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Importance of the Textile and Apparel Industries in the United States:
It is not widely recognized or realized that in the United States, a highly industrialized country, the textile and apparel industry remains in this day the largest employer of labor of any U.S. manu- facturing industry. It employs one-eighth of the entire manufacturing work force of the United States. In addition, it is the sole customer of some 200,000 farms producing raw wool and it is the principal customer for our 500,000 farms that produce cotton. Many thousands more depend on this industry's consumption of man-made fibers, fuel and energy, goods and services, and all of the myriad elements which help the industry function.
The United States faces a major social problem and the textile and apparel industry is helping to ameliorate it. This is due to the fact that this industry makes a major contribution in the hiring and training of underskilled disadvantaged persons in the United States, particularly those in minority groups. A threat to this industry is a threat to those persons in our labor force who have most difficulty in securing employment in the first place and who would face even greater difficulty in finding alternative job oppor- tunities. The present and potential contribution of the textile and apparel industry in providing employment for this large group of people cannot be over-estimated.
There are many in the United States who feel that the only viable solution to the textile problems we face should be attained through import quotas enacted in legislation. It has been my government's view that rather than resort to legislation we should negotiate acceptable international arrangements which would establish a reason- able and orderly basis for the development of the United States textile market and for the continued growth of U.S. textile imports. President Nixon has stated his "commitment to work for solutions that will bring about the orderly flow of imports into the textile markets. # We are endeavoring to do that and cannot urge too strongly the cooperation of our textile trading partners.
In conclusion, the United States believes the LTA has worked well with benefits to both exporters and importers and should continue to do so in the future. We support its continuation beyond September 30, 1970.
We are most interested in hearing the views of others on the issues at hand.
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