Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-27
CALLED A bLUNDER
Proposed Abolition of Bureau
of Manufactures Opposed.
PROTESTS TO CONGRESS
Objections Voiced by Important
Commercial Bodies.

The persistent rUmor that Congress is
proposing TO abolish the bureau of manu-
features of the Department of Commerce
and Labor is arousing great interest
among commercial organzatio all over
the United States. Resolutions have been
adopted by such large associations as the
American Manufacturers Export Asso-
citation and the National Association of
Commercial Executives, and many letters
and kilograms have already been sent to
members of Congress protesting against
disturbing the useful work of the bureau
of manufactures
1t is understood that the proposal to
a bolish the bureau is part of a plan
to economize expenditures. and to avoid
apparent duplication of work. The field
service of the bureau, which is one of
special technical investigation by com
mercial experts, it is understood. may be
omitted altogether in the appropriations,
and other branches of the commercial
promotive work of the office may be
transferred to the bureau of trade rela-
tons of the Department of State.
Based on Misapprehension.
Manufacturers familiar with the work
of the bureau of manufactures say that
this action is anomalous in view of the
sharp contrast between the purposes of
the work of the Department of Com
merce and Labor and the Department of
state They say that there is no real
duplication of work, as the bureau of
trade relations, under the law has its
definitely marked and very useful field
of action with respect to diplomatic ne
EQUATIONS Affecting commercial matters.
The service of the bureau of fnanufac-
lures, it is said, has no such relation to
questions involving negotiations with for
eign countries, but has at the basis of
he
Structive commercial work for which the
Department of Commerce and Labor was
established in 1903. The bureau of manu-
iac lures began It's work so recently as
IJoJ Dut has already established very
useful relations with commercial and
manufacturing firms in every part of the
United States and with the commercial
associations, chambers of commerce and
ooards OF trade in practically all of the
large cities of the country and i'm many
or the smaller ones which are interested
in manufactures. A primary msconcep-
ton or the sort OF service which the bu-
reau OF manufactures carries on is ap-
parently responsible for the Suggestion
that its work could be transferred to the
department of State. Business men af-
urn mat however earnestly it might be
conducted there, it must of necessity he
out of touch with commercial interests
as compared with the position of the
bureau and its work in the commercial
department.
ASSOCIATION of New York has already
declared In formal resolutions that the
bureau OF manufactures was established
10 roster manufacturing interests, and is
now exercising this essentially CONNER
clal function, and the proposition to place
It's service in the Department of State IN
lncongruous under the spirit and letter of
me statutes defining the functions of the
departments or State and Commerce and
Labor The service of the Department If
State in relation to negotiations with for
e1gn nations affecting commercial and
tarlff disputes could not fail to be an en-
DarfaSsment to service of active com
mercial promotion and tend to reduce IFS
efficiency" "