The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-06-07
CHINAWARE MADE
IN AMERICA"
Especial Correspondence

Washington, June 6-"Here is a
pretty state Of affairs: We actually
have been eating Oft Of German
p'ates," exclaimed Lord Bcresford, the
other day, while speaking at q lunch
con Of the British Empire Productions
Association at Havery Hotel. London.
The correspondent writes that this
statement was followed by a success.
sion Of crashes ms the guests seized
the plates and hurled them TO the
floor. This association must see to
it that such state Of things never
occurs again. declared Beresford.
The joke was on John Bull, but il
pointed to tariff moral. II was an
instance Of the conquest which in
later years highly protected Germany
had been making Of the free trade
English market, not only in china, but
in countless other commodities. And
Germany and other countries have
been doing that self-same thing in the
American market. If you don't be-
lieve it turn your plate over and look
at the stamp on the bottom.
At the time the present tariff law
was being framed $4,000 persons were
dependent on the pottery industry in
this country, in New Jersey, Ohio,
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New
York, Connecticut, Indiana, Maryland
and Massachusetts,. There is no
monopoly, and, to quote the words Of
the chief authority in the industry, Mr..
William Burgess: 1T is an industry
in which capital and labor are in
friendliest relations, having learned
that arbitration is better than war
and friendly converse than strike"
Ninety per cent of the cost Of pottery
represents labor. Since the establish
ment Of the industry in this country
competition has reduced the cost al
most two thirds to the consumer, at
the same time improving the quality
of the ware. Before the war less than
two ifths in value of the total con-
sumption in the United States was
produced here, and the average net
profits were less than 6 per cent on
actual cash invested.
Our production in 1892 totaled S.
100000 Then the Wilson German
cut in duties from So and GO to 30 and
So per cent took place in 1898 and our
production fell TO $3,500,000. From
1885 to 1912 imports from England
decreased 20 percent; from Germany
they increased 410 per cent; from
Austria, 266 per cent; from Japan
l 1923 per cent. Germany had far out
stripped England when the war broke
out. The chairman of the Democratic
ways and means committee in 1913
said: at will be conceded, | think,
that so far as chinaware is concerned,
there is very good competition at
free competitive rate now" But the
duties were cut, nevertheless.
The capital investment for plant,
cost of materials, ETC., abroad in no
case approach what they are in this
The average of all classes of
Labor reduced to an hourly basis in
1913, showed: United States, $0.2483;
II; Germany, .0913; Aus
.ria, .O86 France, .0S25; Belgium,
O693; Holland, .065; and Japan, .025.
The highest paid foreign labor was not
half that paid in this country, nor will
t be after peace has been established.
The i'll effects of lower duties were
to be felt by the domestic {
when the war broke out and
saved the situation, but it is plain
o be seen that the pottery industry
las a valid claim for protective rates,
claim which will receive recognition
vhen the next Republican Congress
Engages in the great program Of re- =,
which will find postwar
commercial preparedness at the top Of
he list.