Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-10-07
PLAN NEW TREATIES
FOR LAT|NS' TRADE
State and Commerce Depart
ments and Big Gamers
Working on Problem.
TIMED FOODS LUXURY

The State Department is about to try
to negotiate commercial treaties with
Latin American countries for the pur-
pose of bringing about, II possible. q
lower tariff on American canned goods
and other products. Counselor Polk
of the State Department and Secretary
Of Commerce Redfeld are preparing
representations looking to that end, as
a result of conference which was held
here earlier in the week by these off,
Gals, representatives of the National
Gamers Association and others.
South American tariffs on canned
goods manufactured in the United
States are abnormally high, according
to statements made today by Frank q.
Gorrell. secretary and treasurer Of the
National Gamers Association, an or
ganization of all the principal packers
Of the country, which maintains in
Washington research laboratories on
which $4,000 a year is spent for the
betterment of the American product.
Getting Ready for End Of War.
There is an enormous demand for all
kinds of canned foods in the United States
now" Mr.. Gorrell said, in conversation
with reporter for The Star, although
there is not much of that food exported.
Every one seems to be at work in this
country. making money and living little
better, perhaps. than they have been, and
at the same time, unfortunately, our crops
in the United States have fallen short
or
cents per dozen cans in price right along,
and it seems impossible to get suitable
supplies of canned corn at almost any
price.
THE Gamers realize that the prices of
foods ought not to go too high, because
If they do consumption will be limited.
But this big demand and these high prices
are increasing the number of canneries,
and We are now looking forward to the
time which will come when there will be
over and Europe b producing more food
for then the manufacturing industries
of the country will face a condition of
surplus supply. We must establish rela-
tons now with South America, SO that
when the war Is over we will have that
market in which to sell and in which to
place the goods which will be manufac-
tured by the extra canneries that are be-
ing built now to supply the heavy demand.
Our efforts to get trade in Europe are
necessarily limited because of the war
We have been trying to get into the
South American field for three years, but
there in regard to tariffs on our goods.
1.-THE federal trade commission sent a
man to South America to get reports on
trade and tariffs. and in the report that
was made. as to Brazil for instance, there
is an illustration in connection with lot
of ten cases of canned peaches which will
show just what these tariff difficulties are.
Peaches 81 Is Can.
This ten cases Of canned peaches had
a value of $3.50 laid down with freight
paid In Rio de Janeiro. But when the
Brazilian tariff and other import and
handling charges were added this ten
cases had a value of no less than s124s2
When wholesale and retail distribution
profits were added, at about 20 per cent
1t turned out that one can of peaches
which would sell here for rs cents had to
be sold there for $1.25.
This same situation as to tariffs ap-
plies to every other canned food in
Brazil and all other South American
countries. tariff commission is sitting
at the present time, however, in Buenos
Aires. and with the assistance Of the
State Department and the Department
Of Commerce we hope to get the tariffs
lowered through new commercial treaties
Canned fruits is not a protected in
dustry in the Argentine Republic, and a
very appreciable revenue is being sac
rificed by the government of the South
American countries owing to these pro-
hibitive tariffs, for we could easily sell in
quantities down there if the tariffs were
not so high. They have canned foods on
the list of Injuries, so far as their tariffs
are concerned. when they ought to be on
the list of necessities.