Through long personal acquaintance in the industry. I believe I can speak with some authority. This country has traditionally depended on European immigration for many of its tailors. During the war years when immigration was virtually shut off. the clothing industry encountered a growing shortage of skilled needleworkers. At the present time over 6.000 tailors are needed in the New York area alone and an equal or greater number could be used in the rest of the country. To take a specific example. the HickeyFreeman Co.. which manufactures mens clothing. has been trying since last August to bring in 300 immigrant tailors and has to date succeeded in getting 24. Mr. Harry A. Cobrin. the executive secretary of the Clothing Manufacturers Association. which represents 90 percent of the output of the entire mens and boys tailored clothing industry recently made the following statement: The employers in the industry are confronted with a serious labor shortage which threatens their production. This shortage results from (a) curtailment of immigrant labor commencing shortly after World War I. which was the principal source of labor supply. (b) decreasing numbers of workers entering the tailoring trades. and (c) impossibility to manufacture tailored clothing exclusively by machines. Because of the nature of tailored clothing there is an emphasis on hand or needle work in the manufacturing process. Consequently. the introduction of new methods of manufacturing and new machinery does not obviate the need for skilledhand workers.
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