Evening star., 1915-12-17
METHOD
| TO BAR DUMPING"
Mr.. RedfieId Would Have U. S.
Foreign Representatives Pre-
vent ''Unfair Competition"
ADVOCATES LEGISLATION
TO MAKE ACTS POSSIBLE
Declares European Nations Will Re-
sist Expansion of American Com
merce After the War.

| merce After the War.
Combination of the present machin
cry of the departments of Treasury and
Justice creased by bit of additional
legislation would be sufficient to keep
foreign industries from dumping" theil
products in the United States and un-
dermining the American industries, in
the opinion of Secretary Redfield of the
Department of Commerce expressed in
the first section of his annual report
made public today. He recommends
legislation which will give to the for
eign representatives of those depart
ments the added powers and increased
personnel necessary to carry out the
| work of preventing merchandise from
being sold in unfair competition" or
under circumstances which tend to
create monopoly in behalf of the for
eign producer. To sell under such con-
ditions would mean forfeiture of the
merchandise if the Secretary's IDEAS
are included in the legislation.
I'm my Judgment, said the Secre-
tary, "the matter is one which may be
more wisely treated as an attempted
, wrong to be forbidden than as an eco-
nomic matter which needs to be re-
strained / should prefer, therefore, to
deal with it by a method other tnan
tariffs, CHASING it as an .ofsense sim :
liar to the unfair domestic competition
we now forbid. 1t seems possible tnat
| by using the existing machinery OF the
| Treasury Department and department
| of Justice we may restrain this for
eisn unfair competition on both sides
OF the sea.
Advocates Legislation.
| 81 also recommend that legislation
supplemental to the Clayton antitrust
act be enacted which shall make 1t un-
, lawful to sell or purchase articles OF
| foreign origin or manufacture where
| th.. prices to be paid are materially
| below the current rates for such artl-
| cIes in the country OF productioh VI
| from which shipment is made, IN case
such prices substantially lessen COIN
Detition on the part Of the American
| producers or tend to create a monopoiy
| in American markets in favor OF the
! foreign producer, and that 1t be mace
| unlawful for any person 10 nuy, ssh
| or contract for the sale of articles OF
| foreign origin, or to fix price 1or
| same or to make a rebate upon sucn
price, conditioned upon the purchaser
| thereof not using or dealing IN wares
| nroduced or sold by the competitors o.
the manufacturer or seller, where the
effect is to substantially lessen com,
petition in the production in the Cnited
| States of such articles, or tenos "
create a monopoly in the sale OF sucn
1 articles in American markets III la'oi
| of a foreign producer ~,
| "Jnfair competition is foroldden oy
law in domestic trade, and the IeueI d
trade commission exists to determine
the facts and take steps to abate the
evil wherever found. The door. now
l
ton from abroad, which may seri-
ousIy affect American Industries TOT
| the worse. 1t is not normal compe.i-
| ton of which / speak, but abnormal.
trial struggle. intended to put OUT OF
being the forces opposed to II. that the
| victor may exploit the held at VIII:
| The methods used are not thosS VI
Legitimate commerce, but those oi com
mercial offense. They aim not at de-
| velopment, but at conquest
Will Seek Lost Commerce.
"When the war shall close the public
control of railways in foreign lands
the semi official chambers of commerce
the publicly fostered organizations
| which control great industries in some
countries. will all exist. and will all
be used in an effort to recover lost
commerce. The growth in the United
States of Industries which may menace
large markets heretofore controlled
from abroad will not be permitted II
public and sem-public forces acting
together in foreign countries can pre-
vent it. The outreach of American in
ldustries-nay. their very existence IN
our own land in some cases-WiH be
resisted to the full, and every strata.
gem of industrial war will be exertec
against them Expecting this. We musl
| hpSOnG
fair competition and exert or seek te
exert a monopolistic power over any
part of our commerce, we ought to
prevent it,"
foreign trade is suggested to permit
| admission Of the smaller tradesmer
into that field of activity.
THE present law plays into the
hands OF the larger concerns and shuts
out small ones from important mar
kets." the Secretary said Provision
should be made whereby such concerns
may, with due safeguards against
monopoly, cooperate in the foreign
field. To refuse this for fear of mopop-
oily is to say that the large concerns
shall alone hold the lucrative foreign
! markets, and that the far larger num-
| Der of smaller houses shall be shut
out. The whole matter should be
placed under the supervision of the
| federal trade commission, and SHOULD
be subject TO full publicity. 1t is moi
intended that this cooperation shal
extend into the domestic field"
Urges Foreign Branch Banks.
Mr.. Redfeld expressed the hope thai
| American banks be permitted to co.
operate. under supervision of the fed
erai reserve board, in establishing for.
eign branches. or in owning stocks OF
banks operating in foreign countries.
| The present law" he said, Operates
to make it possible only for large
banks of great power to undertake ,ths
important work of financing American
commerce in foreign fields. The Law
works in sole favor of the great banks
There are many banks in the United
states of less than major size. YET
abundantly strong. These should bt
permitted. under proper safeguards, Il
act Jointly in such matters. There
could hardly be single step which al
this time would be more helpful In
esta blshing our commerce abroad or
firm basis
The opening OF the Panama cana
and the agitation for an inland water.
way along the Atlantic coast, as vel
as the increased volume of domestic
commerce. the Secretary pointed out
make it important that statistics or
internal commerce be prepared by the
government
1T Is surprising thing that we shoulG
require by law careful knowledge con
cerning our export trade and allow
our domestic commerce to go on without
dAA As.sNA L. L -