots of goods very slight concessions, but the quantities have been regarded as in significant and having no bearing on the trend. The intimation is that converters want to see the likelihood of getting a little more money for their finished goods before paying further advances for gray cloths.
 The situation in Fall River, Mass. has caused considerable interest, in view of the fact that number of the mills have declined to consider prop ositions for contract business. await ton. About 6.O00,000 yards of goods that might have been placed with Fall River went to southern mills during the past week, because or this state of affairs.
 Sheetings have not been active. There has been fair business with the jobbing trade in small lots. Ihe other numbers. however, have been very quiet.
 Narrow drills are in fair demand with prices a little higher. on some constructions. Sateens are firm, with spots commanding premium on few numbers.
 There has been rather sizable busi- ness in voiles during the past ten days, the result of the demand for printed goods. Voile prices are gen orally higher.
 has been little strengthening in low count organdies. There is good demand for fancies, in the way of underwear cloths crepes, silk striped shirtings and other novelties. Silk-striped shirtings have been sold for delivery through June July August, at rather high prices
 The trend in the markets for fin- ished goods has been toward con SerVatlSm. One or the lHteTestll6 features of the week is the introduce tion of Egyptian patterns on per cales at wholesale prices of 15h to IT cents. These new Egyptian eff fleets have apparently struck new note in percales. for sizable business has already been reported as placed.
 Egyptians seem to be the biggest thing in the dress goods market. Converters are working on addition al lines of goods in these patterns and report product offered being taken up very quickly. In some of the more elaborate patterns, produc- tion is very slow and converters complain that they are unable to get enough to take care of their de- mands. The trade at large Is amazed by the way the Egyptian idea is be- ing carried on more and more eX- tensively. Some of the large con- verters declare the fad Is only just starting to reach certain parts of the country and that there are yet tremendous possibilities for the spring and summer. The prediction has been made that the Egyptian idea will be carried on into next spring. but that the tendency will be more toward the refined" patterns. with not so much gaudy color as today.
 Denims are very strong. Second hands quote nearby goods at 27 cents for 2.20s. The trade Is waiting to see what the largest factor will do with prices TickinQa arc nricad m