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 NOTES ON THE PURCHASE, MANUFACTURE, 
 
 AND INSPECTION OF UNITED STATES 
 
 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS 
 
 PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE 
 
 QUARTERMASTER GENERAL 
 
 OF THE ARMY 
 
 FOR THE INFORMATION AND 
 GUIDANCE OF OFFICERS OF 
 THE QUARTERMASTER CORPS 
 
 e 
 
 
 (VI AY »J J 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 1921 
 
•I 
 
 NOTES ON THE PURCHASE, MANUFACTURE, 
 
 AND INSPECTION OF UNITED STATES 
 
 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS 
 
 PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE 
 
 QUARTERMASTER GENERAL 
 
 OF THE ARMY 
 
 FOR THE INFORMATION AND 
 GUIDANCE OF OFFICERS OF 
 THE QUARTERMASTER CORPS 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 1921 
 
CM. fOR 
 tDOG. COlU 
 
ucn 
 
 As 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 It is believed that it might be of some future value to reduce to 
 writing deductions made from personal observations, results obtained 
 from actual tests, and knowledge gained from practical acquaintance 
 with the general conditions surrounding the manner and method of 
 the purchase, manufacture, and inspection of shoes for Army pur- 
 poses at the Boston depot during the emergency created by the 
 World War. 
 
 The questions considered and determined have been varied and 
 numberless, and many situations having arisen demanding careful 
 study and nice distinction in judgment for their proper adjustment, 
 it is felt that the experience thus acquired has undoubtedly resulted 
 in obtaining the best possible shoes of the several types'^ adopted, 
 and that the data relative thereto should be of inestimable value in 
 future endeavors of a similar character, even though the volume of 
 production might not be as great. 
 
 It is also felt that shoemaking knowledge of a high standard — 
 speaking from a standpoint of merit rather than from a commercial 
 standpoint— is to be found in the Shoe Branch, and that there will 
 be no more opportune time than the present to analyze the success- 
 ful accomplishment of the stupendous task placed upon this branch 
 of the organization, since as the emergency work is completed the 
 organization will dwindle to a great extent, many of the inspectors 
 entering other walks of life, while some of the older and more valu- 
 able men of the branch, especially those long connected with the 
 service, are getting well along in years, and an expression of their 
 views on the proper method of making Government shoes is of great 
 importance. 
 
 There have been 35 different shoe manufacturers, each T\ith an 
 inspector in charge stationed at his respective factory, making the 
 same type of shoe, yet it has been found that the product of. each 
 manufacturer has had some process carried out in some respect dif- 
 ferently from each of the others. A comparison and study of the 
 operations performed and the work accomplished at each factory, 
 together with discussions with the various contractors, have, it would 
 appear, resulted in ascertaining the proper manner of performing 
 each and every operation, and the reason why any given operation 
 should be executed in the manner prescribed has been determined 
 by means of actual experience, the conclusions becoming self-evident, 
 thereby rendering it unnecessary for future inspectors to spend any 
 great amount of time or energy in experimenting. 
 
 944 
 
PURCHASE, MANUFACTURE, AND INSPECTION OF UNITED 
 STATES ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 Chapter I. 
 HISTORICAL SKETCH. 
 
 During the entire existence of this country as a nation the ques- 
 tion of properl}^ protecting our soldiers' feet has been a subject of 
 much concern. All are familiar with the distressing plight of the 
 Revolutionary Forces during the winter at Valley Forge, when the 
 soldiers were compelled to swathe their bruised and bleeding feet 
 in strips of blanket, or whatever other material was to be had. These 
 conditions were due in a great measure to the limited facilities for 
 producing shoes in large quantities, as at that time they were made 
 entirely by hand, which involved a slow, laborious process. 
 
 During the Civil War similar conditions were avoided by the use 
 of machinery, particularly the McKay sewing machine, a then re- 
 cently perfected invention for attaching the bottoms of shoes, which 
 permitted their manufacture with greater rapidity and in larger 
 numbers. Because of the ideal industrial conditions existing in New 
 England, its short, swift rivers and comparatively dense population, 
 the North was in a much better position to make use of this invention 
 than the South, and it is thought that the advantage thus gained 
 aided materially in the success of the northern cause. 
 
 Previous to the introduction of the McKay machine, shoes were 
 of the hand-pegged or hand-nailed type, while by the use of this 
 machine the outsole, upper, and insole were united by a waxed thread. 
 Since the ridge of stitches laid on the insole by the latter process 
 was a frequent cause of discomfort to the wearer, this type of con- 
 struction was considered unsuitable for Army shoes and was dis- 
 placed shortly after the Civil War by the hand-welt shoe, which also 
 possessed greater flexibility. By this method the welt and upper are 
 sewed to the channeled insole, leaving an inside surface on which no 
 stitching appears, but since the process was slow and expensive its 
 use in Army shoes was discontinued about the year 1878 and the so- 
 called standard screw shoe adopted. In this form of construction 
 the outsole is fastened to the insole by means of a heavy threaded 
 wire which is mechanically screwed through the parts to be fastened 
 and automatically cut off at the required length. This method of 
 uniting the soles forms a very secure fastening, but it makes an 
 extremely rigid bottom, and as the metal fastenings act as free con- 
 ductors it has the additional disadvantage in cold climates of causing 
 great discomfort, if not actual suffering, to the wearer. 
 
 After a period of experimenting with the metallic fastened shoe 
 the welt shoe was again adopted for the Army, but with the dif- 
 ference that, while the welt was still sewed by hand, the outsole was 
 attached to the welt by the use of the Goodyear lock-stitch machine, 
 which had in the meantime been developed. 
 
 5 
 
6 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 In order to facilitate production, the specification was changed 
 during the Spanish War to permit both welt and outsole stitching 
 to be done by machinery. This, on the whole, has proved by far the 
 niost satisfactory method yet devised from the standpoint of dura- 
 bility and rapidity of production. 
 
 The method of construction having been definitely decided upon, 
 efforts were directed toward improving the Army last. In May, 
 1912, a board of officers consisting of Maj. E. L. Munson, Medical 
 Corps; Capt. W. J. Glasgow, General Staff; Capt. J. E. R. Hannay 
 and Lieut. B. F. Miller, Infantry, convened at Fort Leavenworth, 
 Kans., designed an experimental shoe, the last of which differed from 
 that then in use in the following respects : 
 
 1. The inner line of the sole in front of the ball was straight- 
 
 ened. 
 
 2. ±*art of the waste space from the end of the little toe to the 
 
 front end of the shoe was eliminated. 
 
 3. The width of the heel was reduced approximately one-six- 
 
 teenth of an inch in its upper portion, leaving the heel 
 seat corresponding to the bearing surface of the heel on 
 the ground the same as before. 
 
 The straightening of the inner line of the sole was intended to give 
 more width in the forepart to provide for the spreading of the sol- 
 dier's foot when carrying a heavy burden. The results obtained from 
 the testing of this shoe were so satisfactory that both shoe and last 
 were adopted for Army use and have ever since been referred to as 
 the " Munson." 
 
 In the recent Great War, since the development of trench w^arfare 
 seemed to require a shoe of heavier and more waterproof construc- 
 tion than the Munson shoe then in use, the Army adopted a shoe 
 copied largely from those used by the Allies. This was commonly 
 known as the " Pershing," a very heavy shoe, the soles of which are 
 metallic fastened and which is probably more waterproof than the 
 regular welt shoe, and therefore suitable for trench warfare or for 
 use where very little marching is required. However, the lack of 
 flexibility and the conductivity of its metal fastenings make it an 
 unsatisf actoy general-purpose shoe, especially where rapid marching 
 is necessary. While this type of shoe lends itself to rapid manufac- 
 ture, and its heavy construction results in greater durability and 
 therefore economy of material, this economy is more than offset by 
 the reduced effectiveness on mobile troops. 
 
 Since the signing of the armistice the Army shoe has again re- 
 verted to the Goodyear type, and while it is of heavier construction 
 than the former welt shoe, yet it provides comfort, neatness of ap- f 
 pearance, and durability, the latter feature of which may be in- 
 creased by the insertion of hobnails and the addition of heelplates. 
 Inasmuch as the possibility of salvage is an important item in the 
 life of the Army shoe, the Goodyear stitching is especially satisfac- 
 tory, since the worn sole of a welt shoe can be more easily and ad- 
 vantageously replaced than that of any other type, the new sole being 
 attached by stitching or nailing, either by machine or by hand, while 
 the removing of the worn sole of a standard screw shoe is only ac- 
 complished with difficulty and the new sole can only be attached by 
 nailing. 
 
Chapter II. 
 PURCHASE OF UNITED STATES ARMY SHOES. 
 
 SCOPE OF SUBJECT. 
 
 The matters taken up under purchase are to be considered only in 
 so far as they exert an influence on production, and the statements 
 set forth are in the nature of suggestions tendered from experience, 
 aiming at an even closer cooperation between the Purchase Branch 
 and the department having charge of production. 
 
 KNOWLEDGE OF NEEDS OF THE ARMY. 
 
 It should be appreciated that the problems confronting the pur- 
 chasing officer are numerous and intricate. The very foundation 
 upon which the success of his task depends is an accurate knowledge 
 of the needs of the Army. It is not a difficult proposition to estimate 
 to a reasonable degree of exactness the average life of the average 
 Army shoe, and knowing the size of the standing Army one ought 
 to figure out with corresponding accuracy the requirements of the 
 Army for a definite period. This refers to the needs under normal 
 conditions, it being assumed that arrangements will be made whereby 
 emergencies are to be taken care of by the manufacture and storage 
 of a certain number of shoes. However, a mere knowledge of the 
 quantity of shoes to be manufactured is insufficient. The purchasing 
 officer must also have at hand an accurate schedule of the apportion- 
 ment of the shoes according to sizes and widths. 
 
 TARIFF OF SIZES. 
 
 During the recent emergency mistakes in ordering, coupled with 
 insufficient knowledge of conditions confronting the Army in France, 
 resulted in an excessive accumulation of small-sized shoes, a condi- 
 tion which was overcome by the issuance of an emergency tariff 
 affecting all uncompleted contracts. Any change of tariff on con- 
 tracts in the process of production causes the disruption and practical 
 suspension of both the factory and production organizations and 
 becomes a source of expense to the manufacturer and to the Govern- 
 ment. The Government must provide for the distribution of addi- 
 tional shoe lasts to meet the change in deliveries as provided for 
 under the new tariff. The contractors must purchase new dies, car- 
 tons, and cases, and those not cutting their own soles must revise 
 their sole-leather commitments. Previous to the application of the 
 new tariff manufacturers were able to purchase cut soles in assorted 
 sizes at so much per pair, regardless of size, but the great demand 
 for large sizes having been made known to the tanners caused the 
 
 7 
 
8 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 latter to set a price on each size sole, resulting in an unforeseen 
 expense to the contractor. 
 
 It is suggested, in the event of a similar emergency, that manu- 
 facturers be permitted to complete contracts in process, the special 
 requirements being taken care of by additional contracts or open- 
 market purchase orders. The arguments in favor of this procedure 
 are, first, that production will not be disrupted; second, that the 
 Government will receive shoes of sizes and widths that will eventu- 
 ally become useful ; and, last, that the Government will be saved the 
 expense of an adjustment to the manufacturer for the damage 
 
 incurred. 
 
 KNOWLEDGE OF MATERIAL. 
 
 Of importance second only to a knowledge of the number of shoes 
 required for a given period is the purchasing officer's familiarity with 
 materials appropriate to the conditions under which the shoes are 
 to be worn and foresight as to what these conditions will be. The 
 garrison shoe, the trench shoe, and the marching shoe, for instance, 
 have been planned for widely varying purposes, each of which neces- 
 sitates consideration of appropriate material, weight, and construc- 
 tion. Knowledge of material required should be acquired from one 
 having had actual experience, either in the making or handling of 
 the same. A distinct advantage to the Government would result 
 from a knowledge on the part of the purchasing officer of the amount 
 of material required and available for proposed contracts. Difficul- 
 ties arising from a shortage of material would be obviated by appris- 
 ing the tanners of sole and upper leather and the shoe finding houses, 
 directly or indirectly, of contemplated contracts, since the producers, 
 having been informed of the quality and quantity of material pre- 
 scribed, could immediately place themselves in readiness to meet said 
 requirements. This is especially desirable in regard to upper leather 
 because of the fact that it is not an easy matter to produce suitable 
 upper leather in large quantities at a short notice without some minor 
 defects arising from time to time in the leather, either in the line of 
 color or general quality. 
 
 COST OF MATERIALS. 
 
 Another feature which should be elaborated on is the relation 
 between a sufficient notice to the manufacturer and the question of 
 the cost of the shoe, it being presumed that a contractor called upon 
 to submit a bid within a period of 10 or 15 days from the date of 
 receiving notice of impending awards would not be given sufficient 
 opportunity to obtain as low figures on his estimated cost of mate- 
 rial as in a 30 to 60 day interval, and would be compelled to submit 
 a bid less advantageous to the United States; moreover, an early 
 notice to manufacturers as to the quality and quantity of materials 
 to be used will ordinarily result in materials of higher standard and 
 facilitated production. 
 
 OPPORTUNE TIME FOR PURCHASING. 
 
 The actual purchase of any type of shoes in large quantities 
 should, when possible, be made at a time of year known to the shoe 
 trade as "between runs." a period when the market is more often 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 9 
 
 at its lowest ebb and the manufacturer is in a position to take con- 
 tracts at a lower fi«:ure in order to equalize his overhead. This 
 requires that the purchasing agent should at all times be in a posi- 
 tion to purchase whenever he could do so advantageously, and that 
 having a fairly accurate knowledge of the materials to be used he 
 should follow^ the market quotations to some extent. The necessity 
 of the purchasing officer's knowledge of the cost to the manufacturer 
 of the type of shoe anticipated can hardly be overestimated. With a 
 loiowledge of the prevailing market quotations on the items to be 
 used, plus a schedule at hand of the quantity of each material re- 
 quired for a pair of shoes in accordance with each set of specifica- 
 tions, an approximately correct estimate of the cost of materials 
 to the manufacturer can readily be compiled. 
 
 COST OF MANUFACTURING. 
 
 The other three factors upon which the manufacturer bases his 
 bid are labor, profit, and overhead. A comparative study of the 
 cost to contractors in manufacturing Government shoes, made under 
 the supervision of the Boston depot on contracts completed March 
 1, 1919, showed that the total cost for the various operations ranged 
 from a minimum of $0.5663 to a maximum of $0.6427 per pair, with 
 an average of $0,609. It is not intended, however, that this average 
 quoted should influence to any great extent the prices on future 
 contracts, since the unsettled labor conditions existing up to the 
 present time render the adopting of even a semistandard for this 
 item a present impossibility, it being necessary to ascertain the 
 schedule of costs applicable at the time of each and every award. 
 
 OVERHEAD. 
 
 Of the four factors upon w^hich a bid is based, the most difficult 
 to estimate is the question of overhead, which may be divided roughly 
 into five classes : First, cost of administration, consisting of general 
 executive overhead (this is generally less in a small factory, where 
 one chief executive accomplishes tasks that range from the duties of 
 the president down to those of a foreman) ; second, cost of manu- 
 facturing, including w^ear and tear on machinery; third, losses in 
 factory organization; fourth, losses on special facilities; fifth, losses 
 on the curve of costs. 
 
 The so-called " losses in factory organization " may be explained 
 by stating that during the process of manufacturing any type of 
 shoe, the personnel of the factory, becoming more and more ac- 
 customed to that type of work, turn out each task with increased 
 speed. Each department is brought to a state of efficiency in co- 
 operating with the other departments. Work leaving one depart- 
 ment arrives at the next at the proper time. Upon the adoption of 
 a different type of shoe, however, the machinery requires intricate 
 readjustment and employees are also forced to accustom themselves 
 to new conditions. There is a period of readjustment. In a word, 
 the harmony of the organization has been interrupted. • 
 
 "Losses on special facilities" covers the costs of rearranging the 
 factory, moving around departments, and installing new machinery. 
 
10 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 The " losses on the curve of costs " require a more detailed ex- 
 planation, and should be divided into three groups, consisting of loss 
 on labor, loss on upper leather, and loss on sole leather. It is neces- 
 sary to distinguish clearly between the loss on labor as mentioned 
 under the curve of costs and the loss in factory organization pre- 
 viously explained. This subdivision refers, generally spealring, to 
 the individuals who actually perform the work. It is an accepted 
 fact that employees working upon Government contracts because of 
 the exactness of workmanship required, are better paid than those 
 working upon civilian orders, and that upon the termination of a 
 contract the employees are usually unwilling to return to the former 
 wage scale. One of two conditions must then result, either the manu- 
 facturer is deprived of many of his experienced workers or he is 
 forced to maintain the same standard of wages at a diminished profit. 
 Upon starting on a new contract each laborer is forced to produce 
 more slowly, which, if he is on a piecework schedule, results in the 
 beginning in his individual loss, but if on a time schedule results 
 in a loss to the manufacturer. The cutting of the upper and sole 
 leather at first is somewhat in the nature of an experiment which 
 continues with increased efficiency as the contract proceeds. These 
 losses on the curve of costs, generally speaking, are finally overcome 
 by corresponding gains in the latter portion of the contract, provid- 
 ing it is of sufficient magnitude. 
 
 At the time it became necessary to terminate Government contracts, 
 after the signing of the armistice, the estimates compiled in order 
 to compensate the manufacturer for overhead on contracts that were 
 terminated was 37^ cents for each pair of shoes undelivered. A set 
 of figures compiled at this office from investigations made at the 
 factories resulted in an estimate of 38 cents per pair, apportioned as 
 follows: Losses due to administration costs, including all costs of 
 general executive overhead, 5 cents; manufacturing costs, including 
 losses on clicking dies, upper leather patterns, miscellaneous dies 
 and patterns, and losses in operating costs in factory, 1 cent; losses 
 in factory organization, plus rejects, 15 cents; losses on special fa- 
 cilities, such as cost of moving around departments, rearranging fac- 
 tory, loss on machinery while idle, etc., 5 cents; loss on curve of costs, 
 12 cents (labor 5 cents, upper leather 3 cents, sole leather 4 cents) ; 
 total, 38 cents. 
 
 While the cost of labor and material is in proportion to the num- 
 ber of pairs of shoes being manufactured, this is not true of the 
 overhead expense, since the majority of its constituent elements, such 
 as salaries and heating and lighting expenses, are practically fixed. 
 This results in a large percentage of overhead per pair when the 
 output is small and in a corresponding decrease with an increased 
 output. 
 
 ADVANTAGE TO PURCHASING OFFICER OF ABOVE KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 The necessity for the purchasing officer having knowledge of the 
 cost to the manufacturer having been previously referred to, the 
 question arises as to what value this information would be. In the 
 past manufacturers contemplating bids would often collaborate, the 
 result of such discussions frequently being an increase of the price 
 previously decided on. With a knowledge on the part of the Gov- 
 ernment of the cost to the contractor, the purchasing officer would 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 11 
 
 be in a position to refuse bids involving excessive profits, and, more- 
 over, the incentive to underbid on the part of the competing com- 
 panies would be increased. 
 
 PURCHASE OF LASTS. 
 
 Inasmuch as shoes can not be made without lasts it is obvious that 
 a general survey of the last situation should be taken previous to, 
 the awarding of contracts. Records on file should show the number* 
 of pairs of each style of lasts in existence in each zone, and, in addi- 
 tion to this, the number of pairs in use on contracts already awarded 
 in order to determine the quantity available at any given time. A 
 table of the numbers of lasts required for making a given number of 
 shoes in a given time, together with perfected data on the manufac- 
 ture, distribution, and storage of shoe lasts, devised and arranged 
 by the writer, and made use of during the late emergency, is on file 
 and available at this office. By following out the information con- 
 tained therein, all causes arising from delays occasioned by the non- 
 receipt and inadequacy of numbers of lasts would be eliminated. 
 
 KNOWLEDGE OF FACTORY CONDITIONS. 
 
 The greatest difficulty contended with after the award of the con- 
 tracts has been the daily capacity of the contractor. In the past 
 contracts have been awarded requiring a daily production which the 
 manufacturer, through insufficient amount of machinery or operators, 
 or owing to lack of factory organization, was utterly unable to at- 
 tain. An actual knowledge on the part of the purchasing officer of 
 the daily capacity of a prospective contractor would enable him to 
 award contracts which would result in the most facilitated produc- 
 tion. During the war this office was able to obtain a degree of effi- 
 ciency only by entirely disregarding the production as required in 
 the terms of the contracts and figuring production on the daily 
 capacity of the contractor, and the existing factory conditions. 
 
 In accordance with the terms of contracts previously awarded, a 
 manufacturer who failed to deliver shoes within the time specified 
 was subject to penalty. Invariably in deciding whether the penalty 
 was to be imposed, fine judgment had to be exercised in order to pro- 
 tect the interests of the Government without injuring the manu- 
 facturer. During the emergency when contracts were practically 
 forced upon contractors it did not seem equitable to fine a man who 
 was called upon to make more shoes per day than his daily capacity 
 and factory conditions would warrant. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 It is felt that a great part of the confusion and annoyance en- 
 countered in the manufacture and inspection of shoes could be 
 obviated providing the suggestions hereinbefore mentioned were 
 carried out, and that a high spirit of cooperation could exist among 
 the three parties concerned, the Purchase Branch, the Production 
 Branch, and the contractor. Peculiar situations in the past have 
 arisen where the manufacturer felt favorably toward one and ill 
 disposed toward the other, in which case the result would appear 
 in the firlished shoe ; but if the high standard established is to be main- 
 tained, all ideas or feelings of conflict must be entirely eliminated. 
 
Chapter III. 
 
 NECESSITY FOR INSPECTION OF MATERIALS USED IN, 
 AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF, ARMY SHOES. 
 
 OBJECTION TO INSPECTION. 
 
 A considerable number of people, including several manufac- 
 turers, sincerely believe that the somewhat elaborate system of in- 
 spection of Army shoes is entirely unnecessary inasmuch as the 
 manufacturers are honorable business men who would construct 
 shoes in accordance with the written specifications without the 
 presence of Government inspectors in their respective factories. 
 It is believed that this feeling is based upon the theory that the 
 system in question required too great an expenditure of money, 
 which must of necessity be raised by taxation. 
 
 COST OF INSPECTION. 
 
 It has been definitely ascertained that in the manufacture of shoes 
 of any grade or in any quantity it is inevitable that a certain per- 
 centage will be ruined beyond the possibility of repair, while another 
 certain percentage w^ill be partially damaged. This condition is 
 due to careless workmanship and will prevail as long as shoes are 
 made by human hands. An examination of the general conditions 
 prevailing in the manufacture of commercial shoes, a study having 
 been made of several concerns, showed that the amount of damaged 
 civilian shoes, including both wholly damaged and partially dam- 
 aged, varies from 3.5 to 5.2 per cent. Assuming that this same per- 
 centage held true on Army shoes, the financial loss to the Govern- 
 ment would approximate at least three times the cost of inspection. 
 
 In support of this statement the following data is presented 
 regarding the actual cost of the inspection of shoes manufactured 
 under the supervision of the Boston depot from April, 1917, to 
 April, 1919, inclusive : 
 
 Total pairs of shoes manufactured 18, 912, 0931 
 
 Average price per pair $5. 45 
 
 Total value $103, 115. 384. 44 
 
 Cost of inspection $3,118,992.90 
 
 Cost of inspection per pair $0. 05916 
 
 Cost of inspection per dollar $0. 0108 
 
 From the figures as given above, showing the percent of inspec- 
 tion cost at the Boston depot, the deduction may be made that if 
 only one pair of shoes out of every 92 pairs were defective, said one 
 pair having been rejected by the inspector, the Government would 
 not have sustained any financial loss by reason of the cost of 
 inspection. 
 
 12 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 13 
 
 MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF SPECIFICATIONS. 
 
 Under the present system of inspection, upon receipt of a con- 
 tract for the manufacture of shoes, the entire contract, with all its 
 specifications and other instructions, is given a very careful study 
 by the officer in charge, and when it is found that the responsible 
 officer and interested Government employees have a thorough, mu- 
 tual understanding of llie requirements of the contract steps are 
 then taken to get in touch Avith the contractor for the purpose of in- 
 suring his thorough understanding of said requirements in order 
 to avoid any disagreements or misunderstandings before actual 
 production is started. 
 
 GENERAL DUTIES OF FACTORY INSPECTORS. 
 
 From time to time as the material is received and the progress of 
 the work advances, Government inspectors are installed in the fac- 
 tory, each skilled in his line, whose duties are to examine every 
 piece of leather that goes into the shoe, to stamp each sole-leather 
 part with a Government stamp, and to supervise the assembling of 
 the seA'eral parts and the proper performance of each operation 
 during the process of construction. Inspectors assigned to factory 
 duties serve in an advisory capacity, and their acceptance of any 
 inferior material or defective workmanship in no manner obligates 
 the Government to accept the same. 
 
 FINAL INSPECTION. 
 
 After the shoes are finished they are then shipped to the Zone 
 Supply Officer in order that final inspectors may pass upon their actual 
 acceptance or rejection. While it is always assumed .that every oper- 
 ation of the shoe has been rigidly inspected before the final product 
 is delivered to the Government, it frequently happens, especially 
 where the volume of production is large, that no matter how vigilant 
 a resident inspector may be a certain percentage of shoes which are 
 unsatisfactory for one reason or another find their way into the 
 Army Base, where they are eliminated in the final inspection room. 
 
 The reason for having final inspection at the Army Base rather 
 than at the factory of the contractor is to remove the inspector Avho 
 has authority to finally accept or reject the completed product from 
 any influence that might consciously, or unconsciously, affect his 
 judgment. 
 
 It is stated, without fear of just criticism, that the difference in 
 the standard of the shoe since the present system has been adopted 
 has warranted the change from the old svstem of havincf final in- 
 spection at the factory of the contractor. By this method every pre- 
 caution is taken, and the Government is reasonablv certain that its 
 interests are properly protected and that its soldiers will receive noth- 
 ing but the very best. 
 
 RESULTS OF INSPECTION. 
 
 The policy of the Quartermaster Department in placing trained 
 inspectors in factories of private corporations engaged in the manu- 
 facture of shoes for the United States Army has amply justified itself 
 
14 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 during the years 1917, 1918, and 1919, and the expert inspection of 
 materials and the supervision of construction by Government inspec- 
 tors have saved many thousands of dollars to the Government by the 
 rejection of inferior material and shoes of defective workmanship, 
 and have, in the opinion of the writer, prevented discomfort to 
 countless numbers of soldiers to whom but for the careful inspection 
 given there might have been issued defective and ill-fitting shoes 
 with rough, broken, or uneven interior surfaces. 
 
 PRACTICES LEGITIMATE AND OTHERWISE. 
 
 Although isolated instances may be quoted of unscrupulous con- 
 tractors who have deliberated attempted to defraud the Government 
 by the use of inferior material, false stamps, and bribery, these at- 
 tempts have been promptly discovered and the offenders brought to 
 justice. It must net be inferred that all manufacturers nor, indeed, 
 any considerable number of those who assumed contracts to make 
 Army shoes were dishonest, as such is far from being the case; yet it 
 often happens that contracts for shoes are issued to concerns whose 
 specialty is the manufacture of civilian shoes of the cheaper grades, 
 and practices common and considered legitimate in a factory making 
 this grade of shoes are, to say the least, unsatisfactory when dura- 
 bility of the finished Army shoe is considered. 
 
 It should be borne in mind that after a contract is awarded to a 
 manufacturer it is usually turned over to his order department, 
 which in turn passes the same over to the superintendent of the f ac- 
 torv in which the shoes are to be manufactured. Either through a 
 mistaken sense of duty to their employer or lack of knowledge of 
 better methods, these superintendents or their assistants often at- 
 tempt to employ the foregoing methods in constructing Army shoes, 
 so that it is only through the insistent watchfulness of the inspectors 
 that this is prevented. The shoes that are partly damaged, if proper 
 care is taken in repairing, can be made good by replacing the damaged 
 part with a new part. This method entails a loss of time and money 
 to the manufacturer, and also reflects upon the efficiency of the fore- 
 man. Consequently, it is here that certain practices commonly re- 
 ferred to as " tricks of the trade " are brought into play. These 
 practices will be touched on in detail further on. A competent in- 
 spector at this stage of the game saves the Government much more 
 than the cost of his services. 
 
 UPPER LEATHER. 
 
 It often happens that a prospective contractor submits with his bid 
 a sample of upper leather showing the grade and tannage from 
 which he proposes to make the shoes if his bid is accepted. Dpon 
 receiving a contract it may be found that he has committed himself 
 for a sufficient amount of leather of the tannage submitted but that 
 it is what is known as " table run," and the sample submitted to, and 
 approved by, the purchasing officer represents but a very small por- 
 tion of the amount committed for. If this leather is rejected in the 
 side, the contractor must go into the market and purchase suitable 
 leather, oftentimes at an increased cost. If it is used, the percentage 
 
AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 15 
 
 of rejected pieces is so great that the loss to the manufacturer is con- 
 siderable. The only place where defects of this nature can be de- 
 tected is in the cutting room. Here the upper leather inspector stands 
 firm but tactful, according the contractor fair treatment, while se- 
 curing for the Government a full measure of value. 
 
 This situation has given rise to many vigorous protests on the 
 part of contractors against what they claim to be unfair inspection. 
 Although all complaints received from contractors of this or any 
 other nature are promptly, carefully, and impartially investigated 
 by Government representatives, it has rarely been found necessary to 
 reverse the decision of the inspector. 
 
 FINDINGS. 
 
 It may be, and indeed often has been, found that contractors have 
 been furnished by subcontractors with findings inferior in quality to 
 those which they have purchased. Through the watchfulness of the 
 inspector and the established practice of periodically testing samples 
 of thread and all other findings used in Army shoes, it has been pos- 
 sible to maintain the quality of these findings at the specified 
 standard. 
 
 ATTITUDE OF MANUFACTURERS. 
 
 Manufacturers who have achieved a most enviable reputation in 
 the business world for honesty and integrity in their dealings will at 
 first resent the presence of Government inspectors in their plants, 
 claiming that as they possess the requisite knowledge of shoemaking 
 no advice is needed, so that to place inspectors to watch them must 
 be to impute an intention to evade the honest fulfillment of their 
 contractual obligations. Superintendents and their assistants often 
 entertain this same feeling of resentment, though for somewhat dif- 
 ferent reasons. In the course of later events, however, these same 
 manufacturers have become appreciative of the valuable assistance 
 rendered by the inspectors, who, because of their intimate knowledge 
 of the requirements of the Government, are able to show the way out 
 of the many difficulties which arise. 
 
 NECESSITY FOR MORE THAN FINAL INSPECTION. 
 
 Final inspection reveals only the general appearance of the 
 shoe as to color, worlananship, and the approximate weight of the 
 bottom construction, consequently if the Government were to buy 
 shoes the quality of which appealed only to the eye, as would be the 
 result if final inspection alone were relied upon, there would be no 
 limit to which the contractors might go in the use of inferior leather, 
 both in sole leather and upper leather, and also in the quality 
 of findings, as well as in the technical Avorkmanship in parts of 
 the shoes which are not disclosed after the sole is laid, namely, 
 broken rib on inner sole ; torn canvas ; wrinkled canvas ; inner soles to 
 which the welting has been sewed twice, thereby weakening the rib; 
 insufficient number of stitches; lack of proper tension at the inseam- 
 ing operation ; liability of trimming inseam too close, thereby weaken- 
 
16 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 ing the seam; defective and improper forepart bottom filling; in- 
 sufficient amount of cement ; defective inner soles, middle soles, outer 
 soles, heels, vamps, counters, and top lifts. 
 
 UNIFORMITY OF INSPECTION STANDARDS. 
 
 It is believed that the interests of both the Government and 
 the contractors demand that a uniform method of inspection be 
 maintained in the several zones in order to insure equality in the 
 bid for, and the manufacturing of, Army shoes. It can be seen that 
 if the inspection in one zone is of a high standard while in other 
 zones the same standard is not maintained, the contractor doing- 
 business in the zones where the lower standard prevails has a de- 
 cided advantage over his competitor who manufactures in the zone 
 where the higher standard is insisted upon. Obviously this advan- 
 tage must work to the detriment of the interests of the Government 
 in the way of an inferior grade of finished product. 
 
 The present system of inspection as now carried out in this zone 
 is the result of research and represents the combined judgment of 
 many capable men employed by the Government during the war. It 
 is believed to be the best and most workable that has been devised, 
 yet no claim of absolute perfection nor of infallibility is made, for 
 it. Suggestions for its improvement from whatever source have 
 always been carefully considered, and all criticisms have been wel- 
 comed, except when they have come from an obviously biased source 
 and have been of a destructive rather than of a constructive nature. 
 Any attempt to overthrow the system of inspection as now installed 
 by the adoption of anything less restrictive, in the opinion of the 
 writer, would result in the acceptance of shoes of inferior quality. 
 
Chapter IV. 
 INSTRUCTIONS TO INSPECTORS. 
 
 QUALIFICATIONS OF AN INSPECTOR. 
 
 The very nature of the work which the inspector is called upon to 
 do makes it important that he possess many high qualifications. 
 If his duties are to be performed in a manner which will insure 
 justice to the manufacturer and safety of the Government's in- 
 terests, he must be a man of more than the average degree of 
 intelligence, possessing sound judgment, an even temperament, and 
 more than a general knowledge of the science of shoemaking. 
 
 RETENTION OF EFFICIENT INSPECTORS. 
 
 At one time during the emergency the shoe inspection force work- 
 ing under the direction of the Boston Depot reached a total of 470 
 men gathered from the principal shoe centers of New England. 
 Among this number were many whose knowledge of shoemaking was 
 complete and whose years of previous experience made them familiar 
 with most of the problems which are to be encountered in the course 
 of the proper making of a shoe. The services of these men proved 
 of inestimable value to the Government, and by a system of checking 
 at this office the work of each man was carefully tabulated with 
 reference to the results obtained, the method of obtaining them, and 
 the absence or presence of friction between him and the factory 
 executives. It was possible, by a simple process of elimination fol- 
 lowing the decrease in the volume oi production, to retain in the 
 Government service only men of proved ability, although many of 
 this class preferred to return to the ranks of private employees. 
 
 CONDUCT OF INSPECTORS. 
 
 The manufacture of shoes as established to-day is conducted at 
 the expense of tremendous nerve energy by those responsible for its 
 successful accomplishment. In view of the fact that the interests 
 of the contractor and those of the Government, as represented by 
 the inspector, will at times seem to be diametrically opposed, and that 
 occasions must arise when it would seem a complete deadlock has 
 been reached, it is hardly to be wondered at that the patience of 
 both parties often nears the point of exhaustion. Having these con- 
 ditions in mind, this office has insisted upon the observance of the 
 following general instructions and words of advice governing the 
 conduct of factory inspectors : 
 
 1. At the outset you should have an appreciative understanding of the treat- 
 ment you owe to, and should by right receive from, contractors in order to 
 insure cooperation between the contractor and the Government in connection 
 
 35285—21 2 17 
 
18 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 with the method and manner of the construction of, as well as the material 
 used in, Army shoes. 
 
 2. As you are to act as a business agent of the Government, clothed with 
 authority which to a certain extent is arbitrary, it is expected and demanded 
 that you conduct yourself at all times in a manner consistent with the great 
 interests which you represent. 
 
 3. Your actions should be such as to encourage the highest opinion of the 
 character of the inspection force. 
 
 4. As you are in a measure a public servant, your conduct and actions when 
 outside the factory are subject to public criticism. It is therefore insisted that 
 you refrain from any action that would tend to bring the name of the inspection 
 force into disrepute. Card playing or gambling in public or on the premises of 
 the contractor, the use of profane language, the use of intoxicating liquors, and 
 the frequenting of questionable resorts are positively forbidden under penalty 
 of dismissal from the service. 
 
 5. The degree of yotir success will depend in a measure upon the manner in 
 which you exercise your authority. You should be tactful and circumspect in 
 your intercourse with the contractor and also his employees. Be tolerant of 
 the views and opinions of others, and always welcome an opportunity to ex- 
 plain your reasons for any decision you make. 
 
 6. Exercise patience, and by your zeal impress upon the contractor and his 
 executives the importance of your duties. 
 
 7. You must keep within the contract requirements in your demands, and 
 be reasonable, but firm and untiring, in your efforts to protect the interests of 
 the Government. 
 
 8. If you are arbitrary and unreasonable in the use of the power that is vested 
 in you, you may expect to receive like treatment from the contractor. On 
 the other hand, if your conduct is such that you inrpress the manufacturer 
 that in your endeavor to protect the Government's interests you are not un- 
 mindful of the duties you owe him, you will usually observe the good results 
 arising from your endeavors reflected in a higher grade of finished product. 
 Ever be mindful of the fact that working together produces better results, 
 while antagonism or indifference on the part of either will result in an inferior 
 grade of shoes. 
 
 9. You, as an agent of the Government, are only interested from a merit 
 standpoint, while the manufacturer is not only interested in the matter of 
 merit but in the matter of profit. You should take into consideration the fact 
 that unless manufacturers could operate at a profit, the making of Army shoes 
 would be an unattractive proposition, and no reliable individuals or corpora- 
 tions would be available to meet the needs of the Government. 
 
 10. A manufacturer is a component part of the Government, and as such 
 has a right to demand that you, in your zeal to protect the Government's inter- 
 ests and to obtain a high-grade article, do not injure him in his business by 
 unreasonable demands or i>ersonal peculiarities. 
 
 11. Be courteous — it is a valuable asset. 
 
 12. You should realize that a man who has made shoes for years and is a 
 successful shoe manufacturer feels that he personally knows, or at least has 
 available in the form of high-salaried executives, all the knowledge of the 
 general and technical questions of successful shoemaking obtainable. If you, 
 through lack of thorough knowledge of the point involved, make a demand not 
 founded on a sound, logical basis, the fact at once becomes apparent to the 
 manufacturer. This will result in the impression that you do not understand 
 your work, and may produce a feeling on his part that he could easily deceive 
 you, and might result in a desire to do so. If a question arises and you 
 realize your inability to solve it, admit the fact and be anxious to do so, as 
 it breeds the conclusion that you go only so far as you are absolutely sure. 
 If the proper spirit prevails, it is not difficult to solve the usual problems you 
 will be confronted with, as ordinarily the manufacturer or your brother 
 worker knows the solution. Be sure, then proceed, thus insuring the Govern- 
 ment against damage. 
 
 13. If the tanners and producers of shoe findings furnish proper material 
 and the manufacturer and his superintendents are working to obtain results, 
 the grade of the finished product depends upon you. If you are indifferent, 
 unreasonable, arbitrary, or overimpressed with your own importance, the 
 quality of the shoe will suffer. 
 
 14. What a manufacturer says about you, your work, or your knowledge 
 is of no importance if you are obtaining results, but it is important and 
 desirable that you obtain these results, if possible, without friction. 
 
AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 19 
 
 15. Every point in the specifications that may seem ambiguous or open to 
 more than one interpretation lias been ofiiclally interpreted by this office. 
 Every inspector has been informed and in^rtructed regarding these points, 
 therefore you must never argue with a manufacturer concerning such matters. 
 He may still insist that he is right and that the specifications are wrong. 
 You will then respectfully inform him that the scope of your authority does 
 not permit you to change the specifications. While this office will insist that 
 the deserving inspector be treated with due respect and consideration, instances 
 will occur when even abuse and vituperation may be accepted with calm dignity, 
 having in mind the adage: "He tliat has no case nmst abuse his opponent." 
 
 IG. Avoid giving the impression that you are placed in a plant in the capacity 
 of a spy or that the honorable intentions of anyone are in question. Do not 
 hastily conclude that every violation of the specifications is deliberate. Even 
 with the most earnest cooperation on the part of the manufacturer and his 
 superintendent it is difficult to always maintain a high standard of workman- 
 ship and material. While you should ever be w^atchful and alert for dishon- 
 esty as well as poor workmanship, you must reserve judgment until such time 
 as proofs of chicanery are positive. Impress upon the minds of those with 
 'whom you come in contact that you consider the interests of the manufacturer 
 and the Government identical. Inasmuch as rejected shoes are a source of 
 much loss to the contractor, all your efforts are devoted to complete such a 
 shoe that no subsequent inspection or test will reveal cause for rejection. 
 
 17. Never seek quarrels — trouble comes unsought. Experience has shown 
 that the best results* are obtained where there is a minhnum of friction between 
 the inspector and the factory executive. Harmony should prevail, therefore 
 do your part to preserve it. 
 
 18. By reason of having unrestricted access to all parts of the manufacturing 
 'plant at which you may be stationed you will necessarily gain knowledge 
 of secrets of manufacture which may and probably have been costly to acquire, 
 and which under no circumstances should be disclosed by you to other individuals 
 or manufacturers. 
 
 19. You must refrain while on the streets or in public places from discussing 
 either with your fellow inspectors or others the manners and methods and the 
 systems in vogue in the factory in which you are stationed. It is not per- 
 mitted that you should make any unfounded accusations as to the motives or 
 intentions of the contractor. 
 
 20. On the questions of strikes at the factories or management of operators 
 you must hold a neutral position and in no wise interfere with the management. 
 
 21. You are to work in full accord with the organization in the factory under 
 your supervision to get the best results and the greatest returns. 
 
 22. All questions that arise must be handled in a diplomatic manner with 
 the superintendent and officials so that no loss of production or quality of goods 
 shall result. 
 
 23. You are not permitted to make any complaints of poor workmanship 
 direct to the workman. When, in the course of your inspection, you find a 
 cause for complaint, you should at once report the matter to the superintendent 
 or foreman of the department and also to the inspector in charge. If an im- 
 mediate improvement is not noticed, the inspector in charge will take the 
 matter directly to the head of the firm or his personal representative. This 
 usually brings about the desired results. 
 
 24. The inspector in charge is held responsible for the manner in which the 
 inspectors under him perform their duties, and should report to this office con- 
 cerning their diligence, adaptability, efficiency, and their promptness in report- 
 ing for, and their absence from, duty. 
 
 The advice contained in the foregoing is the result of a careful 
 study of the experiences of many men and many minds, and it is felt 
 that the consistent application of the same can not but result in value 
 to the contractor and to the inspector. 
 
 DUTIES OF INSPECTORS. 
 
 In addition to the daily reports, inspectors will make weekly re- 
 ports of the number of pairs of shoes lasted on each Saturday. Full 
 and complete reports are required, together with such special reports 
 
20 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 a^ may be desirable. These reports will be used to compile produc- 
 tion charts ; therefore each factory and each article for each factory 
 must be reported on a separate sheet. The care taken by inspectors 
 in preparing and forwarding said reports will greatly assist this 
 office in obtaining correct figures on which to base future inspection. 
 
 All letters addressed to this office must show on the letterhead the 
 name of the contractor as well as the name of the city or town in 
 which the contractor is located. This should be filled in in the space 
 marked " place " in the upper right-hand corner of Government shoe 
 inspector's letterhead. 
 
 You must be thoroughly familiar with every detail of the manu- 
 facture of the article which you are to supervise, as well as with the 
 practical workings' of the machinery and appliances used in the 
 manufacture and the final finished product. 
 
 Specifications must rule on all Army shoes. Inspectors have no 
 authority to waive a half iron in bottom stock or one-tenth of a mil- 
 limeter in upper stock. Every inspector or contractor deviating 
 from specifications in any way must be able to produce authority 
 in writing from the Zone Supply Officer permitting such deviation. 
 
 When detailed on a contract, you are to understand that your 
 daily period of duty at the factory must include at least eight work- 
 ing hours per day, and that you shall be absent during none of the 
 important operations of the manufacture, day or night. Before 
 going to the factory you should thoroughly familiarize yourself 
 with the specifications and standard sample requirements in every 
 minute detail. You must be prompt to notice any deviating there- 
 from, which, together with anything coming to your attention at 
 variance with the interests of the Government must be promptly 
 and fully reported in writing. 
 
 Your duties will take you through the entire process of manu- 
 facture, from the inspection of the raw material to the final factory 
 inspection of the finished product. 
 
 The greatest care must be taken at all vital points of construction 
 where workmanship is covered up when the shoe is completed. Such 
 points as assembling, lasting, inseam trimming, welting, standard 
 screwing, heelseat nailing, topsole nailing are considered in this 
 class. Any time that trouble develops at any of these points every 
 shoe should be inspected if necessary to properly protect the Govern- 
 ment's interests. 
 
 Any shoes that come through the factory that, in your estimation, 
 are below standard in workmanship or materials, must be held up, 
 and you should forward samples and full particulars of the defect. 
 You will be advised in writing as to the acceptance or rejection of 
 the sample. 
 
 In case of shipment of materials that are delayed to or from the 
 factory you are to inform this office in order that proper action may 
 be taken. If for any reason whatever shoes are held up, a special 
 report should immediately be prepared showing the numbers of 
 pairs held up and the reason for so doing. The envelope in which 
 these reports are inclosed should be prominently marked " Special 
 reports." These special reports should be made whenever material 
 is held up. 
 
 Contractors are expected to and must deliver shoes as per contract, 
 and they can not shift their responsibility to subcontractors. Any 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 21 
 
 manufacturer having contracts with the Government is expected to 
 use the proper material, and it is the duty of the inspector to see 
 that such obligations are carried out. 
 
 Assure yourself that the shoes examined at the factory are up to 
 Government standard, especially as to quality of workmanship and 
 materials. Check up each operation against the specifications to 
 insure fulfillment of all details. 
 
 You are to make reports to this office of any cause that is hinder- 
 ing the production or make any suggestions to this office that, in 
 your opinion, will facilitate the shipment of the goods. 
 
 Sealed samples, gauges, measures, and all stamps sent to you are 
 the property of the United States Government, and you are charged 
 with their care and are held responsible for their return. 
 
 Every inspector employed by this depot is given an identification 
 card and badge. Both card and badge are to be carried at all times. 
 When in the factory inspectors will wear the badge in a prominent 
 place, so that employees will know who the inspector is and will 
 respect his authority. 
 
Chapter V. 
 UPPER LEATHER. 
 
 SCOPE OF SUBJECT. 
 
 The first and most important question which engages the attention 
 of the inspector is that of upper leather. The scope of the following 
 notes will be restricted to leather intended for Army shoes, omitting 
 data applicable to civilian work alone. An attempt has been made 
 to furnish material that would provide an officer, charged with the 
 successful completion of Government shoe contracts, with a clear con- 
 ception of the fundamental principles governing the selection of 
 upper leather for Army purposes. With a proper understanding of 
 these he should have no difficulty in dealing w^th the problems which 
 are inevitable, and it is hoped that the facts hereinafter set forth may 
 prove equally valuable to the inspectors charged with the responsi- 
 bility of carrying out his orders. 
 
 DRY VERSUS GREEN SALTED HIDES. 
 
 While it is not intended to deal extensively here with the detailed 
 processes of leather manufacturing, yet, in view of the fact that Army 
 specifications permit the use of leather tanned from dry hides as well 
 as from green salted hides, it is thought well at first to touch briefly 
 on their relative merits for upper leather. Hides reach the tanners 
 in two conditions, namely, the green salted hide and the dry hide. 
 Green salted hides are such as have been treated by the use of salt to 
 prevent decomposition. They reach the tanner before putrefaction 
 commences. Dry hides are those which, on being removed from the 
 animal, are washed free from blood and dirt and then hung in the sun 
 to drj. It often happens that hides hung in the hot sun, without a 
 sufficient current of air, will dry too quickly. In this case they be- 
 come so hard on the outside that moisture from within can not escape. 
 This often results in the destruction of the center substance; conse- 
 quently leather tanned from such hides will ordinarily be of a very 
 poor and brittle fiber and may be of such nature that the grain and 
 flesh can be easily separated. The first process before tanning dry 
 hides is to soak them for at least two days in water containing caustic 
 soda or like substance. When sufficiently soft they are removed from 
 the vats and roughly fleshed, after which the soaking is continued, 
 sulphide of soda or formic acid being used to hasten the softening. 
 If often happens that during the soaking process bacterial action 
 occurs which results in a ]pss of the hide substance, porous parts, and 
 also in damage to the gram. 
 22 
 
AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 23 
 
 Green salted hides, on the other hand, are washed of blood and dirt 
 and then tanned. A moderate amount of pure fat or oily substance 
 may be used to advantage. Unless heat is used the leather will ab- 
 sorb naturally only the softer oils and fats which serve to coat the 
 libers, making them more pliable: The harder parts will remain on 
 the surface to be removed by a process termed " slicking." This is 
 said to increase the weight of the leather by about 10 per cent. In 
 some tanneries the stuffing is hastened by placing the leather in large 
 drums, permitting harder fats and waxes to be used, as the action of 
 the drum forces them into the substance. This method has been 
 known to increase the weight of the hides as high as 50 per cent 
 instead of 10 per cent. 
 
 The wisdom of permitting the use of leather made from dry hides 
 in the construction of Army shoes has often been questioned. Inquiries 
 made of shoe manufacturers and men in the leather trade reveal the 
 almost unanimous opinion that the leather produced from green salted 
 hides is distinctly superior in quality to that made from dry hides. 
 The wide experience gained during the war has resulted in this office 
 :,aking the same position. Assuming that this opinion is well 
 iounded, and in view of the fact that the conditions in the leather 
 aarket are again approaching normal, it would seem advisable that 
 ii future awards the permission to use dry hides in upper leather be 
 w'thdrawn. 
 
 TANNAGE. 
 
 The question of the proper type of leather from which to make 
 Amy shoes is always open to much controversy, because of honest 
 diflerences of opinion which have developed among tanners, manu- 
 facturers, and other men in the trade. In endeavoring to produce 
 an ideal leather different methods are used, each of which may 
 possess some one or more of the ideal qualifications. The three 
 leatiers which have been used by the Army since 1917 are bark, full 
 chrcme tanned, and chrome vegetable retanned. For Army shoes 
 we vre interested in the leather which, in an emergency, can be pro- 
 duced the quickest and in the largest quantities, with the certainty 
 that it will be satisfactory in every respect. Chrome leather can be 
 produced very quickly in large quantities. Starting at any given 
 date chrome leather can be produced, roughly speaking, within two 
 week% Bark leather would require at least three months. Chrome 
 vegetable retanned leather, when properly made, would require at 
 least three to three and one-half weeks. Therefore, in the event of 
 any serious emergency, the ease and rapidity with which full chrome 
 and chrome vegetable retanned leathers can be produced speaks 
 volunes in favor of their adoption for Army leather for general shoe 
 purposes. Regarding wearing quality, chrome leather, when prop- 
 erly nade, will wear as long, and perhaps longer, than leather made 
 by thi old-fashioned bark process. Furthermore, chrome leather, 
 because of its general nature, is less susceptible to heat, moisture, and 
 perspiration. Bark leather, unless it is kept constantly filled with 
 grease, will dry out hard and bony and is very apt to check and crack. 
 The general use of mineral acids in the bleaching process in making 
 bark leather tends to leave minute traces of acid behind, which in time 
 may e^t away the very life of the leather. 
 
24 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 BARK LEATHER. 
 
 Bark-tanned leather was used in the manufacture of Specifications 
 1309 and 1324. There are many advocates of bark-tanned leather 
 and there is no question but what it possesses many good qualities. 
 Generally speaking, however, it is the standard leather of the past 
 generation. The number of tanners producing bark leathers for 
 upper purposes is decreasing year by year. This is due primarily 
 to economic conditions : First, to produce bark leather in large quan- 
 tities means a large sum of money tied up because of the length of 
 time required for the bark-tanning process ; and, second, as the timber 
 supply of the country continues to diminish, difficulty arises in the 
 procurement of the "bark-tanning materials. For these and similar 
 reasons bark leather is fast disappearing from the market. The good 
 points of bark leather do not need to be discussed here. 
 
 FULL CHROME LEATHER. 
 
 Full chrome tanned leather was used in the manufacture of Specifi-/ 
 cations 1258 and 1206. The reason for the substitution of the chrome' 
 leathers is that the latter process produces a leather better fitted for 
 general service and at the same time makes it possible to construct 
 lighter weight shoes. Of the chrome leathers the one most general^ 
 used to-day for uppers for practically all types and descriptions d 
 men's civilian shoes is the full-chrome tanned. Practically ^0 
 per cent of all upper leather used to-day is chrome, and, in spite of 
 the introduction in the last five years of chrome vegetable retanned 
 leather, this percentage will undoubtedly grow larger. Like many 
 new commodities, chrome leathers have been criticized more or less 
 unfavorably. Unquestionably certain people find more comfort in 
 wearing shoes from bark-tanned leather because of its geniiral 
 porosity, and would probably wear chrome-leather shoes with great 
 discomfort. On the other hand, there are thousands of people vho 
 wear the chrome leathers without any discomfort whatever. Fpom 
 the very fact that such large quantities of chrome leathers are being 
 used in the construction of shoes, ranging from the very lightest 
 women's shoes up to the very heaviest work and sport shoes, is evi- 
 dence enough that the chrome leathers are satisfactory for general use. 
 
 The first requisite of good chrome leather is that it shall be 
 thoroughly tanned. Whether this has been done is not determined 
 by the appearance of a fresh cut, but can be absolutely deteriliined 
 by taking a piece of leather and placing it in a vessel of boiling 
 water for several minutes. If, after this test, the piece of letther, 
 when dry, retains its original pliability and does not curl up, it can 
 be safely assumed that the leather is thoroughly tanned. Leather 
 which is thoroughly tanned can be finished in any manner with 
 absolute certainty that the resulting product will be soft, piiable, 
 and strong, and will possess all of the characteristics of good Idither. 
 Leather which is not thoroughly tanned, no matter what method is 
 followed in finishing, will invariably be hard, bony, and stiff, lacking 
 in strength, and generally speaking, will not be well adapted to the 
 making of any type of shoe. I 
 
 The coloring of chrome leather is a very important operation] The 
 color should be obtained by the use of aniline dyes; that is, i good 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 25 
 
 strong base color, and then, if it is necessary, in order to produce 
 uniformity of shade, it is a good practice to put on a light pigment 
 topping. This topping should be of such a nature that it will not 
 rub off easily or be too susceptible to water. 
 
 There has been much criticism against chrome leather for civilian 
 purposes on the ground that it causes foot trouble. This trouble, it 
 is believed, is not due to the use of chrome leather for uppers, but 
 rather to the fact that shoes were made on lasts that were funda- 
 mentally wrong for certain types of feet and also because if improp- 
 erly constructed shoes. An unlined shoe, made of fairly heavy 
 chrome upper leather, 2 and 2^ millimeters in thickness, on the right 
 type of last, would cause a minimum amount of foot trouble. No 
 last and no leather exists which is adaptable to each and every foot. 
 Foot trouble does not come from wearing shoes of bark, chrome, or 
 chrome retanned leather, it comes from wearing improperly con- 
 structed and poorly fitted shoes. 
 
 The following comprises a statement of the upper leather require- 
 ments and special instructions for the guidance of upper leather 
 inspectors on shoes to be made in accordance with Specifications 1258, 
 which are typical of those calling for full chrome leather. 
 
 Insteuctions foe Uppeb Leatheir No. 1258. 
 
 1. Tannage, full chrome side leather. 
 
 2. Color, russet. 
 
 3. Finish, full grain. 
 
 4. Weight, maximum, 1^ millimeters; minimum, 1;^ millimeters. 
 
 5. Size, not to exceed 20 square feet. 
 
 Tannage. — To be full chrome tanned and the leather must conform to the 
 physical and chemical tests of full chrome-tanned leather. 
 
 1. The leather to be soft, pliable, of close texture, and strong fiber. 
 
 (a) Leather of a hard, tinny nature will not be acceptable. 
 
 ( b ) Leather that has not good tensile strength will not be acceptable. 
 
 (c) Leatlier with tender grain will not be tolerated. 
 
 2. The leather must be full chrome tanned ; that is, it must be sufficiently 
 chrome tanned so that it will stand the boiling test. 
 
 Color. — The color to be the United States Army standard, what is generally 
 termed *' russet." 
 
 1. The sides must be of uniform shade. 
 
 2. The leather must have a good strong aniline color for a base. 
 
 (a) Leather with a weak dye color as a base and a heavy pigment color as a 
 topping will not be acceptable. 
 
 3. Leather from which the finish is easily removed by rubbing or water, leav- 
 ing a light colored bottom will not be tolerated. This indicates that the leather 
 has not been properly dyed and that the color was obtained by the use of 
 pigments. 
 
 4. There are so many ways in which a good durable finish can be obtained 
 that it is not necessary to specify any particular method. 
 
 {a) It is generally understood among tanners and shoe manufacturers just 
 what constitutes properly finished leather, therefore, it is demanded that all 
 Army upper leather shall possess all of the characteristics that go to make up 
 first-quality leather. 
 
 Finish. — The leather to be full grain. 
 
 1. Snuffed leather will not be accepted. 
 
 2. The finish is to be attractive and of a durable nature. 
 
 (a) The finish should not be of such nature that it is easily rubbed off 
 and should not be too susceptible to water. 
 
 3. The leather to be boarded. 
 
 4. Flesh side of the leather to be buffed or shaved to a smooth surface and 
 no excessive amount of flesh will be tolerated on any parts of the side. 
 
 Weight. — The backs to be 1^ millimeters in thickness ; bellies and shoulders 
 not less than 1^ millimeters. 
 
26 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 Size. — The size not to exceed 20 square feet and shall not be what is gen- 
 erally termed " flanky " or loose-libered leather. 
 
 Vamps. — To be cut only from those portions of the side that will yield 
 leather of the proper weight and quality. Vamps are to be firm and of even 
 texture. No vamps are to be under 1^ millimeters in thickness. 
 
 Toe caps. — To be cut only from leather of firm texture, free from imper- 
 fections, and of good quality. 
 
 Outside hack stays. — To be cut from the same quality and weight of leather 
 as used for vamps. 
 
 Quarters. — To be cut from those portions of the side that will yield leather 
 of a substance and character suitable for quarters. Quarters are to be soft 
 and pliable. Flanky, loose, or open-fibered leather will not be acceptable. 
 Quarters cut from leather generally classified as hard, tinny, or bony will not 
 be accepted. • 
 
 Twigues. — To be cut from those portions of the side that will yield leather 
 suitable for tongues. Tongues are to be soft, pliable, and serviceable. Leather 
 of extremely loose or stretchy nature will not be acceptable. 
 
 Side lining. — To be cut from leather of suitable character, from 1 millimeter 
 to 11 millimeters in weight. 
 
 Inside hack stay. — To be of good quality leather and of proper weight, 1 
 millimeter minimum and 11 millimeters maximum. May be cut from the 
 same leather as used in the uppers, provided same is of proper weight and 
 quality. 
 
 Inspectian. — In so far as possible the upper leather should be carefully in- 
 spected before cutting not only for the protection of the Government's in- 
 terests, but also those of the shoe contractor. Before a shoe contractor starts 
 to cut Army shoes he should have a thorough understanding of what will 
 be acceptable in each part of the upper. Having this information before him 
 he can procure from the tanner properly graded leather. The question of cut- 
 ting figures belongs entirely to the shoe contractor. From the Government's 
 standpoint the only things to be considered and kept constantly in mind are: 
 
 1. Leather of the highest quality and of proper substance for the com- 
 ponent part of the shoe must be used. 
 
 2. Only leather that will give good service is to be used. 
 
 3. The leather is to be free from any blemish that will seriously impair 
 the wearing quality of the shoe. 
 
 4. The leather is to be free from any blemish that seriously impairs the 
 general appearance or comfort of the shoe. 
 
 The first thing to consider is whether each part of the upper is 
 cut from the portion of the side that will yield leather of the proper 
 substance and quality — that is, a vamp should be cut from leather 
 that will yield good vamps — quarters are to be cut from leather that 
 will produce quarters possessing the proper qualities. The same rule 
 that applies to high-grade shoemaking, the right stock in the right 
 place, should be observed. 
 
 The question of imperfections, open scratches and grubs, healed- 
 over scratches and grubs, cuts and other blemishes, must be ruled 
 upon along the following lines : 
 
 1. No imperfection that will impair the wearing qualities of the shoe, inter- 
 fere with the wearer's comfort or give the shoe an unsightly appearance will 
 be allowed on any part of the upper. 
 
 (a) Under the question of appearance you must consider not only grain 
 damages, but also the general color of the leather. The leather must be of 
 good even color, that which is generally termed " Russet." The parts of the 
 shoe must be carefully matched. 
 
 Shoes constructed of variegated colors will be rejected. In order 
 to carry out the above there should be a sufficient number of in- 
 spectors to make it possible to inspect each and every part of the 
 upper before it is stitched. Every piece of leather going into the 
 upper of the shoe is to be carefully inspected in a manner that will 
 thoroughly safeguard the Government's interests and at the same 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 27 
 
 time should not be so complicated that it interferes with the pro- 
 duction. 
 
 Each inspector is to keep an accurate record of the parts inspected ; 
 that is, the case numbers and the number of rejects. This will take 
 the form of a daily report which must be turned in to the inspector 
 in charge, who, in turn, will keep a record of all of the case numbers 
 and the name or number of the inspector who has passed upon the 
 various parts. 
 
 CHROME VEGETABLE RETANNED LEATHER. 
 
 Chrome vegetable retanned leather was used in the manufacture of 
 shoes under Specifications 1257, 1269, 1271, 1323, 1324, 1351, 1352, 
 and 412-2-9. It is doubtless true that vegetable tanned leather 
 possesses many of the desirable qualifications of good upper leather. 
 For generations this method of tanning has been approved as pro- 
 ducing the ideal leather for all purposes. There are to-day many 
 tanners who strongly urge its superior virtues. In view of the fact 
 that it has for so long withstood the test of durability and of the 
 high degree of perfection to which this method of tanning has been 
 developed, it is not to be wondered at that there are many who 
 advocate its use in the making of Army shoes. The fact that this 
 was the leather popular with our forefathers, when walking, and 
 rough roads were more common than to-day and utility was the first 
 consideration, commends its use in Army shoes. 
 
 It can not be denied, however, that chrome-tanned leather has 
 largely superseded vegetable-tanned leather in the manufacture of 
 all kinds of shoes. This may be due to the great reduction of time 
 which, of course, means a corresponding reduction in the cost of 
 production of leather tanned by this process. Doubtless, however, 
 much of the popularity of chrome leathers is due to the changed 
 conditions under which civilian shoes are worn to-day, when ap- 
 pearance and comfort are given first consideration. 
 
 One of the reasons for the popularity of leather tanned by the 
 chrome process is that the nature of the hide is changed so that it 
 becomes very pliable, a feature which is not so pronounced in vege- 
 table tanned, but, being characteristically tender on the grain, it is 
 not so suitable for the rough wear which an Army shoe niight receive. 
 The process of chrome tanning does not affect the gelatinous part — 
 that is, the material that fills the interstices between the fiber and 
 which is called the hide substance — in the same way as the vegetable- 
 tanning process. This hide substance, which is turned into tanno 
 gelatine by the latter process, is not similarly affected by the former 
 process, consequently the leather is not so well filled. Another fea- 
 ture of chrome-tanned leather is that being nonabsorbent it does 
 not take up the moisture of the foot, and since the moisture can not 
 escape it causes the foot to be cold, damp, or even wet, according 
 to the constitution of the wearer. Vegetable-tanned leather, how- 
 ever, being porous permits the foot to breathe, and being more 
 absorbent takes up the moisture. 
 
 It would seem that the ideal qualifications necessary in civilian 
 shoes for present day wear are found in chrome tanned leather, 
 but shoes of the types called for in Specifications 1257, 1269, 1271, 
 
28 
 
 AEMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 1324, 1352, and 412-2-9 require something more. These added re- 
 quirements are found in the vegetable retanned leather. Therefore, 
 the chrome vegetable retanned leather, possessing as it does the com- 
 bined good qualities of both processes, was found to be ideal for 
 these shoes. The leather thus produced is extremely tough, yet pli- 
 able. It possesses the water resisting qualities of the chrome tanned, 
 yet is of such a nature that it permits the foot to breathe. 
 
 An examination of the reclaimed shoes seems to indicate the supe- 
 riority of this combination tannage from the standpoint of dura- 
 bility, as in most instances the upper leather in shoes made from 
 chrome vegetable retanned leather was found to be intact even though 
 both heel and double sole were completely worn away, while in 
 shoes of Specifications 1258, in which full chrome tanned leather 
 was used, the vamps were found to be badly checked and often 
 broken aw^ay, although the bottom construction had not been seri- 
 ously impaired. 
 
 The following comprises a statement of the upper-leather require- 
 ments and special instructions for the guidance of upper-leather 
 inspectors on the new garrison shoe 41^2-9, which is typical of 
 the chrome vegetable retanned specification: 
 
 Specifications 412-2-9. 
 insteuctions pertaining to upper leather. 
 
 Tannage. — To be chrome vegetable retanned, cowhide side leather. 
 
 1. The leather to be soft, pliable, of close texture, and strong fiber. 
 
 (a) Leather of a hard, tinny nature will not be acceptable. 
 
 (&) Leather that has not good tensile strength will not be acceptable. 
 
 (c) Leather with tender grain will not be tolerated. 
 
 Finish. — Light snuffing in order to remove slight grain imperfections is 
 permitted. 
 
 1. The finish is to be attractive and of a durable nature; that is, it should 
 not be easily rubbed off or not too susceptible to water. 
 
 Color. — The color to be russet and conform to that of the standard Garri- 
 son shoe. 
 
 1. The color is to be uniform. 
 
 2. The leather must have a good, strong, aniline color for a base. 
 
 (a) Leather with a weak dye color as a base and a heavy pigment color 
 as a topping will not be acceptable. 
 
 (ft) Leather from which the color is easily removed by water or rubbing, 
 leaving a light colored bottom, will not be tolerated. 
 
 Weight. — The weight of sides to be 2.5 millimeters. 
 
 1. The weight of the individual parts: 
 
 Vamps 
 
 Quarters 
 
 Foxings 
 
 Tips 
 
 Counter pockets 
 
 Tonnes 
 
 Eyelet facings. . , 
 
 MiniTmiTTi. 
 
 Mftximnm . 
 
 Milli- 
 
 Milli- 
 
 meters. 
 
 meters. 
 
 2.0 
 
 2.5 
 
 1.8 
 
 2.2 
 
 1.8 
 
 2.2 
 
 1.6 
 
 2.2 
 
 1.6 
 
 2.2 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.4 
 
 Vamps. — To be cut only from those portions of the side that will yield 
 leather of the proper weight and quality. Vamps are to be firm, fine, and 
 uniform in texture. 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 29 
 
 1. Vamps shall be free from any imperfections that impair the service, 
 appearance, or comfort of the shoe. 
 
 (a) Vamps are to be free from grubs except in that portion which is com- 
 pletely covered by the tip. 
 
 2. Regarding the weight, the specifications state a minimum of 2 millimeters 
 and a maximum of 2i. This does not imply that this variation is permissible 
 in a single vamp — it simply indicates that it is desirable to use lighter weight 
 leather for the small sizes and heavy weight leather for large sizes. 
 
 Tips. — To be cut from leather of the same quality as called for in vamps. 
 
 Quarters. — To be cut from those portions of the side that will yield leather 
 of a substance and character suitable for quarters. Quarters are to be soft 
 and pliable. Flanky, loose, or open fibered leather will not be acceptable. 
 Quarters cut from leather generally classified as hard, tinny, or bony will not 
 be acceptable. 
 
 1. Quarters are to be free from grubs except in that portion which is com- 
 pletely covered by the outside counter pocket. 
 
 Counter pockets. — To be cut from those portions of the side that will yield 
 leather suitable for counter pockets. 
 
 1. Counter pockets are to be of good quality. Flanky, loose, or open fibered 
 leather will not be acceptable. 
 
 Tongues. — To be cut from those portions of the side tbat will yield leather 
 suitable for tongues. Tongues are to be soft, pliable, and serviceable. Leather 
 of extremely loose or stretchy nature will not be acceptable. Tongues may 
 be split but must be of acceptable quality. 
 
 Inspection. — The specifications for the material for uppers on the Garrison 
 shoe dated April 15, 1919, state : 
 
 " Vamps, tops, counter pockets, tongues, tips, and eyelet facings to be cut 
 from the best chrome, vegetable retanned cowhide side leather. Slight grain 
 imperfections may be removed by a light snufling of the leather. Where, in the 
 opinion of the Government, however, it is apparent that the leather has been 
 snuffed too deeply, it will be rejected in the side. No inferior leather shall be 
 used, but leather for different parts need not be of the same thickness or the 
 same quality, inasmuch as each part is subjected to different degrees of wear. 
 Tongues may be cut from the softer and lighter parts of the sides, but no 
 tongues can be cut from leather of weak fiber. Shoes to be made with the 
 grain of the leather on the outside." 
 
 1. It is clearly stated that the parts of the shoe are to be cut from the best 
 chrome, vegetable retanned leather. 
 
 {a) Leather of the best quality and of the proper substance to be used for 
 each part of the shoe. 
 
 ( & ) Only leather that will give good service is to be used. 
 
 (c) Leather is to be free from any blemish that will seriously impair the 
 wearing qualities or the appearance and comfort of the shoe. 
 
 2. The first thing to be considered is whether or not each part of the upper 
 is cut from that portion of the side that will yield leather of the proper sub- 
 stance and quality ; that is, a vamp should be cut from leather that will yield 
 good vamps, quarters are to be cut from leather that will produce quarters 
 possessing the proper qualities. The same rule that applies to good shoemaking, 
 the right stock in the right place, should be observed. 
 
 3. Every piece of leather going into the upper of the shoe is to be carefully 
 inspected in a manner that will thoroughly safeguard the Government's in- 
 terests. 
 
 4. Each inspector is to keep an accurate record of the parts inspected ; that 
 is, the case numbers and the number of rejects. This will take the form of a 
 daily report which must be turned in to the inspector in charge, who in turn 
 will keep a record of all of the case numbers and the name or number of the 
 inspector who has passed upon the various parts. 
 
 SIZE OF HIDES. 
 
 Having considered the relative merits of the various tannages, 
 the next point to be touched upon is that of the size of the hides. 
 Specifications for Army shoes calling for side leather in all in- 
 stances, except the 1258 shoe, do not specify definite limits for the 
 size of the upper-leather sides. 
 
30 
 
 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 Specification. 
 
 Size or type of hide. 
 
 Specification. 
 
 Size or tjrpe of hide. 
 
 1271 
 
 Cowhide. 
 
 Do. 
 
 Do. 
 Cowhide or kip. 
 
 Do. 
 
 1351 
 
 Cowhide or kip. 
 
 1323 
 
 1258 
 
 20 square feet maximum. 
 
 1269. . . . 
 
 1351 
 
 25 to 45 poimd cowhide. 
 Cowhide. 
 
 1309 
 
 412-2-9 
 
 1324 
 
 
 
 
 Concerning the limit of 20 square feet per side, as called for by 
 Specifications 1258, it has been demonstrated that this is too small 
 when shoes of a rather heavy nature, like the 1269, or the new 
 garrison shoe, are called for. In the past it has been hard to hold 
 the tanners to the 20 square feet limit for the 1258 marching shoe. 
 The experience of this office has been that with hides running from 
 25 to 45 pounds, generally called extremes, some of the most desir- 
 able leather obtained would run over 20 square feet. When cow- 
 hide leather is specified tanners, with all due justice, could work 
 in buff hides, which run from 40 to 60 pounds, or they could even 
 use heavy hides. 60 pounds and up, although when one gets up into 
 the 60-pound hide class there are bound to be large sides which would 
 be very undesirable in quality. In order that the best class of raw 
 material shall be used it is very desirable to set a maximum limit 
 for size. It is recommended that 24 feet shall be the limit of area 
 for all Army shoes, specifications of which call for cowhides. 
 
 QUALITY OF UPPER LEATHER. 
 
 The importance of the general quality of the upper leather is a 
 point which is second to none. After a shoe is made up it is practi- 
 cally impossible to pass any judgment regarding this, since the only 
 defects which can then be detected are serious grain damages. The 
 liberal use of cement in the manufacture of lined shoes to-day causes 
 otherwise poor uppers to appear as of better quality. It has been 
 the aim of the department to keep the vamps free from grubs, and 
 this is practically impossible unless the individual vamp is looked 
 over on both the flesh and grain sides. These facts ought to be per- 
 fectly plain even to the most uninitiated in shoemaking practice. 
 Leather going into Army shoes should not only be inspected in the 
 full side but also each individual part of the shoe should be ex- 
 amined with care, otherwise the specifications, instead of being a safe- 
 guard of the Government's interests become of little or no use. 
 
 For the specific purposes of shoes of the type adopted for the 
 Army, the ideal leather should possess certain qualifications which 
 might be named in the following order of merit : It must be tough, 
 otherwise it will quickly tear, especially at the lace holes and in 
 the parts of the vamp subjected to great strain. This qualification 
 would not be so essential in the tops of quarters which are not sub- 
 ject to such strain, but in the vamps it is indispensable ; otherwise it 
 would be impossible to properly last the shoe. It should be pliable 
 and able to withstand fatigue. This pliability is essential for com- 
 fort, but its importance may be modified according to the part of 
 the upper for which a particular piece of leather is to be used. This 
 consideration often decides its acceptance or rejection. It should be 
 able to withstand abrasive wear. It is very likely that Army shoes 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 31 
 
 may very often come in contact with sharp stones, briers, field stub- 
 ble, etc. ; therefore leather otherwise desirable, bein<^ tender on the 
 grain, is unsuitable for this purpose. 
 
 Some leathers have considerable tensile strength, yet if bent many 
 times in the same place they give way, the fibers being too short, 
 too rigid, and too compact to enable them to adapt themselves to the 
 movement of the leather. Such material, however, may have quali- 
 fications which would make it desirable for other parts of the shoe, as, 
 for example, the toe cap or counter pocket, which are not subject to 
 this flexing. 
 
 The question of waterproof leather is governed by the climatic 
 conditions of the section of the country in which it is anticipated 
 the shoes are to be worn. Obviously shoes which are to be worn 
 in the dry, arid regions of the Southwest need not be waterproof. 
 Leather should not be air-tight or the foot will always be damp and 
 cold, owing to the condensed moisture. This moisture sets up a 
 chemical reaction which soon destroys the fiber of the leather. A 
 desirable feature of shoes of russet leather is that it should be pos- 
 sible to clean them, and they should be capable of taking a high 
 polish; therefore the question of paint or pigment used by many 
 present-day leather manufacturers is important. 
 
 Few manufacturers make a line of shoes in which can be used 
 leather of the same nature as that used in the Army shoe. It is obvi- 
 ous that unless all the leather of this kind which is purchased can 
 be cut and accepted for Army purposes, a considerable financial loss 
 will result to the contractor. For this reason, as well as for the 
 safety of the Government's interests in this matter, the upper-leather 
 inspector should, before actual cutting starts, examine the leather in 
 the side, carefully considering its adaptability for Army purposes. 
 ]Ie should note the weight, general nature of the fiber and grain, the 
 number of grubs, wire scratches, grain damages, amount of pigment, 
 depth of snuffing, and the amount of grease. If in his opinion the 
 number of rejected pieces cut from this leather would be excessive, 
 he should so inform the contractor and strongly advise against its use. 
 
 While inspecting leather in the side, it is likely that the inspector 
 will meet with leather tanned from hides having a wide range of 
 quality. It is difficult to find any one hide that will possess all the 
 desirable qualities. 
 
 A hide is said to be well grown when those parts which are con- 
 sidered as offal, that is, bellies and flanks, are of a substance and 
 quality approaching that of the bend portion. The percentage of 
 good material cut from these hides is high. A hide in which, for 
 any reason, the percentage of poor material in these parts exceeds 
 the normal is said to be badly grown, and much of it will necessarily 
 be rejected. 
 
 The bellies and flanks should not be too loose, as in a measure this 
 would indicate a badly grown, poorly nourished hide. Such leather 
 should show a large percentage of rejects. 
 
 Oftentimes cowhides and kips are badly scarred by wire scratches 
 and other grain damages. In attempting to remove these blemishes 
 the surface is often buffed too deeply, thus making the grain tender. 
 There should also be an absence of harshness. 
 
 A square hide should show a better percentage of acceptable cut 
 parts, as being wide across the back it offers a greater area of the 
 
32 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 higher grade material. The long, narrow hides will offer more of 
 the poorer parts, such as the neck, the belly, and the flank. Also it 
 is usually found that these parts are much poorer in quality than 
 in the corresponding parts in the square hide. 
 
 INSPECTION OF INDIVIDUAL PARTS. 
 
 It is of great advantage to the cutter when the hide is split to a 
 uniform weight, as it results in a better matched shoe. 
 
 After having inspected the upper leather in the side, and having 
 satisfactorily conferred with the superintendent as to the advisa- 
 bility of cutting it, the cutting-room inspector should carefully ex- 
 amine each individual part cut from this leather. In doing this the 
 strain which each part will have to bear during the course of manu- 
 facture and in the wear thereof should be considered. The principal 
 strain during the process of manufacture will be in the lasting. The 
 particular strain which affects the upper most in this operation is 
 the heel to toe tension set up by the pulling-over machine. For 
 instance, if a shoe is being lasted and one of the quarters stretches 
 in the direction of this strain while the other does not the seams will 
 be crooked. Also on the garrison shoe the ears will be crooked. 
 If both quarters on one shoe stretch and those of the other do not, 
 then one shoe will come further forward on the last than the other, 
 with the result that the cap on that shoe will be shorter. If the vamp 
 is cut with the stretch in the direction of heel to toe, it will be diffi- 
 cult to pull them over properly, as the vamp will increase so much in 
 length that the shoes will not mate. If the vamp is cut with the 
 diagonal stretch, it would be impossible to keep the seams straight. 
 In a word, therefore, vamps should be cut tight. If the tip is cut 
 with the stretch lengthwise., it will be difficult to get the proper ten- 
 sion at the pulling over; also the bed laster will have difficulty in 
 lasting the toe. 
 
 On the russet marching shoe the vampers will also have difficulty 
 in stitching an upper on which either the quarter or vamp stretch 
 from heel to toe. The strain to which the different parts are subject 
 in wear must be considered. For example, in a quarter, that part 
 which is supported by the counter and counter pocket is subject 
 to the least wear, therefore the poorest parts should be placed there 
 and the best quality should be at the forepart of the quarters, other- 
 wise the vamp, being cut from prime material might by contrast 
 make the quarter look poor. Vamps should always be cut of the 
 strongest material since the constant flexing of the foot at the joint 
 is a severe strain on the leather. It is also often subject to con- 
 siderable abrasive friction at the joints. Its edge, where it meets 
 the welt, should be able to resist the wear. The tip and vamp should 
 be similar in quality. If a vamp is cut so that all its parts are not 
 uniform, then the poorest part should be under the tip or on the ex- 
 treme end of the inside wing. A small defect may with safety be 
 accepted under the tip. The caps should be of stout material, but as 
 they do not receive as much strain as the vamp they need not be 
 as heavy. 
 
 Upper leather should be resorted from tannery sorting, the lighter 
 weights to be used for the small sizes, the extreme heavy weights in 
 the large sizes, and the intermediate weights in the intermediate 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 88 
 
 sizes. Vamps, quarters, and counter pockets should be cut to pairs as 
 far as possible. They should be cut from the firm part of the hide 
 and should be of uniform color and match marked, leaving only the 
 gussets to be taken from the heads, bellies, and flanks. Gussets 
 should be cut with an absence of stretch from top to bottom, so that in 
 service they will not be pulled out of shape. 
 
 It was brought to the attention of this office that certain tanners 
 contemplated the selling of special tongue stock to shoe contractors 
 for the garrison shoe. This should be absolutely prohibited. If 
 full sides or partially cropped sides are used, as will generally be 
 used for the garrison shoe, there is no need whatsoever of any special 
 stock being used for this purpose. If permission is given to use such 
 leather the practice would become general, and it is impossible to 
 conceive of the poor leather which might find its way into the shoe. 
 Strict measures, therefore, should be taken to keep this type of 
 leather from getting into the hands of the shoe contractors. 
 
 In order to make the position of this office clear regarding the 
 use of light leather, which should only be used for tongues in the 
 construction of the garrison shoe, the following ruling has been 
 made: 
 
 No sides shall be cut in connection with the garrison shoe which, because of 
 weight and quality, are suitable only for tongues, neither shall any sides be 
 cut that will not yield some minimum weight vamps of the proper quality or 
 quarters of a minimum weight of 2 millimeters. 
 
 35285—21 3 
 
Chapter VI. 
 SOLE LEATHER. 
 
 There is no type^of leather, the quality of which must be deter- 
 mined quickly and accurately, that presents any more difficulties 
 than sole leather. The question of whether the use of dry hides should 
 be permitted in the soles of Army shoes has been the subject of much 
 comment pro and con by shoe manufacturers, tanners, and Govern- 
 ment officials. 
 
 DRY VERSUS GREEN HIDES. 
 
 Prior to 1917 green salted hides alone were provided for, but the 
 use of dry hides was allowed during the emergency, due, in the 
 opinion of the writer, to the scarcity of green salted hides. The 
 question of whether dry or green salted hides produce the better 
 leather has been decided, and the question was not decided along the 
 lines of fancy or opinion, but by results obtained from actual ex- 
 perience. 
 
 When a tanner goes into the market to buy hides on the assump- 
 tion that he is going to produce a leather of general high quality, he 
 considers nothing but a first-class green salted hide. When a tanner 
 goes into the market to buy dry hides, he knows quite well that the 
 leather they will produce will be greatly inferior to that which green 
 salted hides would produce, and that the price he will receive for the 
 finished product will be less than that he would receive if he had 
 used green salted hides. It is granted that a good dry hide when 
 properly handled will give leather that will compare quite favorably 
 with that produced from the average green salted hide, but after 
 comparing the leather generally obtained from dry hides with that 
 obtained from green salted hides the results from a point of quality 
 seem to be largely in favor of the product obtained from the use 
 of the green salted hide. In other words, in the use of leather made 
 from green salted hides one naturally expects to meet stock of a 
 general high quality, while in the use of leather made from dry hides 
 one invariably finds leather of a generally^ lower average. 
 
 The question as to why green salted hides produce better leather 
 than that obtained from dry hides may be answered thus : Dry hides, 
 as a general rule, come from cattle raised in hot countries. When 
 a hide is taken off, in order to make sure of its preservation, it 
 should be thoroughly salted. In this manner decomposition is pre- 
 vented and the hide maintains more easily its general strength of 
 fiber and pliability. Hides properly salted and handled can be 
 kept in safety for a considerable time in the green state. In the 
 countries in which dry hides are produced this fact is generally 
 
 34 
 
AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 35 
 
 overlooked, and the hides when they are taken off, instead of being 
 properly salted, are not salted at all, but are simply dried out. If 
 a hide is dried out soon after its removal from the animal there 
 is not a great deal of danger from decomposition, but decomposi- 
 tion of hide substance is so rapid that oftentimes the hide has rot- 
 ted in spots before it is dry. When the hide is dry these rotted spots 
 can not be detected, and hides which to all appearances seem in good 
 condition oftentimes turn out to be useless for any purpose. The 
 usual method of drying these skins is to suspend them in the sun 
 from stakes by the head and tail. It often happens that in the hot 
 sun they dry so quickly on the outside as to become casehardened. 
 In this condition the surface drys and hardens before the interior 
 substance is dry and the moisture, being unable to escape through 
 the hardened surface, rots the interior substance. As the result of 
 this, in the finished product it is oftentimes an easy matter to sepa- 
 rate the grain and the flesh. 
 
 It can be seen at a glance that in the use of dry hides one is 
 taking chances. In addition to these rotted spots, which either cause 
 large holes in the hide or patches where the grain is damaged, 
 there is also the question of sores and various insect bites which 
 are detrimental to the quality of the leather. When dry hides are 
 used, before they can be tanned, they must be thoroughly soaked in 
 order to make them soft enough. This can be accomplished only by 
 a prolonged soaking and by mechanical manipulation, such as wheel- 
 ing, which is always accompanied by a considerable lx)ss of valuable 
 hide substance. This is one of the main reasons why leather from 
 dry hides always feels more empty and harsh than that obtained from 
 green salted hides. 
 
 In the conclusion that green salted hides only should be used for 
 Army sole leather, the following reasons are the most important : 
 
 (a) The general average quality of leather made from green salted hides is 
 much higher than that obtained from dry hides. 
 
 1. There are more imperfections in dry hides, such as various insect bites, 
 sores, damaged grain, rotted places, and slaughter cuts caused by careless 
 stripping of the hide. 
 
 (6) Leather from dry hides never commands top market prices. 
 
 1. Whether the leather made from them is for upper or sole leather it always 
 goes into the cheaper grades. 
 
 (c) In the use of sole leather made from green salted hides the fact is 
 established at the very outset that the best and most uniform raw material has 
 been used in its manufacture. 
 
 1. It has been proved by experience that soles cut from leather tanned from 
 high-grade green salted leather have given the least trouble in regard to in- 
 spection. 
 
 2. The proper place to remedy difficulties is to go back to the raw material 
 from which the leather is made. 
 
 (d) The use of sole leather made from green salted hides will lessen the 
 cost of inspection and also increase the efficiency. 
 
 1. There will be fewer rejects and the danger of inferior stock being used 
 will be greatly reduced. 
 
 It is to be admitted that to draw a line of distinction between 
 individual soles, i. e., to tell whether one sole was cut from green 
 salted stock and another from dry, is a rather delicate proposition. 
 The problem is to be considered only in a large way. Anything that 
 will tend to raise the general standard of the Army shoe and at the 
 same time lessen the expense and increase the general efficiency of in- 
 spection is worthy of consideration. When the best raw materials 
 
36 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 are demanded and insisted upon there leaves very little room for 
 misunderstanding regarding general quality. In view of this it is 
 believed advisable, in writing specifications for any type of Army 
 shoes, that it should be clearly stated that all leather, whether in- 
 tended for the uppers or the soles of the shoes, shall be tanned only 
 from green salted hides of the highest quality. 
 
 THE VALUE OF A HIDE. 
 
 The value of a hide is sometimes greatly affected by careless or 
 unskillful handling of the butcher's knife in skinning the animal. 
 Cuts made in this manner are sometimes so numerous that the value 
 of the hide is often reduced one-half. This condition is found 
 to exist more frequently in country hides. Grub holes often lessen 
 the value of a hide. The results of this may be seen in the finished 
 liide in the form of a hole of varied size or in a healed-over scar, 
 either of which makes that portion of the hide in which they are 
 found practically worthless. 
 
 The cattle tick causes the most serious damage to the surface and 
 inner substance of the hide since it injures the fiber beyond any 
 possibility of filling with tanning material. The tick is most preva- 
 lent in warm climates, and one finds the hides decreasing in quality 
 in direct proportion to the distance from the equator. Of the 
 domestic hides Texas ones show the most tick bites, but through 
 Government supervision the tick is being practically eradicated from 
 all our Southern States. 
 
 The substance of the hide varies with the breed, the age, and the 
 sex of the animal, bull hides and buffalo hides, for instance, being 
 coarse and heavy. Also as the animal grows older the hide grows 
 coarser. Bull hides are usually heavy both in the shoulders and 
 the belly and relatively lighter in the butt. Cow hides are thin in 
 the shoulder and belly but stouter in the butt, while steer hides 
 present the most uniform substance and fiber. 
 
 TANNAGE OF HIDES. 
 
 It is important that sole leather be thoroughly tanned. Hides 
 vary in thickness, some parts being heavy, other parts being thin. 
 They also vary in texture, some being tight and offering resistance 
 to penetration. The hides should remam in the pits until even 
 the heaviest and tightest parts are thoroughly tanned. Some tanners 
 do not always wait for this. During the past emergency it was 
 not uncommon to find slack tanned sole leather. As it was impossible 
 to accept leather of this description the discovery of it at factories 
 making Army shoes caused a serious delay at a time when production 
 was of very great importance. 
 
 Leather not thoroughly tanned may be easily detected by examin- 
 ing a section of the sole. The untanned portion will be uncolored 
 bv the tanning liquid. Should there be any uncertainty, cut a thm 
 section, put it in water and hold to the light. The untanned portion 
 being really rawhide will be transparent, while the tanned part will 
 
 be opaque. 
 
 Leather that is sold by weight is often adulterated to increase 
 its weight. Filling the body of the leather with some foreign matter, 
 which serves no useful purpose except to increase the weight, is 
 
AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 37 
 
 a practice which has become very common and apparently tanners 
 do not deny it. Glucose is one of the substances commonly used 
 for this purpose. This may be found in small quantities in most 
 of the present day tanning material. Where it was certain that no 
 glucose was purposely added by the tanner, the testing of many 
 samples showed the presence of a little over 1 per cent, while tests 
 of other samples showed the presence of over 16 per cent. (Above 
 figures taken from report of Department of Commerce, Technologic 
 Papers of the Bureau of Standards No. 138.) The objections made 
 by those who disapprove of the use of glucose are, first, the leather 
 has a fictitious weight, and second, that it is easily soluble in water 
 and readily absorbs moisture ; therefore, it is not so suitable for foot- 
 wear as it becomes saturated in less time and takes longer to dry 
 than it otherwise would. 
 
 Epsom salts is another substance used for this purpose by some 
 tanners. It is usually drummed in at the same time as glucose. The 
 disadvantages of its use are that the manufacturer buys as leather 
 that which is not leather. The salt, being readily soluble, quickly 
 dissolves leaving the leather porous and much poorer in quality than 
 it appeared when accepted by the inspector. Exhaustive tests are 
 at present being made by the Bureau of Standards at Washington 
 to determine the relative wearing qualities of sole leather treated 
 bv this method and that which is untreated. 
 
 Where Epsom salts is used it sometimes makes its presence known 
 by the appearance of a bloom on the surface of the leather. This 
 is caused by spew which comes from the body of the leather. In 
 the case of Epsom salts this occurs when the leather is allowed to 
 become damp. When dried, the salts will remain on the surface in 
 the form of white crystals. 
 
 OAK-TANNED LEATHER. 
 
 Since the specifications call for soles of oak, hemlock, or union tan- 
 nage, it is thought well to touch briefly on the different qualities of 
 these tannages. 
 
 The best oak extract is obtained from the bark of the English oak. 
 The quality of this extract varies with the age of the tree, also with 
 the location of its growth. When oak bark alone is used the color is 
 a light fawn. It is the most flexible sole leather and does not become 
 hard through repeated wetting. The time taken to tan by this 
 process is so long that the price is usually higher than that of other 
 tannages. It is considered an ideal leather, although, owing to its 
 tendency to soften when subjected to dampness, it wears away more 
 quickly w^hen worn in rough, damp places. To offset this fault, 
 valonia, an extract made from certain parts of the acorn cup, is 
 sometimes used in conjunction with oak bark. This makes a more 
 tense and rigid leather. Such leather when wet does not soften as 
 does leather tanned from oak bark alone; therefore it will wear 
 longer in rough, damp places. 
 
 HEMLOCK-TANNED LEATHER. 
 
 For tanning hemlock leather the extract from the bark of the hem- 
 lock fir is used. Also the wood itself yields a tanning agent. Hem- 
 lock bark and wood contain so much resin that the extract can not 
 
38 AEMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 be dissolved without heat. In the process of tanning some of this 
 resin is deposited in the leather and, without doubt, tends to make 
 it brittle but waterproof. Leather that is tanned with hemlock bark 
 will resist water and should wear well in damp places, but the rigid 
 nature of its fiber makes it less suitable for welt work, as the fine 
 stitches often break it. It is not suitable for insoles, as it does not 
 readily lend itself to the channel-cutting process, and it is not con- 
 sidered adaptable for middle or outer soles, and should not be ac- 
 cepted for said purposes, but it can be safely accepted for top lifts 
 and prick lifts and is preferred over other tannages for this use be- 
 cause of its firmness. 
 
 It was formerly possible to tell hemlock tanned leather by the 
 color but as much of the extract is now bleached, or if this is not 
 done the leather itself is bleached, the color is lighter than formerly, 
 thereby making it almost impossible to determine the tannage by its 
 color. 
 
 UNION LEATHER. 
 
 Union leather is tanned with an extract commercially known as 
 Chestnut Oak, which is obtained from the chestnut or rock oak, used 
 in conjunction with hemlock or quebracho. The leather thus pro- 
 duced ranges in color from dark brown to pink. The oak lightens 
 the dark red of the hemlock. This leather being softer than hemlock 
 is more mellow and is suitable for use on welt work. 
 
 QUALITY OF SOLES. 
 
 Sole leather may be firm or soft according to the nature of the 
 hides from which it is tanned, the degree or nature of the tanning 
 materials used, or the degree of rolling. 
 
 The ultimate value of a sole depends upon its water-resisting 
 qualities, which are controlled by the degree and character of the 
 tannage. Slack tanned leather will absorb water very readily, while 
 heavily tanned leather will be very resistant. 
 
 The wearing quality of sole leather is dependent upon the type 
 of hide, the degree of tannage, and its water-resisting powers. 
 
 Hides vary greatly according to the time of the year the cattle 
 are slaughtered. The hides taken off in the fall are the best, 
 spring hides generally poorest. It is evident that the texture or 
 the spring hide is not quite as firm as that of fall hides, and there 
 may be some slight difference in the appearance of the fibers which 
 might raise the question of general quality. 
 
 The degree of tannage can be determined accurately by chemical 
 analysis. The best way to arrive at a set of constants would be 
 to take a side of average sole leather of good tannage and cut from it 
 a strip 3 inches wide, extending from the extreme point of the butt 
 to the extreme point of the head, and another strip at right angles 
 to this, extending from the extreme point of the belly to the back- 
 bone. Subdivide these strips into pieces 3 inches square and num- 
 ber consecutively from butt to head and from back to belly. The 
 3-inch square pieces may be divided into equal pieces IJ by 3 inches, 
 one piece to be used for the water-resisting test and the other for 
 the chemical analysis. 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 39 
 
 The water-resisting powers of sole leather may be determined by 
 weighing a piece of leather and placing it in water at 60° F. and 
 reweighing at the end of 15 minutes, replacing in water, and weigh- 
 ing at the end of every 15 minutes until complete absorption has 
 taken place. Thus the rate at which absorption takes place can be 
 determined as also the account of absorption. 
 
 The specific gravity of sole leather may be determined in two ways, 
 first, by taking a piece of leather and determining its volume oy 
 measurement, and from its weight calculating its specific gravity; 
 and second, by the immersion method, i. e., by weighmg the piece of 
 leather suspended in water and thereby obtaining its volume by 
 displacement. 
 
 From the water absorption figure a curve can be plotted from the 
 time and absorption figures. Properly tanned sole leather will give 
 a curve which will be gradual and approximate a straight line. 
 
 Excessively rolled stock will be water resisting at first, but after 
 a certain point is reached the absorption will become extremely 
 rapid. 
 
 Undertanned stock will absorb water rapidly and will give a very 
 low absorption value. 
 
 Having the above information regarding one particular tannage, 
 other tannages of standard type may be examined by taking 3-inch 
 square pieces from the vital parts of the bend and comparing the 
 same with the standard side. 
 
 With a series of standards to go by, various tannages could be 
 studied and their adaptability lor sole leather for Army shoes 
 definitely determined. 
 
 These tests are of such a nature that they can be readily made, and 
 the information gathered from them is valuable in that it furnishes 
 a solid basis for comparison. Having a set of standards as outlined 
 above, from an inspection standpoint the element of unjust personal 
 ideas would be replaced by tests that would in a measure get down 
 to the fundamental value of the leather. 
 
 The selection of the side upon which the first tests are to be made 
 must be done in the following manner: Select a particular tannage 
 of one particular sole-leather producer which is generally acknowl- 
 edged to be tha highest grade upon the market. The results obtained 
 from this tannage will be considered as standard, say 100 per cent, 
 and subsequent tests to be recorded on other tannages as plus or minus 
 percentages above or below the standard. After a sufficient number 
 of tests of this nature are made, definite limits can be established, 
 i. e., the specific gravity and the rate and amount of absorption for a 
 certain length of time to lie between certain fixed limits. 
 
 ROLLING. 
 
 Certain tannages are soft and mellow, while others, like hemlock, 
 are firm and hard. The amount of tanning materials the leather con- 
 tains determines, in a large measure, its degree of solidity. A soft, 
 loose piece of leather subjected to a thorough rolling process becomes 
 harder and harder the more its fibers are compressed, but the hard- 
 ness obtained entirely by the rolling process does not increase the 
 actual wearing qualities or resistance to water. 
 
40 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 One of the important problems that confronted the inspector 
 during the war was that of rolling sole leather. The question was 
 raised why a manufacturer should wish to roll leather which had 
 already been rolled by the tanner. The reason may be understood by 
 first considering why the tanner rolls leather. It is because it im- 
 proves its appearance and makes it more salable. If leather were only 
 dried after coming from the tan pits, without being either set out or 
 rolled, it would have a crumpled appearance and not be very solid. 
 The setting out makes it smooth on the surface, and the rolling makes 
 it appear to be firmer and better filled. 
 
 The amount of rolling done by the tanner is usualy regulated by the 
 requirements of his customers, it being understood that the manu- 
 facturer can further compress it if he so desires. Furthermore, 
 a manufacturer who makes a variety of civilian shoes prefers to roll 
 the cut parts to the degree of solidity that will best adapt them to 
 the various uses to which they are to be put. 
 
 It has been shown that leather can be injured with great ease when 
 wet. This being so, it is agreed that anything that can be done 
 with the leather which will delay its saturation must add to its wear- 
 ing power, and hence to its value. Before leather can become satu- 
 rated, the water must percolate between the fibers. These spaces con- 
 tain a quantity of hide substance as well as other gummy matter de- 
 posited by the tanning agent. In proportion to the completeness 
 with which the spaces are filled the percolation of the water will be 
 made more difficult. 
 
 When a hide is removed from the vats, this interfiber substance is 
 saturated. When it dries it shrinks and leaves a corresponding space 
 unfilled. It is argued that, through compression, the shape of these 
 spaces is changed by contracting them to meet the hardened Tanno 
 gelatine, thus making a firmer and better filled leather. The danger 
 of this practice lies in rolling the leather too wet, rolling the leather 
 too dry, and the use of too much pressure. 
 
 Leather should never be rolled when soggy, as when this is done a 
 portion of the tanning agent, which is then in solution, will be 
 squeezed out, thus undoing some of the work of the tanner. 
 
 The interfiber substance when tanned is very hard and is insoluble 
 in water, therefore to roll leather when dry would simply be to 
 crush the fiber, which is also dry, and grind it to dust against the 
 hard hide substance. 
 
 Leather should not be rolled too hard, as obviously when the fibers 
 are compressed sufficiently to fill the space left by the shrinkage of 
 the hide substance, any further pressure will have the effect of bruis- 
 ing and straining the fiber and robbing it of its nature. Thus, if 
 leather is rolled at all by the shoe manufacturer it should only be done 
 when it is mellowed or, as it is sometimes called, "mulled." This 
 means that not only has water percolated between the fibers but it has 
 been absorbed by them sufficiently to render them soft and pliable. 
 However, it should not be necessary for the manufacturer to roll 
 leather. If the tanner has prepared it for Army shoe purposes and 
 used a large proportion of the more filling tanning extracts, it should 
 already be so rigid and well filled that any further compression would 
 reduce rather than increase its value. 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. * 41 
 
 INSPECTION BEFORE AND AFTER ROLLING. 
 
 During the war occasions arose when it was deemed advisable to 
 permit the rolling of soles. In view of this fact it is not inconceiv- 
 able that similar occasions might arise in the future. Should such 
 be the case, a ruling should be made that the soles must be inspected 
 before as well as after rolling, for the reason that soles that would 
 not be accepted before rolling might be so altered in appearance 
 after being rolled, as to create a doubt in the mind of the inspector 
 relative to their acceptability. They should be inspected after roll- 
 ing to insure that the fibers have not been injured and that they still 
 measure up to the specified iron. 
 
 DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS IN SOLES. 
 
 Sole leather inspectors should seek flexibility in soles. It has been 
 ascertained that the foot of the average walker will be flexed two 
 thousand times in walking a mile, therefore a sole will be bent and 
 straightened an equal number of times. Leather must be flexible to 
 stand this strain otherwise it is liable to break where the bending 
 takes place. This is not uncommon in leather tanned with pure 
 hemlock. It may also occur in oak tanned leather where too great 
 a proportion of Velonia has been used. The amount of nature left 
 in the fiber is also important. This may be tested by cutting a thin 
 section of the leather and rolling between the finger and thumb. If 
 the nature is gone from the fiber it will crumble to dust, but if it 
 still retains its nature only the filling will be rubbed out. A good 
 test is to note how fine a stitch can be taken on the Goodj^ear stitch- 
 ins^ machine and how much strain this finely stitched leather will 
 stand. When attaching the soles of w^elt shoes many stitches are 
 taken to the inch, and if the fiber is robbed of its nature the sole will 
 break away in wear along the row of stitches. When the fiber of 
 the leather has lost its nature the leather quickly grinds away in 
 wear, whereas leather that has a lot of nature left in the fiber wears 
 longer as it does not break away. This lack of nature is caused by 
 the tanning agent contracting the fiber too forcibly. Hemlock has 
 this tendency. It is especially true with acid-tanned leather. 
 
 The fineness of the fiber is another test of the quality. To illus- 
 trate: If two pieces of leather, one having a fine fiber and another 
 having a coarse fiber, are held against a revolving, grinding stone or 
 other abrasive surface it will be found that the long-fibered piece 
 wears away much more quickly than that having the fine fiber. This 
 is explained by the fact that the cutting of one of the coarse fibers 
 destroys a much greater proportion of leather substance than does 
 the cutting of a fine one. Therefore, in selecting sole leather, fine- 
 ness of fiber is an important index of quality. A simple method of 
 estimating the length of the fiber is to bend the sole in the direction 
 of the grain. If the fibers are short, the surface will hardly be dis- 
 turbed. If the fibers are long, the grain pipes or forms in ridges, 
 the piping increasing in size in proportion to the length of the fiber. 
 
 It is important that the leather be nonabsorbent as, in addition to 
 the liability that the wearer may have damp feet, leather is much 
 easier to bruise when wet than when dry ; therefore it is more quickly 
 cut by rough stones and gravel when wet, thus reducing the wearing 
 
42 • ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 quality. Here again the desirability of having an apparatus for de- 
 termining the water-resisting powers of leather makes itself manifest. 
 
 MULLING. 
 
 As the term " mull " will be more or less frequently used in dealing 
 with the process of construction, a brief explanation of what it 
 means may be of some value. It has already been explained that the 
 spaces between the fibers are more or less completely filled with a 
 material termed " Tanno " gelatine or hide substance. When leather 
 is immersed, the water quickly percolates the spaces and surrounds 
 the fiber, but leather is not mulled until the fibers have absorbed 
 enough of this watet to render them soft and pliable. For an illus- 
 tration: A vial is filled with grains of rice, representing the fiber. 
 If water is now poured into the vial the water quickly filters between 
 the grains, but some time must elapse before the grains themselves 
 absorb this water and become soft. This is also true of the fibers of 
 leather. 
 
 The approved method of mulling is to permit the leather to soak 
 until it has taken in all the water it will. This will usually be when 
 air bubbles cease to rise to the surface. The leather should then be 
 removed from the tank, put in a damp place, and covered with damp 
 burlap for from 12 to 24 hours before using. 
 
 UNITS CONSIDERED UNDER SOLE LEATHER. 
 
 Under the classification of sole leather are placed all those parts 
 which are used in the construction of the bottom of the shoe, namely, 
 the outer sole, middle sole, inner sole, top lift, prick lift, heel lift, 
 counter, and bottom filler. 
 
 OUTER SOLE. 
 
 In examining outer soles presented for inspection the inspector 
 should ever have in mind the usage which this part of the bottom 
 must undergo in the course of manufacture and wear. Leather for 
 this particular unit should possess flexibility. It should be able to 
 withstand the constant bending to which it is subjected in wear. It 
 should possess a tough, closely knitted fiber to insure maximum re- 
 sistance to the grinding, abrasive wear of rough, graveled roads. 
 It should be well filled to insure the greatest possible resistance to 
 water penetration. The specifications plainly state the weight of 
 the outer sole. The item permits of no question or deviation. The 
 outer sole must be cut from the best part of the hide, i. e., the bend. 
 The bend should not be longer than 52 inches, nor wider than 28 
 inches. The grain should be fine and free from any imperfections 
 which might injure the wearing quality. Such imperfections include 
 open grub holes, brands, or deep open grain scars. Soles having 
 soft spots or slaughter cuts must not be accepted. The specifications, 
 however, permit the use of soles having heeled-over grubs and wire 
 scratches. It is particularly emphasized in the specifications that 
 the outer soles must be of the best quality, and when a manufacturer 
 accepts a contract for making Army shoes that is what he agrees to 
 furnish. The inspector must accept nothing less. 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 45 
 
 MIDDLE SOLES. 
 
 Specifications state that middle soles shall be cut from full-grain 
 oak or union tanned leather backs of the best quality. They should 
 be fine and firm, free from brands, cuts, or holes. This office inter- 
 prets the specifications for middle soles to mean that in every respect, 
 with the exception of weight, they should be of the same fiber and 
 quality as the outer sole. 
 
 INSOLE. 
 
 The most important purpose of the insole is to act as a base to 
 which the upper and the bottom are attached, hence the character of 
 the material must be carefully examined. It has been said that the 
 insole is the foundation of the shoe. The outsole may be of the 
 very best material, but what advantage is this if the insole is defi- 
 cient? "^Yhen the outsole is worn through it can, with more or less 
 ease, be repaired, but a faulty insole renders the shoe useless, even 
 while the outsole is in good condition; yet it can not be repaired 
 unless the shoe is remade. Therefore, in selecting insoles, great 
 care should be exercised to insure efficiency. 
 
 A prime requisite for a Goodyear insole is flexibility. The belly, 
 therefore, and parts of the shoulder of special tannages, are most 
 suitable for this class of insole. Goodyear insoles should preferably 
 be from oak tanned leather. The fiber must not be too fine or it will 
 break away at the inseaming operation. The fiber must not be too 
 long or the seam will pull out of shape. The material must not be 
 too soft or a grinning seam will result. One of the requirements of 
 an insole is that it be of sufficient substance so that after being chan- 
 neled the required depth there will be sufficient material left to hold 
 down the heavy upper to the outline of the last. Insoles presented 
 for inspection should be carefully examined for the following quali- 
 fications : Flexibility, ability to hold the stitching with a strong ten- 
 sion, ability to withstand great stress, i. e., the tendency to break 
 away with constant bending, and ability to withstand dampness. An 
 examination of many reclaimed Army shoes shows a pronounced tend- 
 ency of the insole to crack on the grain side. This is due to the alter- 
 nate Avetting and drying from the moisture of the foot. Experience 
 with civilian shoes shows that this tendency is less pronounced in 
 shoes having the grain lightly removed by buffing, and it would seem 
 that a corresponding result should be obtained in Army shoes by 
 the adoption of a similar method. 
 
 The center of the belly — that is, the part between the two shanks — 
 contains the best leather for insoles. It is more even in substance, 
 less liable to stretch, has most strength in its fiber, and is most 
 mellow. When inspecting insoles cut from shoulders care should 
 be taken that the fiber is of suitable length for the purpose, as soles 
 cut too near the backbone are apt to be too short fibered. The 
 slightest tendency to crack on the grain should be sufficient cause 
 for rejection. 
 
 This office interprets the specifications to mean that the minimum 
 iron on bottom stock relates to the piece of stock after it has been 
 through what ever operations are necessary to prepare it for use in 
 bottoming the shoe, i. e., if the operation be splitting, fleshing, or 
 leveling, this is to be done before the selection is put before the 
 
44" ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 inspector, and the minimum iron in specifications will regulate the 
 acceptance of stock after fitting. 
 
 TOP LIFTS. 
 
 Top lifts shall be cut from leather of the same quality as the out- 
 sole and from the bend portion of the hide. It must be firm and of 
 fine grain, free from any defect that will lessen the wear. In view 
 of the fact that the top lifts are not subject to flexing in wear, it is 
 permitted to accept top lifts of hemlock tannage, as in some respects 
 this tannage is the one best adapted for this purpose. Top lifts that 
 have been put through the condensing or compressing process must 
 not be accepted. ^ 
 
 PRICK LIFTS. 
 
 Prick lifts shall in all respects conform to the requirements of the 
 top lifts, except that the maximum weight need not be so great. 
 
 HEEL LIFTING. 
 
 It is expected and required that the heel lifting be of good sub- 
 stantial leather suitable for the purpose. Obviously, the same tex- 
 ture and fiber need not be expected in the heel lifts that is required in 
 an outsole or middle sole, yet they should be of a firm substance and 
 free from holes or cuts. Heels should never be built with the front 
 higher than the back, therefore, if good results are to be obtained, the 
 front of the lift must not be heavier than the back. As both sides 
 of the heel must be alike in height, lifts should not be accepted with 
 one side heavier than the other. Lifts should be clean of flesh, 
 otherwise it will be impossible to obtain a good finish. 
 
 GOUGE LIFTS. 
 
 Former specifications for Army shoes required the use of a rand 
 at the bottom of the heel so that it might conform more readily 
 to the convex surface of the heel seat. During the process of manu- 
 facture and wear of the shoe, this rand was found to show a strong 
 tendency to break out, and was therefore discarded in favor of the 
 gouged bottom lift. This lift, to be satisfactory, must be properly 
 gouged so that when the heel is compressed the under surface will 
 present an appearance and shape similar to the heel upon which 
 the rand has been used. It must be sufficiently gouged or in the 
 compressing there will be an excessive pressure in the middle of the 
 heel while the edges will not receive enough to make them solid, 
 and the finished heel may check. 
 
 WELTING. 
 
 It is important that the proper substance be used in welting. 
 Shoulder welting of proper fiber and flexibility is found most suit- 
 able for Army shoes. The welting must be full grain and cut from 
 leather tanned for this purpose. No buffalo leather will be accepted. 
 The inspector should see that the welting is not too hard or bony, 
 as this kind of material makes good inseaming almost impossible. 
 It should not be too soft or spong}- , as it will take up and stretch in 
 the inseaming operation. The inspector should guard against an 
 
AKMi SHOES AND SHOE i^ASTS. 45 
 
 excess of short laps. It has been found that in a roll of welting 
 there may occur a number of splices of inferior welting, and in 
 such cases the entire roll or hank should be rejected. The proper 
 groove and bevel are important. 
 
 COUNTERS. 
 
 Counters must be of good quality sole leather, made flat, and 
 must conform to the standard pattern furnished. The inspector 
 must examine the counter for flesh cuts and soft spots. Extremely 
 hard, bony shin counters should not be accepted, as it is difficult to 
 make such counters properly conform to the shape of the last. 
 The principal use of the counter is to brace the heel section of the 
 shoe, as without it the upper will be crowded down over the heel. 
 It also serves to center the foot over the heel when walking. There- 
 fore, a counter must be sufficiently rigid to perform these functions. 
 The skiving of the counter is important. Unless the edges are 
 skived to a proper weight at the bottom it will be impossible for 
 the laster to secure a good heel seat; if the ends are too thick the 
 butts of the welts will bulge ; if the top edge is too blunt the counter 
 will present an unsightly appearance on the outside and will very 
 likely injure the foot of the wearer at this point. 
 
 BOTTOM FILLERS. 
 
 Bottom fillers are for the purpose of filling the cavity existing 
 between the ribs of the channeled insole. The value and necessity 
 of this filler is evident. It facilitates the making of an even bottom 
 both inside and out. It serves to prevent the foot pressure from 
 forcing the insole down and forming ridges and hollows. It also 
 helps to make the shoe more damp-proof. 
 
 The use of Besto or Arabol, preparations of ground cork and 
 cement, have superseded that of the solid filler in civilian shoes 
 and may be considered satisfactory for that purpose, but after ex- 
 perimenting with both kinds it was decided that the solid filler best 
 answers the purpose for the Army shoe. 
 
 It is required by the specifications that fillers be of sole leather 
 and must be 4 iron in thickness. It is not necessary that leather 
 for fillers be of the same nature or fiber as are those parts which 
 are subject to abrasive wear. 
 
 The inspector should see that fillers are of proper weight, free 
 from holes, and sufficiently rigid to prevent creeping. 
 
 The bottom filling as at present used in the Army shoes comes in 
 two parts, i. e., the forepart filler and the shank filler. These should 
 join at the waist. The forepart filler is skived with a scarf at the 
 l3reast, while the shank filler is correspondingly skived in order 
 that the two might lap and leave an even joint. While every pre- 
 caution is taken by the inspector to insure the proper lap at this 
 joint, it is sometimes found in the finished shoe that they are lapped 
 in such fashion as to leave a depression at this joint, or they may 
 overlap to such an extent as to leave a bunch. Either of these 
 faults is serious. To overcome this, it is recommended that a 
 one-piece filler be used that will completely fill the space between 
 the channels extending from the extreme end of the toe to that 
 part of the upper on the heel seat which is broken over in the lasting. 
 
Chapter VII. 
 FINDINGS. 
 
 THREAD. 
 
 In the making of Army shoes three kinds of thread are used — 
 cotton, linen, and silk. There is considerable difference in the fiber 
 from which these various threads are made. The fiber from which 
 linen thread is made is obtained from the stalk or stem of the plant. 
 Cotton fiber differs from flax in that it is obtained from the fruit of 
 the plant. Cotton fiber is quite free from any joint or unevenness, 
 there being only one cell in its entire length, hence it is smoother than 
 flax; and, on account of its fineness, it can be spun into much finer 
 yarn. 
 
 The method of obtaining flax fiber is by " retting." This process 
 consists of exposing the plant to the elements until the woody tissues 
 surrounding the fibers are decomposed. Care must be used that over 
 retting does not occur, as in that case the fiber will become brittle 
 and weak. Flax fiber also suffers deterioration in the bleaching 
 process, therefore the whiter it is bleached the weaker it usually is. 
 
 Cotton withstands the damp better than flax. From experiments 
 made it would appear that alternate moistening and drying on hot 
 cylinders has little or no ill effect on the cotton fibers. It also has 
 been concluded that the tensile strength of cotton is not injured by 
 the bleaching process. 
 
 Linen is the thread most commonly used for bottoming purposes, 
 although in the cheaper grades cotton is used. Of late cotton is 
 being used more extensively for upper stitching purposes, even in 
 the better grades of shoes. Those who favor the use of cotton for 
 upper stitching claim that it possesses all the characteristics required 
 in a shoe such as that made under Specifications 1258. These quali- 
 fications are tensile strength, ability to withstand dampness, and 
 nonelasticity of the thread. As regards the tensile strength, it is 
 claimed that a good grade of cotton with the proper twist is equal 
 to the same size linen thread. The twist has an important bearing 
 on the strength. If two finished cotton threads of uniform size are 
 twisted, both of No. 40, one having three cords and the other made 
 up of six cords, the one having six cords would be found to be the 
 stronger. This is due to the more intricate twist. Regarding ability 
 to withstand dampness, cotton is superior to linen. 
 
 tSilk is also considerably affected by the bleaching process, actual 
 tests showing that although the strength of a certain size yellow silk 
 is 7^ pounds, the same size white is 6 pounds, while a black is only 5 
 pounds. 
 46 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 47 
 
 Compared with silk, cotton is less elastic, hence a tight seam may 
 be secured with less tension than with silk. This tightness of the 
 seam is important, and if there is any free play between the parts, 
 cotton will stand much better than would silk, as it is well known 
 that the latter has a tendency to cut off. The stitching operator 
 favors the use of cotton because it possesses a uniform thickness, 
 smoothness, and softness ; also there is an absence of any tendency to 
 curl. For this reason it is possible to use a needle with a smaller 
 eye as there will be less friction caused by the passage of the thread, 
 and a good cotton can not be much affected with the slight friction 
 which does take place. 
 
 One of the undoubted points of superiority of silk over any other 
 thread is the appearance of the stitch. To some extent this ap- 
 pearance may be imitated by the use of the silk-finish cotton. 
 
 Threads may have either a left or a right hand twist, the object 
 being that the twist will throw the loop in the direction of the 
 point of the shuttle, thus reducing the chances of missing a stitch. 
 The left hand twist is recommended for single needled machines 
 and also for the right hand needle of double needled machines. In 
 the left hand needle of the two needled machines the right hand twist 
 should be used. It should be remembered that cotton threads are 
 made up of from two to nine strands. The tendency to untwist in 
 use is most marked in those having the least number of strands. As, 
 for example, when six strands are used, these are first wound in 
 pairs and the pairs are then wound in an opposite direction. This 
 method results in less tendency to untwist. This is not so of silk. 
 
 Even on the higher grades of shoes, when cost is not considered, 
 silk is not used for both top and bottom threads due to the greater 
 elasticity of silk. 
 
 A tighter seam may be obtained by using cotton in the shuttle. 
 The fact that this combination is most universally used in civilian 
 shoes would seem to indicate that it is sufficiently strong. For 
 heavy work, such as shoes made under Specifications 412-2-9, linen, 
 if intelligently used in the stitching operation, should be most sat- 
 isfactory. 
 
 The color of the thread is a matter which should be given con- 
 siderable attention by the inspector, as in the past it has often been 
 found necessary to reject shoes at the final inspection owing to the 
 decided contrast between the color of the thread used and the color 
 of the upper. It is desirable at all times that threads which show 
 on the outside should closely approximate the upper in color. 
 
 At frequent and irregular intervals laboratory tests are made of 
 thread and stay tape which are taken directly from the machine. 
 Silk and cotton threads are given a tensile test and they are re- 
 quired to stand a pull of 12 pounds. If after this any doubt remains 
 regarding the quality, a further test is made by the use of acids. 
 Specifications make no mention regarding the tensile strain which 
 linen thread must withstand, nor can it be found that any standard 
 exists. Under these circumstances the tests must be more or less 
 perfunctory. ^ It is recommended that tests be made of a number 
 of the recognized higher grades of linen threads and from the re- 
 sults of these a fair standard be established which may govern all 
 future tests. 
 
48 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 NEEDLES. 
 
 The needle used in stitching uppers has several important parts. 
 The gauge of the needle must be such that it makes a hole sufficiently 
 large for the thread to pass through the leather without undue 
 friction and that the lock may be drawn into the correct position 
 without unnecessary tension on the top thread. The particular 
 gauge required will depend upon the thread being used and the 
 nature of the material being stitched, it being evident that the lock 
 made with a soft silk would easily pass through a hole that would 
 be too small for a hard linen thread. Also the softer and lighter ma- 
 terials used in shoes of Specifications 1258 would not require as large 
 a hole as the heavier material of shoes of Specifications 412-2-9. 
 The hole made by the needle should be completely filled by the 
 thread, but should not be so small that the thread is injured as it 
 is drawn through the material. 
 
 The eye of the needle is important since the thread must pass 
 through it continuously in forming the stitch. It should be as large 
 as possible for the gauge of the needle. This is so that the thread 
 will not be injured by the friction in passing: throuah it even when 
 the hole made in the leather is sufficiently large. It is also impor- 
 tant that the needle have a well-finished eye as. manifestly, if any 
 small burr or roughness is left it will have an injurious effect on the 
 thread as it passes through. This latter feature is considered of 
 such importance by one large manufacturer that girls are employed 
 to place each needle in a holding device and smooth finish the eye by 
 passing back and forth through it a thread coated with a fine 
 abrasive. This eliminates the possibility of issuing needles to the 
 operators which may have improperly finished eyes. 
 
 Needles are made with different shaped points, and the selection 
 of the point best adapted for the Avork is important. When linings 
 of shoes of Specifications 1258 are being stitched the round point 
 should be used, as this style point does not cut the material, but 
 merely pushes its way between the threads. For stitching uppers of 
 Army shoes the best results are obtained with the triangular point. 
 
 The strength of an upper seam is ffone when the loops of the 
 stitch are destroyed, hence the stitch which is least exposed to injury 
 would seem to be the one which would last the longest. Observa- 
 tion and inquiry from stitching-room experts lead to the conclusion 
 that the triangular-pointed needle is the one which secures the most 
 protection for the stitch, because when the stitch is being made the 
 thread sinks into the cut made by the needle, thus affording more 
 protection to the stitch and insuring longer life. 
 
 LACES. 
 
 Laces must be of fast color and tubular weave. They must be 
 able to withstand a tensile strength test of 120 pounds. At irregular 
 periods tests are made at this office of laces taken at random from 
 those being used in the factories making Army shoes. These tests 
 are made to determine the tensile strength, durability of the color, 
 and the manner in which the metal tips are attached. After testing 
 for the above qualifications, a section of the lace (about 2 inches long) 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 49 
 
 is taken and from it the threads are separated and counted. The 
 number of threads have been found to vary, but in no instance 
 where the number of threads is less than 88 has the lace been able to 
 successfully meet the required test of 120 pounds. In addition to 
 these periodical tests, the inspector at the factory is required to make 
 daily examinations of the laces and assure himself that no laces are 
 being used that are not of the specified length and color. 
 
 TACKS. 
 
 All heel-seat tacks should be of a length sufficient to firmly attach 
 the parts without leaving any unnecessary surplus of metal on the 
 inside of the heel seat. Tacks used for attaching the insole to the 
 last should be not larger than 2^ ounce, as any larger size leaves 
 the grain of the insole broken when withdrawn and may quickly 
 destroy the bottom of the last. 
 
 HEEL NAILS. 
 
 Heel-attaching nails should be of Swede's iron No. 14, of proper 
 ■ length for the purpose. They should be of the type known as " half 
 rough " to enable them to more firmly grip the fibers of the leather. 
 Owing to the great thickness of leather in the soles of garrison shoes, 
 it is not necessary that the heel nails should clinch or burr on the 
 inside of the heel seat. It is sufficient that they barely show on the 
 surface. 
 
 EYELETS. 
 
 Corrected Specifications 412-2-9, June 2, 1919, state that eyelets 
 must have celluloid tops. This style eyelet is much to be preferred 
 to the one which is merely enameled, as the latter soon wears off 
 leaving the metal surface exposed, thus causing the laces to be quickly 
 worn away. The diameter of the hole of the eyelet is stated in the 
 specifications but the length of the barrel is not. Where the eyelet 
 facing and quarter are properly leveled a barrel five thirty-seconds 
 of an inch gives the ideal clinch. A longer barrel would leave a 
 series of rough edges at the clinch in addition to which the clinch 
 would not be so strong. 
 
 SHANK. 
 
 One of the useful purposes served by the shank is to assist in pre- 
 serving the arch of the instep. The opinion has been advanced that 
 the shank used in the present Army shoe tends to make it too rigid, 
 but when it is considered that the point where the shoe is flexed in 
 walking is at the joint just in front of the shank, this opinion does 
 not seem to be well founded. It is not difficult to imagine that the 
 duties of a soldier might include walking over hard, broken surfaces, 
 digtring. or climbing ladders. In this case a rigid shank would be 
 desirable. Hence the opinion is advanced here that the design of 
 shank as used well serves this purpose. Shanks should be as wide as 
 possible without interfering with the inseam. They should be of 
 
 3528.5—21 4 
 
50 AEMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 the length required to properly lap the forepart filler, and should 
 reach from under the heel far enough forward to give support to all 
 that part of the sole which does not rest upon the ground. 
 
 The size of the shank and steel should be as follows : Thickness of 
 steel, one thirty-seconds of an inch ; width of steel, five-eighths of an 
 inch ; length of steel, sizes 5 to 6^, 3i inches ; 7 to 8 J, 3^ inches ; 9 to 
 lOJ, 3f inches; 11 to 12, 4 inches. The leatherboard must extend 
 to the back of the heel in the shoe to meet the edge of the vamp 
 that is turned over in lasting and fill the cavity in the center of the 
 heel. Leatherboard should be one-eighth of an inch in thickness. 
 
Chapter VIII. 
 PREPARATION OF BOTTOM STOCK. 
 
 Everything that can be done to assist the subsequent operations 
 should be attended to in the sole-leather room. In order to accom- 
 plish this the sole-leather inspector should keep in touch with the 
 making-room inspector, through the inspector in charge, relative to 
 the manner in which the prepared units of bottoming leather meet 
 their respective requirements. One of the most important matters to 
 consider is the amount of skiving or fleshing. The substance of sole 
 leather varies so sharply that unless it is first made level it is diffi- 
 cult to obtain satisfactory results in the attaching and finishing. 
 For this reason, as well as for the purpose of removing any surplus 
 flesh, each insole, middle sole, and outsole should be uniform in weight 
 from heel to toe. This work must he done hefore soles are submitted 
 for inspection^ as a sole must measure up to the required iron after 
 skiving. 
 
 INSOLE. 
 
 After the insole has been inspected and stamped it is rounded to 
 conform to the shape of the pattern furnished for the particular 
 size of shoe for which it is to be used. In rounding care should be 
 taken that the sole completely fills the pattern and that it is so 
 clamped in the machine that there will be no possibility of it being 
 dragged to one side by the action of the rounding knife. Either oi 
 these faults will result in an irregularly shaped insole that will not 
 fit the bottom of the last. 
 
 The insole is next channeled. The most approved method of per- 
 forming this operation is by the Johnson or Economy system, by 
 which two channels are cut, one from the outside and one from the 
 inside. Having in mind the extension required by specifications for 
 the finished edge, the best results are obtained by using the following 
 measurements : Width of the outside channel 2^/16 inch on the out- 
 side ball, 3/16 on the toe, 3/16 on the inside ball, and 4J/16 to 5/16 
 on the butt. These dimensions may be varied slightly according to 
 the thickness of the upper. The distance between the base of the 
 outside lip and that of the inside should be one-eighth of an inch. 
 The two lips are then turned up and fastened to form a rib to which 
 the welt and upper are afterwards attached, either by stitching or by 
 cementing them together. If a good grade of cement is used the 
 latter method is preferred. When the cementing method is used, 
 however, careless operators sometimes fail to roll the outside lip 
 back to its full extent on the toe. This is a serious defect and is suffi- 
 cient cause for rejection. 
 
 51 
 
52 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 The insole is next feather edged ; that is, the edge is slightly beveled 
 on the grain side. The object of this is to eliminate the possibility 
 of any discomfort caused by the rough edge coming in contact with 
 the foot. It is sometimes found that the strength of the lip is 
 weakened by the use of a feed wheel having teeth too large or too 
 sharp, a condition to be guarded against by the inspector. 
 
 The insole is next reinforced by the addition on the flesh side of a 
 strip of 9-ounce canvas, coated on the underside with cement. The 
 canvas should extend from top of lip on one side across insole to top 
 of lip on opposite side. Serious difficulty has been experienced in the 
 past with the use of insoles gemmed with canvas extending to edge 
 of insole, causing an air space or bubble between the channel and the 
 canvas which is liable to tear the canvas when the welt is sewed on. 
 Great care should be taken that the canvas is tightly formed in at the 
 base of the inside channel, otherwise it will tear at the inseaming 
 operation, thus becoming useless for the purpose intended. 
 
 WELTING. 
 
 Shoe manufacturers generally prefer to purchase welting that has 
 been grooved and beveled, ready for attaching without further 
 fitting at the factory. Of late, however, the practice of buying 
 plain welting and grooving and beveling it at their own plants to 
 better adapt it to their individual use has become more common. 
 This grooving and beveling has a very important bearing on the 
 success of the inseaming operation, as the durability of the welt 
 may be affected by the depth of the grooving. Inquiries made of 
 welters, foremen, and welt manufacturers result in the conclusion 
 that the proper depth of the groove is one-third of the thickness of 
 the welt. A hard, firm welt may be more easily worked with a 
 slightly deeper groove. It has been demonstrated that the best 
 results are obtained with Army grade welting that has a groove 
 three-sixty- fourths of an inch deep. The correct bevel should start 
 from a point directly opposite the inside wall of the groove. The 
 inspector should give careful attention to this particular detail ir- 
 respective of whether the contractor buys welting grooved and 
 beveled or has these operations performed in his own factory. 
 
 OUTSOLES AND MIDDLE SOLES. 
 
 The outsole should be properly fleshed and made level. As these 
 soles are to later undergo a fitting operation known as rough round- 
 ing it is not customary to round them by pattern in the sole-leather 
 room, but the sole-leather inspector should see that in casing up 
 outer and middle soles they are large enough to furnish sufficient 
 material to permit the proper performance of the subsequent opera- 
 tion. The inspector in charge should keep the sole-leather inspector 
 informed regarding such matters. 
 
 The specifications ordinarily permit the use of middle soles of less 
 than 7 iron if for each one-half iron decrease there shall be an 
 increase of 1 iron in the outsole, but no middle sole shall be accepted 
 under 6 iron in weight. Where the manufacturer takes advantage 
 of this clause the inspector should see that in casing up the correct 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 53 
 
 combination of soles is made, and that a case of light middle soles is 
 not combined with a case of outsoles, the iron of which has not been 
 correspondingly increased. 
 
 For the purpose of eliminating the loud and disagreeable squeak 
 which so often developes in a shoe of this type, the specifications 
 should require the middle soles and outsoles to be thoroughly 
 cemented together. To make this method more effective, the grain 
 of the middle sole must be roughed. A coat of cement must be 
 applied to the roughened grain side of the middle sole and another 
 to the flesh side of the outsole before putting them together. This 
 serves, also, to prevent the two soles from slipping out of place at 
 the rounding and stitching operation. 
 
 Soles are next placed in the molder and given sufficient pressure to 
 form them to the shape of the bottom of the last. This process 
 increases the effectiveness of Goodyear stitching. It helps to make 
 a tighter inseam, as much of the strain required to bring the heavy 
 double sole and welt together is thereby eliminated. During all the 
 operations the soles should be sufficiently mulled and in proper 
 temper, and should leave the sole-leather room in the correct state 
 of mellowness for the processes which follow. 
 
 HEEL BUILDING. 
 
 In order to obtain the most uniform results in the finished heel the 
 lifts should be graded for weight. When this is not done the height 
 of the heel will vary. 
 
 After the heel has been built it is placed in a machine which sub- 
 jects it to a tremendous pressure. As the pressure adjustment is- 
 constant at the point required to produce a given height heel, it 
 follows that if the heel is built too high this pressure will be addi- 
 tionally increased. For the reason explained under " Eolling of 
 leather," this pressure can not but result in injury to the fibers thus 
 compressed. On the other hand, if the heel is built too low, sufficient 
 pressure will not be exerted to properly solidify the heel. 
 
 The lifts must be in proper temper and be well pasted on both 
 sides before being compressed. The proper degree of concavity 
 should be given the bottom lift. Heels are to be made with a straight 
 breast line. In some factories the breasting is done in the sole- 
 leather room. There is an advantage in this method as the machine 
 on which this work is done can be adjusted to cut an exceedingly 
 fine chip, thus leaving the fullest possible length of the heel. It 
 also eliminates the danger of cutting the sole at the shank through 
 inaccurate adjustment or improper grinding of the knife, as often 
 happens when the heel is breasted after being attached to the shoe. 
 
Chapter IX. 
 FITTING. 
 
 SKIVING. 
 
 For appearance, comfort, and strength the edges of the different 
 sections of the uppers are generally reduced in thickness before 
 being stitched together, the various seams calling for special treat- 
 ment in the width and depth of the scarf. On seams like the back, 
 which after skiving are stitched together, then opened out flat, the 
 scarf need not be wide or deep, but it should be sufficient to make 
 it easy to lay the seams down smoothly without straining the stitch. 
 The greatest thickness of material should be left just where the 
 stitches are laid and yet have a seam that will lay down flat when 
 opened out. The extreme edge should be left with the necessary 
 thickness to firmly hold the stitches, otherwise the operator must 
 run further in from the edge. This lengthening of the stitch in- 
 creases the difficulty of making the seam lay flat. Lapped seams, 
 such as are provided for on the garrison shoe, are stronger than 
 the closed seam. They are used for attaching tips, vamps, counter 
 pockets, and tongues. The edge of the quarter which is to be upper- 
 most need not be skived; the underneath edge, however, the part 
 which overlaps, should be skived as deeply as is consistent with 
 safety and strength. The primary object of the skiving in this 
 case is comfort, and the width of the scarf should depend on the 
 substance and the laps allowed. The bottom of the quarter and 
 counter pocket should be skived sufficiently to reduce to a minimum 
 the difficulty of wiping in the heel seat and to secure the flat effect 
 so much desired at this point. For the sake of appearance, edges 
 left raw, such as the straight edge of the tip, the front of the 
 quarter, and the edges of the counter pocket, should also be skived. 
 The skiving knife in this case should be set a trifle heavier than the 
 minimum weight called for in the specifications for the particular 
 piece being skived. This avoids the clumsiness of an unskived 
 edge and makes a more uniform tension possible. To facilitate 
 the folding in of the surplus material at the toe, the vamp and tip 
 should be skived at this point. Care should be taken that the scarf 
 is only of such width that when the shoe is welted the needle will 
 pass through the unskived part. Specifications for skiving the 
 edges of the different parts follow. This will vary slightly accord- 
 ing to the substance of the material to be skived. 
 
 Specifications 412-2-9 state in regard to upper leather skiving : 
 
 Quarters are to be skived at the back on the flesh side with a scarf three- 
 sixteenths inch wide to even the uppers to a uniform thickness; the quarter 
 where skived is to be not less than 1.5 millimeters in thickness. Quarters are 
 to be skived on the bottom where the heel seat is lasted in on the flesh side 
 
 54 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 55 
 
 with a scarf not over five-eighths inch wide, the skived part of the quarter to 
 be not less than 1.5 millimeters in thickness when skived. Vamps are to be 
 skived on the flesh side at the point where the vamp joins the quarter in the 
 shank with a scarf three-sixteenths inch wide, this part to be not less than 
 1.5 millimeters in thickness when skived. Vamps are to be skived at the 
 throat on the flesh side with a scarf one-fourth inch wide, the edge of the 
 throat of the vamp not to be over 1 millimeter in thickness. Vamps are to be 
 skived at the toe with a scarf five-sixteenths inch wide to allow for proper 
 lasting of toe. Counterpockets are to be slightly skived on the flesh side with 
 a scarf three-sixteenths inch in width and to measure on the skived part not 
 less than 1.5 millimeters. Tops of quarters are to be slightly skived on the 
 flesh side. Tongues may be slightly skived at the bottom where the tongue 
 joins the vamp at the throat on the grain side with a scarf not to exceed one- 
 fourth inch in width, and the tongue to measure not less than 1 millimeter in 
 thickness where skived. 
 
 ASSEMBLING. 
 
 The fitting-room inspector will see that the various parts as ac- 
 cepted by the upper-leather inspector are correctly assembled. Care- 
 less handling at this point may cause an interchange of parts, which 
 might result seriously if not discovered before the fitting began. 
 Notwithstanding that all parts of the upper have previously been 
 inspected and accepted, the fitting-room inspector is to consider it 
 a part of his duties to note the weight and quality of the parts in 
 so far as it is possible while checking up the workmanship. If 
 pieces are found of inferior quality, it will not be too late to prevent 
 their incorporation into the shoe. Both upper and under threads in 
 use on the different machines must be inspected at frequent intervals 
 during the day and their finish, size, and color carefully observed. 
 
 It will be noticed that the throat and the wing of the vamp are 
 to be skived to different degrees of thickness, thus making two 
 operations necessary. It has been found in some instances that in 
 order to eliminate one operation some foremen have altered these 
 weights without authorization. Such practices must be guarded 
 against. Gussets should be split to a uniform weight, preferably 
 on a belt knife. Side facings should be split to a weight corre- 
 sponding to the gusset. 
 
 CRIMPING. 
 
 Vamps should be crimped to a proper break to conform easily 
 to the shape of the last on a machine of the Lockett type or equal, 
 avoiding excessive side pressure and heat. Vamps should be allowed 
 to remain set between the jaws a sufficient period to insure effective 
 crimping. Not more than one pair of vamps should be crimped 
 at once, as the outside vamps will stretch and the location marks 
 become misplaced. During this operation it often happens that the 
 plates become overheated, due to carelessness on the part of the 
 operator ; consequently it is recommended that a discarded vamp be 
 placed upon the outside of the vamps which are to be crimped, 
 thus preventing any excessive heat that may be in the plates from 
 burning the grain, making it brittle and tender. 
 
 TYPE OF STITCH. 
 
 There are different types of stitches used in the upper fitting of 
 boots and shoes, namely, the chain stitch, the lock stitch, and the 
 union special double lock stitch. The specifications usually state 
 
66 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 that the stitching on all parts of the upper, except that closing the 
 back seam and the seam made in stitching the eyelet facing to the 
 quarter, shall be done with a lock stitch. This makes no mention of 
 the barring row, which experience has fully demonstrated is most 
 satisfactorily done with a Puritan chain stitch. While there can 
 be no question as to the all-round superiority of the single lock 
 stitch for use on unlined uppers, such as the shoes made • under 
 Specifications 412-2-9, yet there were many contractors whose fac- 
 tories were equipped with the union special double lockstitch 
 machine for tip stitching who claimed that a seam stitched with 
 it had greater tensile strength than any other, and also possessed 
 greater elasticity. This latter feature is desirable in tip stitching, 
 as the strain of the pulling-over machine at this point stretches this 
 seam to some extent, and it being universally conceded that the 
 single lock stitch is the least elastic of all seams it follows that 
 any undue longitudinal strain will cause the stitches to break. 
 
 For the purpose of ascertaii*ing the relative tensile strength of 
 seams made with the different types of stitches, tests were made for 
 the Union Special Machine Co. by J. E. Howard, Government ex- 
 pert, August 3, 1894. Assuming the correctness of these tests, the 
 union special lock stitch is stronger than either the chain stitch or the 
 single lock stitch, the latter being the weakest of the three. 
 
 Furthermore, a claim was made that as the union special un- 
 doubtedly forms a lock stitch the wording of the specifications could 
 not be interpreted to mean that its use was prohibited. The objec- 
 tionable feature which decided against the use of this type of stitch 
 was that it formed a ridge of thread on the underneath surface which 
 might easily cause discomfort, if not serious injury, to the wearer. 
 The cause of this ridge may be traced to the fact that the entire 
 double lock of the stitch remains on the under surface instead of 
 being drawn into the material. In addition to this, in practice the 
 single lock stitch is found to be sufficiently strong. 
 
 To assist the inspector to more intelligently pass on the quality of 
 the workmanship and to make criticisms of a helpful nature, it is of 
 value that he shall have some knowledge of the mechanical processes 
 utilized in the various stitching machines. Reference has been made 
 to the eye and the point of the needle. In addition there are two 
 grooves in each needle, one long and the other short. The object of 
 these is to allow the thread to pass through the material with as 
 little friction as possible. Consequently the long groove should ex- 
 tend up the needle as far as will be necessary for it to enter the work 
 on its downward motion. On the short groove, which is always 
 the one next the shuttle, this is not the case, as while the friction is 
 here reduced to a minimum, there must be enough so that when the 
 needle begins to rise the thread will be held by friction while the 
 needle ascends without it. During this motion the thread passes 
 through the eye from the long groove side, leaving a loop through 
 which the shuttle thread is passed and thus forming the stitch. In a 
 lock stitch it is necessary that the top and bottom threads cross to 
 form the lock. Different methods are used to accomplish this. The 
 under thread may be wound on a spool and inclosed in a shuttle 
 which is shot through the loop formed when the needle rises. This 
 type of shuttle has a pointed end and has a reciprocating motion. 
 
AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 57 
 
 Sometimes the bobbin remains stationary and is inclosed in a case 
 which has a rotary motion. Such cases have a hook which enters 
 the loop thrown by the needle, gives it a half twist and passes it 
 over the bobbin, thus forming the stitch. This type of bobbin is the 
 one most commonly used for fitting uppers. The advantage of the 
 rotary over the reciprocating shuttle is that the speed is increased 
 since the latter only forms a lock on its forward motion and must 
 return to its original position before commencing another stitch. 
 
 The zigzag stitch used on the back seam is made by the needle 
 bar having a swaying motion in a line crosswise to the direction of 
 the feed. A^ stitch is placed when the needle is at the extreme of 
 its motion in one direction, the next stitch being made when it 
 reaches the end of its journey in the other direction. The work is 
 fed forward between the stitches. This zigzag motion can be used 
 or instantly changed to the straightaway stitch, simultaneously dou- 
 bling the number of stitches at the wish of the operator. 
 
 To secure uniformity of the stitch, different mechanical devices 
 are provided which move the work forward as each stitch is formed. 
 One of these is the drop feed. With this type the feed rises, grips 
 the work, moves it forward, drops down and returns to its original 
 position. The type of feed most commonly used on upper closing 
 machines is the feed wheel, having on its edge a series of teeth which 
 grip that portion of the work which is directly under the needle and 
 move it along as it revolves. After the devices which regulate the 
 length of the stitch are adjusted to provide a stitch the desired length, 
 it is important that the operator permit the work to pass under the 
 needle naturally, that is, he should neither push it along nor retard it. 
 
 To vary the length of the stitch the motion of the wheel is either 
 increased or decreased. In connection with this a means is pro- 
 vided for pressing the work against the feeding device. It also 
 serves to prevent the work from being pulled out of position when 
 the needle is being withdrawn from it. In addition to this it presses 
 the parts together and makes it possible to obtain a tight seam with- 
 out undue strain on the thread. 
 
 There are two types of pressure devices used — the foot pressure 
 and the wheel pressure. With the foot the pressure should not be 
 more than necessary, as the friction against its flat base tends to 
 stretch the material. With the use of the wheel pressure this fric- 
 tion is reduced to a minimum, as it revolves when the work moves 
 forward. 
 
 Between the top spool and the eye of the needle the thread con- 
 trolling devices are placed. The principal ones are the tension and 
 the take-up. It is believed that all are familiar with the object and 
 the method of controlling the tension device. The take-up device 
 consists of a lever through which the thread passes. This lever drops 
 when the needle descends and rises soon after the needle. After the 
 under thread has passed through the loop made by the needle the 
 slack thread is taken up and strained tight by the upward motion 
 of the lever. The length of the take-up motion should be governed 
 by the amount of loop required on the different machines. The lever 
 always takes up the same amount of slack, but since the thickness 
 of the material varies, to insure the same tension for each stitch a 
 take-up spring is provided which should be suitably adjusted to bal- 
 ance with the tension. 
 
58 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 The matter of speed is important. The operator in endeavoring 
 to accomplish a greater amount of work may increase the feed mo- 
 tion. In addition to lengthening the stitch this makes it more diffi- 
 cult to guide the work. Also when the tension is set to properly 
 function at a given speed any excessive speed will result in the 
 bobbin thread being pulled to the surface. When the inspector finds 
 that unsatisfactory tension is not immediately corrected by the use 
 of the spring adjustment provided for this purpose, he should at 
 once insist that the services of an expert machinist be secured. 
 
 CLOSING THE BACK SEAM. 
 
 • 
 
 The zigzag is the stitch most commonly used for butted seams and 
 it is the one used for closing the back seam of the quarters. It has 
 been mentioned that this stitch on some machines may be instantly 
 changed to a straightaway by the operator. Having in mind the 
 fact that when inserting the foot into the shoe without the use of a 
 pull strap the first and most severe strain comes on the top of the 
 back seam, the opinion is advanced that in closing this seam 1 inch 
 of straightaway stitching at the top gives added strength. Manu- 
 facturers were averse to using this method on Army shoes, claiming 
 a superiority for the Singer zigzag stitch. However, this opinion 
 may have been somewhat influenced by the fact that with the latter 
 seam the rubbing down operation is eliminated. 
 
 Before stitching the counter pocket it should be carefully centered 
 on the back seam, the top of the backstay being set flush with the 
 top of the quarter. When this part is attached with three rows of 
 stitching, two operations are required, using a double-needled ma- 
 chine for one and a single-needled for the other. Best results are 
 obtained by using a single needle first, as it facilitates the springing 
 on of the counter pocket. The other two rows may then be placed 
 with the double-needled machine. After the counter pocket is fitted 
 it should be crimped, it having been demonstrated that uppers thus 
 crimped conform more readily to the shape of the last and the foot 
 at the heel as is evident in the lasting operation. 
 
 TIP STITCHING. 
 
 Care must be taken that the tips are attached to the vamp in a 
 
 manner which will enable the 1 aster to pull the tips straight without 
 
 twisting the ears of the blucher points. They should be so placed 
 
 that on the finished upper the distance between the edge of the tip 
 
 and the blucher point will be equal. They are more accurately placed 
 
 when stitched on a flat-bed machine. Tips are perforated with a 
 
 row of holes three thirty-seconds of an inch in diameter and stitched 
 
 with four rows of linen thread, two on each side of the perforation, 
 
 using a 40/3 cord polished upper and 50/3 cord unpolished linen 
 
 under thread, and not less than 10 nor more than 12 stitches to the 
 
 inch. 
 
 STITCHING EYELET FACING TO TONGUE. 
 
 To avoid the thick bunch formed by the lap seam used in patterns 
 of earlier designs the zigzaz stitch is used here and a butted seam is 
 formed. To prevent this stitch running, it is required that it be 
 carried onto the tongue for a short distance, say two or four stitches 
 beyond the eyelet facing. 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 59 
 
 TONGUE STITCHING. 
 
 Tongues are stitched to the vamp with two rows of stitching, 
 one row to be stitched from the outside on the extreme edge of the 
 tongue, the work then to be turned over and the other row to be 
 stitched at the extreme edge of the vamp, the object of this being 
 to prevent the lap at the throat of the vamp from rolling back when 
 the foot is inserted. As the shuttle thread on the latter row is the one 
 which shows on the surface, it is necessary that it should be fitted 
 with the same thread as used in the top spool. Care must be taken 
 that the part of the tongue where the slot commences is accurately 
 laid on the location point, otherwise it will affect the fit when at- 
 tached to the quarter. 
 
 EYELET ROW STITCHING. 
 
 The tongue is split at the side so that it may be turned up and 
 attached to the quarter to form a part of the facing, having a tend- 
 ency to make this part more water-tight. The operator carefully 
 places the upturned side of the tongue and the tab together, ar- 
 ranges the fold, and places the tab on the location points on the 
 vamp. It is then ready to stitch. Unless the parts are carefully 
 held in their proper position, the result will be a baggy or other- 
 wise ill-fitting tongue. Attached to this machine is a knife which, 
 working in conjunction with the 'needle, removes the surplus mate- 
 rial on the outside of the stitch. 
 
 VAMPING. 
 
 Vamping is done with four rows of stitching, using 10 to 12 
 
 stitches to the inch. Owing to the width of lap allowed by the 
 
 pattern and the necessity of the fourth row being so placed that it 
 
 passes close to the edge of the lap of the vamp, preventing any 
 
 possibility of its curling back, it is necessary to use a single-needled 
 
 machine here if uniform appearance of the rows is to be maintained. 
 
 It is important that the inspector keep in close touch with this 
 
 operation. He should examine the location marks on the vamp and 
 
 being assured that they are properly placed and that the brads in 
 
 the die have not been sprung:, he shall then see that the quarter is 
 
 placed accurately on these marks. The quarter should not be merely 
 
 laid on the vamp when stitching but should be sprung on so as to 
 
 correctly form the curve made by the two extreme points and the 
 
 center point. 
 
 BARRING. 
 
 Barring is most satisfactorily done with the Puritan wax-thread 
 machine. This machine is equipped with an attachment which auto- 
 matically stops after it sets five stitches. When the thread is cut 
 after the stitches are laid, a sufficient length of thread should be left 
 to prevent the stitch from running. Plenty of wax should be used. 
 The ridge formed by the lock of the chain stitch underneath should be 
 gently pounded by a wooden mallet on a wooden surface. Not only 
 does this pounding serve to reduce the ridge but it also sets the lock 
 tighter. To be effective, this should be done immediately after the 
 barring and when the wax on the thread is in a plastic state. 
 
00 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 MARKING. 
 
 Before leaving the fitting room, and at a period most convenient, 
 the quarter should be distinctly stamped on the flesh side with the 
 name of the contractor, number of the specifications, the number of 
 the contract, the name of the zone in v^hich the shoes are manu- 
 factured, and the size and width of the shoe. In addition to this, 
 it should have on the fiesh side a size and width mark, made with a 
 steel cutting stamp which must cut into the surface of the leather. 
 It is necessary that this mark shall be distinct, as when shoes are 
 reclaimed it may often be the only possible means of identifying the 
 size and width. 
 
 * SUMMARY. 
 
 Garrison shoe Specifications 412-2-9 clearly set forth the kind of 
 thread and the number of stitches required for each operation. It 
 becomes the duty of the inspector to carefully watch each operation in 
 the fitting room and see that the various pieces are fitted according to 
 the location marked on each ; that the proper number of stitches and 
 the proper threads are used; and, most important, that at all times 
 and on all operations the proper tension is maintained and that the 
 thread does not ride on the surface of the leather. If it is found 
 that in the lasting room difficulty is had in properly lasting uppers 
 due to ill fitting, an examinatioui of the location marks should be 
 made, to see if the crimping has stretched them. If the fault is not 
 here, examination of the dies should be made to see if the brads 
 have become sprung. Throughout all operations only the smallest 
 possible needle that will carry the thread should be used. It is be- 
 lieved that a number 6 Singer gives the best result on the size of 
 thread used on this shoe. Quarters should be laced up at least four 
 eyelets with the space not to exceed five-eighths of an inch before 
 going to the lasting room. Care should be used in eyeleting to see 
 that the eyelets are properly spaced, since there is danger when the 
 quarters are eyeleted up one side and down the other, that the holes 
 may not come opposite each other. It is important that the proper 
 clinch of the barrel is obtained. If the barrel of the eyelet is too 
 long, rough edges are left at the clinch ; if too short, the eyelet is apt 
 to pull out. 
 
Chapter X. 
 LASTING. 
 
 PRINCIPLES OF LASTING. 
 
 The high state of perfection which lasting machines have reached 
 has brought about their general use in the shoe factories of to-day, 
 and even in the shoe centers where the higher grades of shoes are 
 made the hand laster is fast disappearing. Since the end striven for 
 in the lasting machine is to approximate as closely as possible the 
 methods and results of hand-lasting, it follows that the principles of 
 lasting, which never change, might be more readily understood from 
 an explanation of the methods of the old-time hand laster. 
 
 First the draft strains should mold the upper to the contour of 
 the last; they should be taken in the order which will make them 
 the most effective; they should be taken at the proper time and in 
 the place that will be least adversely affected by after strains. The 
 strength of each pull must be in the right proportion and relation 
 to the after strains. The upper must be molded over the last in such 
 a way that it fits closely into the hollows and retains the curves and 
 lines of the last when the latter is withdrawn. The difficulty in this 
 is due partly to the elasticity of the leather. The contraction which 
 takes place when the last is withdrawn may result in the shoe losing 
 its shape, therefore if the upper is to retain its shape it must be 
 drawn over the last according to certain scientific principles. 
 
 ASSEMBLING. 
 
 Before commencing the process of lasting the shoe is assembled. 
 At this point the various parts are brought together and embodied 
 in the shoe. The inspector must see that the different units cor- 
 respond in size and width and that the last and upper are properly 
 marked according to the tag. Having satisfied himself regarding 
 these details, he should insist that the insole be tacked on flush with 
 the outside of the last, using for this purpose the proper size tacks. 
 The insole should never hang over the inside edge, neither should it 
 extend over the toe nor be set back from the toe. There is usuallv 
 one-twelfth shrinkage allowance at the heel to permit the trimming 
 of the insole after it is tacked on the last. This trimming must be 
 done smoothly and evenly, leaving the seat the shape of the bed 
 without any angles or corners. 
 
 Counters should be pasted on both sides. The approved method 
 is to insert the individual counter into the receptacle containing the 
 paste rather than to insert the paste into the counter pocket by means 
 of a brush. This prevents the counter pocket from working down 
 
 61 
 
62 AEMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 over the heel seat and also prevents the inner surface being pushed 
 down when the shoe is put on. When the counter is inserted it 
 should be carefully centered. The upper is then placed over the last. 
 The back seam having been centered, it is raised above the seat suffi- 
 ciently to permit breaking over a correct amount — that is, four- 
 eighths to five-eighths of an inch — and fastened with a tack in the 
 back. 
 
 Army shoes are designed to be made with a soft box, the reason 
 for this, no doubt, being to prevent any liability of the hard box 
 injuring the toe of the wearer. In doing this appearance has been 
 sacrificed to a considerable extent, as when the shoe is removed from 
 the last the toe often falls in and presents a crushed and wrinkled 
 appearance. In order to eliminate this latter fault, it is advisable 
 to insert between the tip and the vamp a generous coat of good 
 quality rubber cement. This serves to hold the tip of the shoe up 
 when the last is taken out and leaves a soft box with absolutely no 
 danger of injuring the foot. 
 
 PULLING OVER. 
 
 After the shoe is assembled the hand laster would turn the shoe 
 bottom up, take the toe of the uppers in the pincers and strain it 
 over the edge of the insole and fasten it with a tack. This must be 
 the first strain, because it centralizes the upper on the last and at 
 once enables the operator to see if it is correctly fitted and attached. 
 No tacks are placed at the side until the upper has been centered. 
 When the strain is taken, the upper stretches and will, at some 
 points, come forward on the last, and as this longitudinal strain is 
 the only one which could mold the upper to the back of the last, it 
 would be impossible to set up effective heel to toe tension if any 
 cross strains had been taken first. It must be the first strain taken, 
 because there is no other strain which will make so much of the upper 
 fit against the side of the last. Seeing the importance of this strain, 
 it is necessary that it be of the correct tension. 
 
 It may be stated as a guide that as strong a tension as possible 
 should be set up, provided that the laster can always bring the upper 
 down to the most hollow part of the last between the toe and the 
 instep with his fingers. The effect of bringing the upper down to 
 the last at this point is to increase the heel to toe tension, therefore 
 if the latter is too strong it will be difficult to bring the upper down 
 to the wood. This heel to toe tension may be so great that it is 
 impossible for the cross tension to bring the upper down. In this 
 case when the shoe is removed from the last the sides will fall in. 
 It is of very great importance that the strain be put on gradually. 
 It is often through want of care in this detail that lasters crack an 
 excessive number of tips. 
 
 In lasting by hand the next draft or pull would be taken crosswise 
 at the end of the cap on the inside, the third pull being the opposite 
 end of the cap at the outside, but with the Rex puUing-over machine 
 the first three strains are taken at one operation, although in both 
 cases the importance of the proper ratio must be borne in mind. 
 
 The next pull should be at the ends of the counter. These being 
 flat, they should first be strained toward the toe and pulled up until 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 6& 
 
 the top edge fits against the sides of the last. The counter should 
 fit the upper and be so skived that it will not be necessary to pull 
 up an excessive amount, as any increased thickness to work in 
 around the last increases the difficulties of obtaining a smooth, flat 
 seat. 
 
 SIDE LASTING. 
 
 The side lasting may now be commenced, but here great care 
 should be used that in taking the strains the heel-to-toe tension is 
 not disturbed. It is advisable to last the inside quarter first, since, 
 on account of the shape of the last, it is the least liable to be over- 
 strained. When the outside has been lasted both quarters should be 
 the same height. It equalizes the tension between the counter tack 
 and the tack at the tip if the first pull in side lasting is made at the 
 inside waist just back of the joint. If this pull is taken at right 
 angles to the edge of the insole it tends to remove any fullness of the 
 upper between the joint and the instep. The form of the last is 
 more likely to remain in the finished shoe when the strain is taken 
 here, as the leather is then molded around the joint instead of being 
 pulled over, as would be the case if the draft were made at the joint. 
 The reason why the strain should first be taken at the inside joint is 
 that, since the last is hollowed so much at the outside, there is a great 
 tendency for the upper to slip to that side, causing the ears to be 
 crooked. Since the inside is more convex this danger does not exist. 
 An examination of the Munson last shows a considerable hollow be- 
 tween the outside joint and the point of the instep. It is obvious, 
 therefore, that if, when lasting the outside, the upper is strained over 
 the joint it will stand away from the last and form a bridge or 
 straight line over this hollow. To overcome this, the first strain 
 should be taken behind the outside joint at a point well toward the 
 heel ; then the upper will be molded into the hollow and better retain 
 the shape of the last. 
 
 Although it is important that the strains be set up in the order 
 described, this alone will not insure the best results unless they are 
 set in a correct ratio. 
 
 Most upper leather has some stretch, and after the shoe is removed 
 from the last a contraction takes place. It is therefore a principle 
 of lasting to mold the upper to the last with uniform tension if uni- 
 form contraction is to occur. This fact may explain why operators 
 who work exclusively on Army shoes are able to obtain better results 
 than those who are constantly shifting from civilian to Army work, 
 as the latter do not develop the sense of touch that indicates when 
 the correct strain has been applied to each draft. 
 
 MACHINERY USED IN LASTING. 
 
 Having set forth as briefly as possible the fundamental principles 
 of lasting, our attention now turns to the machines so generally used 
 for this work. The lasting machines used on xirmy shoes are those 
 comprising the Rex system. The Rex pulling-over machine contains 
 all the devices which are essential for correct hand pulling over, and 
 consist of — 
 
 1. The " rest " against which the bottom of the last is placed. 
 
 2. The automatic heel rest, which adjusts itself to the length of the last. 
 
64 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 3. Five pairs of pincers, two at either side and one in the center. . 
 
 4. The updraw device, which has compressed air chambers to prevent the 
 tension being put on suddenly and springs to regulate the tension. 
 
 5. A device which causes the pincers to lay the upper over the edge of the 
 insole with adjustments for different widths. 
 
 6. A device for straightening the tip and another for straightening the uppei 
 if necessary. 
 
 7. A device for releasing the grip of the front pincers to enable the upper to 
 be brought to the last by the cross strain. 
 
 8. A device for delivering and driving the tacks. 
 
 The latter machine has one great advantage over handwork inas- 
 much as the tensions are put on simultaneously and no tacks are 
 driven until the upper is straightened down on the last, therefore the 
 work can be handled more quickly and less expensively. 
 
 The second machine in this system is the Consolidated Hand 
 Method Lasting Machine, or, as it is sometimes called, the " Nigger- 
 head," for side lasting. The improvements of this machine have 
 been so great that it may now be properly termed a mechanical 
 marvel and no description could clearly convey all its intricate 
 adjustments. Among the principal devices may be mentioned the 
 following : 
 
 1. The pincers which grip the upper, together with a device which controls 
 the strength of the grip. 
 
 2. The device which gives the pincers the necessary motion. The pincers 
 must remain open until they have reached the lowest position near the edge 
 of the insole. Then, after gripping the upper, they must rise, and in so doing 
 they must strain the upper to the last, putting on an even tension regardless of 
 the amount of material to be pulled up. They must next draw the upper 
 over the edge of the insole and release its grip. 
 
 3. Device which regulates the updraw tension required for the various 
 leathers. 
 
 4. Device for regulating the strength of the overdraw according to require- 
 ments. 
 
 5. Devices which deliver and drive the tacks. The pincers may also be given a 
 twist motion, such as is required for pleating the surplus material at the toe 
 when used for toe lasting. It is also provided with two raceways which deliver 
 tacks of , different lengths. 
 
 Although it is not possible under all circumstances to do work on 
 this machine equal to the best hand lasting, it is admitted that if the 
 conditions are correct satisfactory results may be obtained by a com- 
 petent laster, as each and every principle of hand lasting may be 
 employed. 
 
 If a hand laster is observed on a good class of work, it will be 
 noticed that he first takes the stretch out of the material, then lets 
 it contract before taking the final strain. This not only causes the 
 stretch to be more evenly distributed, but reduces the amount which 
 the upper would stretch in wear. This stretching of the material 
 is usually ignored with this type of lasting machine. 
 
 Assuming that the shoe is now lasted, with the exception of the 
 toe and the heel seat, it is next sent to the bed lasting machine. 
 The principal features of this machine are the wipers at the toe 
 and heel. The shoe is placed on a jack and toe rest, both of which 
 are adjustable in height. The seat wipers are on a carriage which 
 may be adjusted to any length of shoe as well as any angle of shank. 
 The wipers consist of two plates having a hinge motion at the back. 
 These set parallel with the bottom of the last and are moved for- 
 ward by a lever, pressing the material down flat over the last. As 
 
AKMY SHOES AND SHOE TASTS. 65 
 
 the plates move forward the ends toward the shank are brought 
 closely together. Good results can be obtained with seat wipers 
 only when they are properly set. The operator, therefore, must see 
 thai they exert an even pressure at all parts of the seat. They must 
 not be set at such an angle that either the front or the back touch 
 while the opposite end does not. Care must be taken that that part 
 of the machine which holds the back of the heel is pressed firmly 
 in place, otherwise the shape of the counter will be distorted. At the 
 toe there is another pair of plates similar to the seat plates. With 
 these the upper is worked into the shoulder. It is important that 
 the proper adjustment be made to gather the surplus in, seating it in 
 a manner that will leave a suitable shoulder for the welter to sew 
 to. This is necessary to avoid full toes, so called. When the toe is 
 well blocked in, a wire is drawn around it and held by two anchor 
 tacks, one at either side of the tip. It is important that this wire 
 be drawn tight enough to hold the upper in place, also that a suffi- 
 cient wind be taken around the anchor tack to prevent loosening of 
 the wire, and that the wind be started on the inside of the anchor 
 tack and finish on the outside, as this preserves the line of the 
 inseams. 
 
 An important feature of the bed machine is the toe hold. This 
 consists of a plate of the correct shape and thickness attached to an 
 adjustable arm. It should fit snugly behind the upturned lip at the 
 toe, the object being to brace it against the pressure of the wipers 
 as it crowds the upper onto the shoulder at this point. It also pre- 
 vents the insole being pushed back or buckled. Obviously the use- 
 fullness of this device depends upon its shape and the care with 
 which it is placed in position. It is important that the toes be 
 wiped in, leaving no wrinkles or pleats visible. This is accom- 
 plished with the aid of the spreader, a small hand tool, which, as 
 its name implies, assists in evenly disposing of the surplus material. 
 
 When the assembler places the counter in the shoe it is assumed 
 that it will be properly mulled. Ordinarily when the shoe reaches 
 the bed machine the counter will be in just the proper condition 
 for molding the seat. If, however, for any reason the seats are 
 not lasted before the counters become dry, it will be impossible to 
 obtain a smooth, square-edged seat. It is advisable, therefore, for 
 the inspector in charge to make such arrangements as are possible 
 to insure that no more shoes are assembled or pulled than can be 
 bed lasted before the bed-machine operator quits work for the day. 
 
 Only a sufficient number of tacks should be used to securely fasten 
 the seat. More than that would serve no useful purpose, but would 
 increase the amount of metal on the inside. It should be borne in 
 mind that the heel-seat nails are later to pass through these parts. 
 Before the shoe is taken from the machine the seats should be 
 thoroughly pounded. Before leaving the lasting room each shoe, 
 in so far as possible, should be examined to make sure that there 
 is a sufficient amount of upper drawn over at all points to insure 
 catching by the welter's needle; that the right amount of upper 
 and counter are drawn over at the seat; that the canvas has not 
 been destroyed or misplaced; that the lip at the toe has not been 
 w^eakened; and that the seat tacks are placed at a proper distance 
 from the edge of the insole. 
 
 35285—21 5 
 
C HAIDER XI. 
 
 MAKING. 
 
 While the following principles are fundamental and may be ap- 
 plied in part to all classes of shoes, they are touched upon here with 
 particular reference to Army shoes manufactured under Specifica- 
 tions 412-2-9, and should be so considered except in such cases where 
 for the purpose of illustration or comparison some other specification 
 is mentioned. 
 
 TRIMMING TOES. 
 
 The surplus material at the toe and the vamp should now be re- 
 moved. This is for the purpose of facilitating the welting of the 
 shoe around the toe. This ma}^ be done either by hand or by a ma- 
 chine having a knife which makes a chopping motion, but unless the 
 knives are kept well sharpened and the toe of the shoe held firmly 
 in place on the machine, the toe will be jDulled away from the insole, 
 and thus destroy the good work of the bed laster. 
 
 UPPER STAPLING. 
 
 Before the shoes are welted, it is advisable to remove the lasting 
 tacks which are placed temporarily to hold the upper. Mention has 
 been made of the contraction which takes place in the upper leather 
 after the tension is released. If some means were not provided to 
 overcome this, the upper would spring back when the tacks were 
 withdrawn. It is customary, therefore, before pulling the tacks to 
 fasten the upper to the lip of the insole by means of a small thread- 
 like wire which is passed through the parts and forms a staple. This 
 Avork is done on the United States Machinery Co. upper-stapling ma- 
 chine. The tacks, with the exception of the anchor tacks, are then 
 
 pulled. 
 
 INSEAMING. 
 
 This operation consists of attaching the welt and upper to the lip 
 of the insole wKich has previously been prepared in the sole-leather 
 room. The method used is the chain stitch, which passes horizontally 
 through the substances, leaving the loop in the groove of the welt. 
 The needle is curved and has a barbed point. The stitch-forming 
 device consists of a looper which, by a circular motion, la^^s the 
 thread in the barb of the needle when it emerges from the work. 
 When the needle is withdrawn and again starts its journey it leaves 
 behind a loop through Avhich the next stitch is drawn, the work 
 being fed along in the meantime. This machine is provided with the 
 necessary devices required for almost perfect work. Before start- 
 ing to attach the welt the inspector should see that it is properly 
 66 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 67 
 
 mulled. A channel ornide is important, because if the needle be 
 cori'ectly set and its point the ricfht shape the ^uide will indicate 
 just where the point of the needle will come through. It also serves 
 to steady the work when the needle strikes it. A welt guide is neces- 
 sary to feed the welt and hold it in position so the needle strikes 
 through the groove. There is also an arrangement whereby the 
 pressure of the welt guide is removed so that the work can be car- 
 ried along to form another stitch. 
 
 A tension device is necessary so that regardless of any variation 
 in thickness of material, such as the toe, for example, a uniform 
 tension of the stitch will be put on at all parts of the shoe. This is 
 the most important device of all. as the strength of the seam depends 
 not so much on the length of the stitch or the size of the thread 
 as upon the tension used. Experience teaches that many operators 
 of this machine will, Avhenever it is possible without detection, re- 
 lease the tension, as this reduces the liability of breaking the thread, 
 particularly^ when sewing around the anchor tack. The inspector, 
 therefore, must give this detail careful and constant attention, test- 
 ing the machines at frequent intervals, especially when an operator 
 changes from civilian to Army work. In this latter case it is also 
 well to see that the operator has changed to the thread specified for 
 Army work, as a lighter thread is usually used for civilian work. 
 When the shoe is sewed, there must be an entire absence of hinge 
 action between the welt, upper, and insole, otherwise the shoes must 
 not be accepted. 
 
 The machine is provided with a heating s^^stem which serves not 
 only for waxing the thread, but also for keeping warm each part of 
 the machine with which the waxed thread comes in contact, such as 
 thread roll, looper, and needle, otherwise these parts would become 
 coated with hardened wax and it would become impossible to work 
 the machine. This machine, with its many improvements, has been 
 brought to a degree of perfection that enables it to do work of the 
 most satisfactory nature, yet the results attained depend in a very 
 large measure upon the skill and carefulness of the operator. Tfe 
 must carry the shoe perfectly level at all parts. He must so regulate 
 the feed that the proper number of stitches is taken. The stitch 
 must be laid at the base of lip on the insole, and directly in the bed 
 of the groove of the welt. 
 
 It will sometimes be noticed that the welt has been dropped in 
 places and that the stitch is laid up on the side of the groove. As a 
 result there is a w^eakne^s at this part, and when the Avelt is beaten 
 out the bevel may be seen from the outside. Assuming that the 
 canvas was properh^ formed in in the sole leather room, the welter 
 may still tear it by changing the level at Avhich he carries the shoe. 
 
 The needle most commonly used on Army work, and which has 
 been found to give the most satisfactory results, is that known as 
 the medium low point, No. 41. It may be found that after striking 
 a tack the point of the needle will be left with a burr. This will 
 sometimes tear the canvas. The inspector should ever bear in mind 
 that this seam, being the most difficult to repair, should be formed 
 with the maximum of strength, and, as it is shortly to be hidden 
 from any subsequent inspection by the operations which follow, he 
 should carefully scrutinize each shoe before ]:>ermitting it to pass. 
 
68 AEMY SHOES a:n'd shoe lasts. 
 
 At this stage in most factories a cobbler is maintained for the pur- 
 pose of patching and cobbling insoles damaged by the welter. He 
 is usually a hand worker, more or less skilled, and is obsessed with 
 the idea that no insole is ever damaged sufficiently to justify its re- 
 jection. The lip may be entirely gone, but he will simply cenient a 
 piece of canvas over where the missing part was and sew through it. 
 He may hide torn places with a coat of wax. Short pieces of dam- 
 aged welt aro cut out and other pieces substituted. These practices 
 are common in civilian shoes, and when the loss of time, labor, and 
 the expense of a new insole are considered they may be understood 
 though hardly justified. The inspector must guard against such 
 methods in Army shoes. 
 
 No shoes should be repaired on which the lip has in the least given 
 away from the insole. No insole which has been sewed more than 
 once, leaving two sets of holes, should be accepted. Neither should 
 work be accepted where the w^elter has gouged deeply into the sub- 
 stance of the insole. When the canvas has been torn without in- 
 juring the lip itself it may be permitted to replace the torn part 
 with a new piece and resew the welt, using the original holes. In 
 a similar manner drop stitches may be replaced. The welts should 
 be butted with a scarf not less than five-eighths of an inch long. 
 They should then be pounded and fastened with a tack of suitable 
 length. This serves to hold the welt secure at this point. This is 
 done so that a proper line may be maintained along the seam at the 
 breast of the heel. 
 
 TACK PULLING. 
 
 When the welt has been sewed on, the tacks used to hold the insole, 
 likewise the anchor tacks used to hold the toe-bracing wire, must be 
 removed. This may be done either by hand or by machine. The 
 work is usually performed by boys or girls, and what might other- 
 wise be classed as a most simple operation often gives cause for 
 much complaint from final inspectors. Owing to the gross careless- 
 ness of those employed on this work many tacks are left in the shoe. 
 Sometimes the heads are knocked off and no further attempts are 
 made to remove the tacks. As it is impossible to withdraw these 
 tacks after the insole has been covered up, and in view of the serious 
 results which might occur to the wearer should one be overlooked, 
 the importance of this operation must not be underrated. Owing to 
 the vigilance of the final inspector many shoes are rejected for this 
 
 fault. 
 
 INSEAM TRIMMING. 
 
 The seam must now be trimmed of all surplus upper stock and 
 insole lip to assist the middle or outer sole, as the case may be, to 
 lie flat upon it and reduce the strain required to bring the welt 
 and sole together when they are Goodyear stitched. This work is 
 sometimes done by hand, but may be much better done by the 
 improved new model United Shoe Machinery Co. inseam trimmer. 
 The cutting implement in this machine consists of a steel cylinder 
 sharpened on its edge by a device which may be adjusted at any 
 time. It rotates at high speed in a direction at right angles to 
 that in which the shoe is fed along. It cuts a smooth even edge and 
 
ABMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 69 
 
 may be adjusted to a very fine degree. The danger to be avoided 
 in this operation is of cutting the seam too close to the stitch. Care 
 should always be taken that enough material is left above the 
 stitch to prevent any weakness. Even with a minimum of care with 
 this machine the inseam may be perfectly trimmed. 
 
 WELT BEATING. 
 
 It Avill now be necessary to beat out the welt. This is done with 
 a small power hammer which rapidly rises and descends, the shoe 
 usually being held bottom up, the welt resting on a small horizontal 
 bracket which is beveled to a thin edge to fit close to the upper. 
 This operation should be performed as soon as possible after the 
 welt has been sewed as it will then be in proper temper. In no case 
 should the welt be allowed to dry before beating out. A certain 
 result of this would be to severely strain the stitch and cause a 
 grinning seam. This latter defect may sometimes be caused at this 
 operation by the thin edge of the anvil pressing too far into the 
 seam and forming a lever which strains it. When circumstances 
 are such that it is found impossible to beat out the welt before it 
 becomes too dry, it should be re wet before being beat out. 
 
 CEMENTING THE INSOLK 
 
 The bottom of the insole should now be brushed with a generous 
 coat of best quality cement. In addition to holding the forepart 
 bottom filler in place, this cement adds to the damp -resisting quali- 
 ties of the shoe. 
 
 FILLING THE BOTTOM. 
 
 The forepart filler, having previously been coated with rubber 
 cement on the grain side, may now be inserted. This, however, 
 should not be done until such time as the solvent in the cement has 
 evaporated. Cause for much complaint has been found in the care- 
 less manner in which this work is usually done, due, no doubt, to a 
 failure to fully realize its importance. If the forepart bottom is to 
 be properly filled, the filler must be the right size and shape. As 
 each size filler requires a separate die, manufacturers are inclined 
 to provide as few sizes as possible. Even when a sufficient number 
 of sizes are supplied they sometimes become mixed through careless 
 handling, and fillers are put in shoes which are either too small or 
 too large. Sometimes it is found that the schedule of sizes as ar- 
 ranged by the superintendent must be rearranged. 
 
 To be satisfactory the forepart filler must easily fill the space be- 
 tAveen the channels. It must not ride on the inseam, as this would 
 interfere with the laying and stitching of the sole. It must extend 
 far enough into the shank to be lapped by the shank filler. 
 
 Much controversy has been had with superintendents who have 
 taken advantage of the clause in the specifications which permits the 
 use of a plastic filler as an adjunct to the solid filler. Experience 
 shoAvs that this method of filling is neither desirable nor feasible and 
 should be discouraged as far as possible. 
 
 The shank filler may now be put in, care being used to secure the 
 proper lap required for a safe and even joint with the forepart 
 
70 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 filler. The specifications state that shank fillers must be cemented in, 
 no tacks being used. This method of attaching the shank is im- 
 practicable, it being found impossible with the use of rubber 
 cement alone to attach the steel shank sufficiently firmly to remain in 
 place until the sole is laid. Shoes have often been found by the 
 sole layer with shanks missing in some cases and in others mis- 
 placed. Since the shank filler must extend to the back of the heel 
 cavity, no possible objection can be raised to attaching the shank at 
 the seat with tw^o tacks of suitable length. 
 
 The entire filled bottom should now be brushed over with a heavy 
 coat of rubber cement and permitted to dry. 
 
 *• 
 
 SOLE LAYING. 
 
 In this type of shoe, with two heavy soles, some difficulty is found 
 in laying and stitching soles to the w^elt. Owing to the tension re- 
 quired in stitching them together, the welt seam, being the weaker, 
 gives to the strain, often showing a grinning seam. This may be 
 overcome by thoroughly cementing middle soles and outer soles 
 together, then molding them, and, after coating the surface of both 
 bottom filler and middle sole, laying sole on the machine with suit- 
 able pressure. The soles should be in proper temper. 
 
 The shoes should be allowed to remain under pressure until the 
 sole is firmly in position. Attention should be given this operation 
 to see that the sole is laid in the proper position. For economical 
 reasons manufacturers seldom provide soles which allow any surplus, 
 therefore, the operator must be careful that the sole is evenly laid 
 as a slip to either side will result in a shortage which will usually 
 make it impossible to maintain the specified extension after the edge 
 is trimmed. 
 
 ROUGH ROUNDING. 
 
 Shoes are next sent to the rough rounder. This very useful ma- 
 chine shapes the sole and welt and also cuts a groove which serves as 
 a guide in which the Goodyear stitcher lays the stitch. It is fitted 
 with a guard which works against the inseam and governs the 
 width of the extension. It should be set so as to leave an extension 
 of one-sixteenth of an inch wider than tliat required on the finished 
 shoe, as this amount is the minimum which can be trimmed and 
 yet make a smooth edge. By the use of a pedal attachment an 
 additional guide may be used which leaves the w^elt wider at the 
 forepart. For the varying widths required by Army shoe specifica- 
 tions an adjustable attachment is provided wMch enables the oper- 
 ator to trim the welt wide at the outside ball, gradually diminish- 
 ing the width toward the toe. This must be adjusted according to 
 requirements. 
 
 The cutting device is a small chisel, about one-quarter of an inch 
 wide, w^hich makes a number of overlapping cuts as the shoe is fed 
 along. By means of an adjustment the groove may be cut the de- 
 sired distance from the edge. This operation also serves to more 
 closely unite the welt and sole, which is an advantage to the Good- 
 year stitcher. 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 71 
 
 GOODYEAR STITCHING. 
 
 A desirable feature of a well-stitched edge is good appearance. 
 This depends on the uniformity of stitches and the depth to Avhich 
 they are sunk into the welt. This is determined by the adjustment of 
 thenieclianism which affects tlie length of the stitch and the tension. 
 
 The stitch used is a lock stitch. The thread which shows on the 
 Avelt passes through a pot of semiliquid wax, the shuttle thread being 
 usually waxed when it is wound on the spooL One or all of three 
 causes may aifect the life of this seam, namely, inferior thread, loose 
 tension, or an awl or needle too large. The danger from the first of 
 these is practically eliminated by the frequent laboratory thread tests 
 made at this office. If the tension is loose there will be a play between 
 the parts which soon cuts the thread. The inspector, to guard against 
 this should frequently examine the shoes to see that the lock is drawn 
 a proper distance below the surface. 
 
 It is not admitted that the lock stitch is equal to the handmade 
 stitch, since the hole for the former must be large enough for the 
 lock to pass through while the hole for the latter can be smaller than 
 the two threads. It is the boast of old time hand workmen that after 
 completing a well-made hand stitch the loop of each stitch may be 
 cut at the surface of the sole without affecting the usefulness of the 
 seam. This is because the thread, being crowded into such a small 
 hole, grips the fibers of the sole, the principle being much the same as 
 that which enables the wooden i^eg (which has neither head nor 
 clinch) to hold the parts together. It will be seen from the above 
 that the right-size awl and needle are important. For Goodyear 
 stitching a No. 47 needle used in connection with a No. 43 awl has 
 been found to give satisfaction. 
 
 The tension on the w^ax stripper should be so adjusted as to allow 
 a full flow of w^ax and insure the thread being thoroughly saturated. 
 A sole stitched on a Goodyear lock-stitch machine under proper con- 
 ditions may be Avorn to the thinness of a dime and yet hold the 
 stitches. 
 
 A suitable wax and its proper application are important. Threads 
 for sole stitching are made of many strands. If when being draw^n 
 through the hole the friction is greater on any particular strand, 
 that strand will stretch and double up, causing an obstruction that 
 often results in a breakage. It usually gives a fuzzy, ragged appear- 
 ance to the stitch. There is always considerable amount of friction 
 set up when a thread is passed through a small hole, but by using 
 a suitable wax the unequal stretch is prevented, and by binding the 
 strands together loose twisted threads are prevented from splitting 
 on tlie barb of the needle. Friction is also appreciably lessened, since 
 by binding the fibers together the diameter of the thread is reduced. 
 Wax also lessens the wear on the thread by acting as a lubricant. 
 Suitable wax also helps to make a seam waterproof by cementing 
 the stitch to the leather and in the case of the inseam filling any 
 spaces which might exist. It also helps to preserve the thread from 
 dampness and from, sharp grit which undoubtedly often damages it. 
 Wax should possess adhesiveness and have as low a melting point 
 as is consistent with cleanliness in its use. Brittle wax soon leaves the 
 thread; hard wax strains the leather and weakens the thread; wax 
 
72 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 with too much oil or grease in its composition will dissolve at too 
 low a melting pointy resulting in a splashing of the work and the 
 parts of the machines with which the thread comes in contact. 
 
 LEVELING. 
 
 The machine most commonly used and preferable for this operation 
 is the United Shoe Machinery Co. automatic leveler. The shoe while 
 still on the last is placed on a spindle and toe rest. A concave roller, 
 attached to an arm having a vibratory motion, is rolled back and 
 forth lengthwise over the sole. In addition there is a rocking mo- 
 tion which adjusts the roller to the convexity of the bottom and the 
 hollow of the shank. It is important that the pressure be applied 
 evenly at all parts of the shoe. If the toe rest is set too low the 
 roller passes over the end of the toe without exerting any pressure, 
 and when the shoe is removed from the machine and viewed sidewise 
 it will be found that a hollow exists on the bottom where the pres- 
 sure was first applied, leaving the part toward the toe in its original 
 position. The pressure may be adjusted to suit the requirements, and 
 it should be sufficient to conform the bottom to the shape of the last, 
 leaving no depressions or humps either inside or outside. 
 
 The roller should extend far enough back to roll down the butts of 
 the welts and ends of the counters. An additional feature of this 
 work is that, with correct pressure adjustment, the Goodyear stitch 
 is rolled down and the diameter of the needle hole is reduced by 
 pressing the leather closer around the stitch. 
 
 PULLING LASTS. 
 
 The lasts should now be withdrawn. Instances have arisen when 
 operators, for the purpose of saving time, would pull lasts without 
 first removing the blocks. This method results in a severe straining, 
 if not the actual breakage, of the throat; therefore, the inspector 
 should watch this operation for this fault. 
 
 HEEL SEAT NAILING. 
 
 In many factories the seat nailing is done immediately after sole 
 laying and while the shoe is on the last. When this is done, it is 
 impossible to know just how the nails appear on the inside until 
 sometime later when the lasts are withdrawn. It follows, then, that 
 if the adjustments on the machine have become displaced, many shoes 
 may be improperly nailed before the fault is discovered. AYhen 
 seats are nailed off the last it is possible to examine each shoe 
 immediately after the operation is finished. Furthermore, the ideal 
 clinch is obtained when shoes are nailed off the last as the points are 
 driven against a cup which turns them back into the leather. The 
 objections raised against nailing seats off the last is that there is a 
 liability of the soles becoming displaced before stitching, but the 
 fact that it is successfully done in some factories is evidence that, 
 with the liberal use of good cement, this danger may be avoided. 
 'Whichever method is emploj^ed, shoes must be carefully watched 
 to insure the nails being placed far enough in to catch the insole and 
 far enough out to catch the counter. A fault in either direction 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 73 
 
 would be serious and not easily discovered until the shoe is completed. 
 The nail should be of such length as to propei4y clinch without 
 leaving any roughness on the inside. It should be borne in mind that 
 the clinch will vary according to weight of the sole, counter, insole, 
 and upper. 
 
 SEAT TRIMMING. 
 
 When block soles are used, the heel part of the sole may be so 
 unlike the heel of the shoe that it is necessary to shape this part to 
 assist the heeler in putting the heel on correctly. If the seat of the 
 sole projects more on one side than on the other, or if the sole pro- 
 jects unevenly at the seat, it will be difficult for the heeler to main- 
 tain a uniform pitch or to avoid the heels inclining to one side. The 
 heel seat is, therefore, trimmed usually on a machine with a rapidly 
 rotating cutting tool. A little practice soon brings skill in this 
 operation, and cause for complaint is seldom found. 
 
 REINFORCING NAILS. 
 
 The shanks are reinforced with brass nails, five on the inside and 
 four on the outside. Care should be taken that they are properly and 
 smoothly clinched on the insole and slightly countersunk on the out- 
 sole. The length of nails most commonly used, and which appears 
 to give the best satisfaction, is 6J/8. 
 
 HEEL ATTACHING. 
 
 Heels are attached to the garrison shoe by the method known as 
 surface nailing, i. e., the nails are driven through the toppiece. To 
 accomplish this, the toppiece must first be fastened to the heel. There 
 are several machines in use for attaching the heels, the one most com- 
 monly used being the McKay. This machine is provided with ad- 
 justments for regulating the pitch, i. e., the forward slant of the heel. 
 It also has adjustments for regulating the swing. The pressure may 
 also be adjusted so that the front and back of the heel may receive 
 different amounts of pressure. It has a device which automatically 
 delivers the nails into a plate having the required number of holes 
 which are located in the position corresponding to that in which the 
 nails are to be driven. The shoe is placed on a swinging arm, having 
 a steel heel rest, and placed in a clamp, and by a movement of the 
 treadle a pressure is applied and the nails driven through the parts 
 to be fastened. 
 
 Heels should be attached even and straight, and with a pressure so 
 distributed that the entire surface of the toppiece and the center of 
 the sole touch when the shoe is set on an even surface. Nails should 
 be of the proper length to barely show on the insole and leave no 
 roughness. 
 
 HEEL SLUGGING. 
 
 Slugs should be seven-sixteenths of an inch in length. 
 
 If it is found that this operation causes the heel to check, it would 
 be well to see if the awl is making a hole deep enough for the 
 length of the slugs. Checking heels at this operation may be over- 
 
74 AEMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 come by so adjustinor the length of the slugs that the point comes in 
 the middle of tha lift. 
 
 Slugs should be at proper distances from the edge of the toppiece 
 and should extend close to the breast of the heel on either side. 
 There should be one outside row all around and an inside row three- 
 quarters around. They should be evenly spaced so as not to present 
 a crowded appearance. Seven to the inch gives this result. The 
 slugs used are 125 steel slugging wire. 
 
 The slugs are simply a length of wire cut from a coil, no attempt 
 being made to form either a head or a point. The machine has ad- 
 justments for var^'ing the length of nail and for varying the dis- 
 tance between them.^ The slugs should never be set so low that they 
 can not be scoured without removing the grain from the toppiece. 
 
 HEEL SHAVING. 
 
 Heels are shaved on a machine the principle of which is similar 
 to that of a lathe, the heel being placed in contact with the revolving 
 knives. 
 
 The principle of the knives differs somewhat, those on the "Ul- 
 tima " being molded to the reverse shape desired for the heel, and 
 sometimes termed " shell cutters," are sharpened from the inside, 
 and the shape of the heel is not much affected by indifferent grind- 
 ing. In the McKay machine the knives are flat pieces of steel sharp- 
 ened from the outside, being ground to a template, and careless 
 grinding may result in changing the shape. 
 
 The shape of the bevel should be governed by the nature of the 
 material being cut, a long, hollow bevel giving the best results on 
 soft, mellow leather, while for hard, brittle material the short, 
 thick bevel is better. 
 
 Tlie material used for pasting the heels is sometimes of such a 
 nature as to quickly dull the edges of the knives. The knives used 
 in the Ultima are ground without a guide, and unless a similar 
 amount is taken off eacli blade there will be an unpleasant bumping 
 when the heel is being trimmed. This is avoided in the McKay, 
 since the cutters are ground to a template and even amounts are 
 removed from both blades. In the interests of economv the knives 
 should be ground as soon as they become dull. It will then not 
 take long and the heels will be left with a smooth surface, reducing 
 the scourer's labor to a minimum. 
 
 Heels should be well trimmed at the corners near the breast. It 
 can be done on the shaving machines without danger of damaging 
 the upper, whereas there is no guard on the scouring machine to 
 prevent this. There is a small guard for the toppiece to fit against, 
 and this may be adjusted so that the knives trim in close to the top, 
 or vice versa. There is also a guard which enables the seat to be 
 trimmed close or left full. The McKay machine is provided with 
 rand cutters, which work in conjunction with the heel cutters. This 
 does satisfactory work on low, straight heels. In the Ultima a 
 separate rand cutter is provided, which shapes that part of the 
 sole which comes next to the upper. When correctly used it is of 
 great assistance to the scourer. A well lasted heel seat is the basis 
 of good heel shaving as the counterguard follows around it. If 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 75 
 
 the sides differ in shape or there are humps in it, the result will 
 show in the heel. 
 
 The speed of the machine is important. If this is too low there will 
 be a pronounced tapping sound. If it is too high it may cause the 
 whole machine to vibrate. The result in the heel would be, in this 
 case, to leav e a surface covered with a series of small ridges, usually 
 described as " shivers." Where two knives are used 6,000 revolutions 
 are generally considered necessary. 
 
 When the heel is shaved it should present a smooth, square surface. 
 The knives should not cut too deeply into the top piece, as the bead 
 remaining must be scoured off, thus reducing its size. The rand 
 should be trimmed full and free from flesh. 
 
 HEEL SCOURING. 
 
 Nothing less than the best possible work should be accepted from 
 the shavers, because although indifferent shaving may be corrected 
 by the scourer he can hardly be expected to produce good results if 
 he is required to do the work which properly belongs to the shaver 
 
 The object of heel scouring is to produce a smooth, hard heel, suit- 
 able either for padding and brushing or burnishing with a hot iron. 
 The principle of all heel scouring machines is the same. The heel is 
 held against a revolving wheel, covered with a thick felt, over which 
 is temporarily placed an abrasive. The wheel is broad enough so that 
 the full height of the heel can be scoured at once. The shape of the 
 rolls should follow as closely as possible that of the cutter so that the 
 retaining of the shape of the heel will depend more on the machine 
 and less on the skill of the operator. 
 
 Two grades of abrasive are used, a coarse for the first scouring and 
 a finer for the second. With the first scouring the mark of the cutters 
 should be removed and any uneA^enness or humps should be shaped. 
 In a like manner the second scouring should remove the mark of the 
 coarse scouring and leave the surface free from scratches. The mate- 
 rials which are used for abrasives vary in hardness and fineness. 
 Such materials as sand, quartz, flint, emery, and carborundum have 
 been used. Of those mentioned carborundum is far the best. The 
 improvements made in the producing of abrasives has greatly 
 lessened the labor of the scourer. 
 
 It is more difficult to shape heels by scouring when damp, as in this 
 condition the coarse abrasive will only make deep scratches while fine 
 abrasive would only glaze the heel. The reason for this is plain 
 when it is understood that the principle of the operation is not a cut 
 but a knock which chips or tears off fine particles. Also the fact 
 should be borne in mind that leather swells and shrinks when wet 
 and dry, consequently a heel scoured when wet will, when it dries, 
 crack and check. It is a mistake to use too coarse an abrasive on the 
 first sciouring as it increases the difficulty of removing the scratches 
 with the fine wheel. In maintaining the shape of the heel best results 
 are obtained by starting the scouring at one corner and going around 
 the heel to the opposite corner with a continuous swing. When the 
 heel is scoured in sections, a flat place is apt to result where the heel 
 is taken off the wheel and a fresh start made. 
 
 Scouring is an operation which requires skill and judgment, as the 
 operator has neither guard to prevent injuring the upper nor a guide 
 
76 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 to indicate when a sufficient amount lias been removed from any par- 
 ticular part of the heel. A careful operator will maintain his rolls 
 in correct shape and see that they run true. This greatly aids in 
 maintaining the shape of the heel and securing a smooth surface. Xo 
 more should be scoured off the top than is necessary to obtain smooth- 
 ness. 
 
 BREASTING. 
 
 Unless the heel has previously been breasted in the sole-leather 
 room, this operation must now be performed on the shoe. It is 
 usually done with . a knife or gouge having the shape required, the 
 pressure used to force it through the heel being applied either by foot 
 or by power. The operator should grind the knife in such a manner 
 that it will conform to the convex shape of the sole in the shank. He 
 should be careful that the guard is properly set and that the knife 
 does not sink too deeply into the sole. There is danger here of se- 
 riously damaging the shoe. 
 
 EDGE TRIMMING. 
 
 The object of finishing the edge is to improve its appearance and, 
 by compression, to give it a permanent mold. It also increases the 
 life of the sole by making the edge better able to resist water. The 
 compressing and molding are done by means of the edge-setting iron, 
 but, to facilitate this, it is necessary that the edge undergo some 
 preparation, therefore it must be trimmed to the shape desired. This 
 is done with a tool mounted on a shaft and made to revolve at a high 
 speed. The edge of the sole is then shaped by being drawn along 
 while held in contact w^ith the revolving cutter. 
 
 The cutter is made from one solid piece and has 16 blades. When 
 sharpening the cutter two things are important — if the cutter is 
 viewed sidewise it will be seen that the cutting edge of each blade is 
 higher than the back of the blade, otherwise it would not cut ; if more 
 is ground off one blade than another, they will not be in a perfect 
 circle, and good work can not be done on account of the bumping 
 which results. The careful workman will immediately remedy this 
 fault. To ascertain which of the blades is out of a true circle a piece 
 of emery is held against the revolving cutter. When the cutter is 
 examined it will be found that the edge of the blade which protrudes 
 is nicked to a depth corresponding to the extent of its excessive 
 length. The blade may then be ground until the nick is removed 
 therefrom. The other important detail is the angle of the cutting 
 edge. The angle as it is in a new cutter is scientifically correct, and 
 when resharpening the cutter this angle should be maintained. To 
 insure this the post on which the cutter is held when being ground 
 should be moved along as the blades wear away. 
 
 Fitted against the inside lip of the cutter is a thin circular disk 
 called a shield which prevents cutting the upper. Shields are made 
 in different sizes and care should be used in selecting the proper size. 
 The bed of the cutter is measured in forty-eighths of an inch and the 
 size of the cutter should correspond to the combined irons of the 
 bottom stock. The edge trimmer should correct any such irregulari- 
 ties of extension as are left by the rounder and b}- improper sole 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 77 
 
 laying, but in doing so he should never reduce the extension below the 
 measurements specified. for this shoe. 
 
 Tlie successful trimming of the edge depends as much on the proper 
 condition of the leather as upon the keenness of the cutter edge. 
 When a hand knife is used by hand the action is similar to that of a 
 very fine saw, whereas that of the edge cutter resembles that of a 
 chisel. If the leather is hard, dry, and firm, the resistance to the 
 blow will be such that the result will be in the nature of a tear and the 
 edge will be coarse. If the leather is of a soft, mellow tannage, re- 
 sistance will not be so great and the edge will be comparatively 
 smooth. It is, therefore, advisable to counteract the hardness by 
 wetting the edge. After wetting, the edge should be allowed to stand 
 until the fibers absorb the moisture. Judgment must be used in this, 
 as it is plain that if the leather is too wet there will be no resistance 
 to the blow of the blade and the fibers will simply be knocked down 
 by the cutter. 
 
 The inspector should see that the proper-size cutter is used at all 
 times. The edge must be smooth and even, with the proper extension 
 at all points. It must be trimmed square from heel to heel and the 
 joints at the heel left even without any humps or shoulders. 
 
 EDGE SETTING. 
 
 For the purpose of further improving the appearance the edge 
 must be made more solid and more waterproof, for, as left by the 
 trimmer, the edge is too soft and open and will quickly absorb water 
 and lose its shape. To overcome this the edge is compressed and 
 burnished or set by the edge-setting tool. To insure best results 
 the edge iron must closely follow the shape and size of the trimming 
 cutter. It is moved over the edge with an oscillating motion, de- 
 scribing a part of a circle as it travels backward and forward, con- 
 siderable pressure being used, thus compressing the face of the edge. 
 The iron should be the shape of the trimmed edge, for if it is too 
 convex only the center of the bed will be compressed, while if it is 
 too flat only the margins will be compressed, the center being un- 
 touched. 
 
 The iron has two flanges, or lips, one to fit on either side of the 
 sole. These are important, for the tendency of the bed of the edge 
 is to give way before the pressure and squat out. This is prevented 
 by the lips, since, being unable to expand, the leather is compressed, 
 thus bringing the fibers into a smaller space. 
 
 To compress an edge satisfactorily it is necessary that the bed of 
 the iron, as well as the angle of the inside and outside lips, agree 
 with the corresponding parts of the trimming cutter. The im- 
 possibility of compressing leather by rolling when dry has already 
 been shown, and this is equally true of edge setting. To successfully 
 set an edge, therefore, it should be in suitable temper. If the leather 
 is too wet, it would not stand against the pressure and the edge would 
 be pushed out of shape. Pressure is absolutely necessary since with- 
 out it no compression is possible. It should be uniform, otherwise 
 the compression will not be uniform. The amount of pressure is 
 usually governed by the nature of the leather and by the skill and 
 strength of the workman. It is advisable, however, to use as much 
 
78 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 pressure as possible without pushing the edge out of shape. There 
 is an advantage in this, as the greater the pressure used the fewer 
 number of times the heated tool will have to pass over the edge. 
 
 Heat is of great assistance in setting the edge, as however well an 
 edge may be molded by a cold iron it quickly loses its shape when 
 wet, while edges set with a hot iron retain their shape after pro- 
 longed soaking. This refers only to such edges as have been set when 
 properly mulled. Since it is possible, however, to scorch the leather, 
 the heat must be regulated. It is an accepted principle of edge set- 
 ting that the more moisture leather has absorbed the less heat should 
 be used. Some workmen using more pressure and skill may use a 
 hotter iron than the flower workman who must pass the iron over the 
 same place many times. The inspector must insist that the proper 
 size iron is used at all times, and should see that the correct amount of 
 pressure has been applied to uniformly compress and mold the edge 
 to a firm, hard surface without i^ushing it out of shape, and that the 
 stain used is of proper color and substance. 
 
 HEEL FINISHING. 
 
 There are two methods in use for finishing heels, one requiring the 
 use of a heated tool, such as the " Expedite," the other using a re- 
 vohdng pad, the heat being supplied by the friction of the pad on 
 the heel. 
 
 The principal feature of the " Expedite " is a wheel comprising a 
 series of plates, each plate rounded on its face and mounted on a 
 separate spring to enable it to adapt itself to the shape of the heel. 
 The plates are heated with gas. A film of wax is evenly spread on the 
 wheel bv a brush which automat i call v moves across its face. This 
 wax is transferred to the heel in the required amounts when the latter 
 is held against the revolving wheel. The advantage of this method 
 OA^er the friction method lies in the fact that the wax and stain may 
 be better worked into the leather where heat is used, also, since heat 
 is of assistance in compressing leather Avhich is in temper the surface 
 is made harder and is better filled and more lasting. 
 
 After being waxed by the hot iron the heel is then padded and any 
 lumps or excess of wax are removed and the surface made smooth. 
 It is then polished by being held lightly against a bristle brush. By 
 the use of the " Expedite " a harder wax may be used. This adds to 
 the permanency of the finish. Soft, greasy waxes show finger marks 
 and the luster soon fades. 
 
 By the friction method the pad and brush alone are used. The 
 pads used are wdieels made of felt, leather, rags, or bristles. They 
 are, in addition, covered with a drill which may be removed when 
 worn. The method of padding is to wax the pad by holding against 
 it a cake of wax. The heel is next applied to the pad and its sur- 
 face soon becomes coated. 
 
 The heel should be covered with a very thin film of wax. More 
 than this is a waste, as the excess must afterwards be removed. Wax 
 must be spread evenly, leaving no lumps. 
 
 The heel is next held against a brush wheel which gives it the 
 polish. The amount of friction set up will depend upon the elasticity 
 of the pad used and the speed of the shaft. When the speed is ex- 
 cessive the operator can not use sufficient pressure to adapt the pad 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 79 
 
 to the shape of the heel without setting up so much friction that 
 tlie wax and stain is removed from the heel, giving the surface the 
 appearance usually described as " starved," or the wax may be burned 
 by the heat that is generated. 
 
 When a heel is padded it must afterwards be polished by remov- 
 ing the excess of wax. This is usually done on a brush fixed on the 
 same shaft as the pad. One of the most common faults of padding 
 is the use of an excess of wax. When this happens to be a very hard 
 wax it will be difficult to soften and remove it with a brush, conse- 
 quently such heels do not look as smooth as when they left the 
 scourer. 
 
 The success of the heel-finishing operation depends in a large 
 measure on the wax used. The wax which is considered to have the 
 best polishing qualities is Canauba. This wax is very hard and its 
 good qualities are sometimes lessened when it is mixed with a softer 
 wax of the cheaper grades. 
 
 SCOURING THE TOPPIECE. 
 
 The toppiece should now be scoured a sufficient amount to smooth 
 down the rough edges of the slugs, care being taken that no more of 
 the grain is removed than is absolutely necessary. 
 
 CLEANING AND DRESSING. 
 
 It is very evident that in designing the Army shoe much thought 
 w^as given to the question of appearance, and as the value of the 
 shoe is often judged by its appearance the inspector should, through- 
 out the entire process of construction, ever have this feature in 
 mind. 
 
 This office has expended much effort among the leather manu- 
 facturers in endeavoring to have delivered to contractors leather 
 which not only has all the requirements of quality, but, in addition, 
 will possess a finish which will be durable, offering a resistance to 
 wear and water, and capable of taking a high polish. 
 
 Shipments of shoes received for final inspection on recent con- 
 tracts plainly indicated by the slovenly manner in which the uppers 
 were cleaned and the carelessness in dressing that contractors fail 
 to attach sufficient importance to the matter of appearance. This 
 condition was general, and although a warning was sufficient to 
 bring about immediate improvement in most cases, in others it was 
 found necessary to take more effective steps before results w^ere 
 obtained. 
 
 The construction of the shoe now being complete, it should be 
 carefully treed, cleaned, and dressed to remove the dirt, wax, and 
 stain accumulated in the passage through the works, and to give to 
 it the bright, smart appearance of a dress shoe. The shoes should 
 be placed on a tree foot and carefully cleaned by the dry method, no 
 acid or other chemicals being used. It is not permitted to par- 
 tially clean the shoes and cover up the remainder with a coat of 
 pigment. 
 
 The shoes should next be dressed with a colorless dressing and 
 ])olished with a cloth. The bottoms of the soles should be cleaned 
 without the use of acid, and the edges and heels brushed. 
 
80 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 During the passage of the shoe through the works it is inevitable 
 that the uppers will receive scars, scratches, nicks, and cuts more or 
 less serious in their nature. In all factories a department is main- 
 tained wherein these damages are repaired or camouflaged, as the 
 case may be. The inspector should give attention to this depart- 
 ment and prevent the repairing of any damage which is of such a 
 nature that the wear of the upper will be affected thereby. Harm- 
 less grain scars may be repaired, but it must be done in a thoroughly 
 workmanlike manner and to the satisfaction of the inspector. 
 
 Before packing, the contractor should have each shoe carefully 
 examined on the inside for tacks, buckled insoles, wrinkled heel 
 seams, missing eyelets, and torn throats, as any of these faults will 
 cause the rejection of the shoes bv the final insuector. 
 
Chapter XII. 
 FINAL INSPECTION. 
 
 Notwithstanding the fact that every effort is made by the inspectors 
 stationed at the factory wherein Army shoes are being made to attain 
 the highest possible grade of product, it should be borne in mind 
 that the scope of their activities must necessarily have limits w^hich 
 are governed, in a measure, by conditions existing at each factory, 
 such as the layout of the factory, the equipment, the nature of the 
 cooperation offered by the factory personnel, and the number of shoes 
 being made. In view of the number of operations required to 
 construct a shoe, it is apparently irnpossible to inspect every oper- 
 ation on every shoe without maintaining a large unwieldy force, 
 especialy where shoes are being made in large quantities. It is 
 the practice of factory inspectors to devote the greatest attention 
 to the character of the material being used and to those Adtal oper- 
 ations upon which the life of the shoe depends and which, in the 
 finished product, are hidden from view. For this reason it is con- 
 sidered necessary before the shoes are accepted by the Govern- 
 ment to submit them to a final inspection for the purpose of dis- 
 covering any existing defects which may have escaped the vigilance 
 of the factory inspector. This inspection is made at the supply 
 base by competent and skillful shoemakers and under ideal con- 
 ditions, every facility being offered for the rapid and efficient per- 
 formance of the same. When it is stated that in some instances 
 the rejections at final inspection total as high as 10 per cent, the 
 importance of the work may be appreciated. 
 
 The system of final inspection as installed at this zone is the result 
 of careful thought and knowledge gained from actual experience. 
 Every possible precaution is taken not only to prevent any shoes 
 which show inferior material or defective workmanship being 
 accepted by the Government, but also by means of a very efficient 
 checking and recording system to guard against any loss either 
 through errors in invoices or in goods actually received. Further- 
 more, it is possible by this same system to trace any single pair of 
 shoes of an invoice of many thousand pairs or, if desired, the name 
 of the individual who accepted or rejected them. A careful record 
 is kept of the number of pairs of shoes inspected each day by each 
 individual, also the total number of pairs accepted and the number 
 rejected, together with the reasons for such rejections. If during 
 the course of final inspection a tendency toward a lower standard 
 in any detail becomes apparent, though not sufficient to warrant 
 rejection, this fact is immediately communicated to the manufacturer 
 of the shoes in question, which usually results in a noticeable improve- 
 ment, otherwise more effective measures are taken. In this manner 
 
 35285—21 6 81 
 
82 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 it is possible to prevent any unreasonable deviation from the high 
 standard which it is aimed to maintain. If desired it is possible by 
 simply referring to the records on file at this office to ascertain at 
 any time the general character of the product furnished in the past 
 by any manufacturer, the number of shoes rejected on any given 
 invoice, as well as on any contract, and also the efforts made to 
 keep his product at the required standard. This information is 
 available in connection with the awarding of future contracts. 
 
 It may be safely asserted that the great care taken to safeguard 
 the Government's interests in this department is fully warranted 
 by the results, and what at first glance might seem a somewhat 
 elaborate system becomes simple in its operation and is carried out by 
 a surprisingly small number of inspectors, made possible by the 
 adopting of ideal conditions such as a large, well-ventilated work- 
 room; perfect light; large, roomy benches; an electrically operated 
 belt conveyor ; and a power strapping and nailing machine. 
 
 The final inspection department is separated into two distinct 
 forces, inspection and clerical, each equally dependent on the other. 
 
 INSPECTION. 
 
 This force is under the supervision of the inspector in charge of 
 final inspection, who is in constant touch with his men, advising them 
 whenever a question arises as to the quality of material or the 
 seriousness of any damage in the construction of shoes. 
 
 It is essential that his assistants shall be skilled in all branches of 
 the shoe industry, from the cutting and sorting rooms to the treeing 
 and packing, and be able at all times to detect any defect in material 
 or construction. 
 
 The inspector is required to keep an accurate record of sizes, 
 widths, and number of pairs of shoes received, accepted, and re- 
 jected by him during the day, to note the name and location of the 
 contractor, the contract to which they must be applied, and make 
 a detailed report of the same. 
 
 Previous to the installation of the present system of final inspec- 
 tion, it had been the custom of manufacturers to ship shoes to this 
 base in fiber or wood containers of various shapes and sizes. This 
 practice, with its resultant confusion and delay, was changed b}^ the 
 adoption of a standard incorporated in the specifications which re- 
 quired two sizes of wood packing cases and two sizes of cartons 
 for the packing and shipping of each type of Army shoe. 
 
 Before assuming his duties with this branch the final inspector 
 must be thoroughly informed regarding the nature of the work 
 which he is to perform and also should have an intelligent under- 
 standing of the importance of the responsibilities placed upon him. 
 He is instructed to carefully examine all shoes and reject any that do 
 not complv with the requirements of the specifications either in the 
 quality oi workmanship or material. It is impressed upon him 
 that no excuse will be considered from any inspector who accepts a 
 shoe below the standard required. Having been properly instructed, 
 he is assigned to work on an inspection table with an experienced 
 man, where he receives a further course of instruction under the 
 
AEMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 83 
 
 direction of the inspector in charo^e^ and after proving himself 
 competent he is then assigned to a separate table and handed a copy 
 of the following rules : 
 
 Instructions — Final Inspectors. 
 
 1. Use two work sheets, original and duplicate. 
 
 2. Write plainly contractor's name, city or town, contract number and si)eci- 
 fication number on top of sheet, also full name on bottom of each sheet, these 
 entries to be made on spaces designated for same. 
 
 3. Take down each case number with size and width, on both original and 
 duplicate sheets. 
 
 4. See that shoes correspond in every detail with stenciling on the packing 
 case. 
 
 5. Any errors in stenciling should be brought to the attention of the in- 
 spector in charge immediately. 
 
 6. Total sheets after invoices are completed and turn same over to clerk 
 after final inspection is accomplished. 
 
 7. Report to clerk every night the number of shoes inspected, the number 
 of shoes accepted and rejected that day. 
 
 8. All work sheets must be accurate in every detail, with particular atten- 
 tion given to contract numbers, sizes, and widths of shoes, as an error in these 
 reports would often be the cause of extra expense to the Government. 
 
 9. Shoes are to be taken from cartons and examined in respect to the fol- 
 lowing : 
 
 (a) Be sure that shoes taken from carton are mates and of the same size 
 and width as stenciled on outside of case, and that case contains exact number 
 called for in that particular case. 
 
 (b) See that inside quarter markings are correct. 
 
 (c) See that outer sole markings are correct. 
 
 (d) Examine heel seat, backstay, and pull strap. 
 
 (c) Examine outside edge of shoes from heel seat to toe. 
 
 (f) Examine toe, turn shoe over and examine breast of heel and bottom 
 stock. 
 
 (g) Examine Goodyear stitching, heel nails, and slugging. 
 (h) Examine inside edges of shoes from toe to heel seat. 
 
 (i) Put hands inside shoes, feel for tacks, buckled insoles, wrinkled and 
 loose linings. 
 
 (j) Bend quarters back, test tongue, and examine for broken throats. 
 
 (k) Examine stitching and fitting at all times. 
 
 (I) Stamp inspector's name on left quarter of each shoe. 
 • 10. Shoes are to be rejected for the following reasons : 
 
 (a) Inferior upper leather, bottom stock, or tongue stock. 
 
 (&) Inferior fitting. 
 
 (c) Buckled inner soles. 
 
 (d) Wrinkled or loose linings. 
 
 (e) Tacks in inner soles and heel seats. 
 (/) Broken throats. 
 
 (p) Mismated or not match mated tips, tops, and vamps. 
 
 (h) Eyelets missing or not properly spaced. 
 
 (i) Ears crooked, or ripped at the throat. 
 
 (;) Inner soles broken at the heel seats. 
 
 (k) Loose heels and heel seats. 
 
 (0 Low, high, or soft counters. 
 
 (m) Grinning seams. 
 
 (n) Short or nnrrow inner, outer, and middle soles. 
 
 (o) Extension of edges. 
 
 (p) Improper breasting of heels. 
 
 (q) Heels not up to the required height. 
 
 11. The general construction of shoes and the quality of stock should be 
 noted at all times. 
 
 12. All defective places on rejected shoes should be chalked showing the 
 cause of the rejection. 
 
 13. The inspector shall P' ;^ly bis stamp on the inside of the left quarter 
 of all accepted shoes. 
 
84 AEMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 REJECTED SHOES. 
 
 Shoes after being rejected are sent by the inspector to the reject 
 shoe department, where they are once more examined by the in- 
 spector in charge, who notes the extent of the damage or quality of 
 material and then decides whether or not they can be repaired to the 
 satisfaction of the department. 
 
 If he so decides, a tag stating the cause of rejection and giving per- 
 mission to repair the same is attached to the shoe, which must still 
 bear the original tag when returned. If, however, in the opinion of 
 the inspector in charge the shoe can not be repaired in a satisfactory 
 manner, the trefoil stamp is placed upon it, denoting final rejection. 
 
 At stated intervals the shoe branch forwards a release for the 
 number of pairs of rejected shoes held by the reject shoe department. 
 On receipt of this release these shoes are packed and turned over to 
 the shipping branch, to be returned to the contractors. 
 
 The release, stating the number of pairs and the contract to which 
 they apply, is indorsed and returned, a copy being retained by the 
 reject department for future reference. 
 
 EQUIPMENT. 
 
 The equipment for inspection in this department and the facilities 
 for handling the shoes are most complete. Each inspector has a 
 laborer to assist in opening the wooden cases and stamping all ac- 
 cepted shoes. 
 
 One packer will handle the daily out])ut of two inspectors. Each 
 inspector has a separate table upon which the shoes are placed for 
 inspection after being taken from the wooden cases. 
 
 The shoes are rigidly inspected in single pairs, and if accepted are 
 passed to the assistant, who applies the acceptance stamp, repacks the 
 shoes in the cartons, and then passes them to the bench of the packer. 
 The packer must repair any damage to the wooden cases, repack the 
 shoes, tack on the covers, and after stenciling his name and the date 
 of the operation he places the case on a power conveyor, which carries 
 it to a wire-strapping machine. 
 
 Here the case is received by two men and, with the aid of the 
 machine, a Avire band is securely fastened around the cover and bot- 
 tom at each end. It is then passed on by conveyor to a machine 
 where the cover and strapping are firmly attached to the case, after 
 which it is turned over to the Warehousing Division. 
 
 CLERICAL FORCE. 
 
 The duties of this force begin when shoes arrive from the differ- 
 ent contractors. Before any work is distributed to the inspectors all 
 cases are checked on a receiving sheet, stating the box numbers, num- 
 ber of pairs in each box, the sizes and widths, and the contract on 
 which they applv. 
 
 This receiA'ing sheet is checked against the shipping memorandum 
 received from the contractor, and if any errors, such as wrong con- 
 tract numbers, cases missing in the invoice, or cases improperly 
 stenciled, are discovered, the contractor is immediately notified and 
 the error corrected before the shoes are inspected. 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 85 
 
 After the inspection of each invoice is completed the inspector 
 turns liis work sheet over to a clerk whose duties are to check up 
 said sheets and make an analysis of each invoice on cards provided 
 for that purpose. A cop}' of said analysis card is forwarded to 
 Distribution Division, and all invoices forwarded from the Finance 
 Branch are compared therewith. 
 
 ADVISABILITY OF DEPOT INSPECTION. 
 
 Tlie question of whether or not the actual final inspection should 
 be made at the factor}- of the contractor or at some other place 
 outside and beyond the control of the contractor has been the sub- 
 ject of nuich discussion. Instances have arisen from time to time 
 which have confirmed the opinion which the writer has held for a 
 long time — that the final inspection of shoes at the factories of the 
 contractors where made is injudicious from more than one point of 
 view. 
 
 In the first place, it is thought that depot inspection tends to 
 remove the inspector from any conscious or unconsicious factory 
 influence with Avhich he might have to contend, and which is capable 
 of influencing even the most careful and honest men to some extent, 
 thus causing a falling off in the qiialit}' of the finished product. 
 
 In the (jovernment receiving depot an inspector works perhaps on 
 goods from one factory in the morning and on those from another 
 factory in the afternoon, in the course of a week having an oppor- 
 tunity to handle the product of ever}- factory shipping to the Army 
 Base. Not only is the inspector under this arrangement not granted 
 an opportunity for prejudice favorable or otherwise toAvard any con- 
 tractor, but the contractor is removed from the danger of the impres- 
 sion that the inspection at any one factory is more stringent than 
 at some other. The mental advantage upon the inspector, too, is 
 apparent. The products of each factory differ in some respect from 
 those of others, some being especially commendable or perhaps espe- 
 cially w^orthy of unfavorable criticism in one respect, some in another. 
 As a result of the comparisons made between these the inspector 
 unconsciously, but none the less effectively, standardizes his work. 
 
 A survey of the records and reports from some factories under 
 factory inspection has shown as high as 80,000 pairs of shoes Avith, 
 no rejections, an acme of perfection in shoemaking which the Quar- 
 termaster General had not hoped to see reached. Furthermore, be- 
 fore adoption of the depot form of final inspection a series of tests 
 in the nature of reinspection was made, the results clearly demon- 
 strating that the quality of shoes accepted under factory inspection 
 was much inferior to those accepted under depot inspection. 
 
Chapter XIII. 
 PRODUCTION. 
 
 ^ RATE OF PRODUCTION. 
 
 The first factor which influences the rate of production is the 
 tariff. A standard tariff should be uninterruptedly maintained 
 throughout the contract. As has been stated, any change of tariff 
 affecting contracts in the process of production results in confusion 
 and in varying periods of suspension. Since the latter condition, 
 as well as the additional supply of patterns, dies, and possibly mate- 
 rial, is a source of expense to the contractor, it has a tendency to 
 cause resentment on his part and to disturb the customary harmony 
 which should prevail between the Government and the contractor. 
 With such an atmosphere it is impossible to obtain 100 per cent 
 efficiency of production, and a period of four to six weeks is required 
 for the restoration of normal conditions. Under no circumstances 
 should the tariff on contracts in the process of production be altered 
 since it not only involves the needless expenditure of an adjustment 
 with the contractor, but causes a delay in deliveries which is not after- 
 wards overcome. 
 
 The proper method of meeting a shortage on any given sizes and 
 widths is by the issuance of additional contracts, leaving existing 
 contracts undisturbed. This avoids the period of absolute suspen- 
 sion of operations, resulting in expense to contractor and Govern- 
 ment alike, and causing that attitude of resentment on the part of the 
 contractor which results in less efficient production for some time 
 following. It is evident from past experiences that the shoes manu- 
 factured under the former tariff wall eventually be used and thus 
 time will be saved on some future order. 
 
 The second factor which influences the production is the amount 
 of material available for constructing the shoes called for by the 
 specifications. It is again stated that the importance from a pro- 
 duction standpoint of a sufficient notice of anticipated contracts to 
 the producers of leather and shoe findings can not be overemphasized. 
 Occasions have arisen where material called for in specifications was 
 unobtainable in the market, necessitating a change of specifications. 
 Any shortage of material retards production, whether at the begin- 
 ning of the contract or after operations are well along. 
 
 The third factor which influences production is the supply of 
 lasts. An adequate supply of lasts should be available at the con- 
 tractor's factory sufficiently early to assure no delay from this source 
 either in commencing operations or when striving to meet the maxi- 
 mum daily production. When the contracts are awarded a resume 
 must be immediately taken of the number of lasts by sizes and widths 
 
 86 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 87 
 
 in the zone, the number required for the newly awarded contracts, 
 and the number available for meeting the requirements. If the num- 
 ber available is insufficient, arrant^ements should be made for transfer 
 from other zones. If this is impractical, purchase must be made 
 from last manufacturers. Whether the supply is to be augmented 
 by transfer or by purchase, 30 days must be allowed for delivery. 
 
 The fourth factor influencing the rate of production is the factory 
 capacity of the contractor. Probably the greatest difficulty with 
 which the Production Branch has to contend is the case of the con- 
 tractor whose factory facilities are absolutely inadequate for meet- 
 ing production as specified in the terms of the contract, or where 
 contracts have been awarded to manufacturers already hopelessly de- 
 linquent on previous contracts. During the emergency there were 
 very few instances of deliveries being made on schedule, and in some 
 cases it was only through the most strenuous efforts on the part of 
 the Production Branch that the deliveries as made were obtained. 
 
 Aside from the inadequacy of factory facilities, it is admitted that 
 me shortage of labor was great, but it is felt that in many instances 
 commercial work was allowed to interfere with Government work. 
 In case of a similiar emergency the writer would suggest that steps 
 be taken to give Government work preference over civilian. In order 
 to accomplish this it is first absolutelv necessary that the Govern- 
 ment have at hand an estimate of the daily capacity of the con- 
 tractor; second, that the quantity of outstanding civilian orders be 
 known; and third, that the Government be kept informed of the 
 acceptance of any additional civilian orders. This consideration of 
 the capacity of the contractor will do away with the possibility of 
 unjust criticism of the Production Branch, which is unable to compel 
 a contractor to produce in excess of his capacity. 
 
 Since the signing of the armistice the matter of delinquencies has 
 not improved to the extent hoped for, but this in a way has been 
 due to the general atmosphere of unrest and unsettled market con- 
 ditions. Manufacturers must be made to understand that the terms 
 of a contract must be lived up to, and unless deliveries as specified 
 are made at the time designated the requisitions of the Army can not 
 be met. 
 
 Upon the efficiency of the inspection organization the Government 
 must depend for the quality of the delivered shoes as well as for in- 
 formation as to production statistics. It is important, therefore, 
 that this consist of a group of well-trained men working under 
 competent supervision. In order to render the position of inspector 
 sufficiently attractive to be filled by the type of man desired it is 
 necessary that the position should be an all-year one, as the salary 
 allowed is insufficient to permit the inspector to loaf any material 
 part of the year. This could be accomplished if the number of shoes 
 to be made each year was distributed over the 12 months in nearly 
 equal allotments. 
 
 Finally, it may be said that it is important that the daily construc- 
 tion and delivery of shoes be in proportion to the size and width 
 distribution of the tariff. From the simple fact that shoes are or- 
 dered in accordance with a standard tariff and certain deliveries 
 specified, it is a proper assumption that deliveries should be maxle 
 in proportion to the sizes and widths specified in the tariff, otherwise 
 
88 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 a contractor might make all the small sizes and widths first or last^ 
 resulting in drastic shortages for meeting requisitions. 
 
 During the emergency this situation arose many times, and finally 
 a systeni was devised for its correction which consisted of submitting 
 to certain contractors a master chart showing the number of shoes 
 by sizes desired put in on factory sheets each day, and six charts (one 
 for each width) showing the number by size on each width, sufficient 
 lasts only being issued to insure the work being put in as requested. 
 After this system had been installed for approximately five months^ 
 it was found that difficulties from this cause had been practically 
 eliminated. 
 
 This system is worked out on a 100,000 basis, it being a simple 
 matter to apply it to any smaller or larger contract. In case of a 
 50,000 contract the quantities are divided in two. It should be borne 
 in mind that all work is put in on a basis of 24 pairs of one size and 
 width to a case, consequently to equalize the work it might be neces- 
 sary to make 24 pairs of a given unit every second, third, or fourth/ 
 day in order to insure deliveries someAvhere near in proportion to the 
 standard tariff. 
 
 Since 'the system formerly employed in recording deliveries of 
 shoes against the proper contract according to sizes and widths was 
 inadequate, a system was devised which would not only provide for 
 the recording of each pair of shoes by size and width against the 
 IDroper contract, but which would show the date of anticipated de- 
 liveries. The recording of both the above facts is of primary im- 
 portance not only for the purpose of having a knowledge by sizes 
 and widths of the shoes delivered but as a means of estimating the 
 quantity which is due at any particular date. 
 
 In preparing a set of sheets for recording the deliveries of shoes. 
 the following has been the method made use of, and found most 
 effective, by the Boston zone : 
 
 First. When a contract consists of more than one award a set of delivery 
 sheets must be made out for each. 
 
 Second-' Deliveries are posted according to contract price. 
 
 Third: A separate sheet is allowed for each width and is divided off length- 
 wise into the run of sizes called for in the tariff, while down the side of the 
 sheet appear the dates by weeks of the deliveries to be made. 
 
 Fourth: Red figures show the shoes due at the different periods and black 
 figures the deliveries made. Under these circumstances it is possible to obtain 
 in a very short space of time the number of shoes due on all contracts on any 
 size and width, any overdeliverj- is at once apparent, and, when recorded, 
 should be preceded by the symbol ( — ). 
 
 OVERPAYMENT. 
 
 The contract price for each size and width of shoes on the same 
 award is uniform, with the understanding that shoes are to be appor- 
 tioned according to the tariff provided. If the average size deliv- 
 ered, however, is smaller than the average size which should have 
 been delivered the Government has suffered a loss, and the contractor 
 is obliged to refund his overpayment. 
 
 Upon completion of a contract a resume of deliveries per size and 
 width is compiled, and from this the average size and width of the 
 entire delivery is computed. In figuring the average size due or 
 delivered on a contract the number of pairs on each size is multiplied 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 89 
 
 by that size, and the results thus obtained are added. This grand 
 total is then divided by the total contract delivery. 
 
 In the case of an overpayment the average size delivered, sub- 
 tracted from the average size due and divided by the average size 
 due, is multiplied by the price per pair, giving the overpayment on 
 each pair delivered. This overpayment, multiplied by the total 
 deliveries, gives the total overpayment on the contract. 
 
 Formula for Estimating Overpayment on Sizes. 
 
 1. Multiply the deliveries actually made on each size by that size. 
 
 2. The sum of these products = x. 
 
 3. X divided by the total actual deliveries = the average size actually deliv- 
 ered. 
 
 4. The avera,2:e size due less the average size delivered = " the difference." 
 
 5. " The difference " divided by the average size due — the percentage of over- 
 payment. 
 
 6. The percentage of overpayment multiplied by the contract price per pair = 
 the overpayment per pair. 
 
 7. The oveiiiayment per pair multiplied by the total actual contract delivery = 
 the total overpayment on sizes. 
 
 N. B. — In case of the average size due being less than the average sze de- 
 livered the former is subtracted, showing an underpayment. 
 
 The overpayment on the average width is computed in a similar 
 manner excepting that each width must be represented by a number. 
 If the tariff runs from A to EE, the following scale should be used: 
 A 1,B2, C3, D4, E 5, EE 6. 
 
 Formula for Estimating Overpayment on Widths. 
 
 1. Multiply the total actual deliveries on each width by the number represent- 
 ing that width. (Deliveries on A width should be multiplied by 1, on B width 
 by 2, and so on.) 
 
 2. The sum of the products thus obtained divided by the total contract de- 
 livery=the average width actually delivered. 
 
 3. The average width due less tlie average width actually delivered=" The 
 difference." 
 
 4. " The difference " divided by the average width due=the percentage of 
 overpayment. 
 
 5. The percentage of overpayment nmltiplied by the contract price per pair= 
 the overpayment per pair. 
 
 6. The overpayment per pair multiplied by the total actual contract de- 
 livery = the total overpayment on widths. 
 
 N. B. — In case of the average width due being less than the average width 
 delivered the former is subtracted, showing an underpayment. 
 
 DELINQUENCIES. 
 
 In recording the delivery of shoes against the time alloted it 
 has been found that the best results are obtained by using the last- 
 ing reports submitted by the Government inspector each day. This 
 report is made up by the inspector in charge at the contractor's plant 
 and is based on the actual number of shoes lasted each day. As the 
 average length of time consumed in completing and delivering Army 
 shoes after the lasting operation is seven days, it is possible to ascer- 
 tain what the delivery on each contract will be one week in advance. 
 Should circumstances warrant it, the lasting records could be 
 rendered in detail to show the number of shoes lasted per size and 
 width, but it is believed that this is unnecessary at the present time. 
 
'90 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 GoverixVient shoe contracts stipulate that deliveries shall be com- 
 pleted on a certain date, and contain the proviso that the contractor 
 shall reimburse the Government for any expense caused by delin- 
 quent deliveries for which he is responsible. In several instances 
 the Government has found it necessary to hold up production, in 
 which case it would be unjust that the contractor should be fined for 
 the delay incurred. In many more instances, however, the con- 
 tractor has been found at fault in postponing the beginning of op- 
 sfirations through failure to provide for material required. 
 
 In requesting additional time for the delivery of shoes the con- 
 tractor must state in detail the reason for such request, and furnish 
 any data bearing upon the matter. 
 
 The expense incurred by the Government through delinquent de- 
 liveries consists of the salary and per diem expense of maintaining 
 each inspector at the factory beyond the expiration of the final 
 delivery date. If a manufacturer is awarded contracts the delivery 
 dates of which follow each other in close succession he can not incur 
 a delinquency expense, since the inspection force must be retained 
 at his factory to care for the future contracts. 
 
 In figuring a delinquency charge it must be assumed that the in- 
 spection should be completed in every department of the factory 
 previous to the completion date. With this in mind it is a simple 
 matter to compute the number of days between the date that the 
 inspectors in the several departments of a factory should have com- 
 pleted their duties and the date when they were recalled to the zone 
 supply office. 
 
Chapter XIV. 
 
 MANUFACTURE OF UNITED STATES ARMY MUNSON SHOE 
 
 LASTS. 
 
 One of the most important factors governing the manufacture of 
 shoes is the question of shoe lasts. At the time of the declaration 
 of war the Government owned approximately 75,000 pairs of Mun- 
 son shoe lasts. This supply, hoAvever, being entirely inadequate for 
 manufacturing the several millions of pairs of shoes contemplated, 
 large contracts for the manufacture of lasts Avere awarded to various 
 last makers throughout the country. 
 
 MODELS. 
 
 Previous to the awarding of any large contracts the Government 
 furnished last manufacturers an 8 C Army last model, sometimes 
 referred to as the " Old St. Louis Model." When new lasts were 
 required, this model was sent to the firms to whom the contracts for 
 the manufacture of lasts had been awarded, and all sizes and widths 
 were graded from this one model. Accompanying said model was a 
 specification sheet covering the measurements and construction of 
 lasts. Various manufacturers made copies of this model from time 
 to time, until eventually several models of apparently different types 
 were in common use, varying in measurements, construction, and 
 appearance to the extent that further use of the same could not be 
 allowed if the finished shoes were to be uniform in appearance and 
 measurement. 
 
 On or about June 1, 1917, it was deemed advisable to abolish the 
 use of these plural models by adopting one standard model. Realiz- 
 ing the prior trouble experienced from grading all sizes and widths 
 from one size and width, and desiring to prevent any variation from 
 the standard adopted^ it was decided to make a model for each 
 respective width on size 8. These models were made by the United 
 Last Co., and approved and accepted by the War Department. This 
 model was called the new 1154. The new model was made more 
 woody overhead throughout and on the big toe joint just under the 
 inside ball. '^The stick length remained the same as the old model, 
 five-eighths extension on all sizes. A slight change was also made 
 in the sole pattern. 
 
 Having adopted a new model, all the old models should have 
 been called in and destroyed, but this, however, was not imme- 
 diately done, practically all the last manufacturers retaining their 
 old models, with the result that when new contracts were given out 
 several manufacturers, to save the time and expense of drafting 
 and grading new models, continued to use the old models, ignoring 
 
 91 
 
92 ARMY SHOES AXD SHOE LASTS. 
 
 the new ones, and thousands of pairs of lasts continued to be made 
 on the old models. 
 
 This state of affairs, caused solely by the association of so many 
 foreign models, all of Avhich were descendants of the old model, 
 became of a serious nature. After carefully considerin^r the entire 
 situation and studying conditions as they actually existed it became 
 apparent that some decisive and immediate action would have to 
 be taken, since if existing conditions Avere alloAved to continue and 
 shoes were still made on mismated lasts trouble would be sure to-^ 
 follow, it being apparent that there were two distinct models with 
 many deviations from the original and varying from a half to a 
 size and one-half, with stvles noticeablv different, all workino: to- 
 gether. The greatest variation in measurements in most instances 
 was due to the fact that lasts made on the old model were slim and 
 in some cases had shrunk as much as three- fourths of a size. If 
 a manufacturer, in making and grading his turning model, should 
 get the waist point down from the true waist point, a slight slimness 
 would result. Having these conditions in mind it was decided to 
 sort and remeasure all lasts and discard those which did not measure 
 in accordance with the specifications for the new 1154. 
 
 In April, 1918, a new last. Specification 1808, Munson metallic 
 last, was made for use in construction of the metallic fastened shoe. 
 The model last was made a little larger throughout, with the ex- 
 ception of the heel measurements, being approximately one-half 
 size larger than the 1154. The extension was seven-eighths on all 
 sizes. 
 
 In the past it was customary for last manufacturers to order their 
 models without any notification to this office, conse(|uently in no 
 instance were master models, prior to their receipt by the last 
 manufacturer ordering them, inspected by Government inspectors. 
 Although it is difficult to conceive how any contractor would pro- 
 ceed to manufacture lasts under his contract without first ha^dng 
 minutely measured the master models, this has happened from time 
 to time. Under the provisions of past awards for the making of 
 lasts it was not deemed necessarv or advisable to assume the re- 
 sponsibility of ascertaining for the manufacturer whether or not 
 his master models were perfect. This opinion was governed to 
 some extent by the fact that several manufacturers ke])t tlieir models 
 under different circumstances, and the inspection and measurement 
 should at all times be made at the place where the models were 
 ordinarily kept by the particular manufacturer. It was customar3\ 
 however, to inspect the models from time to time at the factories 
 of the contractors where a slimness or other defect was discovered 
 during the process of manufacture, and in several instances where 
 differences were discovered in the models an investigation disclosed 
 that they had been kept near open windows or exposed to varying 
 Aveather conditions, and that upon subjecting the models to con- 
 ditions under which they ought to have been kept the measurements 
 would prove correct. 
 
 It is the opinion of the Avriter that in the future all zone supj^ly 
 offices having charge of the production of lasts should be supplied 
 with standard models on all widths made by one reliable last con- 
 cern. These models should be made in full sets, entirely finished^ 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 93 
 
 -and ready to turn from. By so doing absolutely no variation could 
 ^xist and each last would be sure to measure correctly. 
 
 When a contract is awarded the model lasts should be measured and 
 inspected at the depot, after which they should be forwarded to the 
 manufacturer in question and should be kept at his factory for a 
 reasonable length of time prior to using to insure their return to 
 original measurements in case of exposure to dampness or extreme 
 heat. After the contracts are finished all models and patterns should 
 be returned to the Government to be held for future use. 
 
 BLOCKS. 
 
 The curing and preparing of last blocks is a science in itself. If 
 the blocks are not properly prepared prior to their manufacture into 
 lasts more or less trouble is sure to be encountered. 
 
 Ordinarily a block cut in August of one year, if properly cured, 
 would be ready for delivery in November of the year following, tak- 
 ing approximately 15 months from the time of the cutting of the 
 wood until the delivery to last manufacturers. At this time, how- 
 ever, there is what is termed '' a new process," wherein blocks cut in 
 Aumist are readv for deliverv the following Februarv or March. 
 This latter method, however, is in an expermiental stage and was not 
 used during the period of the war. 
 
 At the time the (xovernment first required lasts in large numbers 
 it was discovered that there was a shortage of blocks, occasioned by 
 the fact that conditions existing on and after August, 1914, resulted 
 in the block manufacturers arriving at the conclusion that there 
 would not be as many calls for new styles for commercial use as 
 usually and consequently reducing the output of last blocks, causing 
 a shortage Avhich was afterwards overcome to some extent bv the use 
 of blocks not fully cured and referred to as " green blocks." 
 
 A (jovernment contract having been placed with a last manu- 
 facturer Avorking on commercial orders raised the question as to 
 whether the contractor would use the best grade blocks for Govern- 
 ment orders or for commercial orders, with the result that in some 
 instances the Government received the so-called " green blocks," the 
 same being evident from the finished product, not being noticed, 
 however, until some period of time had elapsed after the manufacture 
 thereof. 
 
 Tender ordinary conditions, particularly where an ideal type of last 
 is required, after the blocks are received at the factory of the manu- 
 facturer they should be kept there for a period of 30 days imder con- 
 ditions approximating those under which the block will be turned 
 into a last, in order that the block may become tempered to the aver- 
 age atmospherical conditions existing at that i)ai'ticular plant. 
 
 No last block shoidd be used that contains more than 5 per cent of 
 moisture. It has been scientifically ascertained that a last will, when 
 exposed to heat and dampness, eventually reach the stage where it 
 Avill contain but 5 per cent moisture, and if lasts are turned from 
 blocks containing a greater per cent, say T or 8, the lasts being turned 
 strictly in accordance with the measurements as set out in the specifi- 
 cations, they w^ill, w^hen exposed to the elements, swell and shrink, 
 but will eventually shrink until they contain but 5 per cent moisture, 
 
94 AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 thereby causing the lasts to be smaller in measurement than the 
 standard. Too great a stress can not be laid upon this particular 
 point, and it is a question which caused a great amount of trouble and 
 annoyance during the entire period of manufacturing lasts in large 
 quantities. After lasts had been used for a period of 10 to 12 months, 
 we were continually finding that they had shrunk to measurements 
 much smaller than the standard less the permissible variation. 
 
 Upon investigating conditions at the factories of several manufac- 
 turers it was discovered that they were receiving their blocks in car- 
 load lots and were moving them from the car to the turning ma- 
 chmes without allowing the same to lay in the factory sufficiently 
 long to become tempered. There can be no question that lasts made 
 under such conditions will eventually shrink to a greater extent than 
 allowed under the permissible variations. 
 
 Each zone supply office should have a device for ascertaining the 
 moisture contained in any given block, permitting the testing of 
 blocks from time to time during the performance of any future con- 
 tracts, and it might be added that if such an instrument had been 
 available during the years 1917 and 1918 thousands of dollars might 
 have been saved to the Government. 
 
 Tliere are several ways of testing out blocks, but the most accurate 
 and thorough method known to date is by a delicate weighing and 
 elex3tric heating device. Two or three blocks are selected, from the 
 middle of which two or three small lengthwise strips are sawed. 
 These are weighed and put inside the electric heating device, where 
 they are subjected to a temperature of 220° F. and then weighed 
 again. The difference between the first and second weighings equals 
 the weight of the moisture. This divided by the original weight gives 
 the percentage of moisture. 
 
 Models should be carefully checked up and should measure per- 
 fect in every detail. If measurements are found correct as per speci- 
 fications they are ready to go to the turners and are then placed in 
 the lathes. At present we have models only on size 8 for all widths, 
 and all sizes are graded from each respective model. If turning 
 models were furnished on sizes 5, 7, 9, and 11 on all widths a greater 
 degree of accuracy would be maintained than at present, because of 
 the fact that lathes will not hold their grade so accurately when run- 
 ning four or five sizes either side of the model, whereas if sizes 5, 
 5-|, 6, and 6^ were turned from a size 5 model and 7, 7^, 8, and 8^ 
 were turned from a 7 model, and so on up, no deviations from the 
 true model could possibly exist providing the operator used due care 
 in adjusting his machine. In placing models in the lathes great care 
 should be taken that they are located properly and on exact centers. 
 Lathes should be carefully gone over and any part or parts show- 
 ing excessive wear should be repaired before being used. With 
 lathes properly adjusted, instructions should be given the con- 
 tractors that lathe operators must watch their work carefully and 
 must not run lathes at high speeds This oftentimes happens, as men 
 are paid on a piece basis and naturally try to get out as much work 
 as possible. Nothing will throAv lasts o.ut of proper measurements 
 so quickly as turning lathes at high speed. The block revolving 
 against the cutter rebounds so quickly and with such a jerk that 
 the knives cut deep irregular lines in the last, destroying the pattern 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 95' 
 
 edge and renderinf^ the last practically Avorthless. The whole last 
 should be turned at tlie same rate of speed. A majority of last 
 manufacturers turn the portion from the toe to the waist point at 
 a greater speed than that from the waist point to the heel. This 
 should not be allowed on Government lasts. Ordinarily cutter 
 knives are ground after turning 100 pairs of lasts, and it is very 
 important that the inspector should see that the turning machines 
 are tested every time the cutters are ground, as this will have a 
 tendency to correct many slight variations which might otherwise 
 become apparent. 
 
 All block lasts should be turned one-eighth larger than the speci- 
 fications call for when finished. This allows one-sixteenth waste 
 when the block is sawed and one-sixteenth waste when scoured, or, 
 as some last manufacturers term, " grinding." Any last leaving 
 a turning room and measuring less than one-eighth larger than it 
 should when finished should be watched throughout the works. 
 How important this is and what actually happens to substantiate 
 this point will be explained later. 
 
 SHAVING DEPARTMENT. 
 
 As fast as lasts are turned they are sent to the shaving depart- 
 ment, where toes and heels are made. The first operation is to place 
 all toes against a surface cutter, which cuts the stub on an exact 
 bevel with the bottom. In executing this operation great care 
 should be exercised, as more or less damage can be done in trying 
 to trim too closely, resulting in the undercutting of the toe and 
 making an irregular bottom. After surfacing, paper sole patterns 
 are applied to all lasts, toes marked in, and finished. In appl3dng 
 sole patterns particular attention should be directed in measuring 
 the length, beginning at the heel (less heel margin allowance) and 
 thence forward to the toe. After toes are finished heels are cut and. 
 trimmed up on a heel saw, a machine specially designed for this 
 work. In some factories the heels are made before the toes are 
 finished, resulting in many lasts coming short on the stick length. 
 Once heels are made, then toes cut in accordance with paper patterns, 
 nothing can save the last if it has been cut too close on the heel, 
 whereas if the toes are finished first the heel-saw operator has an 
 opportunity to get his stick length by saving a little more wood and 
 still not throwing out the natural heel curve. In a number of in- 
 stances it has been noticed that heel-saw operators were more or 
 less careless and sometimes cut so deeply into the heel that the mar- 
 gin allow^ance and base line of the heel were cut entirely through, 
 thus destroying the pattern length and throwing the heel curve out 
 of alignment, also making lasts short. The work of the heel-saw 
 operator should be closely watched by the inspector, as upon him 
 depends the stick length of the last. 
 
 BLOCK DEPARTMENT. 
 
 From the shaving department blocks are taken into the block- 
 sawing department, where they are sawed and fitted to the last. 
 Aside from sawing, nearly all the other minor operations are easily 
 
96 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 performed. Blocks should be sawed so that the inside ball line will 
 be cut deep into the main body of the last, thus enabling the last to 
 be drawn more freely when the block is disconnected. The band 
 saw in severing the block from the main body of the last should not 
 cut over one-sixteenth scarf as specified. Any wider scarf would 
 produce an indentation in the block line, which could not be erased 
 without injury to the last. After the blocks are severed they should 
 be attached to the last in accordance Avith specifications covering this 
 operation. 
 
 IRONING. 
 
 It is the duty of this department to attach the heel irons or entire 
 bottoms as required by the specifications. There is one feature of the 
 1308 specifications which it is felt might be improved, either by spe- 
 cial instructions to inspectors or by a change in the specifications. 
 The present 1308 specifications state : 
 
 Heel iron to have a margin of not less tlmn one thirty-second of an inch at 
 extreme back (illustrated in diagram). 
 
 It is suggested that the following clause be substituted for the 
 above : 
 
 Heel iron to have a margin of not more than three sixty-fonrtlis inch and 
 not less than one thirty-second inch at extreme baclv (illustrated in diagram). 
 
 This suggestion is occasioned by the receipt of many lasts with 
 margins varying from one thirty-second up to and including one- 
 sixteenth of an inch, and indeed in some instances approximating one- 
 eighth of an inch. Since a margin of this size results in some diffi- 
 culty in the lasting operation, it is considered necessar^^ that the above 
 restriction should be applied. Under no circumstances should the 
 margin be filed after irons are attached. 
 
 A great amount of difficulty was originally encountered in the 
 manner of attaching the iron bottoms of the 1308 last to the wood. 
 The specifications read as follows: 
 
 Bottom of lasts to he phited with No. 20 gauge galvanized iron, to be attached 
 with 4 screws and 6 nails in forepart and 3 screws and 2 nails in heel seat (see 
 diagram for position of nails and screws). Screws to be one-half inch No. .5 
 wire. 
 
 It was found that owing to the labor situation, which made it 
 necessar}^ to break in many new hands for this particular class of 
 work and to the fact that very few last manufacturers at that time 
 were making McKay lasts, practically all the manufacturers were 
 boring screw- holes either with power augers or awls, after which 
 the screws Avere driven in with hammers. This resulted in many 
 instances in the iron bottoms starting from the lasts in the course 
 of handling at the warehouse or in the factor}^, a condition which was 
 overcome by sending written instructions to all last inspectors, 
 copies of which were forwarded to the manufacturers, as follows: 
 
 1. You are instructed to watch carefully the attaching of the iron to the 
 bottom of the last. 
 
 2. Holes for screws should be made with an awl smaller than wire of screw. 
 
 3. Do not permit boring devices removing part of wood. 
 
 4. You are to reject lasts where screws are driven in by hammer or other 
 device. 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 97 
 
 SCOURING. 
 
 Last scouring or grinding is a delicate operation, and final results 
 rest largely on the work of this department. It is an easy matter for 
 a scourer to take off one-eighth or one-fourth of a size on a last 
 almost without noticing it, so one can readily understand what the 
 result would be if lasts came to the scourer slim in measure or less 
 than scouring allowance (one-sixteenth). Oftentimes lasts turned 
 a trifle under the one-sixteenth allowance will go through providing 
 thev are marked to scour thin, thus enabling the scourer to grind them 
 lightly. 
 
 In order to demonstrate what would logically transpire if lasts 
 were turned slim or under measurement in the beginning, reference 
 is made to an incident that occurred at a last factory where a con- 
 tractor turned nearly half of his order before the inspector arrived 
 at the factory. Upon the arrival of the inspector he ascertained on 
 going through the turning department that some operators were 
 turning lasts as high as three-quarters of a size full and as low 
 as finished measurements, in the latter case leaving nothing for 
 finishing. On looking over four or five hundred pairs nearly 200 
 were found to have been turned finished measure. Upon discovering 
 this condition of affairs it became necessary, first, to get the lathes 
 running uniform and grading properly ; second, to measure all lasts 
 on the floor, those found under being blue penciled to signify light 
 scouring; and, third, to reject such lasts as would not when finished 
 correspond to specification measurements. This method of proce- 
 dure was carried out without the approval of the superintendent, 
 who claimed that the lasts would finish within the one-sixteenth per- 
 missible variation and insisted on carrying on the work to the 
 finished stage, as was his privilege, providing the lasts when finished 
 measured in accordance wdth specifications. The lasts in question 
 were rushed through the works at a period when the inspector was 
 out and without his knowledge, and having been given a bath in 
 wood alcohol, covered with a shellac filler, and polished, upon the 
 return of the inspector were offered for final approval. Much to his 
 surprise not a single last was sufficiently under standard measure- 
 ments to warrant its being thrown out, which immediately raised a 
 question in his mind as to what treatment had been given the lasts 
 to produce this effect. After spending some time in investigating 
 the situation it was found that the lasts had been dipped in wood 
 alcohol, the application of which would cause the lasts to swell at 
 least a size within a short period of time. Upon this discovery it 
 was insisted that the lasts in question remain as they were on the 
 racks for a period of at least a week before any further action should 
 be taken as to their rejection or acceptance. This plan met with 
 disapproval on the part of the management, who claimed that the 
 lasts were properly finished, found to be in accordance with specifi- 
 cations, and consequently were ready to ship. They were, however, 
 informed that the lasts would not be accepted until they had been 
 subjected to further tests to ascertain whether or not any treatment 
 to which they had been subjected might possibly prove detrimental 
 to the lasts. As a matter of fact, the lasts remained on the racks for 
 a period of 10 days, at the end of which time they were gone over 
 
 35285—21 7 
 
98 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 carefully and it was ascertained that they had gone back nearly to 
 their original and normal measurement, which was from a quarter 
 to a half a size under the permissible allowance. The alcohol, being 
 a quick absorbent, had penetrated the wood and produced an immedi- 
 ate swelling, while the application of shellac and polishing material 
 sealed the pores, retarding the evaporation, and thus temporarily 
 maintaining the lasts in this semiswollen condition , 
 
 THIMBLE BORING. 
 
 This operation, while very simple, oftentimes is not properly per- 
 formed. Thimble holes should never be bored any deeper than to 
 permit the insert of'the thimble. Some manufacturers clo not place 
 much stress on this point, simply boring holes regardless of depth 
 or of a resultant vacuum at the base of the thimble, thus giving 
 absolutely no support for the thimble to rest on, whereas if the 
 thimble rested firmly on the wood, supported by the heavy E. C. W. 
 bolt running horizontally across its base, it would be practically im- 
 possible for any heavy pressure to push it deeper into the last. It 
 has been found and proved that lasts where thimble holes were 
 bored regardless of depth will not stand up under heeling and 
 leveling machine pressure. In fact, after two or three times in use 
 the thimbles are crushed deep into the last, often splitting the heel 
 and rendering perfectly good lasts unfit for further use. It is well 
 to see that this operation is properly done, as it materially affects 
 the life of the lasts. 
 
 POLISHING. 
 
 Little can be said of this department other than to state that 
 proper application of some good filler should be made to every 
 last. In the past it has been permissible to use either a filler made 
 in liquid form, or what is called a " hard stick " filler, which is applied 
 and burnished in by a wheel. The latter is not considered advis- 
 able, an examination of thousands of finished lasts having demon- 
 strated that the polishing operation is of no value without a proper 
 filler, and further that there is no filler that equals liquid white 
 shellac. This should be applied with a brush and not too sparingly, 
 and should be worked well into the grain of the wood in order to 
 prevent extensive shrinkage and swelling. Specification for the 
 1308 lasts states : 
 
 Lasts to be filled with a high-grade filler or white shellac and then polished 
 and thoroughly waxed with Canauba wax. Lasts must be stained before 
 .applying filler. 
 
 The finishing and polishing of a majority of the lasts received 
 during the first three months of the manufacture of the 1308 type 
 were not up to the standard. It was suggested at that time that 
 all last manufacturers be required to use white shellac properly 
 applied with a brush, since it was ascertained that Canauba wax 
 was extremely difficult to obtain and it was thought that if white 
 shellac were used it would prove sufficient protection from the 
 elements. There is yet to be found a composition the application 
 of which will render the lasts safe from shrinkage and swelling. 
 However great the care exercised in the storage of lasts, their 
 measurements are bound to vary as a result of the atmospheric changes 
 to which the eastern section of the country is subject. 
 
Chapter XV. 
 RECEIYINO, SHIPPING, AND STORING OF SHOE LASTS. 
 
 Early in the game it was discovered that the questions of receiving, 
 shipping, and storing of lasts would afford many complicated prob- 
 lems, demanding quick and accurate solutions. It should be borne 
 in mind that there were in the New England States at one time 21 
 manufacturers making Army shoes and that there were approxi- 
 mately 750,000 Munson welt lasts and 227,000 Munson metallic lasts 
 to be handled. The production of shoes depended to a large extent 
 upon ideal conditions surrounding the efficiency of the last depart- 
 ment, and whenever it became necessary for Washington or for local 
 officials to take up with shoe contractors the matter of facilitated 
 production the contractors invariably referred to the last situation, 
 either claiming that they did not receive lasts at the time they were 
 ready to commence operations or that owing to errors in shipment 
 they did not receive lasts of the style, size, and width required, which 
 in the early days was generally true. 
 
 During the manufacture of the early contracts it was customary to 
 ask the shoe manufacturer how many lasts were desired and then to 
 allow him 10 to 20 per cent more then he requested, when as a matter 
 of fact his demands were more liable to be about 40 per cent in excess 
 of his requirements. After a decision had been made as to the allot- 
 ment of lasts to the shoe manufacturer, it was customary to order 
 the lasts required either directly from last manufacturers as they 
 were completed or from storage. Under normal conditions in accord- 
 ance with regulations, the distribution division would handle the 
 ordering in and out and the accountability ; warehousing, the storage ; 
 and transportation, the moving of lasts ; but owing to delay in sorting, 
 bagging, and preparation for shipment, errors in assembling styles, 
 sizes, and widths as ordered, and general delay in moving lasts from 
 storage to the transportation companies, it became evident that if any 
 degree of efficiency was to be obtained it would be necessary to install 
 a unified and detailed system. 
 
 After a careful survey of the general situation it was decided, first, 
 to delegate all authority relative to the distribution and storage in as 
 far as possible to the Shoe Branch ; second, to prepare a system cov- 
 ering the purchase, manufacture, and distribution of shoe lasts; and, 
 third, to establish a central warehouse to be vised as a clearing house 
 and storage place for shoe lasts at Brockton, Mass., whicli is not only 
 the greatest men's shoe center in the world but is within a few miles 
 of Whitman, Rockland, Abington, Bridge water. South Weymouth, 
 and Stoughton, where shoes and lasts were being manufactured. 
 
 One feature of this system was the decision that all lasts should be 
 bagged 36 pairs of a solid size and width to each bag, bins being used 
 
 99 
 
100 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 for odd lasts with compartments for lasts of each size and width 
 which were in charge of men who made up a bag as soon as 36 pairs 
 of any size and width were accumulated. The results obtained from 
 the system installed were so satisfactory that at the climax of endeav- 
 ors there were moved in and out of the warehouse at Brockton over 
 900,000 pounds of shoe lasts every 30 days, and after employees had 
 been thoroughly trained it was possible in case of an emergency to 
 move lasts in and out at the rate of 3,000 pairs per hour without se- 
 rious errors as to size and width. This resulted in the minimizing of 
 criticisms from all sources and it is thought that if employees were 
 trained in accordance with this system no difficulty should be experi- 
 enced in successfully handling any emergency which might arise in 
 connection with last problems. 
 
 ROUTINE AT THE BROCKTON WAREHOUSE. 
 
 I. Receipts. 
 
 Receipts at the Brockton warehouse fall into two general classes — receipts 
 from shoe manufacturers and receipts from last manufacturers. Since the 
 routine in each case differs slightly they will be taken up separately. 
 
 A. FEOM SHOE MANUFACTUREES. 
 
 1. Records of receipt. 
 
 (a) The used lasts which are returned by the shoe manufacturers should, 
 upon receipt, be reported on tally sheets. This is the form prescribed by the 
 Warehousing Section for use in connection with goods of any kind which are 
 received at a warehouse. This tally sheet is made out in triplicate. The re- 
 ceiving checker also records the receipt in his receiving book, giving the in- 
 formation that is called for in it. These tally sheets are sent to department 2, 
 which handles all the records concerning receipts from shoe manufacturers. 
 
 2. Records of inspection. 
 
 (a) In this department one of the clerks notes the range of the container 
 numbers in the shipment and prepares a page, or set of pages (like Form 6) 
 upon which is entered information appearing upon tlie tally sheets. These 
 pages are kept in a book called " Receipts from shoe manufacturers." The 
 original tally sheet is then sent into Boston, one copy is filed, and one is kept 
 with the goods. 
 
 (b) As the lasts are inspected, the original tags are attached to each inspec- 
 tion report and are sent into the office by the inspection checker to department 2. 
 A clerk here removes the tags, checks them with the inspection reports, and 
 sends them to be filed, and then passes the inspection report to the clerk in 
 charge of the book of receipts from shoe manufacturers. This clerk makes 
 an analysis on Form 2, showing the lasts over, short, and rejected. An analysis 
 nmst be made out in duplicate for every inspection report that comes in. The 
 original is sent to Boston and the duplicate is kept at the warehouse. 
 
 3. Credit to shoe manufacturers. 
 
 (a) When all the bags of a shipment have been inspected and reported upon, 
 the allotted spaces on the pages (Form 6) which have been prepared are filled 
 in and the clerk then makes up a consensus report on the entire shipment. These 
 figures are checked with the incoming shipping report of the shipment. If they 
 correspond, both copies of the shipping report are signed by the person in charge 
 and forwarded to Boston. If they do not correspond, it should be called to the 
 attention of this person who notifies the officer in charge. The analyses, giving 
 the amounts received and accepted on each shipment, form the basis of crediting 
 the shoe manufacturers with the lasts they have returned. The Boston office 
 should also be notified how many bags each shipment from shoe manufacturers 
 consists of, since the manufacturer is charged with the burlap bags and he 
 can not be credited with their return unless the warehouse notifies the Boston 
 dffice. 
 
 4. Disposition. 
 
 (a) The inspection report with the analysis is sent to department 1, where the 
 clerk enters the amount accepted on the proper stock sheet. These papers are 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 101 
 
 then sent to be filed. These lasts may be put either in permanent storage or may 
 be held for redistribution, but, in any case, proper stock sheet must be credited. 
 
 B. FROM LAST MANUFACTURERS. 
 
 1. Records of receipt. 
 
 (a) As lasts are received from last manufacturers, the receiving clerk makes 
 out tally sheets (Form 5), just as is the case in every other shipment. Also 
 record of the receipt is entered in the receiver's book. 
 
 2. Records of inspection or checking. 
 
 (a) Usually these lasts have already been inspected at the various factories 
 and it is necessary only to check them. However, whether they are to be in- 
 spected or checked, the form to be used is Brockton warehouse inspection report 
 (Form 4). The checker removes the original tags after the inspection or check- 
 ing, attaches them to the tally sheets and the inspection report, and sends them 
 to department 3, which handles all the records of receipts from last manu- 
 facturers. 
 
 3. Approval of invoices. 
 
 (a) This department checks the tags with the tally receipts and inspection 
 reports to make sure that there are no errors. This is very important, since 
 a great many of the errors discovered have been caused by carelessness in copy- 
 ing the figures from the tags. After the tags have been checked an analysis i« 
 made of the checking or inspection report on Form 2. This shows the lasts 
 over, short, rejected, and accepted. This is made out in duplicate, one (3opy 
 for Boston and the other for file at the warehouse. Any irregularities in the 
 shif)ment should be called to the attention of the person in charge and noted 
 in the space provided therefor on the analysis sheet. The original tally sheet 
 and the original analysis are then sent to Boston. The duplicates of these two 
 papers then go to another clerk in this same department, who records the in- 
 formation on the analysis sheet in a book called " Receipts from Last Manu- 
 facturers." 
 
 (b) These figures are entered under each manufacturer's name, and from 
 them the invoices are checked up and approved for payment. No invoices should 
 be approved unless they bear the sizes and widths of the lasts invoiced. 
 
 4. Disposition. 
 
 (a) The lasts that come in from last manufacturers are in all cases stored 
 so they will be available for redistribution. The place where they are stored 
 is marked on the inspection report and these papers are sent from department 
 3 to department 1, where the accepted lasts are entered on the proper sto'ck 
 sheet. 
 
 II. Shipments. 
 
 A. FROM MAIN WAREHOUSE. 
 
 1. Initial steps. 
 
 (a) The initial step in shipping lasts from the warehouse after the authority 
 has been given is to make out a shipping order in duplicate. One copy is for 
 the person in charge, who keeps it as a personal memorandum to be destroyed 
 when the shipment has been completed. The other copy goes to department 1, 
 where the amount of the shipment is deducted from the stock sheet. The clerk 
 here also fills in the information as to whom the shipment was ordered by and 
 the authority therefor. For the purpose of explanation, it should be made 
 clear that the shipment is authorized by letter or a telephone call from the 
 Boston depot and is ordered by the person in charge of the shipments at the 
 warehouse. This clerk further notes on the order that the amount has been 
 deducted from the stock sheets. 
 
 (6) The order is then passed to the person in charge of the warehouse, who 
 numbers it. This number is used later on the shipping ticket also. 
 
 2. Selection, etc. 
 
 (a) The order then goes to the shipper, who has it selected, bagged, and 
 checked, filling in the names of the persons who do the work. He also makes 
 out duplicate shipping sheets, showing the contents and weight of each bag, 
 and also its United States number, which has been previously assigned by the 
 shipping clerk. 
 
 (b) When lasts are bagged and ready to ship, the shipper turns the shipping 
 sheets over to the shipping c'lerk, who checks the figures to see that the totals 
 are correct and amounts packed agree with the amounts ordered. The clerk 
 
102 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 then makes a typewritten copy of the onion-skins and mails it to the consignee 
 to be used in checking in a shipment. He also makes out a shipping ticket, 
 one copy of which is retained at the warehouse, one copy of which is sent to 
 the officer in charge of production, and one copy of which is received by the 
 Distribution Division. Space reading " Invoice to " is to be left blank. After 
 the shipping ticket is given a special number in the editors' department, 
 warehouse copy will be sent to the warehouse making the shipment for filing. 
 This ticket is made out after the goods have been delivered to the transporting 
 agent. He also has the bill of lading signed by the agent and fills in the 
 necessary data on it. The shipping order is also turned over to him by the 
 shipper and he fills in whatever information is called for. He can usually 
 note everything on it but the shipping report number. 
 
 3. Completion of shipment. 
 
 (a) The complete shipping ticket, order, and the signed bill of lading are 
 handed to the person in charge. The fact is noted that the order lias been 
 shipped and the duplicate shipping order destroyed. All the documents then 
 go to department 1, where the figures are again checked. The documents then 
 go to department 4, which handles all of the records in regard to outgoing 
 shipments. The clerk in this department makes out the shipping report and 
 distributes the various copies. One of the warehouse copies of the shipping 
 ticket and the duplicate shipping sheet is then detached and sent to be filed. 
 The original shipping sheet is attached to the rest of the shipping ticket, which 
 goes into the depot, as does the complete bill of lading. The shipping order is 
 filed, together with the other documents concerning the same shipment. This 
 clerk also keeps a record of all outgoing bills of lading. 
 
 III. Division of Routine. 
 
 In dividing the routine work at the Brockton warehouse it has been con- 
 sidered best to call the clerk, or clerks, handling each phase of the work a 
 department. In some cases where the department consists of more than one 
 clerk the work can not be assigned to a particular person, therefore it is best 
 to assign it simply to the department. 
 
 A. DEPARTMENT 1. 
 
 (a) All stock records are kept here. They show exactly what is on hand 
 at. all storage places. All orders must pass through this department in order 
 to be deducted from the proper stock sheet. All stock transfers must come here 
 so that the records may be kept accurately. When lasts are inspected a report 
 must come to this department so that those accepted will be added to the 
 stock sheet. 
 
 B. DEPARTMENT 2. 
 
 (a) This department takes charge of all records pertaining to receipts from 
 shoe manufacturers. Book called '* Receipts from Shoe Manufacturers " is 
 kept here and is used in the manner described under " Receipts." The inspec- 
 tion reports of these lasts come here, as do also the incoming shipping reports 
 of lasts returned by shoe manufacturers, so that they may be checked. 
 
 ( b ) This department also makes out and sends to Boston an analysis of each 
 inspection report showing the lasts over, short, rejected, and accepted. Any- 
 thing else that comes under the head of receipts from shoe manufacturers is 
 handled by this department. Incidentally this department keeps record of all 
 incoming bills of lading. 
 
 C. DEPARTMENT 3. 
 
 (a) Receipts from last manufacturers are handled by this department. Inci- 
 dentally the work of approving invoices from last manufacturers comes under 
 this heading. In addition to the book showing the analysis of each receipt of 
 lasts, this department keeps a register of all bills that pass through it. 
 
 D. DEPARTMENT 4. 
 
 i^) This department handles the clerical end of all outgoing shipments. The 
 shipping ticket is distributed here and the shipping report is made out and 
 distributed also, and record is kept by number and by consignee of every ship- 
 ping report that goes out. The outgoing bills of lading are also recorded here. 
 
AKMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 103 
 
 E. DEPARTMENT 5. 
 
 (a) This department has charge of all time keeping and personnel work. 
 The daily report of absence and tardiness, the employment and discharge slips, 
 the pay rolls, and the other personnel records are made out and kept here. 
 
 F. DEPARTMENT 6. 
 
 (a) This department has charge of filing all documents and Issuing of all 
 office supplies. 
 
 IV. Miscellaneous. 
 
 A. PERSONNEL. 
 
 (ft) Accurate record must be kept of the time each employee enters and 
 leaves the warehouse in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. Absence 
 and tardy reports must be made out and sent into Boston not later than 10 
 a. m. the following day. It is especially important that pay rolls be made 
 up and sent into Boston on time so that there may be no delay in paying 
 off the employees. 
 
 B. BOOKS OF RECORD. 
 
 (ft) So far as possible all records of importance should be kept in perma- 
 nent books so that they may be available whenever necessary. Among the 
 purposes for which permanent record books should be kept are receipts from 
 shoe manufacturers, receipts from last manufacturers, record of incoming and 
 outgoing bills of lading, record of incoming and outgoing shipping reports, 
 register of all invoices that pass through the warehouse, supplies received at 
 the warehouse, and a record of absences and tardinesses. 
 
 C. OFEICE SUPPLIES. 
 
 (ft) A stock of office supplies sufficient to meet the needs of the office for 
 at least two weeks should be kept on hand at all times. In ordering no 
 items should exceed a two weeks' supply. 
 
 D. USE OF THE TELEPHONE. 
 
 (ft) The telephone should be used only on official Government business, and 
 all toll calls should be recorded. In calling up Boston as much business as 
 possible should be saved for one call so that they may not be numerous. 
 
 Form No. 1. — Shipping Order. 
 
 A shipping order contains all the possible information needed about any one 
 shipment. It takes in more than the shipping ticket and is also necessary so 
 tliat there may be one distinctive form upon which to order the shipments. 
 It has been found confusing to put orders on size sheets, because the size 
 sheets may be used for many different purposes, such as memorandums, 
 records of what has been received, etc. Practice has shown that it is much 
 safer to have one distinctive form such as this for orders. For method of use 
 see " Shipments.' 
 
 » 
 
104 
 
 AEMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 BROCKTON WAREHOUSE. 
 SHIPPING ORDER. 
 
 SHIP TO. 
 
 (Form l.) 
 
 No 
 
 Date 
 
 Spec. No 
 
 Ordered by- 
 Authority 
 
 Noted on Stock Sheet by- 
 Selected by 
 Packed by- 
 Checked by ♦ 
 
 Shipping ticket No. 
 Actually shipped on 
 Shipped %ia 
 B/L No. 
 
 Shipping Report No. 
 No. of bags 
 
 
 5i 
 
 6 
 
 6i 
 
 7 
 
 7i 
 
 8 
 
 Sh 
 
 9 
 
 9i 
 
 10 
 
 lOJ 
 
 11 
 
 UJ 
 
 12 
 
 12J 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 Total. 
 
 A— wide 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 B— wide 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 C— wide 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 D— wide 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 • 
 
 
 
 
 E— wide 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 EE— wide 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 U. S. Bag No. 
 
 Remarks. 
 Note lasts which it is impossible to ship. 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 105 
 
 Form No. 2. — ^Analysis Sheet. 
 
 This is used to record the final results of the checking or inspection of the 
 •shipments. Formerly lasts over, short, rejected, and accepted were recorded 
 on separate sheets. All four size sheets were necessary to conrplete the records 
 of one shipment. By using this analysis sheet all the information of any one 
 shipment is on one piece of paper, even to the invoice number and to the dis- 
 position of the rejects and overage and notification of the shortage. For infor- 
 mation as to the use of this sheet, see " Receipts." 
 
 (Form 2.) 
 
 ANALYSIS SHEET. 
 
 RECEIVED FROM, 
 
 Invoice No. . 
 Specification 
 
 H 
 
 ■«! 
 H 
 
 O 
 
 ft 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 H 
 
 1-4 
 ft 
 
 H 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 < 
 
 Pi 
 O 
 
 n 
 
 fa 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 -«! 
 O 
 
 Cm 
 O 
 
 tn 
 H 
 o 
 
 w 
 
 fi 
 
 O 
 
 !? 
 
 O 
 
 ^^ 
 H 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 ca 
 
 a 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 O 
 
 K 
 
 !2J 
 O 
 
 1:1 
 o 
 
 en 
 H 
 GO 
 
 tzi 
 
 CO 
 
 o 
 
 w 
 o 
 
 aa 
 
 S 
 
 M 
 
 o 
 
 ACCEPTED. 
 
 
 5 
 
 5i 
 
 6 
 
 6i 
 
 7 
 
 7i 
 
 8 
 
 8J 
 
 9 
 
 9i 
 
 10 
 
 lOi 
 
 11 
 
 m 
 
 12 
 
 12i 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 B 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 C 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 D 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 E 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 EE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
106 
 
 ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 FoBM No. 3. — Stock Transfer. 
 
 In order to keep the records of the stock accurately it is necessary that every 
 transfer be noted on a stock transfer and sent to clerk No. 1, who keeps the 
 stock records. She transfers the amount on her books and then sends the form 
 to be filed. 
 
 (FOEM 3.) 
 
 SHOE LASTS. 
 
 BROCKTON WAREHOUSE. 
 
 STOCK TRANSFER. 
 
 INSPECTED. 
 UNINSPECTED. 
 
 Date 
 
 Specification 
 
 From to 
 
 TRANSFERRED BY, 
 
 Bag No. 
 Contents. 
 
 Bag No. 
 Contents. 
 
 Bag No. 
 Contents. 
 
 Bag No. 
 Contents. 
 
 Bag No. 
 Contents. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■ j 
 
 
 : 
 
 
 ' 1 
 
 1 
 
 Deducted from 
 By- 
 
 
 , 
 
 
 i 1 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 Approved by 
 
 Posted into 
 
ARMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 107 
 
 FoBM No. 4. — Inspection Report. 
 
 This report is used in checking or inspecting lasts that come in from last 
 manufacturers. For its use see " Receipts." 
 
 (Form 4.) 
 
 INSPECTION REPORT. 
 
 SPECIAL FORM FOR 1154 LASTS RETURNED BY SHOE MFRS. 
 
 Consignor , Spec. 
 
 Received from . Date 
 
 Temporary Disposition. 
 
 Tag No. 
 
 Tag Calls 
 For. 
 
 Accepted. 
 
 Rejected. 
 
 New Lasts. 
 
 Smalle 
 Lasts. 
 
 Short or 
 Over. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 _ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
108 
 
 ABMY SHOES AND SHOE LASTS. 
 
 Form No. 5. — Tally Sheets. 
 
 Form 256A— P. & S.— 1-1-19. 
 Original filed in Receiving Section. 
 
 INCOMING. 
 TALLY SHEET. 
 
 Serul No 
 
 No. OF Sheets. 
 Sheet No 
 
 Goods received at warehouse Date . 
 
 Received from B/L or pro. No , 
 
 Shipper's Name Car Seal No 
 
 Car No 
 
 Purchase or contract No. 
 
 Remarks. 
 
 Number AND Kind of Containers Date car arrived Date car released... 
 
 Checker's signature .*. Unloading begun Unloading completed. 
 
 
 MATERLA.L 
 
 MATERLA.L 
 
 Material 
 
 
 Package No. 
 
 Amount. 
 
 Size. 
 
 Package No. 
 
 Amount. 
 
 Size. 
 
 Package No. 
 
 Amount. 
 
 Size. 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 • ••••■• •^m * ■ • • • 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 •••••••••••••• 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Received by 
 
 Report prepared bt 
 
 Date. 
 
 
 
 
 
ARMY SHOES AISTD SHOE LASTS. 
 
 109 
 
 INSTRUCTIONS TO TALLY CLERK. 
 
 Mark heavy circle on other side of this sheet around numbers of damaged 
 packages and list them below with full information as to condition in which 
 they are received. This is of the utmost importance, as claims will be made on 
 the basis of this information. 
 
 PACKAGES RECEIVED IN DAMAGED CONDITION. 
 
 Pkq. No. 
 
 Weight. 
 
 Articles. 
 
 Condition of Packages. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Form No. 6. — Special Inspection Report. 
 
 This is a special form of the inspection report which is used for lasts, Specifi- 
 cation 1154, now being returned by shoe manufacturers. It was designed to 
 classify lasts which have never been used by manufacturers and also lasts 
 manufactured by Bekkenhuis & Smalle, which are now^ being rejected after use. 
 
 SPECIAL INSPECTION REPORT. 
 
 Name of concern. 
 
 (Form 6.) 
 
 Location. 
 
 Specification. 
 
 Date 
 Rec'd. 
 
 Bag 
 No. 
 
 Tag Calls 
 For. 
 
 Date 
 Insp. 
 
 Accepted. 
 
 Rejected. 
 
 Short. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Tempo- 
 rary Dis- 
 position. 
 
 Final Dis- 
 position. 
 
 
 1 
 
 Z 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 • 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
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