YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3126, 3 July 1917, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER

ALL; FREE TRADE NOW GONE .(From, Our Special Correspondents.) ';'■■ Bradford, May 10 Not iratil auite recently have Eomo mem-bers-of-the Bradford trade begun to significance.of tho recent : moves mado by the Government. Tho / past fortnight has perhaps been one of the moat ■ unsettled periods experienced since the .commencement of tho -war, and tho outlook for those not having machinery is gradually becoming worse. , As an ifhistratlon. of, tho inability of somo to get a further el-asp of the present tendency of events, the writer may-say that only a day : or. two ago tho question was put to Mm if it woe not possible for eomo representations to be made to the'authorities iby brokers, and merchants respecting tuo present seriousness ot the position. Tho increasing proeject of being put out or' action entirely had roused, serious misgivings, and the questioner had at last . begun to cast about in his mind for somo

means whereby tho flood tide which seemed to bo carrying all hefore it, and sweeping him off ilia feet, could bo-stemmea. It.'Srill bo remembered that much, dissatis-

faction has been caused in' tho trade at .-various times by tho absence of harmonious working between Government ollicials and the trade itself. The feeling ■was growing that tho officiate wero act-

ing too independently. Not having enough practical experience of the trade, and not consideringly sufficiently its requirements, they .wero' doing , - things for. which thcro was no need, end thus upsetting affaire which' might have worked

Einoothly,. Th«;ono who. asked .the question' referred' ,to. aboyo, did not tecm">-tb. -havo. 'quite 'grasped ...that tlio'.'.l General , .. ".Advisory Committee seit'up. in place . of~ - the ; Advisory Panel; is. composed of men who 'occupy their -positions as reprcsontativee of tho. trado, and that, therefore, to begin to speak about brokers and merchants placing representations before tho' authorities asking for any alterations or modifications, nils an indirect way of saying that theso saino representatives were either not. rising to their ,opportunities, or that they had. been inadvisedly placed! in tho position they occupied. To bogin to niaKo such suggestions as these is somewhat late in the day, but tho fact that tl}ey occur in anyone's mind at all'is: sufficient indication of the seriousness of the present situation. Many axe having, to make verygreat. sacrifices, but there is undoubtedly much inequality. All the samo, the isaues at; etako are tremendous, and those who arc not in a position to work for tho Government by supplyine its requirements, or .in some other way, aro placed in a most -unenviable position.

Determination to Provide, for Military -v :.' Needs. "At tho last meeting of. the Central Wool 'Advisory Committee various suggestions •wore brought forward, and though no definitely official annoiiincenionts have followed bearing' directly on wool, there 19 evidence that supplies of raw material aw>' being brought more and more .-within . the' official grip. Possibilities for private -trade are betas gradually cut off. With reference to tho Army Council Ordor of April 27 Iprohibiting tho invoicing or delivery of crossbred tops, and by which possessidn was taken of all crossbred tons existent 'at that date, it was proposed thnt this' order/ should continue in foreo. This means that there -will.be no relaxation in favour of the ordinary crossbred trade. Besides nil crossbred wools except thOBO cold to spinners and manufacturers arc to be taken over by the Department, arid no further sales of crossbred wool or,tops arc to bo permitted oxcept under 'licence. - From this it Trill bo scan that trade "in' crossbred -wool and tops apart from thoso suitable- for Government purposes is practically at an end. Tho: pedtion is. ~ practically no better' in merinos, for. this class oE raw material .not/ already disposed of to spinners and manufacturers is to be tateu over. No further sales of merino wool or tops will bo i permitted except under licerico. .Very strong' representations were made'with a view to 'onforcing economy iu the civilian, trado. It is' evidently determined to keep prices for'.manufactured fabrics from advancing to a much higher level, and one reason whv the authorities seem- so strongly disposed tov restrain catering'for , liome trade'.civilian requirements is thc'knowledge.'that-the stocks of manufactured fabrics in the country ;is

quite sufficient' to satisfy all reasonable needs Cor :it least twelve months. London Sales. The drastic steps which are being taken with regard to raw material naturally give rise to questionings as to what will happen in couneotioii with tho London sales. It will bo remembered that these were to have commenced on May 1, but when they wero suspended no ; definite promises was made when they would commence,, or whether there would bo a sorles at all. I'ho fact that no further sales of crossbred wool will be. allowed without licence suggests that tho London auctions for these wools are for the time being at any rate ended, and the only wools which aro likely to bo put up for free bidding in that centfro are such wools as the authorities havo no use for; that is, wools of a clothing.character. Tho question has arisen as to what can he done with Cape wools, but as these come under the description, of merinos, and no exception has been made in their favour, it can only bo inferred tlTat they come within tho scope of the order just as much as Australian merinos.

How Covcrnment Orders Fail. It is remarkable'how dißerently Government orders aro interpreted, and if the officials who draw up these orders could know what different views are expressed about them, and what various meanings are read into them, it would perhaps bo a valuable objeot le3son for them. Take, for instance, the order which states that no person shall-buy or sell or ofler to buy or sell wool. It is taki>h for granted that the order applies to traders in the United Kingdom, and of course all loyal subjects are desirous of following out any restrictions which' are placed upon them even if they have to suffer by so> doing. Despite the many inequalities and evldonces of unfairness there are many who are willing to do anything for the good of their country. But-let us look at the instruction forbidding tho aale or purchase of wool, and 6eo how it oan be interpreted. The trader is in the United Kingdom, tho area over which it is understood, tho order is intended to apply,, but ho has wool at the Cape, bought on behalf of a customer, and with tho order having come out he is in doubt as to whether ho can complete tho transaction.' No ban has yet been placed upon wool at tho Oape, South 'African wool for somo reason or other not being dealt with in the same way as colonial or home-grown produce. Prom the.point of view of South African wool itself, it has. not yet becomo the property of the Britieh Government, nod is, therefore, a free article. At the samo time tho dealer Iβ a British (subject, and wants to carry out the British law. Ife in thus placed in an awkward and somewhat trying position. It seems to be more a ca6e of his moral standing than his legal position, but if the opportunity arose to soil the wool at areasonablo profit, few practical men would be disposed to .blame him for so doing. This iB only one Instance of the many contradictory positions which arise through the issuing of numerous Government orders and the absence of perfect unanimity among all Government Departments. This is not said merely for tho sake of finding fault. The writer is in full sympathy with the vital issues at stake, but it is somewhat trying to see such an anomalous Btate of affairs. '

Increasing' Control Throughout Entire Trade. Imi-iiig the iasi i>. i. days practically everyone iu Bradford hud oceu wsiitiug eauuriy to kuow the uual results of a lucutiug of tlie Central Advisory (Joinmiitee heid in Londoo' la«t Thursday. i(cportu appeared in the papers stating fairiy clearly what proposals had been made, and what was likely to happen with re-' sped, to tho orders previously imposed. As this is boing written no Army Council order has been sent forth to conUi-m tho recommendations of the committee, and those having anything to sell or wishing to buy are lpl't to decide for themselves whether to regard tho unofficial report us the baeis of their actions, or to ignore it. Whatever is actually done, there is do indication whatever of any relaxation' in any direction. It iH true that an announcement has been mado to the ellect that crossbred noils, can be dealt in, until further notice / is given. This does not amouut to much, and tho more : important articles, wool and tops, appear to stand where they did. None can safely infer from' the report- (if 'the Central Advisory Committee and tile,-si-lence which has followed, that thcro will be any relaxation whatever of any of tho important restrictions which have been laid: down. Reservation' of wool, supplies, is a! vital matter. The reality of the submarine luenaco is recognised. The need for;adequate wool.reserves after military needs have been supplied is paramount. The Government- undoubtedly occupies an impregnable position, and thoso who'havo no machinery aro not to bo envied. Everybody is reaulrod as much as possible to contribute something to the requirements of the hour. Thn military anthoritien are pressing hard upon the trade for the release of nioro men for tho Army. A nignlflcnnt situation arises respecting the ■London sales an well as other mediums for buyine and solline wool. This , has been an iuiiiortant x part of the trade. Thofio who have participated in it havo often lieon vouni; njp'i of nuturnl skill and some experience. Many of these men arc of course of military nge, and ocssiillon for the nonl of tho Tiork In whioh they hnve specialised mar be taken ndvnntaee of >>t the military authorities to Increnue ftlo number of Ihosc whom they want for tfie Army. '