Evening star., 1913-10-08
Want No Discrimination as to
Shipping, Threatened by
New Tariff.
GERMANY FIRST TO ASK
REMISSION OF DUTIES
other Commercial Countries Also
Worried Over Five Per Cent
Differential. al

There are strong indications OF a ran
eral protest by the commercial nation,
against any construction of the pe-
cent dinerential paragraph Of the tariff
act mat VIII place them at a disadvan-
tase with regard TO American shipping
without awaiting decision by the
Treasury Department as to whether car
goes In German vessels are entitled IN ay,
abatement OF per cent OF the duttes
upon goods imported into America the
German government has served notion
upon the State Department that IL muse
be consulted In the determination of thts
important question
Ihis is taken to mean that no mere de-
c1sion Of the board OF merchant apprais-
ers or even of the United States courts
upon this question Will be satisfactory 20
the German government unless, indeed
such decisions are equivalent to a oou1-
plete recognition Of the German claim to
the remission or 3 per cent Of the duttek
Another Feature Dislfked.
Further. the German government taiss
distinct exception to any attempt on the
part Of the Treasury Department to limit
the application Of the per cent dffreren-
tial clause OF the tariff act to goods orig
and Mecklenberg-Schwer thus exclud-
ing the remainder OF the German empire
from the benefits OF the paragraph.
The French counselor and charge. NJ
Peretu, also has notified the State De-
partment that his government stands hU
the protest, made last summer. against
any attempt to discriminate against
French shipping. It was indicated thai
retaliation would swiftly follow discrim1-
nation against French cargoes under SEQ
tlrnv, n$ fhn tn RfT ~tx
The Portuguese charge, whose co1mtxy
is in a position similar to that OF France
In having no favored nation trade treaty
with tho United States, has also In
Portuguese shipping was to be penalized-
Finally, the Austrian charge has made .
polite inquiry as to the possibility OF
Austrian commerce being saddled with Q
similar burden rs compared with AmAr-
lean shipping.
In the case Of Austria. however ar
tention has been directed to tho fact that
the treaty between that country and ths
United States IL practically specific N
it's allowance to Austrian shipping OF
any privileges in the way of duties or
bounties that may be enjoyed by Amer
lean ships. That fact, however. may not
avail II the Treasury Department should
hold that the reduced rates may not b
allowed even to countries with which
America has treaty relations.
NOuB0 OL 3IOCC0u10~ Z
In the ordinary course. tho Treasury
Department, after consultation with tho
State Department officials. would In
struct the various collectors Of customs
to collect full duties or to mako renn1D-
sions as 1t construes the law. Should
the differential be refused to foreign car.
goes 1t would be in order for the I'm.
porter to appeal to the board OF mers
chant appraisers and after that to the
United States courts.
But the general nature Of the protests
that already have been made by foreign
governments may cause a change Tn tho
ordinary method OF procedure and may re-
uuire an effort to adjust the issue
through diplomatic means, unless Com
gress is to be invoked to amend the law.
Treasury Department officials today re-
ouested an opinion from Attorney Gem
eral McReynolds on the paragraph Tho
Treasury Department Will make no In
terpretation of this paragraph until tbs
opinion Of Mr.. McReynolds Is received
Customs collectors throughout the coun-
try have been notified not to allow the
K per cent discount to any American or
foreign vessels pending such a decision