Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-01-12

OF the leather consumed in the
United states it may roughly be es-
timated that about 20 or IS per cent
enters into footwear perhaps 10 per
cent. into upholstery, prodominantly
OF automobiles; perhaps 10 per cent
into the betting of machinery ana
other mechanism Of manufacturers
the rema nder into trunks, travelling
bags. pockctbooks, gloves and INTO
the finer artistic leather products
The consumption of leather IN
which everybody is concerned IS OF
that in shoes. The animals whose
flesh IS most suitable for meat pro
duce the hides that are most largely
made into leather
The uppers of shoes are made pflh-
cipally of kid. the vamps or shoes lot
women OF kid Of those for men OF
calfslxiu and the soles arc made OF
the hide OF the cow the bull on the
steer
Kid is made OF the skin OF the goat.
There arc comparatively few GOATS
ia sed in the United states. Ihey
abound in portions Of Europe. espe-
ciallv in Spain: in South America, IN
India. China, and Australia. The
greater proportion OF the skins have
been imported into the United States
where they have been tanned both
for consumption in the United states
aud 10 be re exported for manutuc-
ture IN Europe.
For many years pr on TO The war
the United states produced only about
hale the calfskins transformed MO
leather I'm its tauneries: the remain
ing half was imported largely from
lsnrope and especially from Russia
n here more of veal rs eaten and 'an-
nories arc few
The hides of which sole leather Is
4nado arc obta ned in large quantities
from the packing houses of inns
conntry. and they are also imported
in large quantities from South Amer
ica. from the far East, from Africa
and from India.
Ia tho months Immediately preceu
inr The war the industries ot the lnl-
fad States were not ilourahlns'
Throughout the country shoes were
to ne patched and half soled worn
until they were worn out Great
eiocks 81 leather had accumulated n
fho warehouses Competition OF other
countries had become very effective
Not long after the outbreak OF tho
conflict in Europe came the demand
II the warning nations that rapidL
de1le'ed the stocks OF leather IN ms
country After obtaining footwear
70. their armies for nearly "a year
from the United States the allies de-
fermined to manufacture Il within
their own confines England pro-
hib'ted the expectation OF hides from
her colonies TO other than Engl sh
ports. Thereupon the hides Of Can
ada. India and Australia went @
Great Britain. which also competed
vigorously for the hides OF the Ar
genuine. But even with all this
Great Britain has been obliged ia
obtain large importations Of leather
from the United States, This countr,
has been unable 90 obtain anythin'
like enough kid and calfskin TO NEE
the rising demand Germany, per
ceiving the importance OF conserving
iis supply OF cattle. set an eNampl
In prohibiting the killing OF calves
which has been followed by other a
the belllgerent nations.
Their demand foe the products O
the United States brought unwonte
prosperity to this country. A risin
and extraordinary demand for leathe
for consumption in this country fol
lowed IN its wake. The phenomena
expansion in the manufacture of au
tomobiles meant a phenomenal In
crease in the use OF leather. Tn
rapid wearing out of appliances con
fcquent upon the running OF mill
night and day and the erection o
new mills compelled the consump
tion OF leather as never before IN pro