AMERICAN WOOL NEEDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27568, 9 December 1950, Page 9

AMERICAN WOOL NEEDS

No Substitute For Army Requirements NZPA—Reuter—Copyright NEW YORK, Dec. 7. The United States army authorities have given the “strongest assurance” that, in spite of the difficult supply conditions, they would not “ surrender the matchless qualities of 100 per cent, wool uniforms for soldiers.” Mr R. G. Lund, of New Zealand, the chairman of the International Wool Secretariat, made this statement in a speech at Casper, Wyoming, today. Mr Lund, who was addressing the annual convention of the National Wool Growers’ Association, said that the assurance had been obtained from the army as a result of the unceasing activities of Mr Joseph O’Mahoney, senior Senator from Wyoming, an important wool-growing State. Mr Lund devoted most of his speech to a review of the secretariat’s work, which, he said, was based on a “ sensible course for us to keep the lead we already have.” In the face of great effort being made at great expense to transform artificial dilutants into substitutes for wool, he told growers that the work was divided into making the public aware of wool’s inimitable qualities and stimulating research to improve wool at every stage from the sheep’s back to the finished garment. Mr Lund said that the secretariat was expanding its work at a time when the statistical position of wool was so strong because it was working not for today or tomorrow, but for long-term objectives. Its eyes were on the industry’s future stability in a highly competitive world, irrespective of price fluctuations from one season to another. , "

“We are planning to intensify our work in nearly every country,” he said. “Growers who provide our funds are ready to make larger contributions. “ There is no substitute for wool, but there are many fibres that can be used to dilute wool, and makers of synthetic dilutants are naturally alive to the opportunity that is offered them by the present price situation. We have no reason to fear them.. The public can judge for itself.”