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I wish to differ with some of the testimony already given to the effect that the importers do 60 per cent of the total business of toilet brushes, leaving 40 per cent for the domestic makers.

The tariff on importations of sorted bristles is 7 cents a pound. So much per pound, and for that reason a man can import bristle and put it into a paintbrush or into a hairbrush, where the handle is of little value, much cheaper than he can import the finished article and pay a 35 per cent duty on it, and that is the reason that the domestic paintbrush makers and the hairbrush makers have the largest part of the business. The business left to the importers, as has been stated, is the toothbrush business and the better grade of hairbrushes, hand drawn.

In Japan prices have gone consistently up since the beginning of the war, partly due to the increased cost of labor and partly to the increased cost of raw material, and to a certain extent on account of the buying of other markets, such as South America, London, Australia, and New Zealand, which markets were not chiefly supplied by Japan before the war. We find they are paying prices constantly which are hard to obtain in this market, and at times it has been difficult to obtain supplies in quantities sufficient to meet the demand here for that reason.

We are perhaps a little jealous of the position of American makers. Through advertising done extremely well they have developed trade-marks of value which really place their product beyond price competition. We would like to be in that position ourselves, but unfortunately we are not.

Foreign competition after the war is overestimated. The scarcity of bristles in every brush-producing nation will prevent any accumulation of stock to be dumped here. The countries of Europe are fighting with every man who is able to stand on his feet. They are cut off from their source of supply of raw material; they are disorganized and lack capital to increase their production rapidly. Their prices have been and will be constantly advancing much faster than here. Profits may be cut out a little, but if the production is small it will have but little effect on conditions here for some years after peace is declared. (From the statement of Mr. W. B. Gibson, importer.)

On the cheaper grades of hairbrushes we can not complete. The United States Government, in buying goods for the soldiers, buys domestic hairbrushes, and we can not quote them anything as good at as low a figure. The United States Navy buys military brushes made in this country, and we are unable to quote on those brushes. We can not meet the domestic prices. The only business we can get from the Government is the toothbrush business. The Government requires a low-priced brush, something that sells for about 10 cents apiece. This is all the soldiers can afford to pay for toothbrushes in the cantonments, and that is the only business we can get. (From the statement of Mr. G. S. Gibson, importer.) The brush business *

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is largely controlled in the United States by the domestic manufacturers, with the exception of the toothbrush industry. The domestic manufacturers will bring up the argument that they are unable to compete with the French article on account of the price. But in the course of their production they make use of a great many demonstrations. For instance, they will go to a department store and they will put into that department store a demonstrator or a sales person, which costs them so much per week, and that must be taken into account in considering the cost of production of the brush. (From the statement of Mr. Louis d'Angelo, of the Cauvigny Co.)

I believe the main point to be brought out is whether or not the domestic brushes can compete with the foreign-made article. I maintain that they can. My experience has been that when we submit (to Japanese manufacturers) a cement-faced brush, an aluminum-faced brush, a porcelain-faced brush, a two-piece wire-drawn brush, or a solid-backed machine-made brush, we invariably receive a reply that nothing can be done on that class of goods. That takes in bath, hair, nail, hat, and cloth brushes. (From the statement of Mr. O. Zincke, importer.)

The total production of toilet brushes in the United States, according to the Federal Census of 1914, was valued at $3,312,870. The total value of all brushes imported amounted to $2,180,853 for the fiscal year 1914. The last-named amount does not represent the value of the goods laid down, duty paid, in the United States, but the actual market value or wholesale price, at the time of exportation to the United States, in the principal markets of the country whence exported. In comparing production and importation, allowance should be made for consular fees, ocean freights, marine insurance, duties, other charges, and importers' profit.

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Toilet brushes, such as tooth, hair, nail, bath, cloth, hat, and shaving brushes, are imported in normal times from France, Japan, Germany, England, and Austria. The French product is noted for its artistic and graceful design and is generally of the solid-back, handmade, trepanned type. The English brush is very different from the French product in appearance. With the exception of tooth and shaving brushes, the English type is a two-piece, hand-drawn brush, the parts of which are fastened together with screws, which add to the general effect of solidity and substantial appearance. The highest grades of brushes imported come from these two countries. They largely supply a class of trade which calls for certain special English or French makes, or which simply prefers the foreign to the domestic article.

The representative of a French company made the following.

statement:

Aside from making the cheap goods with which we are unable to compete, domestic manufacturers also make a very fine grade of brushes. The S. E. Howard's Sons & Co. has the distinction of making as good a line as any that could be purchased in Europe. The firm of Whiting & Adams, of Boston, make the very best line of hairbrushes, without exception, that can be produced.

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The sale of French brushes in this country is not due to their beautiful finish, because they can make just as good a finish here, but it is due to the fact that there is a certain element of people who like to have something French and who are willing to pay the prices. (From the statement of Mr. Louis D'Angelo of the Cauvigny Co., importers.)

An American manufacturer of high-grade brushes gave the following testimony:

In normal times we have difficulty in meeting the competition of Dupont, of France, and Kent, of England; since 1914 we have had but little competition. (From the statement of Mr. W. C. Howard, manufacturer.)

Brushes imported from Germany and Austria are not, as a rule, the equal of those imported from France and England, though Austria has exported to the United States some brushes which rival the French product in style. The cheaper and medium-grade goods are supplied by Germany, where the styles of other countries are copied or imitated. Although Germany and Austria follow largely the hand system of drawing, they also produce machine-made brushes, which are exported to the United States and which come in competition with similar goods in this country. Japan's product is more or less a copy of the designs produced in other countries, and she exports many of the cheaper grades. In the last few years the quality of Japanese brushes has improved, and Japan has overcome to some extent the unfavorable impression that her product is cheap and inferior.

Although toothbrushes are used more extensively in the United States than elsewhere, the domestic production is small. There are not more than three or four factories in this country engaged in the manufacture of toothbrushes, and none of them make toothbrushes exclusively. They do not make a general line of toothbrushes, but produce only those of special device, or under patents, which retail from 35 to 50 cents each. In England and France bone handles are used; in Austria, Germany, and Japan pyroxylin plastics as well as bone are used; in the United States pyroxylin plastics are used almost exclusively. Statistics from Japanese official sources show that

Japan increased her exports of toothbrushes to the United States from 647,235 dozens, valued at $190,713, or 29 cents per dozen, in 1913, the last full year before the war began, to 1,421,863 dozens, valued at $444,736, or 31 cents per dozen, in 1916. The exports for the year 1913, however, were the smallest, both in quantity and value, in the 10-year period 1907-1916. In 1919 Japan exported to the United States 2,777,976 dozens, valued at $1,652,862.

A leading manufacturer made the following statement relative to the toothbrush industry:

I think the United States is more than half the world's market for toothbrushes. When I was in England in 1914 one of the leading advertising agencies told me that if we wanted to introduce the brushes into the Kingdom we would first have to educate the people to use the brushes; less than 10 per cent of the population used toothbrushes. In France it was less. In Germany it was considerably more. (From the statement of Mr. William Cordes, of the Florence Manufacturing Co.) Next to toothbrushes, hairbrushes are imported in greater quantities than any other kind of toilet brushes. The competition between the domestic and foreign-made hairbrush differs from that in toothbrushes. The cheaper grades of the foreign toothbrush have little or no competition in the domestic market, whereas competition between the foreign and domestic hairbrush is keenest in the cheaper and medium grades. This is due in large measure to the difference between methods of manufacture employed here and abroad. The American hairbrush is mainly machine made; that is, the tufts are set by machinery, or the bristles are sifted through holes in a die and afterwards embedded in a composition. The use of machinery permits a greater output per employee than the hand-drawn method, which is followed in Europe and Japan. The hand-drawn method has, apparently, been attempted in the United States, but it is not in general use because the wages paid in America are higher than in Europe or Japan, where the work is done for the most part in homes by women and children.

The firm of Gerts Lombard & Co., of Chicago, one of our best known and highest grade firms attempted to make what is known as the hand-drawn solid back brushwe call It solid back because it is not split but made of one piece of wood-and they have gone out of that particular industry. It is practically impossible to make those brushes. (Statement of Mr. H. Alexander.)

We can make them, but it is not practicable to do so profitably. (Statement of Mr. William Cordes.)

Domestic manufacturers claim that foreign-made brushes are largely the product of home work, but that claim is denied by representatives of foreign manufacturers.

It is a known fact that the hairbrushes, toothbrushes, and all other toilet brushes imported into this country are largely the product of home labor, and are mostly the work of women and children. Whole villages in France, Hungary, Saxony, and elsewhere are given over to this industry without sanitary regulations of any kind and without restrictions as to the hours of labor. This condition is greatly intensified in Japan, which is sending in more hair, tooth, and nail brushes to the United States than any European country, and which has but four large brush factories that we know of. * * Toothbrushes in Japan are almost distinctly products of child labor. Contractors and middle men will distribute handles and bristles to women and children at their houses and call there at least once a week to gather in the madeup brushes, paying a very small sum for doing the work. (Statement of Mr. H. Alexander, of the Henry L. Hughes Co., manufacturer.)

There is no home production in connection with our factory (E. Dupont & Co.) in France. I think our factory is pretty nearly as large and as complete as any factory of its kind in the world. The sanitary conditions there I do not think could be improved upon. There is absolutely no work done outside of our factory.

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Women and girls, from 16 to 17 years and older, but not children, are engaged in our factory. In fact, they are very strict about their schooling in France. (From the statement of Mr. F. E. O'Callaghan, importer.)

The only work that goes into the home (in France) is that of inserting the bristles into the brushes. The women are unable to leave their homes on account of domestic conditions, etc., and the consequence is the factory takes to them the material and when the work is completed collects it from them. So far as the shaping of the bones is concerned, polishing, washing the bristle and preparing it, all those articles are done in the factories, which are inspected regularly by the authorities to see that everything is perfectly clean and sanitary. (From the statement of Mr. Louis D'Angelo, of the Cauvigny Co., importers.)

Germany and Austria make use of automatic machinery in the production of hairbrushes. At present (1918) there is little competition in the high-grade brushes on account of the restricted importations from France and England. The French ivory hairbrush was much in vogue a few years ago and was instrumental in establishing the popularity of French-made brushes. Japan is now (1918) exporting greater quantities of airbrushes to the United States than ever. before. In 1913 Japanese exports of hairbrushes to the United States amounted to 165,476 dozen valued at $292,007, ot $1.76 per dozen, and in 1916 to 261,063 dozen valued at $451,344, or $1.73 per dozen. Japan exported to the United States in 1919, 139,512 dožen of hairbrushes, valued at $347,604. While the quantity exported in 1917 and 1918 was greater than in 1919, the value was less.

The following statement regarding competitive conditions was made by a representative of Japanese manufacturers:

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I think it can be said without contradiction that the importers have lost the business in hairbrushes which retail at anything from 50 cents down. We have not been able to get any goods that would compare in service with the goods produced in this country. In the cheaper grade of brushes, on account of competition with the American makers, it is not possible to put in pure stiff bristles and they (Japanese) use the cheap, soft bristles. They must put something else in to give it sufficient stiffness.

You do not find mixed bristles on the American market used by the American makers, and in that lies the difference in value between the American cheap hairbrush and the Japanese cheap brush. In a cheap hairbrush the public wants a good stiff pure bristle, and they do not care anything about the back. It is on that account that we have not been able to increase our business on cheap hairbrushes in this country. Those competitive conditions are recognized in the trade, and for that reason the American cheap brush sells better than the imported cheap brush. (From the statement of Mr. W. B. Gibson, importer.)

What has been said in regard to hairbrushes is also true of nail, bath, cloth, and hat brushes. These brushes can be made by machinery, and it is on the strength of the greater output per employee, as well as factory organization and selling methods, that the domestic producer can compete with the foreign hand-drawn method. Shaving brushes are imported only in small quantities; the competition is among domestic producers.

Paint and varnish brushes.-There is little foreign competition in the heavy lines of paint and varnish brushes. They represent only a small proportion of the total brushes imported. Before the war, Germany was about the only country that exported this class of goods to the United States. Paint and varnish brushes are now (1918) being offered to the American trade by Japanese representatives, but their brushes are said to be cheap and poorly constructed. Japanese workers are not skilled in the art of making paintbrushes, and up to the present time American manufacturers have felt no competition.

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The American paintbrush manufacturers have had all they could do right in their own country. We have not gone after the export trade to any great extent for the simple reason that our capacity has been limited owing to the scarcity of labor. We can not depend on any machine to produce our goods; we have to depend upon hand labor all the way through. * ** They (American manufacturers) tried to sell goods in South America, and they found the German product very strongly intrenched. * * To-day a large percentage of the brushes used in those countres are either German, English, or French goods. Heretofore there have been some few paintbrushes imported from Germany, and it is said that Japan is now trying to catch the American production. I have seen several samples, and they are very crude compared to ours. The German product is mostly a soft-hair brush. Some of the manufacturers make those lines but we do not. We do not meet any conpetition from abroad. (From the statement of Mr. George Barth, of the Bigelow Brush Co., manufacturers.)

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Before the war we had made attempts to export goods, but the German competition was so severe, we never found it possible to do that profitably, and for that reason our line of exports has been very small. Another reason for the small amount of exports is the fact that the models of the German manufacturers were different from the American models, and we never discovered that there was enough profit in the German models to make it pay to copy them. (From the statement of Mr. J. H. Heroy, of Rennous, Kleinle & Co., manufacturers.)

The small imports of paintbrushes may be attributed partly to the difference in style between the American and foreign models, to the established reputation of the American brush, to the fact that the trades for various reasons prefer the American make, and to the nature of the brush itself, which is, perhaps, the chief reason. The materials used in the manufacture of the paintbrush enter largely into its value, and therefore the ad valorem duty is an effective protection.

Artists' brushes and hair pencils.-These brushes are made of soft hairs, and are used by artists, decorators, stripers, and letterers. The volume of production in the United States is small compared with the total production of all brushes. Some manufacturers of paint and varnish brushes handle artist's brushes as dealers, obtaining their stock from manufacturers who make a specialty of this line; others carry a line of imported artist's brushes. No machinery is used in the production of these brushes; they are made entirely by hand labor and much of the work is given out to be done in homes. Although the labor put in the American made article is less than in the foreign, the labor cost is relatively greater.

Some of this work is given out. The putting of the hair into the brush is often done outside, but the finishing of the goods, the extracting of the short hairs which are in every brush, etc., is all done in the factory.

There is a big field for that home work. We have in New York City, I will guarantee, 100,000 women who would like to do this work at home. I have picked up in a few weeks 100 extra hands in that way to make these cheap goods. I can not keep that up because the Japanese competition has spoiled my plans. These women would like to make the goods at home, because their housework only takes about half of their time, and a great many of them have absolutely no pin money whatever. If they can make $5 or $6 a week and only be employed half their time, they are very glad to do it. I think for my industry that is the greatest labor market in the world. That work could not be done in New York State except through the granting of a license by the authorities. The authorities give licenses to any houses where the landlord allows the house to be investigated. The license is given to any house with three or four tenants; if it has less than three tenants no license is required. We have lots of houses licensed in Mulberry Street, right in the Italian district, where there will be anywhere from 12 to 20 families in a house. The landlords get a permit. (From the statement of Mr. A. Baker, manufacturer.)

Before the war 90 per cent of the importations came from Germany. Since German competition has been eliminated, this branch of the industry has had some prosperous years. The American manufac

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