CONDITIONS IN PARTICULAR INDUSTRIES. 211

The Verkaufsstelle der Vereinigten Deutschen Drahtgeflechtfabricen
 G. m. b. H. (Central Selling Office of the United German
Woven Wire Manufacturers (Ltd.)), which includes most of the
woven-wire industry.
The Deutsche Draht-Verband G. m. b. H. (German Wire Co.
(Ltd.)), in Diisseldorf, which was organized as the result of a contract
 entered into June 6, 1914, and was planned to run for at least
three years. Its object was to improve the manufacture of wire and
to further its sale at home and abroad. The combination is composed
of six rod rolling works and about 85 finished wire works.
Verband Deutscher Federstahlwerke (Union of German Spring
Steel Works), which is related to the wire industries.
The Schirmstahlfabriken (Umbrella Steel Factories).
Schiffsbaustahlkontor (Office for Shipbuilding Steel), founded in
[908 to supply materials for the growing German shipbuilding industry
 and replace the English product.
Vereinigung Deutscher Edelstahl Werke (Association of German
 High Grade Steel Works), Diisseldorf, founded in December,
1914, which combines all works producing tool steel and high grade
steel for construction.’
The relation of the Stahlwerksverband to dealers is worth noting,
for it deals directly with a few large dealers’ associations, and was
even instrumental in the formation of some of them, for instance,
that for structural iron and steel. The size and importance of these
dealers’ firms may be seen from the fact that one member of the
Berlin association, the Vereinigte Ravené ’sche Stabeisen u. Trigerhandlung
 (dealers in merchant bars and structural shapes) consolidated
 42 large wholesalers and increased its capital stock from
8% to 23 million marks ($2,023,000 to $5,474,000).® The jobbers who
deal exclusively with the syndicate are divided into four geographical
 groups. Kach dealer receives from the syndicate a fixed discount
 of 2.50 marks on every ton purchased by him.
Below the large dealers’ associations, there is a group of dealers
who do not buy directly from the syndicate and who receive a fixed
discount of 1.50 to 2 marks per ton. Finally, there are the local
associations of retailers, which have been very closely organized by
the syndicate, and which receive a discount of 50 pfennigs per ton on
the dealers’ prices.*
The Stahlwerksverband has a seat in the general assembly or
directorate of each dealers’ association, but has no vote. It also
reserves the right to veto the wholesale prices set by a dealers’ asso-1

 Yolkswirtschaftliche Chronik, August, 1914.
? Volkswirtschaftliche Chronik, December, 1914,
"Pt. II, p. 12.
IR. Liefmann, op. cit., p. 108.