Evening journal., 1918-07-12
HIGHER TARIFF OR LOWER WAGES.

~ HARTMAN HURLEY, of the Shipping Board told
~ the Illinois Manufacturers Association the other
day that the American manufacturer learn to
gard the whole world as his market. after the
Foreign countries have raw materials and finished
products TO exchange with He must learn TO swap
ackknlvcs without trying TO keep both knives" says
Mr.. Hurley speaking Of the American manufacturer.
He must run his factory with a view TO utilizing the
materials Of other countries thus aiding their
development"
There Is certainly objection to utilizing all the
materials OF other countries within the capacity OF
our mills TO absorb but in the matter OF exchange
OF finished products must look to II that the whole
world does not regard the United States its market
in finished goods, which Will most likely be the
under the Democratic tariff policy. II Mr.. Hurley will
inform tho people OF this country how our manufac-
turers multiply their consumption Of foreign
materials while at the time permitting foreign FIN
ished goods to dominate market he will have solved
the problem Of making two objects occupy the
space at the same tlme which has always heretofore
been contrary TO the law OF physics.
Everything points conclusively TO the fact that the
drerentials between the United States and our
European and Oriental manufacturing competitors will
be far wider than they before the started.
There have been increases the world over but
where great in the United States. And while the
aborng forces OF competitors WILL In their zeal for
steady employment be glad to accept such wage stand
ards conditions demand and willing to work ten and
lWeVes nour necessary lnere seems 10 Do
decided aversion the part OF organized labor In this
country to accept anything eight hours as base
day and IL is expected that any attempt to lower wages
from their present abnormal state will meet with de-
cided opposition.
Manifestly II is idle TO suppose that the American
manufacturer maintain anything like the present
wage scale and hours of work and produce commodities
at the cost at which like competing articles produced
abroad Certainly therefore. under policy calling for
the removal all economic BARRIERS" the foreign
petor is going have the bulge the American
facurer when It TO competition in the United
States let alone competition in South America the Orient
Australia, in other fields Of export
Suppose for the sake of argument the cotton cloths
industry in this country is manufacturing annually at
this time sOOO0OOOO worth Of cloths domestic
SUMPTION and, under prevailing Democratic rates Of
duty England proceeds to grab s33000O0 worth Of that
trade. With mills then reduced TO two-thirds
pacy with respect domestic demand there viii be
consequent high the cosperyard production
OF the cloth 10 American mills and less will be
employed in the work. As the unit cost increases the
foreign competition becomes pronounced until
finally Il achieves the destruction Of the American in
dustry and with the unit cost advancing here how
competition with these foreign manufacturers
be successfully maintained in foreign neldsH
There is a way TO meet the competition. however: II
the American workmen accept the wages and hours Of
his brother oiler in Europe. production costs here will
be lowered TO the European figure But organized labor
opposes and should oppose that method Then let or
ganzed all labor stand steadastly protective
tariff law and with that policy firmly enrenched here,
let organized labor extend its propaganda Europe to
ameliorate the conditions OF European labor give 1t
larger shsrs iD the products OF its industry.