Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-31
How the War Affects Us.
V1I1.-Lace and Things.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

There is to be dearth in the ire
sistible filmy, seafoam. frou-frou
things which women wear to the ever
lasting Improvement of our dun-gra
practical age. These delightful frills
of European manufacture are being
turned out no more since the out
break of the super-war. In their stead
labor will be employed in the produc-
ton of lint absorbent cotton, linen
bandases and other sternly sensible
and sanitary coverings for human
nakedness.
Laces. artificial silks. fringes, bead
work and delicate novelty patterns in
dress goods are for the most part
made in European factories. Those
iaces which billow, ripple, fold and
surge III bewiiderment OF graceful
unrest are only made abroad Ameri
can laces are obvious and definite. On
the other hand it is the European lace
which clothes with an Intangible soft
ness and concealment Europe is the
home of those industries whose prod
ucts are solely for the establishment
of life.
Great Quantities of lace are produced
in this country. both of the handmade
and machine varieties. The homemade
article, however is confined to the
coarser types. 1t serves to adorn, but
lacks the enticing charm of the more
subtle foreign laces. The American ma
chine made lace industry is of COMPARE
lively recent origin. 1t has made re-
markable strides and has developed a
successful competition with Euro:-e in
our markets for the sale of en-
broIderleS and laceS and insertions of
quantity production.
There has not been time vet how
ever. to create here the large corps of
skillful and artistic lace designers such
as stands ready to the command Of
the European producers. This, likely
explains "A large part of our handicap
Every European lace town of any note
has its families Of designers, whose
devotion to this art stretches genera
tons back. Moreover, in such lace and
embroidery centers as Plauen and
Calais the school of lace design is the
central institution of the city's life.
In these towns the art of lace-making
has mellowcd in its traditions, high
standards have grown up. and taste
and skill have become part of the
workaday atmosphere.
Then too, the European centers have
the advantage of wealth of secret
processes. accretions Of scores Of years
of study and application in communities
whose prosperity depended almost sole
ly on this industry. The foreign pro-
ducers claim that we could not properly
finish many of their most successful kinds
their designs and to weave or ernbroider
them upon our looms. In many cases
probably, they are right. for American
limitations have often proved themselves
dismal failures.
The lace machine Is one of the most
delicate human machines on earth Its
variety of produc-
Delicate Machines ton is a limo 8
alone limited by
10 wake Lace. the fertility of the
designers imagination. Chantilly, Point
d Alencon, Spanish, Cluny. torchon,
Valenciennes Bruges, Malines, macrame,
applique and dozens of derivative laces
are initiated in perfect detail upon these
machines. Colors are freely worked on
them. with gold and other brilliant
metal strands and shimmery silver. All
the famous lace genre are turned out
in rapid production by machinery.
These machines are made in Europe.
They are built in Plauen, Saxony: in ST.
Gall, Switzerland in Calais, France, and
in Nottingham. England. These four
cities are the largest centers for ma
chine made lace and embroidery. Not
only is America largely dependent upon
them for her finished finery. but, also,
for the machines with which to carry
on her home production. Plauen is the
center OF the burned out or etcheU
laces, little made in this country, and
for other embroidered laces. st. Gall
furnishes a great part of machine-em en-
broidered white goods. Woven laces and
lace novelties are made in Calais, while
Noting ham is the home of machine
made curtains and other woven laces.
America is a good customer of these
goods, wherewith to brighten up the
dull prose of business age by infusing
into it the glow and gossamer of wom-
ans dress. The brick and plaster, the
| trucks. unlovely smoke and sleek solv-
ency Of the modern city's streets is only
kept from becoming quite insufferable
| by the sparkle and artistry of well
dressed women.
| The importation Of these decorative
articles has mounted into substantial
yearly sums. In
| Imports Amount 1913 Germany sent
to Large Sums worth Of he =
* aItf1