Evening star., 1924-01-25
limit ON COTTON
( EXPORTS ILLEGAL
Officials Here Say No Such
Move Is PIanned-English
/. Spinners Worried.
BY j. c. ROYLE.
SDectal Disnatch to Tho Sfnr

Special Dispatch to The star
NEW YORK. January 25.-Feelers
said to have been put out by the
International Federation Of Spinners
under American textile men looking
toward curtailment of cotton con-
sumption have not met with a par
ticularly encouraging response. The
proposal of the federation, which has
Z headquarters in Manchester. England.
contemplated an international agree
ment for the restriction of cotton
goods manufacture with the idea that
the price of raw cotton would be held
within bounds thereby.
Alarm Felt in England.
1t has been known for some time
that English spinners and good man
ufacturers have regarded the raw
cotton situation with considerable
alarm. A world shortage is predicted
by some before the 1924 crop can
come on the market and the English
nanufacturers are known to feel
that prices which such shortage
would entail would menace their
trade seriously. Many of tho Eng
lish minis already are on a part
time oasis and undoubtedly have felt
TO some extent the boycott exercised
1t Is reported on excellent authority
from English textile centers that
iIngligh spinners are accepting seri-
ously report that the United States
age or restrict exports of cotton on
the grounds that the American mills
VIII need all that is available in this
country.
No Limit on Exports.
Officials in the textile division of
The cotton section of the Department
of Commerce, and connected with the
Department of Agriculture and the
Federal Trade Commission. asserted
today that they have not been able
TO run down the details Of the rumor.
But they declared any attempt to re-
strict exports would come clearly
within the scope Of the Sherman law
and could not be accomplished.
They also asserted that any restric-
/, ton OF consumption here or abroad.
If attempted. would serve to increase
the price of the staple and Of cotton
goods. They laugh at the idea that
any such plan as that proposed by
the federation would receive govern
ment sanction. or that any infraction
of the Sherman law would be wink
ed at.
AS to the reception of such a pro-
posal by the American mills, it Is
pointed out that New England plants
In many instances already have cur
tailed output to a large degree. Cn-
employment is on the Increase in Bos-
ton, according to the director of the
municipal employment bureau there.
10000 Men Out Of Work.
1t Is estimated $4,000 men are out
o. work. and conditions are such that
the United Stares Veterans Bureau
Is finding difficulty in finding places
whore lt can put men in training,
even though the bureau pays their
wages. About one job is available
FOR fan n re The slack
ening in the textile industry and diff
fculties within the shoe industry are
held responsible.
New England manufacturers are not
ifkafy to increase the serious charac-
f<r of this situation. Also some mills
there are increasing output, finding
that conSumptive demand warrants it.
a$pd that they can operate at a profit.
Some Of the big textile men see little
to fear in the business situation in
general and are making their plans
accordingly. "-a--
Southern Mill. Busy.
The plan probably would be even
less favorably received among the
4, operated at a fine. profit in 1923. Few
manufacturers are planning curtail-
ment, in spite of the high price Of
cotton, and the new mills being built
indicate an increase rather than a
decrease in production this year.
This trend is illustrated by the fact
that the Georgia Light. Power and
Railway Company, which furnishes
power to many industrial plants.
showed a gain of 1917 per cent in
net earnings In the last twelve
months.
AS to cutting off shipments of cct-
ton abroad, exports from all the
southern ports continue heavy. The
Russian government has entered the
market and has ordered 10000 bales
through st. Louis and Montgomery,
Ala, brokers. This is in addition to
quantities of the staple bought os-
tensibly by German firms and re-
shipped to Russia through Germany