Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-02
TRADE PERIL SEEN
In FOREIGN PACTS
Combinations TO Get Biz
Prices for Goods, Re-
port Says
GREAT GRAB AFTER WAR
Commission Urges Revision Of
Laws to Aid the Big Ex-
porting Houses

WASHINGTON, Dec 2.--The Fedar.t
| Trade Commission today gave TO the publie
| n view OF the worldwide trade war 1,
which the United States is preparing h
plunge nt the conclusion Of the strurxIa
In Europe. 10 Is the thousand-page repoff
OF the Commission on Cooperation /,
American Export Trade. 10 shows what
is wrong with present American exporf
trade conditions. where foreign natlons
have superior facilities for advancing their
trade. and, finally. points the way to
new trade supremacy for the United States
BY means OF export combinations ana
foreign trade cartels business interests az
foreign nations maintain secret agreements
whereby they do not weaken each other bv
competing among themselves but CO.
operate in getting tho highest prices for
their goods, the report gays. Backing these
organizations are highly efficient banking
structures and shipping lines, the whole
fabric working together to advance tho ma
tional interests.
In the face OF this situation the manu-
facturers and exporters Of the United States
find themselves unorganiEed engaging IN
competition resulting In bltterest self-injur,,
devoid OF proper banking and shipping faciI.
ltles' ana therefore almost wholly at the
mercy OF unscrupulous foreign combIna-
TONS the report asserts.
The remedy for this situation. saws N.
Federal Trade Commission lies in the Ir,e
mediate revision OF American laws The
American exporter. although heavily beset
from without by the trade conspIraclea N
foreign nations, Is harassed at home by
restraining statutes which threaten hin,
with punishment II he attempts 10 bgbt
the rest OF the world with the weasnons
which are used against him
The commission strongly recommends
the lcgalization Of export combinations and
cartels for foreign trade, with the DEFINITE
in utfal
use It's organization to operate I'm the terri.
tory or the United States and bring about
monopolies harmful to Americas people.
tremendous amount Of evidence Of the
trade conspiraCies and discrimination
which have been practiced against the Unit
nd states by foreign nations Is contained
N the two volumes comprising the renort
The report says that the rest OF the world
mas Forged ahead of the United States be-
,ause this country has been absorbed in its
iomestic concerns. While the American
lation, not yet wholly settled and with lts
Interior resources undeveloped and Furnish
ng job for Americans for many years To
'ome, has been trying to serve its own peo-
lie, the old countries Of Europe. crowded
md finished from the industrial, aRricuI-
ural ana economic point of view, have been
orced out of their homes to make monev
ut OF other countries This has given
hem the lead in foreign trade is the COM
nlssIon's explanation.
Briefly, the remedy of the Federal Trade
commission for the ills Of American foreign
rade is:
Better shipping facilities.
Better foreign banking facilities
Better methods of obtaining trade infor-
iation.
LegalIzed export combinations.
Legalized American combinations to buy
broad
Evidence of unfalrness to Americans in
'reign trade has been collected by the
Because Americans must use
'relgn telegraph, cable and shipping ia
lities, Qll American trade secrets readily
III into the hands OF competitors OF other
ltlons. Americans have so few foreign
lnks that an international money trust
the European nations has unchallenged
'ntrol of the foreign field and dscriminates
salnst American foreign traders, according
the report.