Evening star., 1937-03-28

this respect.
Contributing to these low labor
standards is the fact that close to so
per cent Of the workers of the indus
try are women, this proportion rang
ing as high as IS per cent In Italy
In the United States, it Is estimated
that a per cent Of textile workers are
women.
OF similar effect is the fact that 4
relatively high percentage Of textile
workers are young, Japan showing
that 1875 per cent are under Is while
nearly so per cent are under 20. The
United States has the best record on
child labor, with about FL per cent Of
our textile workers being under l6
and 1873 per cent being under 81.
Wages Generally Subaverage.
With statistics showing that wage
levels of the industry are below the
average for all industries in virtually
every country studied, the I. L. o. re-
port states:
Partly because of the composition
of its labor force, partly because Of
inadequate labor organization and
legal protection, the textile industry
may be characterized as a low-wage
industry"
Great divergence exists internatlon-
ally on the matter of hours worked in
the industry. circumstance of fore
most Importance to the forthcoming
conference.
In Russia the working day averages
seven hours, while the work week aver
ages about 40 hours in France, Italy,
New Zealand and the United States.
Australia steps up the week to a. with
the bulk OF European countries work.
ing 48. In China, India and Japan
the work week exceeds 48 hours and
reaches so in many cases.
Under the impression that excess
productive capacity has been largely
responsible for unstable prices and the
intense competition for markets, ef-
forts to limit production have been
made in most Of the major textile
countries.
Most extensive of such efforts was
our own of recent memory under the
N r. A., with machine and plant
hours limited under the codes and
even replacement being placed under
regulation.
Production regulation was attempted
in England as long ago as 1921 in the
form of voluntary agreements with
the cotton textile manufacturers OF
Lancashire. When these efforts broke
down, the British Cotton Yarn Asso-
citation was formed in 1927 for the
purpose of maintaining prices at
profitable levels. This arrangement
proved Ineffective also. In 1929 the
Bank of England lent its aid financially
in the formation Of amalgamations de-
signed to consolidate productive facili-
ties. Last year Parliament created a
board to purchase and retire surplus
spindles and this program is now
under way.
In Japan Cotton Spinners' Asso-
citation. established in 1881, is en-
powered to control output and has
done this by sealing spindles for occa-
sional stated periods. No widespread
curtailment has resulted, however.
Needs Exceed Production.
In spite of these several applications
of the theory OF overproduction. the
I. L. O. survey reaches a confusion
that there is not an oversupply Of
textiles as far as human needs are
concerned.
Although the demand for textiles
expands considerably with an increase
in income" the report states, "the to-
tai effective demand for textile manu-
factures at the period OF highest pros
perity grew but moderately as COM
pared with the immediate pre-war
years Clearly, on the basis OF the
evidence, textile manufacturing may
be described from the comrc cc-cial
point of view as an industry Of over
production. From the social point Of
view, however, that is, from the point
OF view of individual and family re-
quirements. it may be characterized
as an industry of underconsumption :"
With the American textile industry
being the home team" in the coming
conference, 1t was a foregone conclu-
sion that it would be made An object
OF some first-hand study by the visit
ing delegates. With this in mind
concern already has been expressed
from Geneva, headquarters OF the I.
L. O., about possible developments in
the industry in the face of the newly
born c. I. o. drive In this connec-
ton, reinsurance was found In the
statement of Sidney Hillman, chair
man Of the c. I. o. Organizing Com
mittee, to the effect that the organiza-
ton drive will be peaceful and
educational" one.
Domestically, the textile industry
has been in dropping spirits since the
World War day, with price instability,
numerous bankruptcies, shut-downs
and unemployment being periodic ILL
nesses. Thrown into this picture has
been the partial migration of the in
dustry from the high-cost and high
skill regions Of New England to the
cheap labor areas in the South.
With the industry in this country
composed of numerous small and in
dependent units, severe competition
and low profit margins have been
the rule.
Finally, cabinev committee Of
1885, after studying the ills OF the
industry here, reported:
I'm view OF the interstate and inter-
regional competition that exists In
the industry today, it is evident that
effective control must be on a national
basis.
THE experience of the textile in
dustry during the past two years
shows that definite limitation OF
hours Of employment is both feasible
and practicable. Such limitation Of
hours should be made a definite pol
icy Of the industry ut wage rates which
will yield to the rank and file of the
workers standard of living higher
than that which they have had dur
ing previous decades"
With the largest domestic market