Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-06
DR.. Baldwin Declares Department
of Commerce Is Required to
Make investigations.
NO OTHER BODY is NEEDED
Special Agents Both at Home and
Abroad Gather All Facts That
Bear on Trade.
BY VICTOR ELLIOTT.

w AShlNGION, July b.-IntereSt
never seems to die in the vexed ques-
ton as to whether or not there
should be a Federal tariff board for
the collecting OF information rela-
tive to all aspects of the industrial
activities Of the United States hav-
ing any effect whatsoever on the tar
III. Former President Taft was a
strong supporter of the tariff board
idea and there are many members of
both houses Of Congress who believe
that such a board is the surest way
of solving tariff difficulties Argu-
ments have rotated about this propo-
sition for several years
And all this time the Government
has had a tariff board to all intents
and purposes, although it seems TO
have been in complete ignorance of
the fact. DIR. A. H. Baldwin, Chief
Of the Bureau of Foreign and Domes-
tic Commerce of the Department Of
Commerce, has discovered the tariff
board.
The Department Of Commerce, says
DIT. Baldwin, is a tariff board. The
law which created the Department Of
Commerce and Labor gave It authori-
~ to initiate and conduct all such in
vestigations as are proposed should
be conducted by a specially desig-
mated tariff board.
Direct Law on Subject.
A clause OF the law charges the
Bureau of Labor, one of the sub
sidiary offices of the Department of
Labor which formerly was a part of
the Department of Commerce and
Labor with the duty of ascertaining
at as early date as possible and
whenever Industrial changes should
make it essential, the cost of produc-
ing articles at the time dutiable in
the United States. in leading coun-
tries where such articles are pro
duced." In a dozen other parts of the
bill there are specific directions that
the department shall do everything
that the proposed and at one time ex-
tant tariff board is expected to do.
A tariff board existed under the
Taft administration, but determined
opposition resulted in the boards final
dismissal A significant fact connect
ed with the activities of the tariff
board is that when it began its work
the board applied to the Department
of Commerce and Labor for experts
The Department of Commerce and
Labor had been making examinations
along the lines prescribed in the or
ganic act and had great deal of ma
terial on hand. This material was of
great assistance to the tariff board in
making its Investigations.
When the act creating the Depart
ment of Labor as an executive de-
partment of the Government was
passed the greater part of this tariff
and industrial work fell to the bu-
reaus included under the supervision
of the Department of Commerce. The
Bureau of Labor, however, still is
conducting investigations.
Agents Investigate.
The Bureau of Foreign and .Domes-
tic Commerce carries on the greater
part of this work 1t has agents all
over the United States collecting
data. These men go into the manu-
featuring districts and make a criti-
cal analysis of the state of affairs.
So with all these figures in hand it
is possible TO make the incest calcula-
tions as to what effect changes in the
tariff will have upon the industries.
The Bureau of Foreign and Do
nestle Commerce also sends agents
abroad These men make the same
general sort of study of foreign in
dustrial conditions that are made in
this country Then it is easy to fig
ure out howe much of the trade Of
American manufacturers would be
taken away from them as the result
of a lower tariff.
These are in effect the functions of
a tariff board, and as they are being
performed by bureaus and depart
ments already established there is
doubt in DR.. Baldwin's mind as to
the wisdom of constituting a tariff
board in addition.