Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1940-09-05
SECREST SPEAKS ON TRUTH
In FABRIC BILL

In FABRIC BILL
Last Friday Congressman Bob Sc.
crest spoke aOnsthe Truth In Fab
RIGS bill--a subject of great import
ance to people Of this district. Mr.
sSecrest said:
For several years, those of us
from wool producing areas of the
United States have been vitally in
terested in securing passage Of a
Truth in Fabrics Bill, realizing that
it would result in a much greater
use of virgin wool, with a conse-
quent rise in price to the producing
farmer.
At the present time, manufac-
turer can produce an inferior article
containing reclaimed wool under
the pretense that the article is all
wool Or pure wool. This bill re-
quires the manufacturer to truth
fully label his products so that the
consumer will know whether he Is
buying an article made from re-
claimed rags or from virgin wool
If this is done, we are confident
that the consumers of America will
purchase the genuine article.
Virgin wool is unused wool pos
sessing qualities of warmth and
durability which no other product
in the world can match. Reclaim
ed wool lis an inferior secondhand
substitute for virgin wool. This
shoddy is placed in fabrics at the
present time without letting the
purchaser know that he is buying
an inferior material. This bill is
designed to let the purchaser know
what he is getting. I believe it to
be as fair and necessary as the pres
ent oleomargarine legislation which
was adopted to prevent them from
being sold cheap substitute for
butter without their knowledge. We
want the people to know what they
are buying. This will save the con-
sumer much money in helping him
to tell good product from bad
one merely by looking at the label.
1t will also be extremely helpful to
the producer of wool by increasing
his market and raising the price of
virgin wool. The honest manufac-
turer of wooden products will well
come this bill because he uses only
virgin wool and dislikes the compe-
tition of shysters who fool the pub
lie with fake woolen materials.
Last year, Ohio had within it's
borders 2,5S4,000 sheep. These pro-
duced 100000 pounds of wool.
If this bill increases the price Of
wool &c per pound, it will mean
nearly $1,000,00O to Ohio farmers.
In my district there are six counties.
The latest available figures show
that Noble county has 52,956 sheep
and lambs producing approximately
Guernsey county had 53,418 head
of sheep and lambs producing ap~
proximately 449,180 pounds of wool
each year. Muskingum county had
84,137 head of sheep and lambs
producing 717,000 pounds of wool
each year. Morgan county has ap-
proximately 1888 head of sheep
and lambs producing 755, ,481
pounds of wool each year. Monroe
county has 1875 head of sheep and
lambs producing 145,S28 pounds of
wool each year. Washington coun-
ty has 29,8O3 head of sheep and
lambs producing 233,824 pounds of
wool each year.
Thus, the latest total of sheep
and lambs for the 18th district of
Ohio was 317,913 head producing
2,779,303 pounds aof virgin wool
If this bill eventually results in an
increase in the price of wool sc per
pound, the farmers of my. district
will receive an added income of ap-
proximately 100000 each year,
a profit which justly should go to
them and mot to manufacturers who
sell reclaimed rags to people who
are fooled into thinking they are
getting the best woolen products.
1t is unbelievable, but official fig
ures show that during the past six
years more than 600O00,0O0 pounds
of reclaimed wool or shoddy, have
been used by wooden manufacturers
as an undisclosed substitute for vir-
gin wool We should make these
manufacturers label their product
to show how much wool is in it and
whether that wool is good new wool
or secondhand wool. At the pres
ent time 1OO,OOO,000 pounds of
cheap shoddy are used every year
by woolen manufacturers. This is
five times as much wool as is pro-
duced in the whole state of Ohio,
and it requires no imagination to
see the great benefits that will ac-
crue not only to the purchaser but
to the producer Of wool if we require
every manufacturer to label his
product to show how much wool is
in a particular garment and how
much of that wool is virgin wool.
The National Grange, the Ameri-
can Farm Bureau, and many other
organizations have fought for years
to secure legislation of this kind.
Last year this bill passed the senate
by a vote of two to one, it should
pass this house unanimously. In the
past ] have spoken successfully for
rural road legislation to benefit the
farmer of my district. / spoke sue
cessfu11y for legislation to investi
gate the high price Of farm machin-
cry. l am happy again for the op-
portunity to speak for this bill,
which, I'm my opinion, is the great
est piece of legislation that has ever
passed the congress for the benefit
of those engaged in the keeping of
sheep and the production of wool.
urge every member of this con-
gress to suppOEt III. r. 944 to pro-
vide for the labelling of woolen prod
ucts so that the purchasers of Amer
ica may know exactly what they are
buying. If we do this, the farmers
of my district, the farmers of Ohio,
and the farmers of America will be |
eternally grateful.