16 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.
Relations to other business interests at home.—Concentration of
factories has been assisted in two ways. First by purchase and second
 by fusion. Both of these methods comprise the same results and
assist in controlling competition. Many conventions and agreements
exist between the cement organizations and manufacturers of cement
goods, building societies, electrical works, barrel manufacturers, and
coal mines. Nearly all cement manufacturers possess their own
repair workshops, which are in many cases exceedingly well equipped.
Relation to outsiders.—The policy of most of the cartels has been
to take in new members under favorable conditions. This is particularly
 true of the Rhenish-Westphalian Cement Syndicate, although
 this syndicate has perhaps had more trouble from outside
works in their own district than any other. The new factories did
not show a disposition to come into the syndicate, preferring to sell
their products where and how they pleased. Consequently hard battles
 have developed in this section.
The two great groups of factories which do not belong to the syndicates
 are the Stettin factories and the Berlin factories. The production
 of the Stettin works has not been increased and they occupy a
peculiar geographical position for sales in other parts of Germany.
These works have never joined the North-West-Middle German
Syndicate.
Can Americans successfully compete f—As a whole, American Portland
 cements are higher priced than the usual German varieties. In
neutral markets the American product is mostly sold on the basis of
quality. Since transportation charges must be added to the already
high priced American cement, it can not be expected that it could be
seriously considered by German buyers. The German duty, as far
as America is concerned, is not of great importance. Under tariff
No. 280 of the customs tariff of the German tariff union, Portland
cement, slag cement, magnesia cement, and similar products, with or
without the addition of coloring or other materials, are entered under
the conventional rate as free of duty, and under the general rate
a duty of 50 pfennigs per 100 kilos is levied. Since the United
States, according to tariff agreements with Germany, received the
benefit of the conventional rate, American Portland cement products
could enter free of duty. The three features which render American
competition impossible are (1) a high price of the American product,
(2) transportation charges, which only serve to increase the already
high American prices, and (3) the ample supply of cement locally
produced and the dominant position of the German manufacturers.
Tare III, —Dividends of members of groups of German cement manufacturers,

Silesian group:
Schles. A.-G. Portl.-Zem.-Fabrik, Groschowitz____ oo _____ __
Oberschles. Portl.-Zem.-Fabrik, Oppeln_________
Oppelner Portl.-Zem.-Fabrik vorm. Grundmann, Oppeln_ mee
Portl.-Zem.-Fabr. vorm. A. Giesel, Oppeln__________________________
Schimischower Portl.-Zem., Kalk &amp; Ziegelwerke. ___________» ____
Oberschles, Portl.-Zem. &amp; Kalk-Werke, A.-G., Gr.-Strehlitz_ oo _____
Gogolin-Gorasdzer Kalk- &amp; Zem.-Werke, A.-G.,, Breslau oo eaee_
“ Silesia,” Neue Oppelner Portl.-Zem.-Fabr., A. G., Oppeln____.______
Portl-Zem.-Fabr. * Stadt Oppeln,” A.-G., Oppeln_.________________
Oppeln-Frauendorfer Portl.-Zem.-Fabrik, A.-G., Frauendorf, Krs.
Oppeln erm —————
Niederschles. Portl.-Zem.-Fabrik. A. G.. Neukireh coe

Dividends
in 1910.
Per cent.

1

2
4
0

0
n