The Sentinel=record., 1911-12-19
EQUALITY OF
 COMMERCE
SECRETARY KNOX SUGGESTS PLAN TO STOP plscRlMlNA.
 TON AGAINST AMERICA.
Many Countries Over Tax or Require Contamination of Cotton Seed Oil Before Permitting Its
 Entry.

Washington. Dec. 1Ss-Secretary Knox has written to Senator Curtis oi Kansas, letter giving information compiled by the government which, in the opinion of MT. Knox, would justify legislation to proyie a grad uated means of meeting various dis criminations by foreign countries aeainst American commerce.
 The senator has framed a bill cal culated to meet the situation as 1t arises.
 "The problem.'' said Secretary Knox, is to provide for the removal so far as practicable, of such feat uresin foreign practice as may be fossad adverse to our export trade development and of serious import to those American enterprises direct ly affected ,s,
 ''ln the opinion of the department. this problem may be solved through the medium of an amendment to sec tion 2. of the act of August 5. 1909, whereby may be afforded a sufficient degree Of elasticity in the imposi- tlen of tariff rates suited to the Of lenses intended for correction"
 Secretary Knox cited some of the more important instances to which the attention of the state department has been called. "but which properly may not be considered as falling un- der the classification of 'undue' dis- criminations.
 There have been developed in recent years.' he wrote, numerous instances of tariff and administra- tive discrimination against products Of the United States. Many of these and indeed the most important as they then existed. were removed or were equalized by compensation hn tariff rates granted by other countries through the negotiations following the enactment of the talff law of Aug ust :. 1909
 Since the conclusion of these ne- gotiations other instances have de veloped in the way of discrimnative practices. both with respect to cap- ital investments of American citizens in foreign countries and in regard to the measure in the administration Of foreign tariffs adverse to the com mercial interests of the United States
 Secretary Knox's list of countries making determinations, which, how ever. he said he did not consider as properly speaking undue" follows:
 eBelgium- Failure of state railways administration to permit the Contn- ental Petroleum Company of An twerp, representing Texas oil ex- porting concern, to bid for supplying the state railways with lubrlcating oil of American production. The ad- vertisements for bids invariably specify oil of Russian origin,
 Germany Administrative embargo on American meats legislation, re stricting the potash output and so taxing surplus production as to make yalueless certain advantages obtain ed by Americans under contracts with German mines in 1906 and l9O9' Export certificate practices, which provide the equivalent of bounties oa exports destructive Of American trade in neutral markets; freight rates on state railways much great CT eastbound than westbound- on the same commodities. materially ad. yantages to Austria and Russia. as compared with the United States.
 italy -Maaufacturing tax On i'm. ported cotton seed oii, distinetiiTe!!SS an American product.
 Austria Hungary on col ton seed oil double that applied to any other edible oil with which re- fined cotton seed oils companies, un- equal and oppressive government measures applied to American invest ments in Austria respecting conver- sior of crude oil into refined oil; pro posed legislation that would destroy great part of the American petro ienm trade in Europe.
 Bulgaria. Required donaturlng o cotton seed oil when imported, mak ing it unfit for human use.
 "Portugal-Practlcai prohibition O