YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 183, 29 April 1919, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER

THE EXPORT TRADE

SERIOUS CONSIDERATION BEING GIVEN

(From Our Special Correspondent.) Bradford, February 1.1, 1919. The question of export is commanding a good- deal of attention throughout'.the entire trade, and will do for a considerable time to come. It is to-day freely acknowledged that the British textile industry ennnot live without its export trade, and one has only to look at the figures showing our overseas trade in prewar years to realise the important part it played in maintaining the textile industry of Great; Britain. The productive capacity of British spindles and looms far exceeds the requirements of the populace of the United Kingdom, and when all is said and done, it will still remain imperative that we continue to do as largo an oversea trade as ever wb did. Of i course the war has made great inroads [ into our export trade by closing important .markets, and now that the conflict is over, the whole trade is feeling gravelly concerned at the difficulties which are still in the way, preventing export houses : shipping to old customers who are still in ' dire need of both partly and fully manufactured materials. The question has received, and is still receiving, very serious consideration, because thet entire, industry feels that they are up against problems which, if allowed to remain unsolved indefinitely, will work irreparable harm. It will be remembered that Mr. T. H. Jones was down in Bradford sneaking at a mooting of the export merchants a. few days ago. He pointed out the imperative need to maintain an'export trade, and as chairman of the Wool Sub-Committee of the War Trade Department, he is determined to facilitate export by granting: licenses still more freely to tho'so firms in neutral countries who are in need of materials. Some Obstacles. However, one looks at the position of things, ho is bound to admit that great difficulties confront the trade, and it is useless for anyono to expect all' plane sailing. War conditions produced numerous and unimaginable difficulties. The British' Government havo had to face serious international problems of which the general public have little or no knowledge. It was soon found out that raw materials and goods which were being allowed to be exported both to the Netherlands and Scandinavia in the earlier months of the war wero being re-exported to Germany and Austria, firms in those countries thinking first and foremost of profit. They did not allow any other coil: sideration to influence their actions. There was therefore no alternative, but to cut oft' all export, and to enforce a blockade which undoubtedly served a very good purpose. All Continental neutral countries in closo proximity to Germany were bound to be more or less seriously affected, and therefore when the •war'finished every country in Europe was found to be done to the bone, and all eagerly wanting raw, partly, and fully manufactured materials. Our soldiers returning from Germany say that they have seen sights they cnnld never have believed, and not only has cloth soared to unthinkable prices, but it is fairly reliably stated that new-born babies had to be wrapped in paper. There is unmistakable evidence that stocks ot anything and everything of o' clothing nature hnvo got down to the smallest possible dimensions. An-.Englishman home from Moscow only last week informed the principal of' a Bradford! export houso that cloth was worth anywhere from ,£8 to .£9 per yard. Many mills have had to stand for the want of wool and wastes both in Scandinavia and the Netherlands, and, being confronted with such difficulties as these, our authorities have known that whatever was allowed to lw exported wonlo. •bo taken by these mills with great avidity at big prices. Licenses Being Granted Freely. All buyers of materiab have been prepared for after-war times during the past three years, tho result' being that thero has been an accumulation of practiwilly everything from raw wool to piece goods. . Buyers saw that these would-be urgently wanted some day, and considerable anaiititics had already been bought when all export came to a standstill. But that did not prevent export houses 'taking orders and buyers in neutral, Continental countries putting down cash for the. goods. • This' was a good move, and,' while many have resold their purchases and .made big profits, others have' elected to retain their materials and await tho opportunity to ship. The way is now open for the shipment of these goods, and_ the War Trade Department has made* it very clear that if the associations which have been formed in neutral Continental countries, like the Netherlands Overseas Trust in Holland, agree to a firm importing the goods in question, they are prepared to grant a license for export. During the past month a big number has been issued. The Government is beginning to realise how imperative it is that tree export be allowed, and although there is room for some improvement, on the whole considerable business is being done, and during the current month everything indicates a groat reduction of accumulated- stocks. Of course, no very big weights of wool, tops, wastes, and yarns have yet.been shipped abroad, because of the scarce supplies in this country, but providing stocks have been owned by Continental customers, say, previous to six months before the armistice was signed,- and the various associations, in Continental neutrals recognised by tho War Trade Department sanction their importation, then not much delay obtains -in 1 lie granting of a license.. \ America's Programme, For the past month there has been some comment made in British wool textile circles at ■American export houses offering raw materials as well as partly manufactured goods to (.'ontinenlal neutrals, particularly Scandinavia. The criticism has not all been adverse, some actually boasting that the American Government methods of business are far preferable to those followed on this side, ~ and if America, can spare her raw materials, and facilities are granted for export, they see no reason why she should not do the business, Everybody in the West Riding realises that our American Ally should have the smie privilege to do the business as British firms, but caustic commeut has hern made on the fact thai; export should be nllowed from the' United States end stopped from Great Britain. The irinciple may be right or wrong, but so long as American firms gain their point exporters here havo no cause to grumble except at the slow methods of the British Government. The latest American textile, papers to .nand seem to fear the possibility of British firms being in a better position to do the export trade than United States houses, but that i i-ed not be. A big effort seoms to have beer, made to bring' down the price d' wool to the issue level obtaining here in Bradford, and it is perfectly natural that American mills- be required to pay uo more for their raw materials than" the price current in this country. Tor, after all, first cost plays an important part in determining the value of the tnily manufactured article, and to ■•btnin wool at English issue jirisys cannot hut pave the way | for the production of fabrics which will I sell more largely for the American domestic trade as well as placing American mills in the position to do", an export business. It has been a source of some chagrin to British mills, as well as io piece-goods merchants, tiint they have been nnni/iu i'<> lake fiili advantage of the South American narkcl during the past tiva years compared with American mills, but the time is coming when both countries will find their mistake and come up against each oilier in a friendly rivalry both in I he Far Kast, South American, and possibly Europoah countries. Tii'-i-f is renson for cayinj; that American cloths havo been shown in English wholesale centres during the past three months, and it is such competition as this that puts British manufacturers on (heir mettle, li. is mow recognised that American looms have made great headway in cloth manufacture during recent years, and given wool at the same prico Hcc is lirUe difference bihu-eii tho actual cost of production in England and across I lie Atlantic. The present strike of New England mil' vpernlives for a i'orty-oight-hour week is in line with what .happening here; and it cannot be long before the samo number of hours nre worked nn the Continent. What is. wanted op this sido is a uniform working

week, when the manufacturers of all countries could lie placed on equal .terms in catering for the trade of the world.