The Washington times., 1915-12-17
REDFIELD WOULD
i PREVENT DUMPING
Commerce Department Report
Urges Legislation to Block
Industrial Warfare.

Legislation to prevent dumping" Of
foreign products on American markets
after the close or the war, for protec-
tion of American trade at home and
abroad. and authorizing combinations
for tho foreign trade. As well as CO.
operation among banks In extending
American banking facilities in foreign
lands Is recommended by Secretary of
Commerce Redheld in his annual report,
made public today.
The Secretary deems il Of especial inn
ndrtance that business concerns should
he allowed to cooperate In foreign
trade. Provision should be made he de-
claFes whereby concerns not large
enough to undertake the expenditures
over a long period necessary to get
firm foothold abroad. could. with due
safeguards against monopoly, cooper
ate in the foreign field. The present
laws, in the opinion OF the Secretary,
play into the hands OF the larger con-
Germs and shut out small ones from Inn
Durtant markets.
Time For Advances.
The same holds true of banks, he de-
clares In other words the law works
In favor of the few great banks, while
there are great many smaller banks
that could comparatively enter the for
eign field. to the great advantage of
American commerce.
1t is emphasized that the present Is
the time to, make these advances.
In urging ''anti-dumping" legislation.
the Secretary says:
Unfair competition is forbidden by
law in domestic trade. and the Federal
Trade Commission exists to determine
the facts and take steps to abate the
evil wherever found. The door, how
ever, is still open to unfair compett-
ton from abroad which may seriously
affect American industries for the
worse. IT is a destructive type OF the
industrial struggle, intended to put out
Of being the forces opposed to 1t that
the victor may exploit the field at will:
The methods used are not those OF
legitimate commerce. but those of com
mercial offense They aim not at de-
velopment, but at conquest.
Stratagem of Industry.
when the war shall close, the pub
lie control of railways in foreign lands.
the semi-onicial 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 COM
merce. The growth in the United States
OF industries which may menace large
markets. heretofore controlled from
abroad will not be permitted IL pub
lie and semi-public' forces acting to-
Ecther in foreign countries can pre-
vent it, The outreach of American in
dustries nay their very existence IN
Our own land in some cases, will be re-
sisted to the full and every stratagem
Of Industrial war will be exerted against
them. Expecting this we must pre-
mare for 1t. II it shall pass beyond 1alr
competition and exert or seek to exert
a monopollstic power over any part OF
our commerce. we ought to prevent IT,
With respect 10 the remedy, the Sec
retary says.
ut seems possible that by using the
existing machinery OF the Treasury De-
partrnent and the Department OF Jus
competition on both sides OF the sea.
I recommend, therefore, that such leSis-
lation be enacted as Will give TO the
foreign representatives Of the above
named departments such added powers
and increased personnel as they may
need for this purpose. ana that IL ne en- j.
acted il possible that merchandise Sold
in unfair competition or under circum-
stances which tend to create monopoly
in behalf of the foreign producer In
American markets shall he forfeited.
OF Foreign Origin.
"I also recommend that legislation
supplemental to the Clayton antitrust
act he enacted which shall make it un-
lawful to sell or purchase articles of for
eiEn origin or manufacture where the
prices tu be paid are materially below
the current rates. for such articles in
the country of production or from which
shipment Is made, in case such prices
substantially lessen competition on the
part of the American producers or tcnu
to create a monopoly in American mar
kets in favor Of the foreign producer,
md that il be made unlawful FOR any
person to buy, sell, or contract for the
y sale of articles of foreign origin, or to
fix price for same or to make a re-
bate upon such price, conditioned upon
the purchaser thereof not using or deal
,aI lI lNNF IR
competitors of the manufacturer or sell
er, where the effect is to substantially
lessen competition in the production in
the United States of such articles. or
tends to create a monopoly in the sale
Of such articles il American markets in
favor of "A foreign producer"
An urgent plea is rladc in the report
for sufficient clerical and other assist
ance to permit the Bureau of Foreign
and Domestic Commerce to carry tor
ward the work it has done with such
profit To American business. \ plea is
also made for funds 10 secure necessary
data on domestic trad" that arc needed
for the commercial expansion o! the
nation.
Secretary RcdGcld aIao takes account
Of the high cost Of living with tie
statement that there is need Of inHcsti-
cation of the costs Of "arrace ~ final
delivery of foodstuffs and other nrticIes
An eNtcr sion of the Cormer"ial at
tache scrNic" abroad bnd of the numHcr
Of special agents Nt home is - COM
mended.
With respect TO the dyestut situa-
ton the Secretary says:
We are the greatest producers uf the
raw material for the manufacture Of
dyestufts. We src. If not tho greatest,
at least one of tho greatest. oI,sumCrs
OF the finished product. 1t - intulerablP
that we Should longer depend upon al y
one foreign source for these necessities
of industry and it is equally intoler-
able that We should permit any nussitle
unfair foreign competition to DESTROY a
growing industry llpCn which so much
depends nv methods that would not hc
permitted by. our law II used ny our
own citizens,