reign
sources for their supply of braids. The bleaching of straw braids is
performed by some of the hat manufacturers in their own establishments;
others have the bleaching done by outside concerns which specialize in
this class of work. Some firms make the tips (the inside linings of the
hats) in their own establishments; others buy the complete tip, or have
certain operations, such as printing or stamping, performed by outside
shops.

_Labor conditions._--The hours of labor of employees in domestic straw
hat factories in 1923-24 varied from 42 to 54 weekly. Wages are based
both on piece and time work. Time wages ranged from $15 to $40 per week,
according to the character of the work performed.

The production of straw hats is to some extent seasonal. Orders are
received in the late summer for delivery in the following spring.
Production on these orders begins in September and the factories are
usually busiest in the early months of the year. The summer is a
slack season and factories operate with reduced labor force or close
altogether for several weeks. The following table shows the monthly
variations in the total number of employees of 18 domestic factories
in the season 1923-24:

TABLE 2.--_Employees in 18 domestic straw-hat factories, season of
1923-24_

---------------+-----------++----------------+-----------
| Number of || | Number of
Month | employees || Month | employees
---------------+-----------++----------------+-----------
1923 | || 1924 |
July | 1,116 || January | 3,331
August | 1,775 || February | 3,371
September | 2,542 || March | 3,403
October | 2,765 || April | 3,380
November | 3,221 || May | 3,117
December | 3,291 || June | 1,871
---------------+-----------++----------------+-----------

IMPORTS

The quantities and values of sewed straw hats imported into the United
States were not separately shown in official statistics prior to the
tariff act of 1922, in which sewed straw hats were given a separate
classification.

Table 3 shows the imports for consumption of sewed straw hats from the
principal countries of origin, by months, for the calendar years 1923
and 1924. Total imports increased from 93,309 dozen in 1