The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-03
]. s. NOVICE N WORLD
TRADE, BOARD SAYS

Washington, Dec. 2.-The Federal
Trade Commission today gave to the
public the Bible OF tho worldwide
trade war In which the United States
Is preparing to plunge at the conclu-
sion OF the struggle in Europe. II
is the thousand-page report Of the
Commission on Cooperation in Amer
lean Export Trade. It shows what
is wrong with present American ex-
port trade conditions. where foreign
nations have superior facilities for ad-
vancing their trade, and. finally.
points the way to new trade Euprem-
acy for the United States.
BY means OF export combinations
and foreign trade cartels business in
tere4ts Of foreign nations maintain Sc
cret agreements whereby they do not
weaken each other by competing
among themselves. but cooperate in
getting the highest prices for their
goods. the report says. Backing these
organizations are highly efficient
banking structures and shipping
gether to advance the national inter-
eSts.
In the face of this situation the
manufacturers and exporters of the
United States fad themselves unor-
ganized, engaging in competition re-
sulting in bitterest self-injury. devoid
OF proper banking and shipping facili-
ties, and therefore almost wholly at
the mercy OF the INSCRIPTIONS foreign
combinations. the report asserts
The remedy for this situation says
the Federal Trade Commission. lies in
the immediate revision Of American
laws. The American exporter, although
heavily beset from without by the
trade conspiracies Of foreign nations,
Is harassed At home by restraining
statutes which threaten him with pun
.shmsnt X he attempts to fight the rest
OF the world with the weapons which
are used against him
The commission strongly recon-
mends the iegalixation of export COM
binauons and carteis for fore gn trade
with the definite restriction that no
such combination shall use its or
ganization to operate In the territory
OF the United States and bring about
monopolies harmful to Americas
people. IS
A tremendous amount Of evidence
of the trade conspiracies and discrim-
nations which have been practiced
against the United States by foreign
nations 10 contained in the two VOL
Nmes comprising tho report.
The report says that the rest Of the
world has forged ahead Of the United
States because our country has been
absorbed in It's domestic concerns
While the American nation. not yet
wholly settled and with It's interior
resources undeveloped and furnishing
a job for Americans for many years
to come. has been trying TO serve its
own people. the old countries of Eu-
rope, crowded and finished" from the
industrial. agricultural and economic
point OF view. have been forced out
other countries. This has given them
the lead in foreign trade, 10 the COM
missions explanation.
Briefly. tho remedy Of the Federal
Trade Commission for the Ills Of
American foreign trade In:
Better shipping facilities.
Better foreign banking facilities.
Better methods OF obtaining trade
information.
Legalizod export combinations
IegAlixed American ombina<ions to
buy abroad.
Evidence OF unfAtrne-s to Ameri-
cans In foreign trade has been collect
ed by the commission. Because Amer
leans must use foreign telegraph, ca
BILE and shipping facilities, all Amer
lean trade secrets readily fall into the
hands OF competitors Of other nations
We have so few foreign banks that an
international money trust OF the Eu-
ropean nations has unchallenged con-
troll of the foreign field and discrim-
mated against American foreign trad
ers. according to the report.