_Organization of production._--The manufacture of straw hats is essentially a factory business and with few exceptions each concern carries on all of the major operations connected with the production of hats in a single establishment. Plaiting of straw braid is a separate industry, the domestic hat manufacturers being dependent upon foreign 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 1923, valued at $779,989, to 164,041 dozen in 1924, valued at $1,179,929, a gain of approximately 75 per cent in quantity and 50 per cent in value.