Evening journal., 1915-03-30
Wilmington Business Men Hear
Commercial Treaties Discussed

That Wilmington manufacturers ana
business men may become fully in
formed as TO the present seriousness
of pending commercial treaties, the
Chamber of Commerce at its luncheon
today heard an address on the subject
by Julien Stevens Ulman of New York.
vice-president of the L. Blumenthal
and Company. MIR. Ulman's specific
subject was the Most Favored Nation
Clause" He spoke as follows:
I'm the spring of last year, the De
partment of State graciously favored
me with letters TO our ambassadors in
France and Germany. and 7 made a
study of the important question of the
most favored nation clause and COM
mercial treaties, aud on my return
from Europe embodied nc results OF
my investigations in a report 10 the
Secretary of State.
81 likewise took the liberty OF call
ing President Wilson's attention TO the
report, and the President assured rue
he would give the matter his usual
careful consideration.
"In Paris | conferred with the pres
ident of the American Chamber OF
Commerce and Ambassador Herrick
on the subject Of the duty levied on
American manufactures entering into
France. and the ambassador. who mad
made a close study of the subject, SAID
I that i'm the many conferences he had
with the French ministry, assurances
/ had been given that they would Al
all times do what was possible lot
| the United States. as the United states
was their friend Ambassador Her
rick's reply was, that as far as COM
merce was concerned, he would pre-
fer to have the French nation take the
reverse position, as they had with Ger
many. If American manufactures
would be placed upon as favorable an
entrance duty basis into France as
| German manufactures were.
Ambassador Herrick Furthermore
said that he mad forwarded some inn
portant communications 10 Washing
( ton. with the information that after
many conferences with the hlnlstIS
Of France, they were then ready &c
enter into new negotiations, but inc
Department Of State at that time anc
undoubtedly since, has been engaged
with other matters OF such vial I'm
portance. that the new forthcoming
\ policy of France has probably no
as vet been taken into active and seri
Gus consideration.
"Such commercial treaties as W.
have with France and other countries
expire in 1917 and | am of the opln
ion that the United States should re
fuse 10 enter into negotiations VIII
foreign powers unless the pFimar.
condition thereof be. that the Jnite'
States Should receive the most faV
ored nation treatment from all coun
tries for all American products ant
that until such time as any countr.
We arc negotiating with, agrees Il
/, such an understanding. It Is unWls
: for us even TO initiate the negotiation
of a commercial treaty with them.
b should be our policy to levy spech
and increased rates Of duty on manu-
{, featured products entering from an
Il such country which would not accor
MS the most favored nation clause
= 81 have laid before the Department
4 of state the proposition that Ameri
{ can interests would best be served
=, commission or commissions pe dt
{ pointed. composed of able ana e>per
l.. enced men, TO be sent 70 France an
other countries. TO formulate the r.
1 arrangement Of such commerci'
! treaties.
THE men to be appointed on sue
commissions would give their entir
time TO the subject under consldera
ton. while if II is left for ncgotiatio
bv the Department of State WITH Fol
eien Embassies in Washington, ID
Department of state has 50 much I
attend to. that it could not give 1t tn
= same careful and continuous STUD
that a representative cominissio
could.
at furthermore seems 10 me- ths
| i'm the framing of any new CONNER
= cial treaties with foreign powers W
2 should insist upon the entrance
/. American manufacturers into sue
3 countries on equally as low a basis .
= We admit their manufactures, ana
regards articles upon which the pre-
tective duties have been in large pa
5 mr. entirely removed, We should ihsl'
= that entrance into foreign countri'
K shall he on the same basis as We al
Q willing that foreign articles may
= admitted into this country.
eve would certainly not be maxim
an unreasonable request. in view
the fact, that labor IN ell ioreis
q countries is paid for on lower sea
J. than in the United States, and
n insisting upon this request we N
;. alone aid the cause of America
d manufacturers. but We likewise sua
"a the homes and interests of America
In labor.
10 "Whilc a Encouragement OF stat
tics will unquestionably be fcrthcor
ing. owing TO the rcgrottable war, q
: fact exists that the total declare
> value of exports to the United stat
from the Consular District Of Paris
1902 amounted to forty-One milli'
| dollars. and from that figure gradua
" rose in 1918 TO more than one hu
| drcd million dollars.
III "Besides the declared value
| goods passed through the Paris co
sulatc for the United states, the
were undoubtedly considerable qua
titles of different articles, which a
purchased annually by America
abroad and taken home as person
effects. without the formality Of
| consular invoice, and we're the val
of these importations added 10 I
value of invoAced merchandise,
would probably be found that su
total would exceed one hundred m
lion dollars more.
I'm France there are fifteen Anne
can consulates. and all but two, nan
ly Bordeaux and Havre, during 10
showed a continuous increase of {
ports TO the United States.
an face of the fact that the Unit
States is such a large customer
/ r-....oo Co. ffc. cfanlao and luVuri