PARAGRAPH 423-BRUSHES. These wages are much less than are paid in the United States for corresponding work and equal quantity turned out by a worker. Germany has increased its importation of brushes to the United States from $187,428 in 1905 to $416,900 in 1911. "In England boys and girls, in fashioning simple stocks, polishing, etc., when they become proficient earn from $2 to $2.50 per week. On starting work in a brush factory, girls are paid as low as 60 cents a week until they become acquainted with the work, and boys starting are paid a little more. "Fancy toothbrush handles are all fashioned by hand by men who earn from $6 to $7 a week at this trade. Handles that do not require great skill in the making, yet that are not the straight ordinary kind, are made by both boys and girls who earn from $2.50 to $4.50 per week." While competition with European manufacturers, Germany, England, France, and Austria, is very severe, yet it does not compare with the terrible competition that we are experiencing with Japan. The Government prevents Japanese labor from entering the United States, but one of its products in the form of brushes is arriving constantly in very large quantities and increasing in volume very rapidly, the increase being 3,856 per cent since the McKinley tariff act became effective in 1891, as can be readily determined from the United States Treasury Department statistics covering the time stated. Years 1891 to 1912 (21 years), 3,856 per cent increase. The foregoing and a few facts bearing upon the Japanese labor conditions furnish conclusive evidence that an equitable tariff for revenue duty should be on a higher ad valorem basis. In Japan children are more or less employed at about 1 cent per hour. Women in the United States earn from 10 cents to 20 cents per hour; in Japan, from 14 cents to 2 cents per hour. Male labor in the United States is paid from 15 cents to 35 cents per hour; in Japan, male labor is paid about 5 cents per hour. Employees work in Japan from 7 a. m. to 6 p. m., seven days a week, generally 312 days per year. One large factory, 330 days per year. There are about 8,000 persons engaged in the brush industry in the United States, of which number only 304 are minors. Capital invested, about $11,000,000; value of product, about $15,000,000; number of establishments, about 400. Imports of brushes of all kinds into the United States, fiscal year 1912. PARAGRAPH 423-BRUSHES. A comparison of American and foreign wages in brush manufacturing. Average male employee, per week, $6.66. Skilled females earn, average, $4.05 to $5.47. In small villages all minors: Males, $2.14 to $4.28; females, 95 cents to $1.67. AUSTRIA. Blind skilled workers earn per day, 60 cents. Seeing skilled workers earn per day, $1.20. Brush workers are very largely blind, perhaps 50 per cent are blind, and much of the work is done in homes. JAPAN. Males, per day, 28 cents to 38 cents; females, per day, 13 cents to 18 cents; children, per day, 8 cents to 11 cents. Above rates are for all departments of brush making. Drawing hands, female, up to 22 cents per day. Employees work in Japan 7 a. m. to 6 p. m., seven days a week, generally 312 days a year; one large factory 330 days a year. The present duty on bristles is 73 cents per pound specific. In conclusion: The brush manufacturers are further handicapped to the extent of paying 7 cents per pound for bristles, which are not produced to any extent in the United States, and while it is a hardship and adds to the cost of the manufactured product, we would be willing to concede, if necessary, for revenue purposes that the bristle schedule remain as it is, provided the duty on brushes is made 50 per cent ad valorem. Respectfully submitted. Elder & Jenks, Philadelphia, Pa.; J. C. Pashee & Sons, Boston, Mass.; PARAGRAPH 423-BRUSHES. MERCHANTS & MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, BALTIMORE, MD., WRITE RE BRUSHES. Hon. DAVID J. LEWIS, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. BALTIMORE, MD., January 29, 1913. DEAR SIR: At the request of a number of brush manufacturers of the city of Baltimore, I am writing you to say that they are not bound together by any trade agreements or combinations, nor is there any likelihood of their being so; that the present duty on brushes is 40 per cent ad valorem, and that it should be not less than 50 per cent ad valorem. Brush manufacturers suffer abnormally from competition from foreign manufacturers. Over one-fourth of the market value of all brushes consumed in this country are of foreign manufacture. While competition with England, France, Germany, and Austria is severe, it does not compare with the terrible competition our manufacturers are experiencing with Japan, whose business in the last 20 years has increased 3,856 per cent. Women in the United States earn from 10 to 20 cents per hour, and in Japan, where children are more or less employed, 1 cent per hour. These facts can be verified from the United States consular reports. We are sending this to you for your information. Yours, very truly, ROBERT J. BEACHAM, Secretary. F. R. ARNOLD & CO., NEW YORK, N. Y., REQUEST CHANGE IN TARIFF ON WOOL PADS, ETC. Hon. OSCAR W. UNDERWOOD, NEW YORK, February 19, 1913. Chairman Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives. SIR: I would respectfully request in behalf of the importers of so-called “wool pads," disks of woolen material used as powder puffs, a change in rate of duty on these articles. These articles are virtually brushes and for some time were taxed as brushes at 40 per cent ad valorem, until by a Treasury decision the duty was changed to that on "manufactures of wool valued more than 70 cents per pound," 55 per cent ad valorem and 44 cents per pound. These articles weigh (see samples on file) from one-fourth pound to 4 pounds per gross, importations being chiefly of those that weigh about 1 pounds or less per gross. In these weights are included coverings, etc., and sometimes wooden handles. The revenue from these articles is insignificant, and as the weights of these small articles continually vary, the trouble and loss of time in weighing and assessing the duty, both to the customhouse officials as well as to the importer, would seem an unwise waste of energy without any adequate return. As these articles are used as powder brushes and are virtually such, it would seem correct that the same duty should be imposed on them as on other varieties of brushes, 40 per cent, and that they should be included in Schedule N, paragraph 423. The same reasoning applies to so-called buffers, or nail polishers, which are used to brush and polish the nails, and which now pay sometimes as manufactures of wood, 35 per cent, as manufactures of leather, 40 per cent, or as manufactures of celluloid would pay under H. R. 20182, February 15, 1912, 35 per cent ad valorem, but not less than 40 cents per pound. It would seem practical to condense all these articles under a duty of 40 per cent as brushes. Paragraph 423, Schedule N, would then read: "423. Brushes, brooms, feather dusters of all kinds, powder puffs and nail buffers, and hair pencils in quills or otherwise, 40 per centum ad valorem.' Most respectfully, FRANCIS R. ARNOLD. BRIEF OF THE RUBBERSET CO., NEWARK, N. J. Hon. EDWARD W. TOWNSEND, Montclair, N. J. NEWARK, N. J., December 31, 1912. DEAR SIR: We are, as you probably know, large manufacturers of brushes, which is an important industry that can only continue to prosper through ample protection form foreign competition. PARAGRAPH 423-BRUSHES. We learn from a communication, a copy of which we inclose, that the Ways and Means Committee of Congress will have hearings on the tariff in January and we take the liberty of asking you to protect our interests so far as you are able to do so. The brush industry in the United States is a large and important one, worthy of any consideration the committee may give it. The capital invested is large and the majority of manufacturers interested are men who have devoted their lives to building up an industry that is typical of the energy and enterprise of the American people. Thousands of families, makers of wood handles and metal parts, depend upon the success of the brush business for their livelihood. The industry is not confined to a few manufacturers, but is distributed among a large number, among whom the keenest competition prevails. This condition, combined with increased cost of raw materials, labor, and the competition of foreign-made brushes, leaves a very small margin of profit and any reduction in the tariff on brushes would be most disastrous. In justice to our employees as well as ourselves we feel that we are not unreasonable in asking the committee to favorably consider a duty of 50 per cent ad valorem on all manufactured brushes imported into this country, which would justly protect us from the competition of foreign-made goods that we now suffer. If there is any further information you desire regarding this matter we will gladly endeavor to furnish it with as little delay as possible. Very truly, yours, INDIVIDUAL TOILET BRUSH RUBBERSET Co., Per ANDREW ALBRIGHT, Jr., President. MANUFACTURERS INCREASE IN TARIFF. Hon. OSCAR W. UNDERWOOD, M. C., Chairman Ways and Means Committee, Washington, D. C. REQUEST DEAR SIR: The undersigned individual toilet brush manufacturers of the United States respectfully request your honorable committee to consider the following petition regarding the present tariff as it affects the toilet-brush industry. Paragraph 423, Schedule N-Brushes.-The present duty on brushes ad valorem 40 per cent and the paragraph reads as follows: 423. Brushes, brooms and feather dusters of all kinds, and hair pencils in quills or otherwise, 40 per centum ad valorem." We petition that the phraseology of the above paragraph be changed as follows: "Brushes used in the painterscraft and in the arts, brooms and feather dusters of all kinds, and hair pencils in quills or otherwise, 40 per centum ad valorem. "Toilet brushes of every description and all other brushes having a multiplicity of bristle tufts, not used as tools in any craft but for general brushing and cleaning, 50 per centum ad valorem." The reason that we ask for this change is, that there is nothing whatever in common between a paint brush, which is a tool for the spreading of paint-just as a trowel is a tool for the spreading of mortar and a hair or tooth brush, used for personal cleanliness or for the adornment of a lady's bureau. All painters' brushes are made of a stick of wood, a metal ferrule, and one tuft of bristle, irrespective of the size of the brush, while a hairbrush or other toilet brush has a multiplicity of bristle tufts-sometimes 200 and more. Furthermore and this is the principal factor of difference-paint, varnish, or kalsomine brushes are the product of factory labor and can not be produced in private homes or tenement houses. Consequently the industry has prospered in this country under the present tariff rates, the production of such brushes having reached $11,000,000 annually. We import no heavy paint brushes whatever, the only imports into this country consisting of small artists' pencils, brought in here in limited quantities. The industry enjoys a fair degree of prosperity. The toilet brush, however, whether it be a hair, tooth, nail, cloth, or complexion brush, is largely a handmade article abroad and is the product of foreign home labor. It is a house industry, distinguished from a factory industry. The labor item in a domestic toilet brush forms at least 50 per cent of its entire cost, and in many in stances even more. The result is that hand labor being a very expensive commodity in the United States and nowhere so cheap as in Japan, the latter country has become one of the PARAGRAPH 423-BRUSHES, greatest toilet producers in the world and the second largest exporter to the United States. While we imported $195,782 worth of toilet brushes from Japan in 1902, we imported no less than $602,923 worth of the same commodity in 1912, an increase of over 300 per cent in 10 years. Japan furnishes this country with bone-handle, hand-drawn toothbrushes that are sold everywhere at retail at 5 cents and 10 cents each, with nail brushes retailing at 10 cents each and with hand-drawn hairbrushes retailing at 25 cents each. It becomes harder and harder for the American toiletbrush manufacturer to compete with this flood of Japanese brushes, the product of the cheapest labor in the world, and he is being driven to have some of his brush work done by home labor instead of in sanitary factories, a most regrettable condition, as this country is trying to legislate against all home or tenement labor. Of a total import of brushes into this country, amounting in 1912 to $2,067,149, Japan alone furnished $602,923, and Japanese brushes are actually selling in this country at a price which does not cover the American manufacturers' cost of material, leaving out the labor item entirely. This is explained by the low wages of brush workers that prevail in Japan. They are reported as 5 cents an hour for male labor, 2 cents an hour for female, and 1 cent an hour for child labor. If the present 40 per cent duty is added to the above sum of imports, amounting to $2,067,149, it shows that somewhat over $3,000,000 worth of foreign toilet brushes are sold in the United States. The total American production of such brushes is not greatly over $4,000,000, so that we divide this trade with the foreign manufacturers on a nearly equal basis. The conditions of the Japanese labor market are more or less duplicated by the "house industry'' in brush making in Europe. Personal investigation a broad discloses the following facts: In London, England, women in their homes, by working all day on drawing or fastening bristles into brushes, earn 24 cents a day. In the Black Forest of Germany, where the brush industry is paramount, home workers, principally women and children, earn 15 cents a day, while in the leading brush centers of Hungary, notably in the towns of Pressburg and Debreczin, their earnings are not over 10 cents a day. Outside of this very low cost of foreign hand labor, the American manufacturer is further handicapped by a tax on his raw material-bristles. All bristles that are used for the toilet-brush industry come from abroad and are subject to a duty of 74 cents per pound, averaging about 3 per cent on their cost. No other country, including Canada, taxes bristles. Furthermore, the fastidiousness of the American public is such, that they will give a natural preference to an imported article, paying from 10 to 25 per cent more for an imported toilet brush than for an American product of equal quality, simply because of the glamour of the word "imported." This fact can be ascertained by a visit to any drug or department store. The result is that after the American toilet-brush manufacturer, overcoming all the above handicaps, succeeds in producing brushes of equal quality to the foreign article, he is obliged to sell them at from 10 to 25 per cent below the foreign brush, because at equal prices with the foreign brush he can not market his product. There are no combinations or trade agreements between the manufacturers, the industry is scattered all over the country, and the profits are below normal; there are no wealthy toilet-brush manufacturers in this country. In raising the duty on toilet brushes to 50 per cent, we beg to point out that the revenue produced by this change in the tariff will undoubtedly be enhanced, as this advance, which will be but 7 per cent on the product-the brush per dollar foreign money costing laid down $1.50 instead of $1.40 at the present-is not sufficient to retard the import or sale of foreign toilet brushes in this market. It is, however, very helpful to the domestic manufacturer in meeting the problem of increased labor cost and living up to the restrictions of modern factory laws. Respectfully submitted. UNIVERSAL BRUSH CO., HENRY ALEXANDER, President O. DENNIN'S SONS, C. P. DENNIN, Treasurer. |