STANFO BRAND H. R. 389, H. R. 2768, H. R. 3851, H. R. 4159 BILLS TO PROHIBIT THE INTRODUCTION OR MOVEMENT IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE OF ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL AND FABRICS WHICH ARE SO HIGHLY FLAMMA- COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE CHARLES A. WOLVERTON, New Jersey, Chairman CARL HINSHAW, California ROBERT CROSSER, Ohio JOSEPH P. O'HARA, Minnesota J. PERCY PRIEST, Tennessee ROBERT HALE, Maine OREN HARRIS, Arkansas JAMES I. DOLLIVER, Iowa DWIGHT L. ROGERS, Florida JOHN W. HESELTON, Massachusetts ARTHUR G. KLEIN, New York JOHN B. BENNETT, Michigan WILLIAM T. GRANAHAN, Pennsylvania RICHARD W. HOFFMAN, Illinois F. ERTEL CARLYLE, North Carolina JOHN V. BEAMER, Indiana JOHN BELL WILLIAMS, Mississippi WILLIAM L. SPRINGER, Illinois PETER F. MACK, JR., Illinois ALVIN R. BUSH, Pennsylvania HOMER THORNBERRY, Texas PAUL F. SCHENCK, Ohio LOUIS B. HELLER, New York JOSEPH L. CARRIGG, Pennsylvania KENNETH A. ROBERTS, Alabama HERBERT B. WARBURTON, Delaware MORGAN M. MOULDER, Missouri STEVEN B. DEROUNIAN, New York HARLEY O. STAGGERS, West Virginia THOMAS M. PELLY, Washington J. ARTHUR YOUNGER, California ELTON J. LAYTON, Clerk II - - - Commerce Department on H. R. 2768, H. R. 3851, and H. R. 4159 District of Columbia, Board of Commissioners of, on H. R. 389 and Bell, W. Ray, president, Association of Cotton Textile Merchants of Buck, George S., Jr., technical director, National Cotton Council of Canfield, Hon. Gordon, a Representative in Congress from the State Dorn, Charles W., representing National Retail Dry Goods Associa- Feldman, Erwin, counsel, National Association of House Dress Manu- Fickett, W. P., president, National Association of Button Manufac- turers Freedman, Ephriam, appearing on behalf of New York State Council of Retail Merchants and Retail Dry Goods Association of New Hays, Donald C., counsel, Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.----- Johnson, Hon. Leroy, a Representative in Congress from the State of McClure, Kenneth F., Assistant General Counsel, Department of Miller, Henry, Assistant General Counsel, Federal Trade Commission 144 O'Brien, Matthew H., representing Ravon and Acetate Fiber Pro- Rovins, Leonard, general counsel, National Retail Dry Goods Asso- 100 American Cotton Manufacturers Institute, Inc., statement of Robert C. Jackson, executive vice president. 199 --------------- Communications from representatives of the clothing industry.--- 36-39 Remarks on House floor, March 10, 1953.--- Development of commercial standards.---- Dayton (Ohio) Fire Department, letter from Forrest B. Lucas, chief . - 83 III - - - - - 155 Additional information submitted for the record by-Continued Instances of personal injuries sustained from dangerously flam- Investigational matters and cases on subject of alleged danger- ously flammable textiles.----- Newspaper clippings regarding experiences with brushed rayon Freedman, Ephriam, letter from.. Iselin-Jefferson Co., Inc., letter from Lester E. Schultz.- 200 Johnson, Hon. Leroy: Letters from Joe R. Yockers, California State Middleton (Ohio) Fire Department, letter from William Fishbaugh, New York Board of Trade, letter from Cameron A. Baker.. 199 Pepperell Manufacturing Co., Inc., letter from J. M. Holland, research and development department.------- Philadelphia Textile Manufacturers Association, letter from C. Carroll Baxter, chairman, legislative committee.--- Retail Merchants' Association of New Jersey, statement of Philip W. Schindel, secretary-treasurer ----- Riegel Textile Corp., letter from Theodore Riegel.--- Silk and Rayon Printers and Dyers Association of America, Inc., state- 143 136 183 Ball, executive vice president.-- ----------------- ------- --- - - --- - - - ---------- FLAMMABLE FABRICS ACT THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1953 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D.C. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to call, in Room 1334, New House Office Building, Hon. Charles A. Wolverton (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please come to order. This morning, the committee will hear testimony on five bills, H. R. 389 by Mr. Canfield, H. R. 2768 by Mr. Wolverton, H. R. 3851 by Mr. Canfield, H. R. 4159 by Mr. Johnson, and H. R. 4500 by Mr. Williams of Mississippi. The purpose of these bills is to prohibit the introduction of movement in interstate commerce of articles of wearing apparel and fabrics which are so highly flammable as to be dangerous when worn by individuals, and for other purposes. I am advised that H. R. 389 and H. R. 2768 are identical bills. Likewise, H. R. 3851, H. R. 4159, and H. R. 4500 are identical bills. These bills and any reports thereon which have been submitted by the executive agencies and departments will be made part of the record following the conclusion of these opening remarks. We are aware of the great interest and need for this legislation to prohibit the introduction or movement in interstate commerce of highly flammable wearing apparel and fabrics. This need was forcefully brought to our attention in 1946 and subsequently when a wave of catastrophies swept across the country. Cowboy suits, sweaters, evening gowns, and other wearing apparel made of highly flammable fabrics burst into flames causing serious bodily injury and even death to children and consumers who were unaware of the dangerous character of such garments. Several bills dealing with this subject were introduced in the 80th Congress. This committee held extensive hearings on these bills in March of 1947. Similar bills were introduced in the 81st and 82d Congresses, The Senate, in fact, passed S. 2918 just before the adjournment of the 82d Congress. This committee reported S. 2918 favorably on July 4, 1952, but it failed to pass the House because at that time it was necessary to get the unanimous consent of the House for passage, and this was lacking. My bill, H. R. 2768, and Mr. Canfield's bill, H. R. 389, are substantially the same as the bill which passed the Senate last year. |