The Detroit times., 1915-07-22
ASK CHANGE.
IN SHERMAN
TRUST LAW
Manufacturers T ak
Before Federal Trade
Board, Here

Several representatives OF Michi.
gan manufacturing concerns told
their export troubles to the federal
trade commission. in the Board Of
Commerce building. Wednesday, tn
the oueday hearing which the COM
mission Is holding In Detroit
Some OF the Michigan men recon-
mended . relaxation or amendment
OF the Sherman antitrust law. TO
permit a combination OF American
manufacturers for getting trade In
foreign countries. The members Of
the commission were interested In
this; but they were moro interested
in specific instances OF trouble which
manufacturer, have mad In compel.
ing with foreign manufacturers.
The commission consists OF Joseph
E. Davies. Of Wisconsin. chairman:
Edward r. Hurley. OF Illinois: VIII
liam J. Harris. OF Georgia: william
H. Parry. Of Warrington. and George
Rublee. OF New Hampshire. Mr.. Da-
vies. In calling the session to order.
stated the objects for which the COM
mission was created-the prevention
OF unfair competition. and the inves-
tigation OF trade conditions In for
eign countries. including practices af.
fecting the foreign trade of the Unit
cd States.
I'VE have thought IL better to OBJ
tain our Information at first hand
from the business men Of the coun-
try BY visiting them in their home
cities. rather than to force them to
come to US In Washington" said Mr..
Davies. I'VE have had no com
plants OF unfair competition in the
vicinity of Detroit. SO our session
today will be confined TO an invests'
! CATION Of your foreign trade condi'
! tions. We have come In q spirit OF
!friendliness. to aid American enter
prise and industry in the foreign
neld. and also especially In the do
nsestie fiead. and not ina sptfttsof in
qujsttortsi, desire to elicit infopms
tiOh.'
The man who seemed to interest
the commission particularly was Her
bert II. Dow. Cf the Dow Chemical
Co. of Midland. Mr.. Dow said thai
his concern Was experimenting with
the manufacture OF indigo. the most
important of all dies.
IF we can make IL, the question
arises whether the German organiza
ton will reduce the price In America
after the war Is over" said Mr.. Dow
| Mr.. Davies interjected q remark
that the German organization has
capital OF about $440. 900. 900.
"T believe that we can compete
with Germany in any product thai
Is made In suflicient amount. provid
ed We have time and the opportunit,
to learn the tricks OF the trade" sale
Mr. Dow. about IL years ago W.
began to export potassium bromide
A representative Of the German com
bination told us that for every pount
we exported. he would put two
rounds In the United States. There
came a time when, In spite OF
tarin Of 25 per cent, he supplied th'
whole United States. We pulled ou
OF the export business and took thu
American trade, and he went bacl
to the German trade. While the price
was - cents q pound in Germany
he made II Is cents In the Unite<
| States, in spite OF q tarin amountint
to II cents and transportation
charges"
Has that been the case with al
chemicals made in Germany" sske'
Mr.. Davies.
Invariably"
| Mr.. Dow said he believed that hi
concern is eoins to make indigo.
we would 20 after II much hard
ler., he said, III we had the supper
of an anti-dumping law. or II We ha'
In tariff that increased - the pric'
I'm foreim countries went down"
Gould you compete with Germany
at their cost of production" MI
Davies asked.
IL think We could" replied MI
Dow. T don't say that We can max
Indigo at once. without time to lear
1.-THE tricks of the trade. but thinl
that ultimately we shall be able 4
do So"
what Increase has there been II
|forsign trade since the war began !!
asked Mr. Hurley.