Newspapers / The Kings Mountain Herald … / Sept. 20, 1977, edition 1 / Page 4
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Page 4-MIRROR-HERALD-TueBday. September 20. 1077 Burlington’s Bill Beerman On Foreign Textile Imports Flood Is Over Top Of The Dam By TOM McIntyre Editor, Mirror-Herald Burlington Induetrlee haa decided to speak out against the current textile Import legislation. ITils was the message ad vanced by BUI Beerman, director of public affairs tor Buiilngton, during last Thur sday’s Kings Mountain Rotary luncheon. Beerman, who Is stationed at BuiUngtrai's Greensboro office, said, “Foreign textUe Imports are now taking a larger share of the American market than Is fair or safe. For the last Uiree years Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kcng have Imported over half the textUe goods Into this country of aU foreign producers.” Beerman said under In ternational trade agreements the foreign firms are permitted to import six percent of the American market. The six percent figure was established as anticipated growth rate in this country. However, the rate has (xUy been 2.0 percent over the past few years, which means Imports are becoming excessive. "The flood Is now over the top of the dam,” Beerman con tinued. “Americans are losing jobs and wUl lose even more If something Isn’t done to curtaU foreign imports. America Is a job-related economy, the only one like It In the world. TextUes and the garment Industry, which Is related, are in the top Uiree Industrial employers In this country. That means that one out of eight jobs In the U. 3. Is either in a textUe plant for sewing In dustry. So, we feel we have a story to tell and the government should Usten.” Beerman said the average hourly wage for Korean trextUe employes Is 2B-60 coits, whUe In America the average houriy wage Is about $4.87. He said on top of that, American textUe compcuiles also provide benefits, profit sharing, retirement. In surance, plus aU of the federaUy- regiUated programs which are employer costs. 17)0 textUe In dustry, according to Beerman,. spends millions of doUars on machlneiy and equipment to conform to safety and poUutlon requirements, machines and equipment that have nothing to do with manufacturing a product. “Foreign textUe firms have no such overhead to eat up their profits,” he said. “’The foreign. Imports now take up 17 percent of the American market In textUe products and iq>pcu«l fabric. If the growth rate con tinues, by 1986 the foreign Im ports wUl take up 40 percent of the American market” Beerman said If anyone thinks It can’t happen, they can take a look at Uie show industry. “Fifty- five percent of the American show Industry was wiped out by foreign Imports. The foreign made Items seU for leas, untU the competition Is gone, then the price goes up.” Beerman said that In 1976 foreign textUe and related firms Imported to the United States over five billion, one himdred thousand square yards of Photo By Tbm McIntyre BURLING’rON MEN — BUI Beerman, director of pubUc affairs for Burlington Industries, was guest speaker at last ’Thursday’s Kings Mountain Rotary luncheon. He spoke on the danger of excessive foreign textile Imports and what his company Is doing to try to stem this tide. Shown here with Beerman is NeU Yeargln, KM’s Phenlx Plant manager for Burlington, who arranged the program. material, '“rhat’s enough material to stretch from the earth to the moon and back 12 times, ” he said. “Burlington Is saying t;ulte bluntly to the government that this is excessive,” Beerman said. “We are not against foreign Imports. We are wUllng to share the American market growth rate, but If the foreign Imports are aUowed to continue flooding In faster than the growth rate, our textUe and related Industries are going to be In trouble.” Burlington has begun a campaign within Its plants to have plant managers arm themselves with the facts and to interest the public In the problem. Employes, on a voluntary basis, are encouraged to contact Congressmen to find out what they think about the situation. Another example of ex cessive foreign Importing Beerman cited Is “men’s shirts In the low price category. ’Ihese shirts seU cheaper and are of cheaper quality. You find these Items In the large discount stores and bargain centers. Because of this 60 percent of aU shirts In this low price category are now made al»t>ad. One out of three 100 percent cotton shirts are made from abroad. “We also now know that Red China has a tremendous textile Industry,” Beerman said. “We have no idea what kind of deals will be struck for political reasons with that coimtry, which wUl take another share of the American market.” Beerman cited some staggering statistics concerning the textUe Industry in N. C. and Burlington’s role In particular. There are roughly 380,000 textUe employes In this state. Burilngton employes over 70,000 men and women In Its 100 plants, 4ll of which are located In North ChroUna. In the sUte Buiilngton employes 86,000 men and women. In the United States there are 2,800,000 men and women em ployed In the textUe and related Industries. Beerman said thousands and thousands of these people are In danger of losing their jobs If the foreign textUe Import flood Isn’t stopped and brought back Into a fairer, safer perspective. For Center Additions i I Contracts Are Signed EXECUTE CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION — The city commission signed construction (xmtracts for a major addition to the Kings Mountain Community Center Thursday. Architect Photo By Lib Stewart Pete Bau^iam points to architect’s drawing of the new buUdlng, as Commissioner Corbet Nicholson, left. Mayor John Moss, and Commissioner Humes Houston look on. Oonstnxitlan Is slated to begin Immediately on a 10,000 square foot addition to Kings Mountain Community Center, which In cludes an auditorium. The city commission Thurs day night at a special meeting signed coitracts for the 1391,909 project which will be funded under the Community Development Block Grant, $286,000 approved by the Department of HUD, the city’s fair share being $6,000. Marvin (Pete) Baugham of HoUand-McGlnnis Architects of Shelby said he was pleased to see the city go ahead with these bids since there may be some dif ficulty In deUvery of Items. The project calls for completion In 140 days. General contractor Is Reynolds Construction Co. of Charlotte, the low bidder at $222,878; plumbing contractor, Gastonia Plumbing and Heating, of Gastonia, the low bidder at $19,436; heating and alr- condltlonlng. Climate Con ditioning of Charlotte, low bidder at $86,231; and electrical, Shelby Electrical Contractors, low bidder at $18,446. The addlUons Include one two- story structure on the east side of the buUdlng and a one-story addition to the west side of the buUdlng and featuring insulated, sun-reflected 46 foot wide glass. TWO floors on the front of the buUdlng will Include oMlees, storage areas, a lobby, con ference room, kitchenette and reet rooms. On the West side will be a lobby and ticket office for entrance Into the auditorium on the second floor which will be large enough to handle certain programs for the pubUc. Office and storage space, a concession area and lobby area are features of the buUdlng. Commissioner William Grissom, chairman of the community center addlUons committee, made the motion the dty accept the low bidders, seconded by Commissioner Oorbet Nicholson. Exhibition Is Planned One-Car Crash The Lincoln Museum of Art is sponsoring Its sixth annual Statewide ArtExhlblUon Oct. 9-80. The exhibition wlU be held In the Lincoln County Library, 306 W. Main St., Llncolnton. Entries will be received Oct. 1-8. All works wUl be exhibited. Andy Cox of Limestcne CoUege will judge the entries this year. Injures KMers Chaney Earns Promotion The U. S.A Air Force has promoted Joey E. Chaney, son of Mr. and Mrs. Grady L. Chaney of 802 Phifer Rd., Kings Mountain, to the rank of master sergeant. Sergeant Chaney Is ssrvlng at MacDUl AFB, Fla., as an avionics com- munlcatlons technician. Four people were Injured, one seriously, In a one-car crash on wet streets, according to Kings Mountain Police reports. -aj The sergeant Is a 1960 graduate of Kings Mountain High School. Takes Part In Exercise James R. Baity, 86, of Castlewood ’Trailer Park, was admitted to Gaston Memorial Hospital for Iqjurles and treated and released at Kings Mountain Hospital wars WUlle Lee Ross, 31; Ernest Michael Wilson, 30; and Ricky Wilson, 17, all of Rt. 4. According to KMPD, a car operated by Robert Lee WUson, 28, of Rt. 4, was traveling at a high rate of speed on wet pavement on W. Mountain St. Friday at 9:38 a. m. when It started to sUde and left the roadway. The ear hit a tree before coming to a stop off the roadway, said poUoe. WUson was charged with making an unsafe movement. Navy Gunner’s Mate Seaman Jimmy G. Carpenter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy H. Carpenter of 610 Bridges Dr., Kings Mountain, participated in the U. S. Sixth Fleet operation “National Weak XXin.” He la serving as a crewmember aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Albany, homeported In Gaeta, Italy. Motorists Injured A 1970 graduate of Kings Mountain Senior High School, Carpenter joined the Navy September 1076. In FOUR HURT IN FRIDAY CRASH - Four people were hurt, one seriously. In a one-car crash on W. Mountain St. Friday. James R. Baity, 86, of Kings Mountain, was hosplUllxed with serious Injuries In a Gastonia hospital. Photo By Gary Stewart (From Page 8) Smith of 1404 Groves St. and a 1060 Plymouth operated by Dorothy Siw Young. Mr. Smith was stopped In a travel lane coUectlng garbage, according to PU. R.B. Grlndstaff, when the 1800 Plymouth operated by Ms. Young (aUed to move left enough to pass and hit the truck In the rear. Damages to the oar were estimated at 1300. C< .V DO D' pr\M " .7
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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Sept. 20, 1977, edition 1
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