Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-03-15
LARGER OUTPUT-sMALL COST.

THE London Telegraph, in a recent issue says II
the British motor industry after the is to be
reoreaed and developed, protective tariff VIII DO
necessary. Even before the American
competition was becoming more and more severe, but
today the Americans have the field to themselves and
but for the entire prohibition of imports would have
overrun the British market. II is difficult to
explain why American competition should be so keen,
as wages are higher buildings costly, and mate
rial no cheaper In the United States than in this coun
try
The Autocar, an influential British motor Journal be-
leves the explanation is due to the facts that the
individual output Of the American workman is not re-
srlcted that the American market is vastly greater
than the British market and that the purchasing power
per unit of population in America is far greater than
that OF Great Britain.
zone might add" says the Telegraph "that in Great
Britain cars are purchased from engineers lab
oratory, and not from factory, as in America
There is a whole lot OF tariff philosophy in that item
Of news What chiefly concerns the auto manufactur-
ers Great Britain at present is the competition of
the cheap American Under the Republican tariff
law all automobiles imported paid duty Of 40 per
cent ad yalorem. The Democratic tariff law made
reduction OF SO 1-S per those valued at less
than $4,000.
Probably the influence Of Mr.. Henry Ford had some
thing to do with this reduction Ford has patents on
his which give him ample protection and any loss
sustained by other cheap cars, through foreign compe
tition, would affect his output but little. OF course
the war practically put stop to any such competi-
ton Those who are acquainted with tho Ford nivver
Win be amused to read what Ford had to say with
reference to the automobile, when the Republican law
was being framed:
"Ths difference Gin the amount paid to labor) is very
small the amount OF labor automobiles in pro-
portion the amount OF material is almost insignin-
can't" Naturally he had the Ford car in mind.
On tho high grade the Democrats preserved
the Republican rates the that they const-
tuted Injuries. The present abnormal prosperity. de-
rived from the European has made trade in these
higprced quite prosperous, though the process
OF elimination has considerably reduced the number of
manufacturing companies.
But the development OF foreign trade in the low
priced car the which makes Great Britain turn TO
protective tariff has been due primarily unrestricted
output which, Of course, exceedingly low
unit cost of production and this unrestricted output
will continue long have competition from
abroad and the United States prosperous But
let the end OF the find operating under tariff
law but nine per cent better than absolute free trade
and the prosperity OF the farmer and OF the purchasers
OF ow-priced generally will melt away the out
put will be restricted by smaller demand and all the
evils which attend the Democratic tariff policy in nor
NAL times will be reflected in the automobile trade
Great Britain however recognizing at last the value
OF protecting her industries is ready adopt the policy
which has been denounced repudiated by The cot
Complaining Representatives. from the South.