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If you -.ill be ,-ooL. e,:ouf-h to return this letter it vill be aopreciat.d.
The explanation end sentiment of Lir. .iitteathal as outlined in this let-
ter rni-nt be detri-cn.tal to hiya "ere the contents of this letter gen r-
llyr : kno'.n.

 If.the A ie Y'oo.k manufacturers r/ere inclined to be fa.ir-minded
 to"rfr. as as a co-roetitor, thc-- sloulC ;rv3 consideration to our position
 in tnis field of manufacturee. ii tur;.lj *;e do not know vinat their cost
 of manufact.'.ring is. Our cost '.7s little more thin 30,o of our sales
 last ye:r.

 As -e ha\ e time and again advised the Cods Authority and the
 NIRA officials 7he-i,ve: we hId the opportunity, that practically all of
 our supplies are boLiht in V.e'- York City 'nnd that immediate vicinity,
 necessitating heavy tre-isportation ch: r-cs that the 1iew York manufacturer
 does not have to be. Also it takes time to get our materials, and re-
 quires thiat we carry heavier inventories, all of whichh should be given
 consideration to if it is inte.-ied. that we should be on a fair competitive
 basis.

 As for the various factors entering into the labor turnover,
 our situation is different from the :>Te-; York manufacturers in that they
 have e:-perienced help that is idle, "illin- to be employed, that they can
 secure. Tith us on account of the seasonal variations, it is impossible
 for us to at all times maintain our factory force with e-xperienced help,
 and our contention is that 'ihan we are como'lled to employ learners we
 should not have to ,pa-r theia the minimum '.-::,e that the ilew York manufac-
 turer can get skilled help for, until they acquire some degree of skill.

 We hr-.ve little hopes of obt,. ining 7nv relief thru the Code
SAuthoritr. They .-re iev York iaen tnoroa-hly familiar .iith Ne'1' York con-
ditions, interested only in i:. York coniJtions aid not familiar with our
Situation. -p-o.- rontly they are afraid if they make rulin- to put us on
e fz ir competitive basis it ..;ill C.isr-.ot the sit ation in the East, which
mig-ht or might not be tr.e. However, it is our own business that -".. are
tr,'rino to c.rr-' onanl. unles: the feelin, that we should not be manufac-
Sturin, h..mdbags here in i.iisso .ri exists, ti-,, should be villin: to be
Fair :nd -ive just considcrction to our position.

 7e have alrc-cdl-, bcc-n forced out of certain lines for w.'hich
There is a demand that the East is supplyi-v.. Our business so far this
ye-r is a-,poroximstely 33 1/,-; off from last year.

 Relative to equipment, we nave every contrivance that wie
 kno'- of to reduce the cost of -)roduction. We have Unitzd Shoe Machinery
 Company's machines in our .acec wherever we c :n find an economical place
 for them. Te feel th-t we kno'; hov- to run our business and ,e are as
 alert as any of them "h,.i it comes to manulfcturing processes.


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