The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-21
XXXVI
Dragging the Leaden Weight
of Billions for the War.

of Billions for the War
Ms1ch Of the commercial success Of
the Germans during the Last forts
years is due 10 the TACT that each
rnanlrfa ctprer. csrh discoVereT ia Ger
many. each exporter knew That the
whole weight and power OF the gov
~rnment was behind him Tn hts efforts
10 Increase his business. on the other
\ hand. IN America, business men have
been terrcrized almost into inaCt.on.
by constant prosecution. What was
crime tn one part Of the United
States under one circuit court of ap-
peals was a perfectly legitimate set ia
another. II We have 20 meet the In
tense competition ~ Germany after
tIfe war gve have rNf so gtrw FIJI these
business problems from new angles
sF-or instance. there is the question
of@ssree ports Rg. ft'-su -.i'he
ray Hubert has introduced IN the
house of representatives -a res" a'i,lf
directing the secretary af he Treasury.
y the secretarv ~ war and the secre-
tary OF commerce TO report 4" "onsr'7s
as TO the ACCESSIBILITY % the establish
ssent of free ports within the limits
~ the established customs Of the
United States
8nyaST 1t,t. OT SETTING
TT FREE, PORTS
Free ports exist I'm GERMANY and
have existed for iHur time 'l-
Though Germany IS a country with
protective traiT. Tn e. free port raw
goods are manufactured and then OK
ported -.ef ietirse e., tlst- advantage of
the copntry permitting the establish
merit of free ports. because b. mis-
manufacture Of "a ~ materials and
3 their rp-export. without being SUBJ
sect 10 duty. monev is earned hy 1h"
manufacturers 10 tire benefit Of their
own Sourtrv and employment 3s given
70 many workIngncN. thus &c course
IMPROVING thu condition Of these
worlxIugrren md o. all others in the
rcsif1frv " ie self.cvidcnt that the
e4lofov4nert OF each workinerunn N
an Industry which would not exist cT-
cert for tho existence Of III" free port
withdraws that workiuGran from the
general "A nor market and. Therefore.
benefits the posi.io' Of his remain
ing fellow lahorers.
Although free ports DO not exist
IN the trnft,>d stetes an attempt has
been made to give certain Industries, by
means of what are known as draw
racx~" the same benefit that they
would enjoy were free ports existent
fn our country
Thus the Teffuers or 70 * sugar from
ss,iha pra. duty on this sugar when
il enters the United states. but re-
celve this Gutv back when-a CORES
rnrdinE amount Of re&ned sugar Is
exported to other countries.
There has lately been an attack
made upon this syst en--in the case.
Aovaver. Of the suror refnrrs only
and the nuestioa has been treated in
some revspa pers as r theee refnera
u .~a-se obtaining aUrnr 0T, fafTs advantage
from the. Aovernm efot. whereas. >ns
matter Of fact the allowance Of these
.sdravvha ebs'' enables the sugar re
ffners to carry ON the refining or
The aurar for export much as they
',wot,ld IL thor re3nnrie@ existed In free
por+s modelled on the German system
The repeal Of the provision Of al
lowing 'drs vvtacls'' in this and other
industries VIII probably send the In
sfyStxtrs to Canada or 70 some other
terr,fnrv where this system equivalent
TO ehe free port, is permitted 20 exist
few days before ] LEFT Germany
7 had a conecrsatiou with manu-
SActurpr Of munitions who employs
shout eighteen thousand people IN
hts factories which. before the war
yYsa ntrfectt.ved articles other han
munitions I asked him how the
wuyernrlent treated the rnaoufaCtur-
ers of rnuuft tors. and he said that they
were allowed 10 mat" cop5 profits,
Although they hrd to nay ont a treat
x3Y~, Tnrtfon ~ these profits IN the form
of taxes on their excess or Wal pro
fits: that the government desired 20
~ucsr,rrsgs ma uufArtJrcrs 90 turn thelr
s,,arss into factori4e FOR tho tra!'iuC
OF All articles r~euired hy he ration
IN Sgt aiming war ard tGet n" manu-
fact,,rers wculd d. this provided that
NJ were orh j. question as 10 how
much Of their profits tNer womb be
allowed TO k"ep Eat = tho govern
,Mxrt had aftaYf,35ftpF r. FRid. "a TX