The high carbon wire would produce and should produce a greater proportion of revenue than low carbon wire. We have suggested a rate of 25 per cent for the high carbon wire because we believe that represents the proper increase over the 15 per cent applicable to other wire. The only other changes we have suggested are such as will make the paragraph more applicable to its subject matter. For instance, we have substituted inches and fractions of inches in place of gauges for the size of wires, because we believe it is less complicated and easier to determine than under the present law. We have also suggested a slight change in the sizes of flat wires and steel in strips because these suggested sizes conform more nearly to trade practices. In view of the foregoing, we would to read as per schedule attached. suggest the change in paragraph 114 JOHN A. ROEBLING'S SONS Co. 114. Round iron or steel wire; wire composed of iron, steel, or other metal, except gold or silver, covered with or composed in part of cotton, silk, enamel, lacquer, rubber, paper, compound, or other material; corset clasps, corset steels, dress steels, with or without covering, and all flat wires not thicker than threesixteenths of an inch and not exceeding 7 inches in width, steel in strips not thicker than three-sixteenths of an inch and not exceeding 7 inches in width, whether in long or short lengths, in coils or otherwise, and whether rolled or drawn through dies or rolls, or otherwise produced; telegraph, telephone, and other wires and cables composed of metal and rubber, or of metal, rubber, and other materials; iron and steel wire coated by dipping, galvanizing, sherardizing, electrolytic or similar process with zinc, tin, or other metal; all other wire not specially provided for in this section and articles, not otherwise specially provided for, manufactured wholly or in chief value of any wire or wires provided for in this section; all the foregoing 15 per cent ad valorem : Provided, That any of the foregoing composed wholly or in part of steel containing three-tenths of 1 per cent of carbon or more, whether tempered or untempered, shall be dutiable at the rate of 25 per cent ad valorem; wire heddles and healds, 25 per cent ad valorem; wire rope, 30 per cent ad valorem. WIRE CLOTH. [Paragraphs 114 and 167.] ALVIN A, CAMPBELL, REPRESENTING THE NEWARK WIRE CLOTH CO., NEWARK, N. J. Mr. CAMPBELL. Gentlemen, I wish to speak upon Schedule C, paragraph 114 of the tariff act of October 13, 1913. I am about to speak of the wire-cloth industry in the United States, and its importance and connection with other industries. Wire cloth is divided into three major divisions: Divisions made as to sizes and weights with each division subdivided as to standard, sizes, and weights of a given mesh. A word of explanation may be given at this time as to the definition of mesh as used in this industry. Mesh is the trade name for number of openings measuring from center of first wire to center of last wire in the linear English inch. The wire-cloth industry has been in operation in the United States for something over 100 years-that is, in the manufacture of meshes from the very coarsest to as fine as 100 mesh. This industry has never been adequately protected by tariff. I wish to make my plea for the infant of the industry, namely, meshes finer than have heretofore been mentioned. It may be said that in 1912 serious experimental work was started at the plant of the Newark Wire Cloth Co., Newark, N. J., for the manufacture of extra fine wire cloths, at this time realizing that tariff required would enable us to compete with foreign goods, but believing that superior quality on the part of American manufactured goods would be a factor in its sale against that of the imports from Germany. I do not wish to be misunderstood on this point, for when I say Germany, there being a large percentage coming from the Alsace-Lorraine sector, then under German rule. During the time of introduction to the trade of these Americanmade goods it was impossible to sell until the exhaustion of Germanmade goods stocked in this country, this being due to lack of importation. At the present time under a tariff of 15 per cent ad valorem we are absolutely unable to compete, there being goods imported with freight and duty paid at a lower figure than our manufacturing cost here. In requesting a tariff of 60 per cent ad valorem on these fine-wire cloths we do not in any way wish to bar importation, but do ask that American labor be protected, and believe the imports coming from abroad to be a great help to the United States Treasury in increased revenues. It is estimated that a cut of at least 15 per cent will be necessary to bring about a fair competition with foreign-made goods, even at a duty as asked for. It may be said that fortunately the foresight of the American business men made it possible for the United States Government and its Allies to keep up with its much-needed supplies during the recent war. I make the statement that were it not for the plants of the Newark Wire Cloth Co. with its equipment for extra fine wirecloth weaving, we would have been unable to keep our armies supplied with explosives, a commodity which was rapidly showing signs of exhaustion. With these conditions as mentioned, it may be said that we were enabled to manufacture the medium of a chemical catalyst in the form of platinum wire cloth, used essentially in the manufacture of nitric acid and sulphuric acid. Prior to the world war this commodity had never been manufactured in any country other than Germany. Not only was the industry called upon for platinum wire cloth but other fine wire cloth used in chemical and allied industries. In closing may I request that a separate classification be made for wire cloth as set forth in a separate brief prepared by the industry in general. In this brief we request a general cross indexing under a separate classification, the reason for this request being that sharp practice is being and has been employed in bringing these commodities in under different headings other than wire cloth. To emphasize my claim I give the following example: That in either 1911 or 1912 Government statistics showed duties paid to the extent of $42,000, while to my knowledge one single American concern imported direct and paid duty of over $50,000. Mr. GREEN. What is this wire cloth used for? Mr. CAMPBELL. I might say that there is not an industry in the United States that does not use wire cloth in some way, in probably a very small amount. That particular piece, that you have in your hand, is used pricipally for testing under a schedule furnished by the United States Bureau of Standards. Mr. GREEN. What does it sell for? Mr. CAMPBELL. One hundred and eighty-mesh would sell for some thing in the neighborhood of $2.50 per square foot. I would very price asked of some of the My end of the industry is much prefer to have the question of other gentlemen who will follow me. the technical and manufacturing end. I know very little about the price of it. Mr. LONGWORTH. In assessing duty, could you make a classification of these various wire cloths? Mr. CAMPBELL. It would be too complicated. There are some 5,000 or more different kinds. I might state that in, we will say, a 30-mesh wire cloth, that it could be made of any number of different metals which would all take a different cost. They could be made of different sizes of wire, from a very light grade to a very heavy grade. Therefore, there would be a difference in cost both in the manufacturing and the selling price. Mr. GREEN. You could not classify it simply by the mesh? Mr. CAMPBELL. No, hardly; you could classify it in the schedule, which we are asking for, as to its divisions and subdivisions. Mr. GARNER. I believe you said you did not want to monopolize the entire American market. You believe in competition? Mr. CAMPBELL. Absolutely. Mr. GARNER. I want to congratulate you, sir; for not being a hog, like some who have appeared here, who want to monopolize the entire market. C. ZIMMERMAN, REPRESENTING THE W. S. TYLER CO., CLEVELAND, OHIO. Mr. ZIMMERMAN. I represent the W. S. Tyler Co., of Cleveland, Ohio, manufacturers of wire cloth. Our application is mostly for a special classification in the tariff bill to provide for this product. Wire cloth has never been specially provided for, but is assessed at the same rate as wire of various kinds and in various forms. We would like to get a classification of the woven fabric taken out of the basket clause. We have made this application before, and under the Underwood bill they did take it out, but it was finally defeated in conference. We would like to have it specially provided for and specified according to mesh. Mr. GARNER. When it was taken out of the basket clause in the Underwood bill what duty was placed on it? Mr. ZIMMERMAN. Thirty per cent instead of 15 on the wire. Mr. GARNER. What duty are you asking now under a separate classification? Mr. ZIMMERMAN. We are asking for three different rates, according to mesh. If it is not finer than 30 wires to the inch, 35 per cent; finer than 30 wires, and not finer than 90 wires, 45 per cent; all finer than 90 wires to the inch, 60 per cent duty. Mr. HAWLEY. Do you experience the difficulty mentioned by the gentleman who preceded you, growing out of the difference in the wires used-the different sizes of wire used in the cloth? Mr. GREEN. The gentleman who preceded you said it would be impracticable to classify according to mesh. Mr. ZIMMERMAN. I understood that he meant it would not be practicable to specify a duty per square foot. An ad valorem regulated to the number of wires, just the same as textiles, is what we suggest. Mr. HAWLEY. No matter what kind of material it is made of? Mr. ZIMMERMAN. No matter what kind of material it is made of. Mr. HAWLEY. Or the size of the wire? Mr. ZIMMERMAN. Or the size of the wire, because the finer meshes require a great deal more labor, and we have to take a higher rate than the coarser ones. Mr. GREEN. It seems to be absurd that wire cloth should have a duty of only 15 per cent if we are going to put 30 per cent on the wire rope. Mr. ZIMMERMAN. We made that contention before the Democratic committee, and, of course, we were ignored. Mr. GREEN. What claim was made as an explanation for putting this wire cloth back in the basket clause? Do you know? Mr. ZIMMERMAN. We did not get anywhere in the Ways and Means Committee, but in the Finance Committee of the Senate the three members of that subcommittee-Senators Stone, James, and Thomas-agreed readily that we should have it, and put it in there, and promised to see that it went through. It passed the Senate in that form. When it came out of conference it had been eliminated, and these three gentlemen said, on investigation they found, as near as they could make out, that it was through an accident that it was taken out. But we believe the industry is large enough to justify a special classification instead of being in that basket clause. BRIEF OF WIRE-CLOTH MANUFACTURERS' COMMITTEE. HONORABLE SIRS: We submit the following statement of facts concerning the manufacture of wire cloth and the nature of the materials used therein; also suggestions as to method of classifying for the purposes of assessing duty thereon: Composition.-Wire cloth and wire screen are metal fabrics woven of wire of various gauges and of different metals, namely, iron, steel, brass, copper, bronze, phosphor bronze, nickel, aluminum, gold, silver, platinum, German silver, and all alloys. Method of manufacture.-The above-mentioned wire fabrics are manufactured by being woven on looms specially built for that purpose. The method of weaving is similar to that used in weaving cotton, woolen, and other textile fabrics. The nature of the metal is such that very expensive machinery is necessary to weave wire of various gauges, so that a large investment is involved in American plants manufacturing these goods, approximately $25.000,000. Place of foreign manufacture.-The wire fabrics which are imported into this country are manufactured principally in Germany, Austria, France, England, and Scotland, with the possibility of Japan as a future factor. Method of classification.—The classification of this article is determined by the mesh, or rather the number of wires to the English lineal inch, just as it is in determining the value of cotton, woolen, and other woven fabrics. The percentage of labor per square foot in the fine meshes is very much greater than in the coarser meshes. For example: The length of time, and consequently the. cost of labor, is about twice as much for 40 mesh as it is for 20 mesh. For all meshes direct labor averages 40 per cent of the total cost. Importance of the industry and its development. This industry is of the utmost importance to the chemical, clay, paint, paper, porcelain. and, in fact, most other industries. There is hardly an industry known wherein wire cloth is not employed, although this may be in comparatively small quantities. Wire cloth is mainly used for the standardization, sizing, grading, and separation of materials and must of necessity be accurate as to size, mesh, etc. This is shown by Exhibit 1 attached, being standard scale of meshes as recommended by the United States Bureau of Standards, testifying division. Recommendation made after conference of representatives from the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Institute of Electrical Engineers, American Electro Chemical Society, American Institute of Mining Engineers, American Society of Water Works Engineers, American Chemical Society, Department of Agriculture, War and Navy depart ments, and other technical bodies of lesser importance. It is believed that recommendations as considered by the technical mind of America should be conclusive of its importance. As to development of industry, it may be stated that circular No. 39 and booklet No. 42, as issued by the United States Bureau of Standards, show that all materials finer than 100 meshes per inch were imported prior to the World War, principally from France and Germany. It can be truthfully said that the major portion of these fine wire cloth importations came from Germany, a small amount from France, and a still smaller amount from Great Britain. However, shortly before the beginning of the World War experimental work was started in this country to manufacture meshes and grades finer than 100 mesh per inch. Suggested basis of classification.-We suggest a separate classification, including the following: Woven wire cloth, gauze, fabric, or screen made of wire composed of steel, brass, copper, bronze, or any other metal or alloy. Suggested schedule of rates.-We respectfully suggest and recommend the following schedule of rates: Per cent ad valorem. Meshes not finer than 30 wires to the lineal inch in the warp or filling___ 25 Meshes finer than 30 wires to the lineal inch and not finer than 90 wires to the lineal inch in warp or filling-- 45 60 All meshes finer than 90 wires to lineal inch in the warp or filling------ The W. S. Tyler Co., Cleveland, Ohio; Eastwood Wire Manu- THE STANDARD TESTING SCREEN-ITS ADVANTAGE, ITS MEANING AND USE. [Adopted by a conference of representatives of various scientific and technical societies, Government bureaus, and private firms, held at the Bureau of Standards, Washington, D. C., and recommended for general adoption in the interest of securing uniformity of usage.] For a number of years all industries have been making standard tests, or rather making the attempt of such. However, an accurate or standardized test has never been possible when wire-cloth screens are used simply by stating the mesh as the unit of standard. It has therefore been considered essential by the United States Bureau of Standards, cooperating with the various committees of the different engineering and scientific bodies of this country, that a standard system for testing sieves be devised, whereby a screen of a given name or number would do certain work and that work in a uniform way. After due consideration upon the part of these committees, the wire-cloth manufacturers were called on to advise upon the possibility of the manufacture of such standard cloths. The Newark Wire Cloth Co., of Newark, N. J., were very glad to cooperate and are now prepared to furnish the new United States standard testing sieve. It may be said that every sized screen, with but one exception, under the new standard was special, i. e., that no market grade wire cloth of any given mesh would be satisfactory. This made it necessary for the manufacturer to equip especially for this work, making new spacing devices and manufacturing many wires of a special diameter, all of this work at a great expense. Wire cloth has been standardized among its manufacturers for years and has always been classed in the meshes per inch, i. e., No. 100 mesh would equal 100 meshes per inch, the measurement being made from center to center of wires. No. 100 mesh can be made of any diameter wire from 0.003 to 0.0045 inch. At a glance it can be seen that a test made with a No. 100 mesh screen made of 0.003-inch wire would allow a much coarser grit to pass through the mesh than a No. 100 mesh made of 0.0045-inch wire. In other words, the mesh |