New Britain herald., 1924-08-11
NEW ENGLAND MANUFACTURING

NEW ENGLAND MANUFACTURING
 Not only Is New Ensland's rnann- featuring supremacy threatened oy New England capital. but this sectioh also is threatened by continuous climb Of industry across the Alie- ghsny and Cumberland mountains to the middle west, according to q report made by the National City bank or New York.
 However, why should there be nn- due alarm? The fact that the Borden interests of New England announce that they will construct a big cotton mill in Tennessee does not mean that the New England textile industry as it stands is to vanish, but means that the southern textile industry will gro" faster. That this was probapiiity has been evident for several years. The reasons are obvious-proximity to the cotton growing districts and low-cost operation. |
 Al, the products of New England textile mills remain superior to that produced in the south. the quality or its products will and ought to be en- hanced rather than otherwise through southern competition. southern mills as a class specialize in the pro- duction of the cheaper grade Of pro- | ducts and, according to reports oi l exnerts in the. industry, will be un- able to improve their product to a great extent because of the type or labor found in the south. The logicai aeve,onment of the situation proba- bly will be that New England mills
 will provide the better class Of tex
 ,;es while the south will furnish the
 cheaper grades. For the past year or
 so the market demands have been
 for cheaper grades, which accounts
 for the comparative prosperity or
 southern mills. Should the market turn-and this is extremely likely With in the coming year--New England tex
 files of the better class will pc III
 greater demand. From the stand- noint of quality New England textiles
 continue to hold their own against
 .o@;t;on anywhere,
 The worm is already beginning to turn in the New England textile ln-
 dustry, Massachusetts and Rhooe
 Island mill centers are feeling the ln- creased pulse of trade and mills which were operating upon part time are , "picking up" considerably, according to reports. A prosperous season k imminent.
 It perhaps would be desirable to'
 New Englands industry if it coulo . command the cheap textile market al vel, as the market for the high grade'
 of goods, but this is not essential fo :. New England to maintain supremac! . in the textile industry Under norma
 .bnsiness conditions the demand 10 :. first class textiles is sufficient to keel , all present New England mills oper
 atine. and this section possesses som advantages in the production of cheai [. textiles that are not entirely to D
 overlooked, such as proximity to ex port. and the large supplies of skilled
 e,periepced and efficient textile laoo !. something by no means to be over a looked in a competitive market.
 If may be that New England's tex ;, tile industry has been developed | . tbe extent of it's possibilities, whil e the development in the south has nc 1. reached that point. Eventually tn
 south will come to the point Whei i the construction of new mills Will , an economic adventure surrounded doubt. It may take several decade <, ,o reach this point, but eventual ,v 1t will be reached.
 . The development of industries A the middle west is in the same grooN
 Large acres of middle west are clo' ,s to the production Of raw materia rs and have not reached their deNciol ,. ment possibilities. But in most In :. of manufacture New England goo
 maintain their leadership as to qua :, uv. Most of the western developme
 consists of articles not manufactur' ,d extensively ia New England. The A a lantic seabee-d states -stiil manuia