Evening star., 1924-07-16
SHIRT FACTORIES
RUNNING OVERTIME
Cotton Mills Still on so Per
Cent Schedules as Orders
Come in Slowly.
BY =. G. aoYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, July 16.-Many an old
time base ball fan still yearns for
the days when Tinker to Evers to
Chance" was a smooth reality and
not memory. A good many textile
interests are likewise mourning for
the time when their goods went
without a hitch from manufacturer
to jobber to retailer. New strategy,
however, has come both into base
ball and the textile trades. The old
textile infleld Is broken up and man
ufacturer. jobber and retailer are
holding the ball and watching the
weather, the cotton and wool crops
and consumer demand while their
foreign competitors have. been
scoring.
There has been some slight
strengthening in the position OF
goods. but the situation OF the man
factory to him. Boston reported to-
day that worsted yarns are moving
better in that market. with inquiries
for dress goods and mems wear on
the increase. Shirt manufacturers
are running overtime, but while some
additional cotton mill machinery is
starting up, even the most active
sections are running only about so
per cent Of capacity.
Big Dtv1dends Met.
Plans Of mill executives in the
south contemplate operations on only
part-time basis in most instances. In
spite Of the disrupted condition OF
the industry. however. southern mills
paid out more than 100000 in semi
annual dividends this month. Most
of the mills which distributed profits
were in sections were hydro-electrc
were available. The southern mills
are basing their policies on the as
sumption that present raw cotton
prices will be maintained through
Controversies over the government
cotton reports still continue. and in
consequence the recent improvement
reported in crop condition has not
had the stimulating effect on the
goods trade that might have been
expected. 1t seems unlikely that
agreement as to the accuracy Of the
reports can be reached until the
methods of compiling them by gov
ernment experts and individual stat
isticlans are stabilized.
Reports Arc Disputed.
The latest dispute involving the
government report is in connection
II.
ers assert that the government
acreage estimate was based on fig
ures which included 100000 acres
Of abandoned land and that, there
fore, the total claimed to be in culti-
walton Is too high. 1t is further as
estimate the increased acreage from
one year to another from the gross
amount of land planted the previous
spring. instead Of from the net
amount harvested, allowing no way
to tell the amount Of land abandoned.
Those who dispute the government
figures say that the government esti-
mate Of 12,146.000 bales as of June
25 would be reduced TO- 11.s5o.oo
bales II acreage increase figures had
been based on the acreage picked.
Turn to Artificial siIk.
Realization that the prospects for
cheap raw cotton to supply the world
in future years are far from bright
has turned the attention Of many cot
ton manufacturers toward the adap-
tation OF rayon or artificial silk. Ar
tificial silk plants in this country
as they can manufacture 1t and ad-
dftions to plants are being made
continually. One firm is so pressed
by buyers that 1t Is shipping in the
afternoon the product made in the
morning Of the same day.
Foreign Competition Keen.
1t Is known that British mills are
preparing to venture into artificial
silk weaving. Whether they will "get
the jump" on the American manufN>
turers remains to be seen, but at
least they have glimpsed their op-
portunity. Now that the 1924 silk
crop of Japan is coming on the mar
ket, price levels for raw silk have
settled down to a fairly stable basis
with no Immediate indications of ad-
vances. This is giving a feeling of
added security to the silk goods man
ufacturers.
Wool and wooden goods are looking
up. but the improvement seems rather
based on prospective demand than on
present movement of products into
consumption.