OCR Text |
Show with Britain, and as a result, our fabrics market was flooded with rags. These came in increasing quantities and brought complaints from dealers in wool. For a long time, there had been efforts made by some congressmen to brand the grade of wool in woolen goods sold. Shortly before the adjournment of Congress, the Honorable John A. Martin of Colorado authored H. B. 944, the House fabric labeling bill. It was stiffly opposed by the 12 manufacturers and distributors of shoddy woolen clothing. Efforts of the wool growers to force manufacturers of woolen clothing to inform consumers as to whether goods contained virgin wool, or shoddy and reclaimed wool were given impetus when growers and marketers presented a resolution demanding legislative action before the next National Woolgrowers Association Convention. They demanded that the federal trade commission provide rules governing the labeling of woolens similar to those recently put into effect for the rayon industry.1 3 Such pressure brought results as reported in the September magazine when the Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939 became law. The purchasers of woolen clothing would henceforth be assured of an opportunity to know the contents of the clothing they purchased. Under the former name of Truth in Fabrics Bill, it had been before the Congress for 30 yearsM Officers of the National Wool Growers Association had been diligent in their lobbying, and sheepmen rejoiced in their victories. 225 |