The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-01-31
AMERICAN TARIFF
LACKS FLEX.IBILITY.
This Nation Not in Position
to Force After-the-War
Conditions.

by kAoSpClhlG0 kCSSy
NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 31.-That the
European allies OF war will become
economic allies in peace and adopt
preferential tariff policies to help
each other discharge war indebted
ness and extend foreign trade, and
that the United States tariff system
should be rendered more flexible in
order to extend American trade by
commercial agreement and protect it
from Discrimination, were the conclu-
sions voiced by Willard Straight, Vice
President of the American 1nterna-
tlonal Corporation, New York, the
new $50,000,000 organization for in
tensive development Of oversee com
merce, in an address before the Ma
tional Foreign Trade Convention here
last night.
Quoting the recent declaration Of
Walter Runciman, President OF the
British Board of Trade, in Parliament,
that the British Empire must, without
delay, take steps to help France, Rus.
STA, Italy and her other allies to re-.
cuperate from the war, and that moth
ing in German post-bellum policy be
" WIN
cuperation, Mr.. Straight said:
"The speech, it is true. was directed
against Germany, but it disclosed a
point OF view with which we in the
United States may have to reckon.
The declaration OF war between the
various European powers abrogated
more than score OF treaties and com
merclal, agreements which had been
the basis Of the complicated diplomat
ic and commercial relations OF the
European powers with each other,
with Asia and with Africa. Upon the
cessation OF hostilities this intricate
fabric OF international agreements
must, in some form, be reconstructed.
"a tariff agreement between the
United Kingdom and the British colo
MES and special concessions under the
scheme OF imperial preference as part
Of a general reciprocal arrangement
between France, Russia, Italy and
Belgium and their various dependent
cies, woud create an entirely self
supporting unit which would cover a
well.balanced exchange OF raw pro-
ducts for manufactured articles. The
creation OF such a customs grouping
might be rendered difficult because of
the conflicting interests as producers
and manufacturers of the Powers and
Colonies concerned, but It is not i'm
possible. On the other hand econom-
lists Of the Teutonic alliance are &C.
lively considering the intensive. COM
mercial policies necessary to regain
accustomed foreign sources OF wealth
and TO prevent bltghttng discrimtna-
ton.
..Three-hfths of the imports into the
United States enter duty free. Our
producers are competing with British,
French and German manufacturers in
various oyer-sea markets, yet In plac-
ing many OF the products OF these
markets on our free list we obtain no
compensatory preferential rates for
articles which we, in turn, wish them
to purchase from US.
"The United States stands equipped
with single level tariff, barren of
trading margin for the purpose OF ne
gotiating commercial agreements, with
out resources for prompt concession
or retaliation. With the United States
and possibly the British Colonies,
France, Italy and Russin on the one
hand, and Germany and Austria Hun
gary on the other preparing to bring
before their people policies on which
their best minds are atiwork, the Unit
ed States .is taking an I'll advised salts.
faction in a swelling trade balance
which exists only by reason, OF abnor-
NAL war demand and prices and,
shrinkage OF Indispensable imports.
!. cit might be well IL the Presid emit
were given power, upon the recon-
mundation OF the tariff comm ssions to
bsgs t9 X b 4 IN s!tt t-4s H .t