Prospects of the imposition of a higher duty are, however, complicated by the Munich agreement, for it would hardly seem fair in the present circumstances for Britain to increase the tariff against Czechoslovakian footwear imports at a time when, largely as a result of our intervention in the Sudeten dispute, the Czechs are faced with a serious economic crisis. That this crisis is likely to result in any disorganization in the production of the huge Bata factory at Zlin and à consequent decline in footwear exports is out of the question, Zlin is not in the ceded or even the plebiscite areas. And since it is, therefore, one of the few export industries left intact, the Czechs will undoubtedly do all in their power to foster it. Already the Bata factory produces something like 45 million pairs a year. It has over 3,000 retail shops in all parts of the world. These are supplied to some extent by subsidiary factories Which have been erected in ten foreign countries. For the rest, they take their stocks from the parent concern, There is a factory in this country—at Tilbury. In addition there are some 200 Bata retail shops. The factory at Tilbury has been el larged and its output raised quite considerably during the past year. That output, however, is still insufficient to supply the retail shops.
The Bata factory at Tilbury and the imports from the Bata factory at Zlin constitute the main competitive difficulty of the British footwear industry. Imports from other countries, in value, are of course quite considerable. During the first eight months of this year imports from Canada fell from £593,953 to £476,- 038; imports from Switzerland were also slightly lower at £252,222, but those from the United States rose from £173,875 to £246,302. Imports from other foreign countries totalled £192,925, against £134,667. The Canadian imports are largely of rubber footwear, while imports from the other countries are mainly of good-quality footwear. To avoid competition in the good-quality market is almost impossible. Fashion in women's shoes is largely dependent upon fashion in women's clothes. Manufacturers in this country have fo far been unable to overcome this d'fücultv. The result is that Paris largely dominates shoe fashions, just as it dominates dress fashions. In the United States, however, wholesalers, retailers and manufacturers are much more closely associated.
Consequently, a change of sariis] usually results in a short time in a change of production of cheap as Well as of expensive shoes.
It is difficult not to believe that if the footwear industry in this country were better organized throughout—it it had, in fact, some sort of central control for manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers—it would be able to cope more easily with foreign competition. Imports into this country—especially from America, which is making strenuous efforts to foster this market—generally show a "snappier" article in a wider range of "fits." The difficulties of really organizing the industry in this country have hitherto proved insuperable and it is doubtful whether, despite efforts now being made by the Boot and Shoe Manufacturers' Association, any such organization will ever be effectively built up until one company or a group of companies emerges as a controlling influence. This is not likely to be for some time, for the industry is still mainly made up of small concerns. Leather working is one of the oldest trades in the country and even now traces of the industry in its original form still remain in the few bespoke shoemakers that continue to ply their trade, mainly in London. There is even in the City of London a Ward designate ed after the industry—this is the "Warda de Cordwanerstrate"—and the Cordwainers' Company still exists. The existence of so many small family businesses—the number of manufacturers is something like 700—accounts for the trade's vulnerability to the dictates of the buyers of the big wholesale and retail concerns.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.