Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-13
IMPORT BARRIER
Anglers BRITAIN
Free Trade Newspapers
Call License System 'Pro.
tection' Wedge
VESTED INTERESTS CAIN
American Products Seeking
Entrance Are ''Up Against
a Stone Wall"
By the Associated Press

London, March 13.-Free trade news
papers are shorply criticzing the govern
ments policy regarding importations as
disclosed by Sir Auckland Geddes. min
! lister fer national service and reconstruc-
ton in the House of Commons, on Mon
day. He said all importations of manu-
factured and semimanufactured COM
mcdities which are permitted to enter
Great Britain will be controlled by a
system of special licenses until Septem-
Der |. when the question will be re
viewed"
The newspapers denounce this pro-
posal as an attempt to introduce protec-
tion without any mandate from the vot-
ers. insist that a great majority Of tie
voters are opposed to a protective sys-
TEN, and declare that England is still
free trade country at heart. They say
Great Britain gained her commercial
and financial supremacy through free
trade and can hold it only by free trade. -
One point on which newspapers of all
shades and views on the tariff are
| agreed is that after British manufactur-
erS and merchants have enjoyed the
sort OF protection afforded them by the
license system the vested interests"
will have been upbuilt or at least fos-
tered, which will pnake 1t difficult to
revert to free trade basis.
From the viewpoint of importers, the
license system handicaps them with all
the disadvantages of a protective tariff
without its stabilzing virtue Of GER
tainty. They say that with a protective
tariff of 80 or so per cent. or any specific
rate, they would know where they
stand and might adjust their prices and
do business in accordance with we'll
known conditions. At present they do
not know whether to plan to do any
business because they cannot count on
being licensed to import any given guam
tity of products or on being prohibited
altogeth ther from making imports.
Industries Want Help
The government, however, is able to
present strong reasons for special meas
ures. British industries have been torn
to pieces by the war. They have been
compelled to give up all ordinary busi-
ness, transform their pla nts into NUM-
tion factories and take orders from the
government. They have virtually sub
emerged themselves in the vernment
machine and now claim that the govern
ment is under obligations to give them.
help and protection in the broades
sense, during a breathing spell sufficient
for them to readjust themselves to peace
conditions.
England is swarming with AmercG n
business men who came over fully ex-
pecting to re-establish their old connec-
items as soon as the vital factor of ton
mage permitted. They realized that
while the war was being waged the
Allied governments had the first call on
shipping. regardless of private interests.
| They have the tonnage now, but find
that official barriers have been erected
against their using it.
! Some of them think they have a griev-
ance. They kept up their British estab-
! lishments at loss during the war on
the expectation of doing business again
| Immediately after the close of the strug-
gle.
Americans Find "Stone WaIP'
The process of obtaining import IL
| censes is that each prospective importer
must present his case to the Board OF
Trade and to the controller of imports
Each case is dealt with on its merits