YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 4 June 1918, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER

SUPPLIES OF COMBING WOOL PROSPECTS ENCOURAGE TRADE From Our Special Correspondent.) Bradford, April IS. Tho feature oi tho week is the illuminating statement made by the Director ot Raw Material:! at a meeting of the Raw "Wool Advisory Committee which has just taken place in London. That is a committee formed of leading members of the trade, and we regard it a» baing hy far the most important body which has under its wing the control of the wool textile trade. It exercises a largo authority over even the Board of Control, because the latter body can distribute nothing until sanction has been (riven by the Armv Council and the Raw Wool Advisory Committee. Ofs course, this important body is chiefly concerned with providing raw material and seeing that it is distributed to the trade iu as equitable a manner as is possible. Sir Arthur Goldfinch presides over (he do liberations of this committee, and being a practical business man, there is mora information, knowledge, and practical common sense emanating from him than a. largo number of other committees. As a matter of fact, the trade has never yet been treated to a frank and practical statement except ]>y Sir Arthur Goldfiuch, there seemingly being no other Department thai; durst tell the trade what things are like. State control would have gone down infinitely better if the entire industry had been taken more into the confidence of the Department. Groping through mists, forming misconceptions of the requirements of m<uiy firms, lias at times produced conditions which might all have been obviated it the trade had been taken into the confidence of the Department, and facts stated in a businessliko manner.

Reassuring Statement. A meeting of the Raw Wool Advisory Committee has hoard a statement pronounced which its members appear to have appreciated, and which the t!"" has also approved of to the very hilt. The chairman snid that: "Arrivals of wool in March had been extraordinarily good, and throughout; tho year the Department has been very fortunate in almost escaping submarine losses. Shipments had continued on n satisfactory scale in spite of the difficulties which were known to the committee, and which had diminished supplies of other rawmaterials in a far greater degree. Tho conseqiienco was that the stocks of wool on March 31 were estimated to be somewhat larger than on December 31—a far better position than could reasonablyluivn |>een anticipated."

Tlio above must be regarded as very satisfactory, and much better than the bulk of members of tho trade thought really existed. As a matter of fact, tho position is believed to be satisfactory, and although less imports arc expected for two to three months, still supplies are generally regarded as sufficient to keep present machinery running for at least four to six months. The arrivals last month are believed to bo fully equal to tho average offerings at a series jof London sales, in which case the trade feels grateful, and this shows dearly enough that Great Britain is still master of the seas. The New Comb Out, 'The now Military Servico Art raisins the ago limit to fifty has naturally given riso to very serious forebodings in tho trade, everybody predicting still further disaster overtaking tho woollen and worsted industries. Its hearing on the lextile trade cannot but be soricus. This branch of the industry has contributed its best manhood already, and if the Jicw comb out clears wool warehouses and factories of tho few rcmainiug ablebodied men, it will ! be disastrous to the entire industry. When mills have SO per cent, of their machinery already engaged on military work, it shows conclusively tho important part they areplaying in contributing to the needs of the hour. All wool sorters in grade one mid two aro to be combed out up to !)S years of age, in fact, everything points to very few men being left except grade threo in any department under that ace. As a matter of fact, there are very few men who are working to-day who cannot, be regarded as pivotal, occupying positions of great responsibility. The reader can seo that where overlookers aro concerned, men who have charge of spinning, weaving and other machinery, if this is not kept up to a fair degree of efficiency, then "'t means a much larger number of other hands being put nut of emnloynient, henco it is imperalivo that the few pivot men who are left be allowed to remain, thev can 'be replaced by others in a lower grade who n-e enmnefcit. Tt is n fact thnt' spinners and manufacturers, as well as combers, never like to part with a man who is used to Ul3 derations of their mill and familiar with the -vork of their deportment, it being far better to Icon a" old hand at the iob thnn snpnlnnt him by an absolute stranger. When men are enrobed out who are at present engaged in the wool textile indusH'v. if i« bmynd to dislocate a Inrpe number of ihusi"cs?°s, find on all hands men are already beginning t" realise Hiat it mean* tV ruining of many firms and clnsin" down a large number of businesses. Never were more women omnloved in the wool textile industry Minn to-dnr, but it is vmperntire that machines l>e kenf in full werkie'r otlot. nnd this can only be done bv the he^v 1 men of each t!"-rarbv"nt being allowed to cATitimm their work.

Opposition to'the Levy Scheme, The trade has now had time to grasp fully the proposed operations of the levy scheme, and the opposition which is met with means the presentation of a fresh picture to every section of the trade.' Several associations have passed resolutions intimating clearly that they .ire opposed to, paying anything to any system in which they are not directly affected. For instance, the Master Carbonisers' Federation have pledged themselves to oppose any levy that is made upon them. They point out that the present scheme of remuneration is far from profitable, vnsily inferior to tho conversion costs allowed spinners, and as the carbonisers do not stand to gain a fraction under the scheme, they have pledged themselves not fo support it. Apparently the initial mistake was made by the entire trade not being consulted. The scheme originated with file spinners, manufacturers not even being consulted, and as there are the dyers and finishers and other sections, too, it looks as if the entire scheme will have to be remodelled. It is the wool-combing operatives nnd spinners who are going in. b° tho mo=t affected under the scheme, that is, workpeople engaged in this department stand to lose the most by being out of employment. It, therefore, se°ms reasonable that those two ibrnuelies should boar tho. whole brunt of tho battle, ind manv think it to V- quite reasonable for the operatives who are working lo be asked In contribute something towards paying the wn?pi of lho?e who are compelled to piny through no fault of tboi'' own. However, the nosition.is such that tho whole levy scheme is being reviewed, and it is to be honed that when the entire trade lias had the oiuiortunifv of vnic ; ug its sentiments, a scheme will he formulated which v.-i" appeal fo those interested and rh'oh will work equitably anions the nprHcs concerned. From aceoii" nublisliod if nrinwirs that the lew scheme i» the cotton trade is not worl.-in" n= fairly as was Rpnornllv exiiocted. in fact, every'lrn? seems fo noint to the sy-" f oin not boii" v»rv food nt ifc licir. hit 1 n<? a war measure it looks as if it will lmv» fo <•" fhrou'rh, and some coe'nnnsnfip-n be rv'<<\ to those who ore cufi'crinir directly because of insufficient: emnloyment