Evening journal., 1920-11-01

The future prosperity Of no indus
try in the United States is more DC
pendent upon the result OF the ap
preaching elections than the glazed
kid Industry. the centre Of which IS In
Wilmington. and within radius OF
thirty miles Of Wilmington. Within
This radius which includes Philadel-
phia and Camden. n. j. IS produced
so per cent. OF the glazed Kid IN the
United States. In Wilmington alone
there are located thirteen glazed Kid
plants enjoying a worldwide repu%-
tion.
When these Wilmington industries
are running full capacity they employ
about $500 people and tan millions OF
skins annually, which are nnlshed up
into black. brown and fancy colored
leather from which the very iinest OF
shoes are manufactured. This glazed
kid or morocco industry, wlen run
ming 10 capacity In Wilmington, mas
an annual payroll which reaches INTO
millions.
Just why this industry is so con-
cerned over the result OF the coming
elections may be seen in a brief re-
view OF certain facts in the glazed
kid trade. Glazed kid or morocco Is
the name given TO leather made from
the skin OF goats, 90 per cent. OF which
skins are Imported from countries
where goat meat is a staple article
OF food. Fully 40 per cent OF these
importations come from India, the
largest single source Of goatskins in
the world. and 20 per cent. come from
China. The balance OF the skin inn
portations come from other foreign
countries
In 1919 the government Of India
imposed an export duty OF - per
cent on all goaiskins. The same act,
however. contained a proviso giving a
rebate OF two thirds OF this duty to
all British concerns tanning these
skins on British soil. In other words,
the actual operation Of this export
duty imposed by the Indian govern
ment is a tax OF 10 per cent. on all
skins imported by industries in the
United States. but tax OF only per
cent on skins used by their British
competitors. This rebate gives the
English tanners an advantage over the
American tanner Of $3.50 a dozen at
the present marke. price for raw goat
skin.
In addition 10 this advantage, the
British merchant marine laws give TO
the British tanner another rebate on
all skins shipped ia British bottoms
from India. owing to the recent ac-
ton OF President Wilson. American
importatiOns OF geaiskins are denied
any such rebate. The absence Of this
rebate plus the fact OF the longer
haul, naturally increases the cost OF
laying down in America goatskins
shipped from India.
The HIGH frquannrfaTfou eh.~r,a To-
shipping g0atskins from India To-
America and the 70 per cent. export
duty which India lays against skins
shipped TO America, are not the only
handicaps under which American, mo-
rocco industries are laboring. Eng
land, France and Germany are Keen
competitors with America In this in
dustry, and in these European tam
neries men are working twelve to
fourteen hours. In Germany and
France they ar working at a much
less wage. Proof OF this Is furnished
Dy the fact that an English concern
only recently let a contract to a Ger-
man tanning concern for the contract
price OF 30 per foot The same labor
cannot be performed in the best man.
asea plants m this country for less
Than i0c per foot.
~ f'''NANA H| hLIA TT UIND0 I'M InIN
connection that the morocco Industry
IS not peculiar TO the United STATES
Inc tanning and leather Industry !
very highly developed in England
France and Germany. The Industry
~ thls country been built up by
me concerns m and about Wilmington
after many years Of great labor and
expense. BY sheer merit these leath-
er industries pushed heir way 10 the
'front.' until they had become leaders
ln their Held, despite foreign oompe-
This was the situation in 1914 when
We european war began Snce that
time, OF course. the morocco indus
Try IN Wilmington and vicinity has
greatly Increased Is product both In
Quani ~ and quality. and has MID
ened us markets Now that the war
Is over. however, and the intense
sWueSie Tor commercial supremacy Is
on IN earnest, 10 Is essential 10 The
very life Of This industry that IL be
gwen protection from lis Euronean
competitors who have the advan-
tages above mentioned.
There Is only one way 10 Offset the
advantages whicth the European
itather industries have. and that Is
oy protective tarin, which will ac-
"N'r t'.ANN lANNNiANU 70 nNIn
American labor and capital engaged
I'D the morocco business.
Thls tarin must be high enough IN
onset The advantages England gets
from midas IS per cent. export duty
on shns exported 10 England's com
peutors as against only per cent
duty on skins exported 10 English
possessions
This protective tariff must be high
enough TO onset the advantages which
England gets from carrying these
SKINS in her own merchant marine
ana allowing her SKIN importers a re-
Date on all such skins.
Ihis protective tariff must be high
enough to Offset the advantage which
England. France and Germany have
10 the form Of twelve 10 fourteen
hour days and the labor cost Of only
one-haf the labor cost in America
American labor. with It's standard
or living. cannot compete with me Ia
Dor OF Europe with its low standards