The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-05-01
Declare That JOkers Are Con.
cealed in Language of
Underwood Bill
TOO BIG A REDUCTION
IN DUTY ON CHASSIS
Claim That Parts Could be I'm.
ported at 20 Per Cent and
Assembled Cheapiy

Comuiltte appointed ny = dutO-
mobile companies OF the United
States has drawn up protest
against the tariff on automobile
chassis proposed in the Underwood
bill. which reduces the Payne-Ald-
rich tariff OF As per cent to 80 per
cent, and against the proposed
change in the tariff on finished parts
OF automobiles. not including tires.
from AZ to 80 per cent.
The committee consists OF John w.
WHY'S. vice-president OF the WHY'S
Overland Co., Toledo: w. G. Leland,
general manager OF the Cadillac
Motor Car Co., Detroit; Charles Cliff
ton, treasurer of the Pierce-Arrow
Motor Car Co.. Buffalo; Hugh Chal-
mers. president of the Chalmers Mo-
(, tor Car Co.. Detroit and Henry B..
Joy, president OF the Packard Motor
Car Co.. Detroit.
Their brief reads in part:
1T has been shown TO the ways
and means committee. not by Ameri-
can motor car manufacturers, but by
European motor car manufacturers,
through their representative Charles
n. Sheriff.. representing the Ameri-
IAN Importers salon, which was and
is composed Of group OF European
importers and manufacturers, that
only a, slight modification Of the duty
of As per cent was necessary TO be
entirely satisfactory to European fac
tories.
"Mr. Sheriff. stated before the
ways and means committee that the
duty ought to be reduced from as
In order to give the European manu-
facturers entry into the great market
OF America at satisfactory rates OF
profit to them.
THE European manufacturers and
their American shops and American
agents have been most industriously
busy In seeking to accomplish the
open products. In the Republican
ways and means committee in 1908.
their appeals fell on deaf ears In
their efforts today they have Dem
ocratic way and means committee en-
tirely In sympathy with the objects
sought 10 be advanced by their repre-
sensations. European manufacturers
are hungry for American market.
They have great factories in Italy,
France. Germany, England, Belgium
and elsewhere which have met a sat
urated condition Of European mar
kets. and are now largely running
at limited capacity, hoping for re-
duction Of the American tariff
What does the Wilson tariff mean
to those factories? Doesn't II mean
that they are going to place adver-
tisements In European papers. for ar
tisans Of all classes of their cheap
labor? Doesn't 1t mean that the
forces OF those factories are going to
be doubled and trebled?
American manufacturers have had
TO fight for every inch Of foreign
trade gained through the efforts Of
the captains OF American industry.
In spite Of great obstacles. American
export trade increases. The foreign
commerce OF America has grown en-
ormously, even In the face Of govern
mental attacks on corporations
1T certainly Is joker to have
finished automobiles in the tariff
schedules at As per cent, and TO have
automobile chassis listed at 80 per
cent. II Is important that according
to the records OF the custor house
practically all of the imports of mo-
that is. running gear OF the car, with
out the body
The chassis itself Is really a COM
pleted automobile. European fac.
tories only manufacture chassis The
chassis is the car itself from the
trade point OF view.
Especially should IL be noted that
the chassis is the thing the European
maptYfocfnror 70 hrinu In NJ
the minimum rate of duty European
motor car manufacturers do not make
the bodies except to very small ex-
tent, as bodies are too bulky and too
subject to damag In shipping and
too expensive TO ship by reason Of
their bulk in proportion to their
value.
Does II seem like a Joker to have
ways and means committee put its
stamp Of approval on the As per cent.
rate Of duty for finished automobiles
exactly as was done by the Payne
Aldrich bill and then place a rate OF
duty of 80 per cent. on the chassis
The first clause Is OF no force and
effect with the second also In the
bill The real duty If we stop there
is 30 per cent.
1T Is clear to any man at all
familiar with the production Of motor
cars that the chassis Is practically
the whole vehicle. II Is the part re-
curing the ingenuity. the invention
the expensive material, and the elab
crate work of skilled manufacture
chiefly represented in expense BY
American labor at American wages
and American material There IL
practically no material now imported
II Is all made in this country. Mag
neto factories. parts-makers. etc. etc
have been transplanted 10 America
and even motor car factories also by
the present Payne.Aldrich tariff
Finished parts OF automobiles. no,
including tires. 20 per cent
That seems like an nnocen,
paragraph
But parts OF an automobile make
IAN automobile. A chassis Is com
posed OF parts. The accepted phrase
ology of the trade is that parts
makers produce motors. axles. trans
missions, frames. steerings wheels
magnetos. ct cetr5 The chief cos,
Of chassis Is in the labor and materia
necessary To make up these parts
not In the labor necessary To nnits
them into q chassis The cost o.