SPECIAL REPORTS FOR FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. 45

which for some time appeared to be good selling districts, are not
now so regarded, because both countries have erected a number of
cement works of their own. Dutch East India is a good selling district,
 and a large part of its demand is covered by Germany. In
the German colonies the selling district, although not large, is
steadily enlarging, and large amounts of German goods are purchased.
 The outlook for the Germar Portland cement industry on
foreign markets is not especially Sood, Many sellin fields have
been lost, the reason being either development of local industry or
tariff discrimination. -
Relatively speaking, the works composing the Silesian Association
have succeeded less than those of other associations. This is probably
 because of the competition of the North-Western-Middle German
Syndicate, and further because the increase in production in their
territory has been small, and also their union did not include all
producers.
Terms of sale and delivery.—The usual sales conditions offered by
German firms, syndicates, and combinations in the cement trade are
90 days’ credit, 2 per cent discount for cash within 30 days. These
conditions naturally vary with the size of orders and the desire of the
cartels to enter new selling fields. (See Commercial Agent Wolf’s
book on Foreign Credits, particularly that part of the book treating
of German sales snditjens)
Dumping.—The great difficulty with the German cement industry
in the past has been overproduction. In good years capital has gone
into the industry, which in poor years could not be taken out. Con
sequently the market has often been oversupplied. The various
cartels between themselves naturally lessened the prices along their
border districts. This was to prevent outsiders from developing
rather than from fear of their neighboring group. Sales in foreign
districts were always willingly made at prices lower than those of
the home district. All the cartels are willing to dispose of their surplus
 production at low prices. The Rhenish-Westphalian Syndicate,
as far as prices were concerned, came into competition with the Belpian
 Syndicate, resulting in an agreement which has previously been
described.
The Berlin factories also stand outside the syndicate. The market
conditions in Berlin are peculiar, because this district can not be
separated. All the other organizations have been in the habit of
dumping their surplus products on the Berlin market at all times.
On the Berlin market several price-cutting struggles have taken
place, particularly that of 1901, in which the North-West-Middle
German Syndicate had a sharp battle with the Silesian and Stettin
factories. In general all groups meet in competition on the Berlin
market, with the exception of the South German and Rhenish-Westphalian
 groups. As a result of this competition, Berlin prices for
sement are generally low.
Selling organizations.—Toward the end of the year 1911 an agreement
 was reached for the control of the cement industry in the city of
Berlin, and a general cement selling agency was organized. According
 to this agreement the Berlin factories were permitted to supply
two-thirds of the amount sold in the city, while the Hanoverian,
Middle German, and Stettin groups together divided the other third
+f the amount sold.