The Washington times., 1916-07-20
Association Of Exporters Urges
Passage Of Bill Permitting
Cooperative Effort Abroad.
WOULD PROTECT RESOURCES
Measure Also Would Open For.
eign Field to Smaller Manu-.
facturers, II Is Argued.

Picturing European nations In a post
oellum attack on the unprecedented
gold reserve and export trade accumu-
snted by the United States as q result
sf the war. the National Foreign Trade
Council, In q statement today submitted
to the House judiciary Committee, urged
the enactment Of the Webb bill, legaliz-
Ing cooperative effort by exporters.
The report, which analyses the pres
ent international trade situation OF the
United States, Is signed by seven promi-
nent exporters In different parts Of the
United States. namely. John d. Ryan.
president Of the Anaconda Copper
Mining Company; ]. A. @. Carson. presi-
dent Of the Carson Naval Stores Com
pany. Savannah: James A. Farrell,
president of the United States Steel
Corporation; II. c. Lewis, president Of
the National Paper and Type Company,
New York; w. II. Russo. Of the Russo
& Burgess Lumber Company, Of Men,
pills. Tenn. and Theo B. Wilcox, of
the Portland FIGURING Mills Company,
Portland, Ore. The report was sub
mitted by X. II. Patchin. secretary Of
the National Foreign Trade Council,
ana H. c. Lewis.
Employment for All.
The statement says:
''As all bank credits are based on
the gold reserve. loans and discounts
have increased in proportion. until there
exists a structure OF. credit in domestic
a. we'll as. foreign commerce, support
Ing expansion OF business so active and
diversified that there Is not In the
United States today tustifiably idle
Frank A. Vanderlip. president NJ tho
National City Bank. Is quoted in q pre-
diction that. after the war. I'VE will
find all Europe depleted of its gold;
bank and government paper. and un-
asr osact the y, direct dire stress to rebuild its
't@fS fSs OF noint S1id' Of attack will b. o,-
gold reserve. serve The aae methSds % viii vi 'Se be-
every means known to trade and
commerce by which merchandise. Sc.
ssSritiss; sSr tea and credits can be exchanged
Abnormal Demand.
It IL pointed out that the present
enormous export trade rests largely
on an abnormal war demand.
TN the resumption OF competition" |"
continues the statement Of the coun-
S % Se ser Sssinnns
, with cartels and trade associations OF
! purchasers. manufacturers. exporters.
and bankers REINFORCED by govern
which industrial Europe now vibrates
shall fail. supplemented by economic
alliances succeeding the war alliances
'-rhe liberty which rivals and Gus
toners. CT American exporters have
enjoyed to cooperate has Produced
sorssS sS%SstbtutlnS IL the ,aPed Of
trial, transportaticn. and governmen.
tai resources into foreign markets.
Continuation Of the present condi.
American compelled competition.
The natural tendency of American
exporters I cooperate is hobbled by
under the antitrust laws"
The enactment Of permissive legisla-
ton for cooperation in export trade
was urged by the committee for two
ural resources. which. 1t was declared.
arc now frequently sold abroad cheap
er than at home. because combinations
of foreign buyers play one group Of
successful efforts to depress the price.
and. second, to extend the export Of
manufactured products. thus creating
labor for artisans. who will presently
lose their hishiy-paid overtime employ
Aside from giving the foreigner .
better access to American resources
than American citizens enjoy, the COM
mittee declared that:
Wherever the export price of Amer
lean raw materials Is forced below the
domestic level. the chances are In
creased for the European manufactured
merchandise derived from such raw ma
terial to hold neutral markets against
similar American manufactured mer-
chandise."
Webb Bin Opens Way.
Tho Webb bill, declared the committee
OF the council. would open the way for
the smaller manufacturers now unable
individually to enter foreign trade, to
find an oversee outlet. stabilizlng their
operation and acting as a balance
wheel to possible periods Of domestic
depression.
Increased output and reduction of
overhead expense. II Was stated. would
tend to reduce unit costs of manufac-
ture. at the same time eliminating de-
structive competition between Aperi-
cans In the foreign field. but protecting
the public interest by not permitting ex-
port combinations to restrain domestic
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