The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-02-04
THINKS NEEDLE TRADES
SHOULD LOCATE HERE
Both Mems and Boys Clothing Can Be Manu-
factured Better and Cheaper Here Than In
New York, Says Experienced Clothier


clothing manufacturers seek
ing desirable locations and
should be the home OF numer-
ouS needle trades industries
with paw rolls running into
many thousands Of dollars a
week is the opinion Of ID.
Walter Harris, Elizabeth City's
leading clothier.
And Walter Harris knows the
needle trades: Mr.. Harris not only
maintains herein Elizabeth City
one of the largest aud most pre-
tcntiouS mems tailoring and ready
wear establishments in North Caro-
lima. but he travels for one of the
biggest clothing manufacturers in
America and frequently lends his
services as buyer TO number of
large New York tailoring establish
mcntS. His operations have brought
him in contact with every branch of
the clothing industry.
Il have been very much Impress
ed." says Walter Harris. With the
editorials in The Independent ur@
iug Eastern North Carolina Cham
berS of Commerce 10 seek In locate
New York clothing manufacturers
in this section. The Independent
is Oh the right track.
"It is a fact that the clothing
Industry in New York City Is de-
moralized by endless labor Difficult
ties. The manufacturer of any
kind of appareling in New York
City just cant pay high enough
wages to satisfy the demands OF
New York labor.
added to his labor troubles is
the fact that manufactures III
New York CITY pays more rent for
cramped quarters in a loft build
ius in IL year than it would cost
him TO buy ground and build Il
modern daylight plant OF his own III
Elizabeth City.
Elizabeth City is only a nights
ride from New York city. Both,
mems. boys and womcn'S ready TO
wear can be manufactured in EliZ-
abeth City and shipped back TO
New York at far less cost than it
can he manufactured in New York.
Il was instrumental in Inducing
one small manufacturer Of men 5
pants To locate in New Bern, y. {.
He began i'm New Bern in Il small
way. training native help with the
aid of an expert assistant. He
found i'm his second year that Il pair
of pants that had cost him II cents
tu manufacture in New York. cost
him only % cents To manufacture
in New Bern.
"Our native labor can man and
operate clothing Industries with
Just little training and command
higher wages in these industries
than they can command i'll any ill.,
duStricS we now have
And that" thinks Mr.. Harris.
Will prevent any serious effort
hcin. made To- attract the needle
industries to Elizabeth CITY: ;thc
owners of local Industries paying
the lowest wages paid anywhere in
the United States will fight the in-
PRODUCTION of industries that would
pay higher wages
The trend of industry is to get
away from the high rents, high
taxes and labor diSturbabGcS Of
comgested cities, Guy T.. Tripp,
head of the board Of director of
the Westinghouse Electric Corpora
tion. figures it out this way:
There are many pressing reasons
for the removing of industries out
of the cOngested districts. Rent
and faxes can be reduced. living
conditions for employees can be I'M
proved. discipline can be better
maintained with less hardship TO
the Individual and raw materials
ran often be secured more readily.
Given. therefore. economic pres
sure To- decentraliZe. and the means
for its accomplishment. which exist
i'm Superpower. automobiles and
Standardization. the ultimate result
appears TO be inevitable.
To the industrial worker decen-
tralization should prove GOdScnd.
The factory town with all that it
implies. will be replaced by the
garden community. The cost OF
living. housing and transportation
which now cuts 50 deeply into his
! income. will be greatly reduced. and
a new neutrality-suspicious.
J will bc opened to any member OF
his family with taste and aptitude
| in that direction.
"On the other hand. industrial
opportunities will not be reduced
for. with II car or motorcycles. free
dom of movement to seeE employ