The Washington herald., 1908-07-19
LEATHER CRISIS ON
Farnce Suffers in COmpeti-
tiOn with imports.
AMERICA RULES THE MARKET
Employer Estimates that Three
fourths of the COlOred Box Calf
Furnishes Much of the GIace Kid.
Chrome Tanning Introduced

II appears that the French leather in
dustry Is at the present time suffering
from crisis the causes Of which are be-
ing studied by the minister OF labor, and
responsibility for which Is attributed in
no small degree to foreign competition,
particularly American and German com
petition.
Consul General Robert P. Skinner. writ
ing from Marseilles. says Of the situation:
For number OF years. ten at the most.
foreign countries formerly importers Of
French goods have been disposing Of pre-
pared feathers in the French market. To
cite single example, while exports Of
French shoes have fallen of, iInporta-
iions OF shoes and leather, particularly
box calf. have generally increased. With
in the last three years alone importations
OF shoes have increased from a.. .245 pairs
in 1906 and 5S7.f02 pairs In 1906 to 81. 100
pairs In 1867. II seems TO be the opinion
that French msthods are in need Of radi-
cal changes. and that French manufac-
turers win look more and more TO such
enterprises as the Chicago shoe and
leather fair TO discover processes suitable
70 their particular cases
Limited Factory Operations.
At the present time. with a few excep-
tons, empirical methods prevail in the
preparation OF French feathers. About
half the tanning firms employ less than
five workmen and g per cent Of all have
less than twenty-one employees each The
Il
houses have adopted chrome tanning
processes. the many are still using bark
and alum instead Of extracts. and no
great success has followed various ef-
forts 20 improve the situation. which ls
to some extent due TO the limited capital
Of the small concerns. Indeed, a number
OF large firms. after having adopted the
chrome process. were obliged 10 give Il up
because Of repeated accidents IN which
skins IN preparation were badly burned
A French employer estimates that more
than three-fOurths Of the coloTed box
calf used IN this country is imported. and
particularly from Germany The demand
for the leather IS considerable. and the
care with which it Is produced in the
United States and Germany enables eS-
porters to demand high prices
Twenty-Five years ago France supplied
the world with glace kid skins. but since
that tine German and American competi-
tors have captured the foreign trade and
since 1906 have taken a strong place In
the French market Itself
Feel American Competition.
The minister Of labor makes the follow
ing very significant statement:
The chemical methods OF manufacture
(of giace Kid skins) in the United States
are or were superior 10 French methods:
We have about equaled them. Foremen
were sent to the United States; the sons
OF important manufacturers themselves
were sent over 70 study these methods
Finally machines were set up in this
country like those used In the United
States. But the thing that was missing.
and Is stlr missing. perhaps, was the In
teIllgence and willing cooperation Of the
workmen in taking up these new proc
esses. The French workman. unlike the
American, does not readily adopt ma
chinery. He works much slower. and
therein his education Is yet 10 be made.
TO mention one instance OF the actlv-
ity Of the American workman: In one day
In a fleshing department In the United
States - employees with 20 machines
would make l.5o0 dozen Of skins OF 70
feet to the dozen; IN France In one OF the
great houses 20 woTkmsn and 20 machines
American machines, like the others
make so dozen, and the skins are OF
only s. feet to the dozen Here Is a con-
slant cause OF inferi0rity. Also, In the
concern referred to it Is proposed to re-
duce the number Of workmeu. Oue-third
Of them must soon be sent away II the
present system OF labor is rot ameliorated
and the cost Of the product reduced"
Statements of WOrkmen.
Foreign competition In France does not
stop at dressed glace kid; it extends also
10 patent kid, an article in which French
manufacturers have been without supe-
rior In the past According to the work
men themselves, American leather of this
class Is preferred in this country. even at
higher prices. because their varnishes
are less brittle. the grain is not loaded.
and thus the skins resemble a very bril-
liant glace, while ours at times resemble
oilclOth: the coating OF varnish. being
thicker, hides the grain, and Is more la
bic to crack"
It seems TO be conceded that. in a gen
eral way, foreign feathers are better than
French, and sell better. although higher
in price. No very definite remedies are
proposed The workmen. whose situa-
tons become more precarious. suggest a
mixed committee TO Study the whole ques-
tion from every point of view. including
a modification OF the tariff covering leath-
ct and leather goods.
1t Is apparently the case that whereas
American feathers were the first to reach
the French market TO an important eX-
tent. German feathers are now coming In
and tend TO dispiace the American As In
many other lines Of business. the latter
are seriously handicapped by tariff dis
elimination, for whereas American ex-
porters pay maximum rates, the German
houses have the benefit Of the minimum
tarin- In this respect German competi-
tors find an excellent profit in their tariff
advantage alone
CTDEET nEDDOEFEREENrT