OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 152, 29 June 1917, Page 6

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER

ALL FREE TRADE NOW GONE,

[from our co-respondent.]

BRADFORD, May 10, 1917. ' \ Not until quite recently Lave some members of the Bradford trade be-. ' L gun. to realise fully the significance of the recent moves made by the.Government. ■■ The past fortnight has. perhaps, been one of the most unsettled periods experienced since the commencement of the war, and the outlook for those not having machinery is gradually becoming worse. As an "illustration of the • inability; of some to get a further grasp of the •present "tendency .: of events> the vritei may say that *only a day or Wo ago.tlie question was put to him. if- it was not possible for. some representations tp be made to the authorities by brokers and merchants respecting the present seriousness of the -position. ! The increasing prospect of being-put out of action entirely, had roused serious misgivings, and s the questioner had at last begun to cast about in his- mind for po™e means whereby the flood tide> which ■ sbejiied: to' be carrying all before it; aiic! sweeping him off his feet, could be- ■ stemmed. It will be remembered that much dissatisfaction -i has been ca/usi-d "in the trade.'at various times Tiy v the absence of harmonious working between Government officials and the trade itself. The feeling was .growing that the officials' were acting too independently. Not- having einough practical experience of the trade, and not considering sufficient- -,■" ]y its reqtjireriients,1 they were doing , things for which-there was ,no need, and tints upsetting - affairs which - might otherwise have worked smoothly." The one who asked the question, referred to above, \did not seemto have quite grastfed that, the, "General Advisory Committee set up in.,.place of the Advisory Panel is 'Cbmposed^of men who occupy their y [positions as representatives of the "trade, and that therefore to begin ~^to. speak about "brokers and mer- - /chants ; plaoingrrepresentations before tlie .authorities.asking for any altera-; tjpns or nVodificflitions ■ was an indirect' ■ -T^jßtjf' of-laying: that; jshese^same '.repre<; •■; . ;;'Ji^ risiiig;-^ tiicir,'Opport]anitief!, qrvthat they-;hacr sili^n /inadvisedly in";the^pfosi^ Tadni they occupied.' To begin to" jnake siirh suggestions -as these is somewhat late in the day, but the fact that they"occurin anyone's mind , jtj> ail is sufficient indication of the j BPriou'sness of the present . situation, j Many are having to make very great \ sacrifices, but /there is undoubtedly iniich inequality..; All the same the issues at stake are jbremendous, and irhpse who -£re not in a position to « work ..for the. Government by supplying its .requirements, or in, Some •otnerway, are placed in a most un-, enviable position. - ' STRONG - DETERMINATION TO PROVIDE FOR MILITARY - ; ;: NEEDS^ ;. : , v /'.;;. . ■ . . 'At the last"'meeting of the Central "(Wool Advisory Committee various suggestions were -, brought forward, and though rip, definitely-official announcements have bearing ■ directly on wbl, there is evidence "that supjjjies of raw material are being brought more .and more within the official grip. Possibilities fpr private trade are being gradually cut off. With ' reference t6 the Army Council order of April 27 prohibiting the invoicing or delivery of crossbred tops, and by which possession was ) ,taken of all crossbred tops existent at, that date, it was proposed that this order should continue in force. This means that there will/be no ie"laxation in favor of the ordinary 'Crossbred trade. 'Besides all crossbred wools except those sold to spinners and manufacturers, are to* be v taken o ?er by the "Department, and no further sales of crossbred wool or 'tops ar« to be permitted except under license. From this'it will be ;neen that trade in crossbred wool iand tops apart from those ■ suitable for Government purposes is'practically at an end. vThe position is practically no better in merinos, for this • class of raw-material nob already disposed of to spinners and manufacturers is to be taken over. .v',No' further fales of merino W|6ol or tops will be permitted; except under license. Very strong representations were made with a-view to enforcing econ^ -omy in the civilian trade: It is evidently determined to keep prices for manufactured fabrics from advancing to, a much higher "level, and one rfaSoT) why the authorities seem so strongly disposed to : restrain catering for home made civilian re- - quirements is the knowledge <\t'hafc/ the stocks of manufactured fabrics in the oountr3 r is quite sufficient to satisfy all reasonable needs for at least twelve months. LONDON SALES. The drastic steps which are being taken with regard to raAv material naturally, give rise to questionings as to what will happen iri connection with the London -sales. It will h& remembered that these were to have cbmmencerl^on May 1, but when they were suspended no definite promise was made when they would commence, or whether there would be a "

■series at all. The fact that no farther sales of crossbred wool will be allowed without license- suggests that the London auctions for these wools are/for the time being at any rate oncled, and the only wools which are likely to be put up for free bidding in that centre are such wools as the Authorities have no use for. that is wools of a clothing character. Ire question has arisen as to what can be done with Cape wools, .but as xhe^e rome under the description of merinos, and no exception has been made in their favor, it can only be infpTed that they come within the scope of the order just as much as Australian merinos. '

how government orders -; fail.

It ; s remarkable how differently Government orders are interpreted, and if the officials who draw up these ,orders could know what different views are expressed about them, and whai; various meanings are read into them, it would perhaps be a valuable .object lesson for them. Take for mii stance the order which states that nr> porsbu shall buy- or sell or offer ..to buy or wool. It is taken for granted "that the order applies to traders in -the United Kingdom', and of course all loyajl subjects are desirous of following out any restrictions •which-are placed upon them even if : they have to suffer by so doing. Despite i the many inequalities and evidences of unfairness-ihere are many •who are willing \o do anything for the1 good of them country. But let us look at.tlie.instniction forbidding the sale or purchase of wool, and-see how it. can be interpreted. The trader, is..in the; United Kingdom, the" firest over.V"^l $ *s understood! the ofder is intended to apply, but he has wool at the Cape, bought on bo-. ]Kalf of :i /Customer; and with the order ha ving corned orit he is in doubt < -as-:,to;; whether he /fiau : complete the 1 transaction;'. '""Ntf. ban has yet b£<™ placed--upon wool atiihe Capey ■ African wool for some reason or other not being dealt with in the same way :>s Colonial or home-grown produce. From the point of view of South Afri- j can wool itself, it has not yet beconv the property of the British Government and is* therefore a free article. At the same time the dealer is .a British subject, and wants to carry out the; British law. He is ' thusplaced in an awkward and somewhat trying-no^ition^ but if the opportunity arose to sell the wool'at. a' reasonable profit, fe\y practical men would be disposed to blame him- for so doing. This is 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 the sake of find- ; n«n- fault. The writer is in full sym--patlijr with the vital issues at. stake, butjrh is somewhat trying to see such an anomolQUs state of affairs. • * INCREASING CONTROL | THROUGHOUT ENTIRE' TRADE. ' During last few days, practically everyone in Bradford has been I waiting eagerly to- know the final result of a meeting of the Central Ad- > visory Committee held in London last (Thursday. Reports, appeared in the papers stating fairly clearly what proposals had been made, and what | ■■was. likely to happen with respect to i the orders previously imposed. As [this is being written no Army Council order has been sent forth to con- ' firm /the i-ecommendations of the \ Committee, and those having anyr;hin;s to «ell or wishing to buy are lefr. to decide for themselves whether to regard the unofficial report.as the basis of their actions, or to ignore it. Whatever is actually done, there is no indication whatever of any relaxation in any direction. 'It is true that an .■yinouncemeht has been made to the effect. that crossbred noils ca n ,be dealt in until further notice is given. This d^es not amount to much -: f and the more important ■articles, wool and■-■■-.tops, ' iappear to •stajid wKore they did. None can safely infer from the' report of the Central Advisory Committee and the siloune which has followed, that there r.-il! be any relaxation whatever^ of

any of the important restrictions which have been laid down. Reservation of wool supplies is a vital matter. The reality of the submarine menace is .recognised. The need for adequate vvool reserves-after military, needs have been supplied is paramount. ; The Government undoubtedly occupies an impregnable position, and those who have no machinery are not to be envied. Everybody is required as much as possible to contribute something to the requirements of the hour. The military authorities are pressing hard upon the trade for the release of more men for the army. A significant situation arises respecting the London sales as well as other mediums for buying and ••elling wool. This has been an important part of the trade. Those who have participated in it have often been young men of natural skill and some pxperience. Ma_ny of these men are of course of military age, and cessation for the need of the work in which they have specialised may be taken advantage of by the military authorities to increase the number of those whom, they want for the army