Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-07-11
A;oher Tariff or Lower Wages!


a his market, after the war. FOR
eign countries have raw materials
and finished products to exchange
with US. He must learn to swap
ia ok knives without trying to keep
both knives" says Mr.. Hurley speak
ing Of the American manufacturer.
He must run his factory with
view to utilizing the raw materials
Of other countries, thus aiding in
their development"
There is certainly no objection to
utilizing all the raw materials OF
other countries within the capacity
of our own mills to absorb, but IN
the matter Of exchange of finished
products we must look to it that the
whole world does not regard the
United States as its market in fin
jshed goods. which will most likely
be the case under the Democratic
tariff policy. If Mr.. Hurley will in
form the people of this country how
our manufacturers can multiply their
consumption of foreign raw materi-
ais while at the same time permit
ting foreign finished goods to dom
mate our market. he will have solved
the problem Of making two objects
occupy the same space at the same
time, which has always heretofore
been contrary to the law Of ply
sics.
Everything points conclusively II
the fact that the wage differentials
/ between the United States and our
European and Oriental manufactur
ing competitors will be far wider
than they we're before the war start
ed. There have been wage increases
the world over, but nowhere so great
as in the United States. And while
the laborlng forces of our competi-
tors will in their zeal for steady en-
ployment. be glad to accept such
wage standards as conditions de-
mand. and willing to work 10 and H.
hours a day, where necessary. there
seems to be a decided aversion on
the part Of organized labor in this
country to accept anything over
eight hours as a base day. and it is
expected that any attempt to lower
wages from their present abnormal
state will meet with decided opposi-
ton.
Manifestly it is idle to suppose that
the American manufacturer can
maintain anything like the present
wage scale and hours of work and
produce commodities at the cost ut
which like competing articles are
produced abroad. Certainly, there
fore under a policy calling for the
removal of all economic barriers" the
foreign competitor is going to have
the bulge on the American manufac-
!turer when il comes to competition
in the United States, let alone com
petition in South America, tne
Orient, Australia, or in other fields
of export Suppose, for the sake OF
argument, the cotton cloths indus
, try in this country is manufacturing
annually at this time s100,000,oO(
worth Of cloths for domestic con-
sumption, and. under prevailing
. Democratic rates Of duty. Englanl
proceeds to grab s33,o0o,oo0 worth OF
: that trade. With our mills then re-
duced to two-thirds capacity With
, respect to domestic demand, there
will be a consequent high increase
!, in the cost -per-yard production OF
the cloth to our American mills. ana
fewer men will be employed in the
I work. AS the unit cost Increase
o the foreign competition becomes more
pronounced until finally it achieves
$ the destruction of the American in
$ dustry; and with the unit cost evel
e advancing here how can competitio
s with these same foreign manufac-
turers be successfully maintained in
. foreign fields?
y There is a way to meet the com.
n petition. however: If the American
workman accept the wages and hour.
e of his brother toiler in Europe, pro
$ ducton costs here will be lowered
to the European figure. But organ
lied labor opposes and should oppos
n that method. Then let organized
n and all, labor. stand steadfastiy 70
protective tariff law, and with tina
'r policy firmly entrenched here, let or
II ganized labor extend its propagand;
II TO Europe to ameliorate the condi
tons of European labor and give
a larger share in the products of it
industry.
If The bill providing for the retire
ment OF volunteer officers of tn