The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1918-01-12
DANGER OF CHECKING TRADE

Congress has authorized the president to restrict the inn
portation of luxuries and non-essentials by proclamation. Our
export trade depends on the good will of our foreign customers,
and when we refuse to buy others are apt to retallate. Ii IL
becomes necessary to restrict such imports, the most diplomatic
way would be to impose heavy duties. Those who are willing
to pay high prices for foreign-made luxuries would then con-
tribute largely to the nations revenues, and we would AVOID the
friction that accompanies arbitrary exclusion of particular
classes of merchandise. The British government experiment
ed with arbitrary restrictions on imports of on-essentials early
in the war and found that she was injurlng france wltnout
helping herself in proportion.
The war has not yet touched America as it has England
and France, but we are paying billions for its prosecution. Ii
the federal government restricts our foreign trade the country
will have so much less wealth to devote to the winning OF the
war. A bale of cotton, a bushel of wheat, a key of nails, a
bolt of cloth, are real wealth produced by capital and labor, as
direct additions to existing riches. If we can exchange these
exportable products for those of other countries in a way that
will constantly increase our export trade and widen our mar
kets, the gain will be far greater than any savings that can be
effected by a policy of restrictions of imports with which our
exports would inevitably decline. We cannot take without
giving something in return.
If bv excluding exports of nonessentials we hurt an ally
or a friendly neutral, we shall lose in the end. Our most valu-
able foreign trade has always been with our strongest and rich
est competitors, the three leading ones just before the war In
1914 being the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany. Every
manufactures and wholesaler knows that he gains as his Gus
toners become more prosperous. In domestic trade we ma
reciprocity between different sections of the country just as II
obtains in foreign trade. New England draws coal, iron and
foodstuffs from states farther west and sells them shoes, cloths,
tools, brassware and other finished products. When New Eng
land mills are busy the west sells more food and raw materials,
and in return the prosperity of the west increases the trade Of
New England. Everybody admits that, and the same prin-
ciple applies to international trade.
ANY interference with the trade relations between New
England and the west Injuries both. For more than a year such
interference has taken place in the form of railroad embargoes
caused by insufficient transportation facilities. Everybody,
from the president down, has been trying to relieve this con-
gestion of freight. A railroad embargo would not be per-
mitted for a moment after relief became possible; railroad en-
bargoes are declared for the purpose of relieving great distress
and can be justified only by the most acute need.
On the same principle, any embargo or restriction placed
on imports or exports must find justification in some extra
ordinary danger or necessity. Embargoes on exports of sup
plies that may reach our foes are war measures and are justi-
fable; but interference with our trade with our allies or with
friendly neutrals not in danger of coercion by Germany can
only be justified as temporary expedients for reasons analogous
to the railroad embargoes on freight to and from New England.
Let us face the situation. Most of the restrictions on i'm
ports of luxuries and non-essentials will strike our allies,
France, Italy and Great Britain, in the order named. We
would be lending them money with one hand and depriving
them of their ability to repay us with the other hand. We may
have to do it, just as the railroads had to force New England
factories to close down temporarily by depriving them of coal
and metals; but the last resort of our government should be
interference with the free flow of commerce which stimulates
the production Of real wealth-New York Commercial.
So hereafter, a Bolshevik PUSHES to a meeting of B%olsheviki,
crying: Russia is ready to accept Bolshevism; let the Boil
SheViSt party cOntrOl"-KanSas CITY Star.