Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-27
SILK T0C0ST MORE
DURING YEAR 1925
Larger Amount Also to Be
Used by Women, According
to Manufacturers.
BY j. e. ROYLE.
fch TO The Star.


NEW YORK, December 21.-The
women of the United States are
expected to wear more silk in 1925
than ever before. They also may be
expected to pay more for IT. accord
ing to manufacturers. Prices OF
raw silk and of manufactured silk
goods have kept approximate pace
in the last decade. Each is about
90 per cent higher than the levels
of 1913. But opposed to that, the
hourly rate Of wages in the same
period has Increased approximately
22O per cent. Manufacturers point
to this fact and declare that prices
for the manufactured product must
advance or their margin of profits
will do a disappearing act worthy
of Houdini.
Active Year Expected.
Nevertheless they expect an active
and prosperous year in 1925. There
has been more stability recently in
the price of raw silk. Artificial silk
has been pegged during a greater
part of the last year and general
business conditions are counted on
to insure A strong demand. This
contention is sustained by the fact
that at present 80 per cent of the
labor in the industry is employed and SO
per cent of the machinery is in op-
Grafton.
The silk business" Horace B.
Cheney of Cheney Brothers, one OF
the oldest silk manufacturing firms
in the country, said today has been
going through a period OF extreme
difficulty and depression, with a large
number of failures and very unsatis-
factory prices. The prices of silk
goods have not risen relatively with
those of cotton and wooden cloths or
in comparison with those OF raw silk
and labor. Recently there has been
more stability in the price Of raw silk,
with a much firmer tone and a decided
upward tendency in goods.
Steady Improvement Noted.
There is at present a decided in
dication of better times to be looked
for in to silk business. The lowest
point of capacity in both persons en-
ployed ind machine hours operated
was reached in 1929. when only SO per
cent OF the workers were employed
there Is decided indication of greater
activity. Since election there has been
evidence of an improvement in BUSH
ness everywhere, and the silk indus
try is getting its share OF it. Not only
are there more activity and more
orders, but prices show an improve
ment.
People buy on a rising marke,
and stand aside and watch falling
one. There are decided symptoms
that conditions in Europe are better
than they have been and that they
will continue to improve. Just what
OBJECT this rejuvenation will have is
problematical. 1t is certain business
cannot be settled in the United States
until conditions stabilize more in the
world. On the other hand, settle
ment Of conditions abroad will tend
to out into our markets through abil-
ity of European countries to produce
more cheaply.
Wage Changes Unlikely.
I'm view Of these conditions it does
not seem probable that we can look
for booming times in all industry. But
gradual improvement here and
circumstances it will be a long time
before we have to fear Interference
with our markets.
ut Is extremely improbable that we
may look for considerable change in
wage conditions here. Our own ex-
perience as a Arm extending over a.
period OF approximately Sc years con-
firms the Bureau Of Labor statistics
in relation to wages and employment
No decrease in wages has been shown
except for the briefest periods.
I'm the immediate future there is
every prospect that business will be
more prosperous, more solidly found
ed and with less probability of re-
action In the next year than at any
time since the end of the World War"