The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-02-24
BIG VARIANCE
IN THE PRICE:
OF POTTERY

Complete Revision Necessary
Says Bureau of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce.
WASHINGTON. Feb. ,2s.-secre-
tary Redfie1d has just made public
the report of the investigation by the
department ofcommerce into the pot
terry industry, begun co-incidentally
with the enactment of the present
tariff law and an announcement by
the United States Potters Associa-
ton that any. reductions,sin selling
prices resulting from reduced duties
must be followed by a correspond
ing reduction in wages" y,
The tariff reduced duties from So
to IS per cent and from soto 40 per
cent on undecorated and decorated
earthenware. respectively. The re-
port says the imports Of pottery for
the first twelve months Of the tar
if law increased less than q half mil
lion dollars over the last twelve
months Of the old law.
The following conclusions are Civ
en- as general statements Of fact:
~. The potters of the United
States are without adequate knowl-
edge Of the costs of production in
their own industry.
20. Extreme costs of production
were found in the different potter
les OF the United States. There were
also large variations in earnings and
profits. ~
"3. Large differences in the cost
OF production between the potteries
of the United States and those Of
Europe were found to exist. The
general level Of costs was consider
ably higher IN the United States. In
fact, the lowest cost Of production in
any American pottery exceeded that
of the highest cost of production in
any European pottery, except one es-
Establishment In Austria. -. $50,
"a Competitive prices OF Ameri-
can and foreign ware in. the United
States are not determined solely by
the difference in the cost OF produc-
tion at home and abroad. Other fac
tors, including customs duties, trans
portatfon charges and incidental ex-
penses are sufficient as shown in the
report to Offset the difference in cost
OF production. $
'5. Many Of the American potter
les are poorly situated and.the plants
are badly arranged. owing to ,the'hap-
hazard character Of their develop
ment. There; are few American pot
teries that have thoroughly modern
plants equipped throughout with up
to-date machinery. !
.t6. In spite of the fact that the ay-
erage wages paid in American pot
teriesin the different occupations are
higher than those paid In European
potteries by from soto over 800 per
cent, the labor cost per unit tof pro-
duct never shows SO great a difference
.as SO per cent, except In German
china plants. This indicates the
greater efficiency Of the American
workman. 4, y
~. The standard list upon which
American potters base their selling
prices Is obsolete. It establishes for
different articles selling prices that
vary widely fro mthe relative costs
of production. Complete revision is
necessary before American potters can
intelligently sell their ware.
"s. There Is a distinct need for
more scientific methods Of produc-
ton which can be brought about only
by highly skilled instruction and
more scientific research work.
20. Finally. this report has aims
ed to be constructive in its analysis
Of the pottery industry. There are
means, and these have been pointed
out by which the cost OF production
may be materially deduced. And
these costs must be reduced, not only
that the American industry may COM
pete with foreign porducts brought In
/ to this market, but in order that
American products. may compete In
foreign markets.' = \
The investigation was made in the
lspotteries OF England, Germany and
Austria, and, in the United States In
| 4S establishments IN New ,Jersey,
Ohio, West Virginia, New. York;
Pennsylvania, Indiana and Maryland.
The report deals exclusively with
the mechanical, scientific, labor and
marketing processes connected with
1.-THE industry. (