Evening star., 1921-08-07
GERMAN FACTORIES
FAST RECOVERING
Demand for WooIen Stock
ings Falls Off as Silk Hat
Orders Increase.
IMPORTING U. S. COTTON
American Firms Placing Big Orders
to Be Delivered Before
Tariff Passes.
BY GEORGE WITTE.

BY Wireless to The Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright 1921.
BERLIN, August 6.-"German de-
mands for German wooden stockings
have dwindled to next to nothing.
whereas orders for silk hats and silk
stockings have increased fvefold
within the last six months"
This extract from an official bullitin
on the condition of the German textile
industry illustrates better than any
thing else can the marvellous i'm
provement in that line Of production
In recent months.
1t explains also why most of the
mills in Chemnitz, Zwickau, Plauen.
Leipzig and other textile centers are
running within SO per cent of the
pre-war basis. Wages have increased
and unemployment among the skilled
workers has been cut down to 41s
per cent.
products. The people have started
buying again after using substitute
wearing apparel. house linen and
similar products. Only those who
saw how scarce silk stockings were
a year ago and how untidy the women
shift clothes can appreciate the
change that has come over the femi-
nine population of Germany.
Cotton Imports Increase.
In the year ended July l Germany
imported close to 100000 bales of
cotton from the United States, which
was more than half of her imports
of cotton in 1913.
And this in spite of the fact that
cotton n0w costs Hffeon fiypoo 90
much in German marks as it did be-
fore the war. In July. 1914. it was
quoted at LAO marks (33 cents) per
kilogram l2.2 pounds). Last month
it was quoted at 81 marks (normally
$500. Due to increased home de-
mands and also to large orders from
the United States. Scandinavia, Hol-
land. Switzerland and other coun-
tries more than 100000 spindles out
of a possible 100000 in Germany
say, are competing with 1000. 900
spindles in Alsace. which used to be
part of the German textile industry
and co-operated with it, but are now
in enemy country"
Speeding to Beat Tariff.
Everywhere in the textile district
the writer heard reports Of large
American firms and everywhere were
American buyers whose present Job
is. as several of them said, to get
their finished goods loaded on the
ships SO, that they will reach the
United States before the new tariff
becomes effective. There is a particu-
larly heavy demand from the United
States for lace. silk, velvet, woolen
gloves and other high grade woolen
products.
Aside from their present rush orders
the majority of the mills have other
orders which will keep them busy for
many months to come and some even
until the end Of next year. Several of
the factories recently began employ
ing new hands. Even the lace mfiis,
which suffered most from the war, are
recovering. Under these circumstan-
ces 1t is not surprising that on the
whole the working people are doing
fairly well. A good pieceworker can
earn as much as 1,,S00 marks ($42S. .40)
a month. which is more than the aver.
age wages earned in Germany Others
make from 1900 to 1900 marks (s2S5.-
SO to $3.50 and are able to save
little. which is more than most work.
ers In other Industries are able to do.
The cost Of. living in the textile dis
trtcts of Germany is about the same
as In most other parts Of Germany. A
man and wife with two children can
live on about 1000 marks ($23S) a
month.