INVESTIGATION OF THE COSTS OF PRODUCTION OF MEN'S SEWED STRAW HATS IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN THE PRINCIPAL COMPETING FOREIGN COUNTRIES WITH APPENDIX PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1926 UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION Office: Eighth and E Streets NW., Washington, D. C. COMMISSIONERS Thomas O. Marvin , Chairman . Alfred P. Dennis , Vice Chairman . Edward P. Costigan . Henry H. Glassie . A. H. Baldwin . Edgar B. Brossard . John F. Bethune , Secretary . Edgar B

July 17, 1925. The President , The White House , Washington, D. C. My Dear Mr. President : Herewith I have the honor to transmit the report of the Tariff Commission in the investigation, for the purposes of section 315 of the tariff act of 1922, of the costs of production in the United States and in the principal competing foreign country of men's sewed straw hats. Included in the report is a "Separate statement of Commissioner Costigan, in part concurring and in part dissenting, in the investig

Reference to files. —The basic documents in connection with the investigation on men's sewed straw hats are in the files of the Tariff Commission and are available to the President. They include the transcripts of the public hearings and the original cost schedules and other data. These include confidential data, the disclosure of which is forbidden by section 708 of the revenue act of 1916: Sec. 708. It shall be unlawful for any member of the United States Tariff Commission, or for any employee

From the commission's investigation of men's sewed straw hats, conducted as indicated above, the following information has been obtained: The manufacture of men's straw hats has been conducted on a commercial scale in the United States for upward of 50 years. The industry is centered in and around New York City, in a number of cities in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and in Baltimore, Md. Statistics of production of men's sewed straw hats are not available, since the census of manufactures does

(1) Italy is the principal competing country. While Commissioners Costigan and Dennis agree with this conclusion, they are also of opinion that, with respect to hats valued at more than $9.50 per dozen in the country of exportation, Great Britain is shown to be the principal competing country. (2) The average cost of production in the United States, as shown by the cost data for the season 1923-24, of men's sewed straw hats sold to jobbers for $10.55 to $16.52 per unit of one dozen is $12.74. Th

On the basis of the facts presented the commission agrees that the data indicate an increase in tariff rates, if the differences in costs of production are to be equalized between lower-priced grades of foreign hats and comparable products of American factories. In respect of such hats, Italy is the principal competing country. The commission further agrees that foreign hats sold in the United States on a basis of quality rather than price are the higher-priced hats which at this time are not ke

While I concur with my associates in transmitting the commission's data in the investigation of men's sewed straw hats, a differentiation of views must be expressed with respect to certain conclusions which may be drawn from such data. Both higher and lower duties indicated by the commission's cost figures. —Under the provisions of section 315 of the tariff act of 1922, the information secured by the commission and summarized in this report points not only to an increased duty on lower-priced ha

Whereas in and by section 315 (a) of Title III of the act of Congress approved September 21, 1922, entitled "An act to provide revenue, to regulate commerce with foreign countries, to encourage the industries of the United States, and for other purposes," it is, among other things, provided that whenever the President, upon investigation of the differences in costs of production of articles wholly or in part the growth or product of the United States and of like or similar articles wholly or in