The sun., 1916-12-26

OF the leather consumed in the
United States II may roughly be csti-
mated that about 10 or IS per cent.
enters into footwear. perhaps 10 per
cent. into upholstery, predominantly Of
automobiles: perhaps 10 per cent. into
the betting OF machinery and other
mechanism Of manufacturing. the re-
mainder into trunks, travelling bags.
pocketbooks. gloves and into the fine
artistic leather products.
The consumption Of leather In
which everybody IL concerned Is Of
that In shoes. The animals whose
flesh Is most suitable for meat produce
the hides that are most largely made
into leather. Although meat has be-
come less Of a necessity In the diet OF
every day, virtually every person has
his feet encased In leather during
waking hours. That increase and diff
fusion Of the human race In the United
states and its persistent onslaught
upon the food animal. which have
caused q diminishing per capita con-
sumption Of meat. have brought It
about that not enough hides and skins
are grown in this country to meet the
demand Of its people for shoes.
The uppers Of shoes are made prin-
cipally Of kid. the vamps Of shoes for
women Of kid. Of those for men Of
calfskin, and the soles are made Of
the hide OF the COW. the bull or the
steer.
Kid Is made Of the skin Of the goat.
There are comparatively few goats
raised in the United states. They
abound in portions OF Europe, espe-
cially in Spain; in South America. in
India. China and Australia. In many
Of these countries their milk is of the
drink and their flesh Of the food Of the
inha bitants. but their skins are shipped
to the more advanced nations to be
tanned for conversion into shoes and
gloves. The greater proportion Of these
skins have been imported into the
United States. where they have been
tanned both for consumption In the
United States and to be reexported for
manufacture in Europe.
For many years prior to the war the
United States produced only about half
the calfskins transformed into leather
In its tanneries: the remaining half
van thipottVu 6Vts IsuiopV anu
especially from Russia. where more Of
veal is eaten and tanneries are few.
The hides Of which sole leather Is
made are obtained in large quantities
from the packing houses Of this coun-
try, and they are also imported in large
quantities from South America. from
the far East. from Africa and from
India.
The Importation Of hides. the thick
covering of the heavy animal. and OF
skins. the covering of the lighter ami
| NAL. has of course been greater in a
time OF prosperity than in "A time OF
depression. In the months immedi-
ately preceding the wal the industries
Of the United states were not flourish
ing. Throughout the country shoes
were being patched and half soled,
worn until they were worn out. Grea,
| stocks of leather had accumulated in
the warehouses. Competition Of other
countries had become very effective
The tanners OF Canada were extending
| sales in the United States. and those OF
Germany were active In marketing
their wares. especially the Amer grades
Of cslfskln in the manufacture OF
which they excel. Not long after the
! outbreak Of the conflict In Europe
came the demand OF the warning ma
tons that rapidly depleted the stocks
| of leather in his country. For the
millions OF soldiers shoes were needed
that could be worn on the march, in
the trench and in the assault, The
supply had often to lie ~replenished be-
-. - 80. $50
| the rough wear OF the infantrymar
longer than thirty days: 1t often hap.
pens hat he needs two pairs in this
time. After obtaining footwear fol
their armies for nearly a year from tho
United States the Allies determined tC
manufacture II within their own con
fines. England prohibited the eXpor'
tation of hides from her colonie t'
other thar English ports. T~hereupoi
the hides OF Canada. India and Aus
tralia went TO Great Britain. which alst
competed vigorously for the hides o.
the Argentine. Hut even with all this
Great Britain has been obliged Il oh
tain large importations of leather from
the United states. This country has
been unable To obtain anything lik
enough kid and calfskin to meet thu
rising demand. Germany, perccivins
the importance of conserving its sup
ply OF cattle. set AN example in pro
hibit!ng the killing of calves. which ha!
been followed by other of the bellig
erent nations,
Their demand for the products q
the United States brought unwontc,
prosperity to this country. \ risin;