WOOL SECRETARIAT’S WAR-TIME ACTIVITIES

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24095, 3 November 1943, Page 2

WOOL SECRETARIAT’S WAR-TIME ACTIVITIES

MARKETING

[By SIR CHA] (Broadcast in the E When I was in Australia recently several of my woolgrowing friends asked me what the International Wool Secretariat was doing in war time about woolgrowers’ interests. I had to confess that apart from a general idea of their work I had no detailed knowledge of their actual war-time activities; but while I was out there I was appointed Australian representative on the secretariat. I promised that as soon as I got back I would find out just exactly what the secretariat was doing for the Australian. South African and New Zealand woolgrower. So this opportunity of broadcasting gives me the chance to tell you of the splendid practical work the secretariat is doing in research and publicity. As the war proceeded we had to alter our publicity to comply with the wishes of the Government. The Government’s policy was to reduce as much as possible the use of wool in the Home civilian market. The secretariat, in consequence, amended its pre-war activities and adopted discreet publicity methods. Our aim was to avoid all encouragement to the immediate demand for woollen goods, but to do all we could to make potential consumers wool-conscious, and, above all, jo keep the general public fully aware of the very useful part wool is playing in war time as a munition of war. The general transition from peace to war economy was, of course, gradual, and so was the change in the secretariat’s methods, which are being smoothly adapted. For example, during the first six months of the war the secretariat carried out an extensive programme. of direct promotion and pub’icity which had been planned well in advance. Of course, it had to make certain modifications in this plan. It included a series of wool weeks in provincial towns, culminating in the “Bond street wool week” of March. 1940. In these fashion shows we featured war-time articles like siren-suits—vou have all seen pictures of Mr Churchill in woollen siren outfit —and woollen stockings. The secretariat alsq ran a weekly provincial press service and kept up the distribution of fashion photographs and knitting instructions. Export Drive Early in 1940 the war forced the Government to a more drastic policy on the Home front. It set out to restrict domestic buying but to force exports to the limit. This was in the days before Lease-Lend. and we needed funds in the United States. The secretariat decided to take an active part in this export drive. They were responsible for the collection of fine woollen dress stuffs exhibited at the New York World Fair, and for the collection of models designed by the British fashion houses shown at the same time in New York. At the same time they v/ere busy organising displays of dress collections which featured British cloths and hosiery throughout the leading cities of the United States. In February. 1941, a representative of the secretariat was co-opted on the board of the newly created Wool Textile Export Corporation: this body represents British wool manufacturers, and since then it has taken a hand in publicity work in the United States. By 1942 the constantly-growing direct needs of war made it necessary for the Government to curtail supplies even for the export trade; and at home, as you know, the utility clothing scheme came in. The secretariat immediately took the opportunity of making use of this new angle of propaganda. The first press show of utility clothing was organised at their Bush House showrooms, and this was followed up by a series of showings in large provincial stores. At the same time they made-use of every available channel to stimulate

ILES McCANN.] JB.C.’s Overseas Service.) the public’s interest in wool, the» knowledge of wool, their desire hJ wool. But in this propaganda made it clear they would have to wIS until after the war before they cotfS indulge in their desires. In accordant* with this policy the secretariat toS a very active part in organising tS Government's “Made Do and Msm* campaign, and used this opportune, to express the wonderful wearaj qualities of wool. Another this programme of publicity is a soCa of window displays, which we amSgijSj busy organising. Again, we are nSM ing a direct approach to the public/® with no immediate selling angle. 'AIK displays show the window-gazers tV tremenddus job wool is doing as » munition of war and explain to the® why civilians must at present curt their demands. The first of these win. dows was ?at up in South Australis House; it shows cloths lor uniforms but also various tank parts, shell fvm munition cases, and air filters, jfl lined with wool —and it is drawin* great crowds. ■ Then we do not forget the vast nuiai ber of women in uniform. We recent!* prepared a series of display panels tea. ing the story of wool from the sheeo’l back to the finished cloth, and we n«, sent these to the A.T.S., W.R.N.S., anj W.A.A.F.S. to decorate their recreation rooms all over the country. And »» do not forget the factory workers, fiji women’s clubs, the men in the ser. vices, and the schools. We have given them illustrated talks, and we are mat ing arrangements for women lecturers —Australians, New Zealanders, ahj South Africans —to tell them about the sheep on the farm, shearing, the quail* ties and use of the wool, and various types of useful and beautiful clotjii that are made from it; and they will not forget to talk about non-shrink processes. Research And that brings me to the other sid*' $ of the secretariat’s work—the .field if scientific research. This covers a wlft range of studies and experimental work relating to all those physical and chemical qualities which influence processing properties of the wool fibre, The importance of this side of the sec. retariars work has been increased rather than lessened by war conditioas, because it is now more than ever necessary to find the right methods for the fullest possible exploitation of all the sterling qualities of wool. Vain, able results have already been achiev. Ed by fibre research. This is carried out under the auspices of the secre. tariat at Leeds University, at the "Wool Industries Research Association in Tor* ridon, and at the London School of Hy. giene. The staff of the secretariat are sum, » too, that the value of some of tteH'A results depends oh their being k»4i,: widely known to all users of wett. Here, too. war economic needs assisted the activities of the secretariat}in certain respects. The general ln»M terest in shrinkage control, for aws stance, is largely due to the fact that# satisfactory standards of non-shrink treatments are demanded for military s-j hosiery contracts. The secretariat made "the public aware of these developed technical advantages by hibitions showing the superior quali.s ties of treated garments. Another job the secretariat is doinfg is to study the whole complicated bus|| ness of control and regulation.of-jp| supply and sale of wool which we hHjra with us for the second time uv gjftj generation. All important aspeegwaij each new phase of these economic,jag velopments are being analysed by the secretariat. Th6y aS* keeping wool before the public making use of every possible ity of serving the cause of the wowr/ industry of Australia, New Zealand,';... and South Africa, and to pave the waj;-; for a wider use of wool in days. ' ’ *