Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-24
POTTERS CLASH
!, IN TARIFF WAR
Conflicting Statements Not
Likely to Cause Change
in Rates in Bill.
Star Bureau.
Metropolitan National Bank Bldg,
WASHINGTON May "a


WASHINGTON. May "a.
Conflicting statements made to the
Senate finance committee as to the
wages, cost of production and prices
prevailing in the pottery industry
are likely to seriously affect the eff
forts of Trenton potters to secure
an increase in the rates on earthen-
ware proposed in the pending Under
wood bill
Trenton manufacturers and work.
ing potters have been protesting to
the committee, since the bill passed
the House, that the reduction of rates
on earthenware to 80 and 40 per cent.
would work great injury to the pot
terry interests of Trenton, and would
be likely to either force some of the
manufacturers out of business or to
bring about a reduction in wages.
Competition from England.
Figures have been presented to the
subcommittee having the pottery
schedule in charge, alleging that even
at the present tariff rates English
pottery is brought into the country
IN sharp competition with the home
product, that the wages paid in this
country are about three times those
paid in England. and that the cost
of production here is much greater.
Edward F. Anderson and George
Jones, of East Orange, representing
New York pottery importing inter-
ests today were given a hearing be-
fore Senator Ollie James, chairman
of the ub-committee, and presented
figures and statements denying and
attempting to refute most of the
claims on which the Trenton potters
base their claim for higher rates.
Earthenware is one of the few
schedules in which the claim for in
creased rates has been given serious
consideration by the finance commit
tee.
Importers Figures.
The importers, in their statements
to the committee. show list of wage
scales paid in English potteries, SEEM
ing to prove the wages paid there are
double what the Trenton representa-
tives have claimed. They also chal-
lenge the accuracy of figures present.
ed by the pottery manufacturers as
to relative cost of production and sell
ing prices.
Instead of being too low to permit
the Trenton and Ohio potteries to
compete, the importers told the sub
committee the rates proposed in the
Underwood bill are still SO high as to
be prohibitive.
At the present time, they asserted,
American white granite ware of the
same grade is being sold at prices 40
per cent. below the price at which
English pottery can be imported.
The figures placed before the COM
mittee by William Burgess, secretary
of the American Pottery Association,
We're challenged by the importers.
who asserted that Mr.. Burgess had
given to the ways ard means COM
fnfttee this year the same figures as
to English costs of material. wages,
ETC., that he had presented four years
ago, despite the fact that conditions
had greatly changed and that the
wages and prices of materials had
greatly increased.
Under the present duties, the inn
porters asserted English wares are
practically shut out of market, and
American manufacturers are now
selling their product at 30 per cent
less than imported goods could be
brought in at under the proposed
rates. ID. b. W.