YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3132, 10 July 1917, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER

WHAT THE GROWING ALLIES AUMY MEANS (l-'nun Our Spciunl Correspondent.) Bradford, Mny 3. Events arc moving 6ignilicanlly in Iho political world, and they have an inleresting bearing upon the textile triulo. Though littlo is being eaid just now to that effect, there is undoubtedly a strong undercurrent of feeling which tends to support one's impression, that tho Allies are pursuing their course with determination. Iteferonco was made in a psjyious letter in the stand taken by America, and tho latest developments show that tho attitude assumed 13 being exceedingly v/cll maintained. Statomcnts have been made in tho newspapers to tho effect that 500.000 men aro to be raiEod every six months. This suggests a continuation of the present struggle for.-ot least the rest of the. year, and if such large numbers of men are to be drawn upon in the United States to join the fighting forces of the Allies, wo havo a very clear indication of expanding military requirements in the way of wool. Tho wear and tear of soldiers" clothing is much greater than that of civilians, and the writer feels disposed to sec a very close connection between the determination of the British Government to conserve supplies, aijd tho prospective addition to tho Allied fighting forces in the proposal to enlist men in the United States at the • rate already named. Even if wool supplios. are adequate to meet all immediate requirements, it is still quite in harmony with Government policy to creato 09 largo reserves ae possible, for tho foelings of tho remainder of the entire world havo been roused against the outrageous war measures adopted by tho Central' and whatever nerds may arise now and in tho future, all- these should J;o carefully safeguarded. _

All Wool Likely to be Taken Over. During the present war crossbred wools have played an important part in filling the clothing requirements of our own and our Allies' fighting forcoe. There aro indications at the time of writing that the quantity of this class of wool in the country will not suffice to provido all present and prospective neode. Taking the trade as a whole, it is true that thero is now very littlo wool which can bo really described as free, but the present indications arc that what remains so will be taken over to provide for Government requirements, unless it is absolutely unsuitable fur that purpose. It is a most interesting faet that though crossbred wools are recognised as occupying tho premier position, when military requirements are being catered for, the advance in pries of some of tho most suitable qualities of this class of combed article, since the war commenced is often not as great as the advance E.eeu in merinos. This fact is exceedingly difficult to explain, but ono is disposed, is think that merino wool could bo made more use of for military manufacturing purposes than has hitherto been the case.

The soarcity of wool in this country is recognised hero as not being immediately due to decreased production, but to tho fact that supplies aro not coming forward rapidly. Other commodities besides wool have to bo brought Hoijjc, chief, among which aro. wheat and other food stuffs, and those who havo control of shipping have jv very important and serious task to perform in deciding what articles shell recoive preference in ,order to provido for the requirements of this country, end at the same time to send such goods as are most required for the' prosecution of tho Allies' cause. It is almost impossiblo to say with certainty whether food or clothins is most wanted, particularly for our soldiers, but there is no doubt tht.t the authorities are impressed with tho need for adequate law material, for clothing purposes, and there appears to bo little reason why in the event of the Quantity of crossbred wool not being adequate for requirements, merinos should not be used.

Army Requirements. . Aparf from the question oE wool supplies pure and simple wo have also to, consider its manipulation, iunl there is no doubt that, at tho present timo thc.ro is need for an increased output of crossbred wool and. yarn for military purposes. It lias been' a somewhat'difficult matter to so impress upon every individual member of tho trade the importance of. this problem as to bring; about a'practical effect, particularly upon thoso who have hnd no immediate need from their own standpoint to spin military yarns, simply because their machinery 'was occupied with other and more lucrative business. A tremendous quantity of -wool which lia-a been combed and spun is required every week to provido lor tho requirements, of the Army, Navy, and other Government official Departments, and in ordor to brin" tho output up to tho standard required tho authorities aro asking lor moro machinery to bo turned, over for military purposes. Firms being placed on a- conimissiou basis,' and praotically beinr> required to work for a master, instead of bcing,_allowcd to work for themselves and make, hs much profit ns possible, has been certainly one of tho galrinij features from a spinner's or anufacturcr's point of view. Tho ivholo policy of tho Government lias, however, rightly been to concentrate- its endeavours upon the centralobject of safeguarding tho financial position of the country, and turning tho production of all trades into such channels as- aro reuuisite for providing war requirements n.iid briuging the struggle i-tsclf to a satisfactory termination. A very tight hand is still being kept upon all wool commodities likely to he useful for clothing jsoldiors and sailors, and after that export requirements will bo considered. Ono sacrifico which spinners and manufacturers in this country arc being called upon to make is to odapt thoir machinery to tbo requirements of tho hour, instead .of continuing to run it on the linos for which it was most suitable, and for which it had probably been lixed beforehand, with an eyo to-securing the most lucrative business possible. ■ .., More Crossbred Tops Wanted; Even the veriest trio knows that "bricks cannot bo mado without straw," which is tho proverbial way o£ saying that a commodity cannot be satisfactorily produced without the' suitablo rociuisito from-.which to mako it. Spinners and manufacturers cannot turn out the eoods for which there is-such an urgent need, unless they havo' what to them is tho raw axti-cle necessary. An orijcr has been issued by tlio Army Canacil under the Defence of. tho Eealni Regulations to tho effect that no person shall deliver any crossbred tops without a permit. Delivery cannot bo made of these- tops oveu if to do so is in accordance with a contract already entered into, that contract having been mado before tho issuing of tho order. Of course, this intensifies tho ctt'eot of tho order' on the 19th ult, prohibiting all further sales of wool, tops, and noils until permission is granted. This is a very stringent regulation, but is entirely tho outcome of tho need for a larger supply of crossbred tops for military purposes. By issuing it tho authorities tako poseession of all crossbred tops existing, and any such tops "which may bo produced hereafter will automatically become tho property ol tho War Contracts Department. Combers havo keen urged to get their crossbred wool through tho machines as quickly as poteiblo in order to augment tho supplies, and thus prepare tho way lor spinners being better supplied ■with the necessary Quantity of tho re-, quired, class of tops.

Further Developments Pending. From what wu have said, the rcaucr will clearly see whcA is the position of, tho, wool trade to-das, 'lucre is to bo this week-end auotlior very important mceiiiij: of tho Cieucral Advisory Committee, and everybody i 3 prepared for further drastic coutroi. Wo uuctorataud that there is available lor sale in London about 25,000 bales pf free ineriuos, and this will be the last lot of wool owned privately. The Advisory Committee will decide whether any more London sales, will bu hold and whether this privately owned wool will be absorbed by tho Department at current values. ThiiL will depend entirely ui>on what the recent census of stocks reveals, and what wool is in the hands of tile Government. Of conrso trade during the. past fortnight has been entirely stopped, there are no dunlins in wool, tops or uoils, and crossbred tops on contract have all been commandeered. Notbinp; can bo sold to-day except, wastes, namely, the by-products of the trade, and these, mid probably muusocf and shoddies, will also lie taken over before long. The reader will therefore sec that the limit has almost been reached, and no doubt with America joining the Allies, still more serious problems have been created which will have to bo decided by tho War Office. All private trade has now come to a standstill, and it is wonderful how the interests of the trade are all bending towards satisfying ;the military needs of the Government and those of our Allies. There now remains only the Cape clip outside the ban of the Department, and many feel that it is high time tho whole of tho South African 'cliD fared similarly to those of Australia and Now Zealand, but apparently the Government docs not want to ijet up against the Dutch element, and after all the Cape merino clip is hardly of so robust a nature as that of Australasia, and is therefore less suitable.for military needs. At tho name time Capo merinos will do admirably for making ehirtine and flannels, which sire wanted in colossal duautities lor tho Army and Navy.