Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-05
GERMAN iMPERTiNENcE
In Trying to Influence Tariff LegisIa
ton Will Be Proven.

washington, June 4.-The summary
of the contents of various memorials
of German Chambers of Commerce and
industrial establishments, criticizing
statements made by American manu-
facturers who appeared before the ways
and means committee of the House,
will be presented to the Senate tomor-
row by Mr.. Aldrich, chairman of the
Senate finance committee. He consid-
ers 1t a sufficient vindication Of his ac-
ton in charging that German manu-
facturers had been "impertinent" in
their invasion of American legislative
halls for the purpose of influencing
Congress in their behalf while a tar
if hill was under consideration
The statement of Aldrich having pro-
vOked a storm, the abstract of the
German memorials was prepared and
the entire repOr. ordered printed. The
abstract is now ready and the whole
report will be printed as soon as it can
be translated from the German text.
1t is contended by members of the
House ways and means committee that
the request made through American
diplomatic and consular representatives
in Germany for facts relating to the
wage scale in the various Industries in
Germany, was sent abroad before the
hearings on the tariff bill were begun
Nevertheless it is shown that the de-
sired information was not gathered by
German Chambers of Commerce and
manufacturers until after the hear
ings given by the committee had been
published and that the German man.
ufacturers made their replies direct
~ to statements made by Americans to
the ways and means committee, instead
OF supplying facts concerning the wage
scale
Without exception the names of the
individuals who supplied information
to German Chambers of Commerce
were withheld by the German govern
ment and so far as the Senate finance
committee is concerned all of the
statements are anonymous. Witnesses
before the House committee are crit
iciZed by the German manufacturers
and their statements in innumerable.
Instances are declared to be incorrect
and misleading and, in one case, it is
asserted, that data presented was
false. Following are some of the most
striking criticisms:
Accredited to the Chamber Of Com
merce at Nuremberg is the statement
that the request of American manu-
facturers to raise the duty on brOnZc
powder from II to Is cents a pound is
unreasonable" The statement init
mates that American wages are twice
what they are in Germany. But 1t is
asserted that only about 100 persons
are employed in this industry in tho
United States. New Jersey senators
say there are over 200 persons EN-.
ployed in New Jersey alone
Testimony given by Mr.. Burgess, an
American manufacturer of china and
porcelain, is criticized and termed
inaccurate by German manufacturers
The statement of a Mr.. kurth regard
ing labor cost in the manufacture of
clay pipes is characterized as "incor-
rect" A statement by an American
manufacturer of coal tar dyes, named
SchoellkOpf. is declared to prove moth
ing.
Similar criticisms are made in an
swer to statements by the Corset Man
ufacturers Association by Former
Congressman Littaurer, concerning the
manufacturer of gloves. iewelry. knit
goods, Autographs, musical instru-
ments, optical instruments and all
KINDS of paper. pencils, pottery and
other articles. 1t is denied that Ger
man exporters undervalued their goods
Concerning figures given by George
Boynde. an American manufacturer of
knit goods, a memorial from Chem
nitz asserts that the wages quoted for
Saxonia are totally false" Arguments
are used by the various Chambers to
show that in spite of the cheaper labor
in Germany, the low cost of manufac-
ture there is offset in the United States
by the fact that coal is cheaper and
waterpOwer in many instances is
available
TO PREVENT FEVER.