JAN 71921 66 "To Foster the Trade and Welfare of New York" GREATER NEW VOL. X NEW YORK Bulletin of The MERCHANTS' ASSOCIATION of New York NEW YORK, MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1921 No.1 Important Work Awaits Merchants' Association President William Fellowes Morgan Directs the Attention of the Members to the Tasks Which Await Them in the Various Fields Where United and Organized Effort Is Needed to Protect and Promote the Interests of New York City, Its Commerce and Trade To the Members of the Merchants' Asso-|the number and character of its member-|the Legislature in the wise management ciation of New York. ship, situated in the Metropolis of the of public affairs. Gentlemen: I congratulate you upon the useful work that your Association has accomplished during the past year, and I desire most earnestly to ask you to bear The Association constantly in mind during the coming year as an agency of the highest importance for the protection of the welfare of New York. Western Hemisphere, a City which in We shall not forget that the motto of many respects stands in the forefront of our Association is “To Foster the Trade progress, can, and must, wield a large in- and Welfare of New York," and we shall fluence in bringing these things to pass. not let our activities with respect to NaIt was largely a realization of this fact tional and State affairs interfere with the that led us to take an active part in the performance of our duty toward the City. foundation of the International Chamber Owing to a variety of causes, our coof Commerce. This organization was operation and our unselfish aid are launched in Paris under promising aus-needed by the City now as never before The cataclysm of the great war has pices and, with proper support, it can during the twenty-four years of our existswept past us. It has left the world pros- undoubtedly be made an instrument of ence. The coming year presents preplextrate in its wake. For the moment, the great value. ing municipal problems which can be exhaustion which was brought upon us Transcendent questions involving the solved only by judicious action. by the tremendous effort required to future course of this Republic arose from This brief summary of our duties and protect our liberties, is causing a tempo- the consultations and negotiations which opportunities must make it clear to each rary interference with productive activ-followed the Armistice. It was proposed of you that we need the fullest possible ity. that the United States should abandon measure of support. Although we have certain policies which hitherto have been nearly 6,700 members, our total is still regarded as fundamental. After a thor- far below what it ought to be in a city of ough debate, these questions were sub- the size and importance of New York. I mitted to the voters last November and ask each one of you to keep in mind our the decision upon them was 80 over- need for more members. whelmingly recorded that we must regard It is for us, in this period of readjust- them as settled beyond the possibility of ment, to show the way toward higher revival. This decision furnishes us with standards and greater happiness for a firm basis upon which to build. humanity. It is for us to insist upon and protect the ideals which have lost their potency in greater or less degree because of the war. It is our duty to shape the future so that content will be still more widely diffused, and so that our conceptions of liberty and self-government shall spread throughout all races. We are more fortunate in every respect than any other great country on the face of the earth. Our energy is scarcely diminished; our natural resources are still abundant; our optimism and determination are hardly abated. The execution of the popular mandate has been entrusted to a new Administration. It will be the duty and privilege of this Association during the coming year, as it has been in the past, to aid the constituted authorities. We have had much successful experience in this field. On behalf of the Officers and Directors of your Association, I thank you for the cordial support which you have given during the past year. I am sure that you will continue to give it during the year that is to come. I take great pleasure in extending to each of you my best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year. Very truly yours, WILLIAM Ffellowes MORGAN, President, In the State of New York, again, we Such an Association as ours, strong in are equipped to aid the Government and The Merchants' Association of New York. 1 Comparison Shows Prices Declining Unevenly Figures Compiled by the Industrial Bureau of The Merchants' Association Reveal Some Interesting Facts-The Fall in Prices Has Been General and It Has Been Greatest in Clothing and Farm Products-Conference on Immigration Held Prepared by the Industrial Bureau of cant to compare present prices of dif- then they were less than double the The Merchants' Association ferent groups of commodities first with pre-war average. At the present time the price levels in 1913, before the they are 70 per cent above this base, outbreak of the war, and second, with which is a relatively smaller percentthe peak prices reached earlier in the age of increase over 1913 than any current year. Using the figures of the other group of commodities except food Bureau of Labor Statistics, this infor- products. mation has been compiled in the following table: An analysis made by the Industrial Bureau of The Merchants' Association of the present prices of goods at whole sale shows that while price declines have been general, the drop has been very uneven. Decline Equals One Quarter According to the November, 1920, figures of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average prices of goods at wholesale were 23.9 per cent lower than the high point reached last May. Dun's Index Number for December 1 is 19.6 per cent and Bradstreet's 34.6 per cent below the peak reached last spring. From these figures it is safe to say that prices during the recent readjustment period have fallen approximately onequarter. As for the three remaining classifications, fuel and light, house furnishing PRICE LEVELS OF VARIOUS GROUPS OF goods and miscellaneous items, all have COMMODITIES DURING 1913, AT THEIR But while price declines during the Clothing shows the greatest price relast few months have been general, they duction, with a 34 per cent decline durhave been far more severe for certain ing the last nine months. In February, 1920, clothes at wholesale were 31⁄2 Farm products come decreased less than 10 per cent. Indeed, house furnishing goods have scarcely dropped one per cent. Immigration Conference ence under the auspices of The Mer- times this base. tion's Assembly Room, on Tuesday aft- kinds of commodities than for others. Equilibrium Is Upset This fact of uneven price reductions Foods and kindred products last May is of tremendous importance to mer- were 287 per cent above the pre-war chants and manufacturers. It means average. Now the most recent Governthat the equilibrium of our economic ment figures indicate they are only 195 structure has been temporarily upset. per cent above this base a drop of 32 Had the prices of all commodities, as per cent. well as wages of workers, declined in The above decreases are far greater approximately the same ratios, the buy- than for any of the other groups. Prices ing power of the different classes in the of lumber and building materials have community would be relatively the same fallen one-fifth since the peak reached as a year ago, but as it happens, certain in April. At that time they were 341 classes have been affected more ad- per cent above the 1913 level, while in versely than others. The farmers, for November the average was 274 per cent instance, who are now receiving one- above this base. third less for their products than they did a year ago, have suffered a real decrease in purchasing power, since other commodities, with the exception of clothing, have not fallen comparably with farm products. Metals and Metal Products Metals and metal products have only fallen 13 per cent. In this connection, however, it should be remembered that these commodities during the last seven years increased relatively less than any of the other groups. Prices reached In view of this situation, it is signifi- their high point last February, but even Comparison of Prices Committee Appointed As a result of the meeting, a resolution was adopted authorizing the Chairman to appoint a Committee representative of the public and private agencies in New York City interested in immigrant education, to study ways and means of increasing the effectiveness of present organizations and to make such recommendations as it deems wise to secure this end, these recommendations to be presented for action at a future meeting or representatives from interested organizations. In accordance with this resolution, the following Committee has been appointed: Mr. William H. Woodin, President of the American Car and Foundry Company, Chairman, Mr. Martin H. Dodge, The Merchants' Association of New York, Mr. J. Stewart Wilson, The Bronx Board of Trade. Mr. George J. Ryan, Chamber of Commerce of the Borough of Queens. Dr. William McAndrew, New York zation Bureau City Board of Education, Mr. Merton A. Sturges, Chief Naturalization Examiner, Mrs. Mary K. Simkhovitch, United Neighborhood Houses, Hon. J. J. Freschi, United States Department of Labor, Naturali- The Formal Addressses Census Bureau Basis for Congressional Apportionment REVISED TOTALS FOR STATES Formal addressses were made by Mr. Dr. Vincent Pisek, Jan Hus House, Miss Josephine Roche, Bureau of ForInformation Service, Language eign American Red Cross, Mr. Seymour Barnard, The Peoples' on the subject of The Immigrant's ViewInstitute of Brooklyn, point in Immigrant Education; and Mr. Allen T. Burns, Director of Americanization Studies of the Carnegie Corporation, who spoke on the subject of Cooperative Activity in Immigrant Educational Work. Mr. Edward L. Wertheim, Y. M. C. A., Miss Edith Jardine, International Institute, Y. W. C. A., Mr. George M. Hayes, Knights of Columbus, Mr. Henry J. Bernheim, Metropolitan League, Y. M. H. A. and Jewish Welfare Board. States. Gain Over First Figures The population of continental United States as announced to-day shows a gain of 25,663 over the preliminary figures announced October 7. The population of the United States These addresses were received with They were followed by a with outlying possessions is 117,857,509, enthusiasm. general discussion, during which repre- the outlying possessions totaling 12,A meeting of the Committee will be sentatives of many of the organizations, 148,738. These possessions are: held late this week. The Merchants' Association called this conference in accordance with a resolution passed by the Board of Directors at a recent meeting, based on a report of The Association's Committee on Immi gration and Naturalization, as follows: Resolved, That in order to reduce duplication and waste and increase the effectiveness of organizations now interested in the education of the foreign born, The Merchants' Association take the initiative in calling a conference of such organizations in New York City, to the end that appropriate action may be taken. The Organizations Represented The thirty-six organizations present, represented by sixty-eight individuals, were as follows: America's Making Bronx Board of Trade Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Brooklyn Federation of Jewish Charities Chamber of Commerce of the Borough of Columbia House, Columbia University Council of Jewish Women Czechoslovak Chamber of Commerce Educational Alliance Greenwich House Hartley House Hebrew Sheltering Immigrant Aid Society of America Independent Order of Bnai Brith International Institute for Foreign born Women, Young Women's Christian Association Jewish Welfare Board Knights of Columbus League of Women Voters of New York City Church House, Central Presbyterian Mr. Edward L. Wertheim, Educa- Mr. N. Behar, of the National Liberal Idaho 1,296,372 77,407 443,083 360,350 New York...10,384,829 645,680 5,759,394 Oklahoma... 2,028,283 783,389 Pennsylvania 8,720,017 223,003 437,571 968,470 2,895,832 431,866 Oregon 6,485,280 2,930,390 2.404.021 1,769,257 Indiana Kansas 768,014 Maryland 1,449,661 Massachusetts 3,852,356 Michigan 3,668,412 2,387,125 Minnesota ... ... Mississippi... 1,790,618 Missouri 3,404,055 548,889 604,397 S. Carolina.. 1,683,724 Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia 636,547 2,337,885 4,663,228 449,396 352,428 2,309,187 Washington.. 1,356,621 W. Virginia. 1,463,701 2,632,067 194,402 FOOD ARTICLES IMPORTED Mrs. V. G. Simkhovitch, speaking for the United Neighborhood Houses, said that while she and many others present The imports of foodstuffs into this had attended conferences of a like na- country from 1910 to 1919 included ture many times before, all of which large quantities of sugar, coffee, tea, had failed to make any progress toward cocoa and chocolate. While more sugara real cooperative plan, she felt there beets and sugar-cane can be grown here, was reason for optimism in regard to dependence for these foodstuffs must continue to be mainly upon the tropics. the present meeting. NEW MEMBERS ARE ADDED TO ROLLS The Texas Company, 17 Battery Place MEMBERS INVITED -Oils. Madeira, Hill and Company, Mr. Executive Committee Takes Fa-erty Street-Wholesale Coal. cations for Admission Markle, Mr. John, President, G. B. Milbank, Mr. Dunlevy, 40 Wall Street LEADING HOUSES ARE ON LIST -Lawyer. Evidence is constantly being given to The Merchants' Association of the value which is placed upon the work that its various Bureaus are doing. The following has been received from the Division of Foods and Markets: "I have received the copies of the article on labor turnover in New York City. This is a very good article, and I want to commend your Bureau on such good work." New Members Elected The following new members were elected to The Merchants' Association by the Executive Committee: Bedford, Mr. A. C., Chairman of the Board, Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, 26 Broadway-Petroleum Oils. Butler, Mr. James, James Butler, Incorporated, 390 Washington StreetWholesale Grocer. Cuyler, Mr. Thomas DeWitt, 61 Broadway-Transportation. Exhibition in the Metropolitan MANY FIRMS ARE COOPERATING Mills, Mr. Ogden L., 15 Broad Street -Lawyer. The Fifth Exhibition of current work Minwax Company, Incorporated, Mr. by manufacturers and designers showA. B. Harrison, President, 18 East Forty- ing study of collections in the Museum first Street-Manufacturers of Structu-opened at the Metropolitan Museum of ral Waterproofing. Art on December 15 and will continue Morgenthau, Mr. Henry, 1457 Broad- until January 30. The exhibition is way-Lawyer. open each week-day from 10 A. M. to Murphy, Mr. Grayson M. P., Presi- 5 P. M. and on Sunday from 1 P. M. to dent, Foreign Commerce Corporation of 6 P. M. America, 15 Broad Street-Banking. National Foundation, Mr. H. E. T. Ruperti, Mr. Justus, Treasurer, Rosenberg, Adolph, and Company, In- Rosenberg, D., and Company, Mr. Shotwell Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, Mr. J. E. Okell, Manager, 88 Thirty-fifth Street, Brooklyn-ManuDick, Mr. William K., 177 Montague facturing Confectioners. Street, Brooklyn-Banker. DuPont, Mr. Samuel Pierre, President, General Motors Corporation, 120 ing Jewelers. Broadway-Motors. Saturday Evening Concerts Concerts by a symphony orchestra will be given on January 8, 15, 22 and 29 at 8 P. M. in the Fifth Avenue Hall and on these evenings all parts of the museum will be open, including the exhibition. The collection this year is of considerable importance from a business standpoint. It demonstrates the high degree of industrial design attained by present day producers. The current exhibition is said by those who have had an opportunity to watch the development of these exhibitions at the museum to be the best that has yet been held. Cooperating Firms Cooperation is being given by firms Somers, O. J. Company, Mr. O. J. and designers of advertising, commercial Somers, 87 Maiden Lane-Manufactur- containers, costume accessories and designs, decorative accessories including Studebaker Corporation of America, painted fabrics, designs, drawings, phoElliott, Mr. Howard, Chairman of The, Mr. M. C. Reichert, Manager, Ex- tographs and models, enamels, furniture, Board, Northern Pacific Railway Com- port Department, 2 Rector Street-jewelry, lace and embroideries, leatherpany, 34 Nassau Street-Railway. Studebaker Automobiles. work, lighting fixtures, metalwork, moThompson, Mr. William Boyce, 1 Mad-saic, stained glass and frescoe, pottery Avenue-Banking and Manufac- and porcelains, rugs, silverwork, tapesturing Interests. try, woven and printed textiles, trade journals and other publications, wall paper and some other specialties. Members of The Merchants' AssociaWolfsheim and Sachs, Incorporated, tion are cordially invited by the manMr. E. M. Sachs, President, 35 Maiden agement to visit the exhibition. Heckscher, Mr. August, 50 East Forty- Lane Manufacturers of Jewelry Cases second Street-Real Estate. and Novelties. Gas Age, The, Mr. M. C. Robbins, President, 52 Vanderbilt Avenue-Pub-ison lishers. Geller, Rolston and Blanc, Mr. Edward H. Blanc, 22 Exchange Place Lawyers. Harriman, Mr. W. A., 39 BroadwayTransportation. Hoyt, Mr. Richard F., 25 Broad Street -Banking. Iselin, Mr. Ernest, A. Iselin and Company, 36 Wall Street-Banker. Warmington, Timms and Company, NEW PAPER IN ALLENTOWN USE OF MOTOR TRUCKS Approximately one-eighth of all the trucks in use in the United States are operated by owners who live in New York State and almost three-quarters of Iselin, Mr. Lewis, A. Iselin and Com-town, Pennsylvania, has begun the pub- all the trucks in New York State or ap pany, 36 Wall Street-Banker. Kelley, Mr. Cornelius F., President, Anaconda Copper Mining Company, 42 Broadway-Copper Mining. lication of an official organ which is proximately one-ninth of all the trucks in the United States are operated in New York City, thus, making Gotham the Special "binders" or covers for "Greater most highly truck motorized city in the Lufkin, Mr. E. C., Chairman of Board, New York" may be had for sixty-five cents. world. IMPORTANT CONVENTIONS ARE LISTED FOR JANUARY Convention Bureau of The Merchants' Association Makes Public the Schedule of Meetings Which Will Be Held in New York During the Coming Month The Convention Bureau of The Mer-1 Fibre Box Manufacturers-January 12chants' Association announces the fol- 15. lowing list of conventions to be held in New York City during the month of January: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People-January 3. Good Manufacturing Company, Sales Convention-January 3-5. Motor Truck Association of America, Exhibition-January 3-8. Association of American CollegesJanuary 4-5. National Society for Broader Education, Directors' Meeting-January 5. Umbrella Manufacturers' Association of America-January 6. United States Golf Association-January 7. Brotherhood of Traveling JewelersJanuary 8. American Society of Mechanical In- Millinery Chamber of Commerce of Associated Dress Industries of Amer- American Designers' Association United Synagogue of America-January 16-17. Women's League of the United Syna- American Dyes Institute-January 17. National Automobile Show-January January 17. 8-15. Tea Association of the U. S. A.-January 21. New York State Bar AssociationJanuary 21-22. New York State Rifle AssociationJanuary 22. American Irish Historical SocietyJanuary 22. American Game Protective Asssociation January 24-25. Inter-State Exhibitors' CorporationJanuary 24-28. National Marine League of the U. S. A.-January 24-29. Association of American Horse Shows -January 25. American Lace Manufacturers' Association-January 25. Trust Companies Association of the State of New York-January 26. American Jewelers' Protective Association-January 26. Union Society of the Civil War-Jan Jobbers' Association of Dress Fabric uary 27. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, American Society of Landscape Archi- Superintendents' Convention-January Automotive Wood Wheel Manufactur- Buyers-January 17-18. ers' Association-January 10. Rubber Association of America-Jan-tects-January 17-18. 11. Water Power League of America Cycle Parts and Accessories Associa- January 18. tion-January 11. Motor and Allied Trades Association -January 11. Polo Association-January 18. Bicycle Manufacturers' Association Board Meeting-January 18. Cycle Jobbers' Association of Amer-ary 18. ica—January 11. New York State Wholesale Bakers' Automotive Equipment Association- Association-January 18-19. January 11. National Boot and Shoe Manufactur American Speedways Association- ers' Association-January 18-19. January 11. Madison Square Garden Poultry Show United States Ship Operators' Asso--January 18-22. ciation January 11. American Society of Civil Engineers Mining and Metallurgical Society of January 19. America-January 11. Grass and Fiber Rug Manufacturers' Association January 11. Jobbers' Association of Notion Buyers 27-29. National Wholesale Drygoods Associa-pany, Agency Convention—January. |