Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-13
BRITISH POLICY
ON IMPORTATION
IS CRITICIZED
Free Trade Newspapers De-
. nounce Plans Disclosed
By Geddes.

newspapers are sharply critictsing the
governments policy regarding impor-
tations as disclosed by Sir Auckland
Geddes, in the house Of commons
Monday. He said that all importa-
tons Of manufactured and semi-man-
ufactured commodities which are per-
mttted to enter Great Britain will be
controlled by a system Of special IL
censes until September /. when the
question will be reviewed" The
newspapers denounce this proposal as
an attempt to introduce protection
J insist that a great majority ,of the
voters are opposed to a protective
system and declare that. England IL
~still a free trade, county at heart.
They soy that Great Britain gained
her commercial and financial spprem-
acy through free trade and can hold
Il only by free trade"
One point on which newspapers Of
all shades and views on the tariff are
agreed, is that after British manufac-
turers and merchants have enjoyed
the sort of protection afforded them
by the license system, the vested in
terests will have been upbuilt or at
least fostered. which will make it Diff
ficult to revert to a.free trade basis"
tective 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 ac-
coGlance 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
ucts or on being prohibited altogether
from making imports.
The government, however, presents
strong reasons for special measures.
British industries have been torn to
pieces by the war. Thew have been
compelled to give up all ordinary
business, transform their plants into
munition factories and take orders
from the government. They have
virtually submerged themselves in the
government machine and now claim
that the government Is under obliga-
tions to give them help and protec-
ton in the broadcast sense during q
breathing spell sufficient for them to
readjust themselves to peace condi-
tons.
England is swarming with Amer
lean business men who came over
fully expecting to re-establish their
old connections as soon as the vital
factor of tonnage permitted. 2.
Some think they have a grievance
They maintained their British estab-
lishments at a loss during thu war on
the expectation of doing business i'm
mediately after the close of struggle.
The process Of obtaining import H.
censes is that each prospective i'm
board of trade and to the controller
Of imports. Each case is dealt with
: ontits merits. as the controller Judges
1t from the importers standpoint and
theseboard Of trades first considera-
ton Is whether the goods in question
Can be obtained from English firms
II they can. the license Is refused. II
the importer makes out a particularly
strong case for special consideration
he will be permitted to ship limited
Conspicuous among the American
products which find I themselves
against what virtually amounts to q
stone wall, are motors. boots and type.
writer's which: cost from 5000 to $500
in England today.
It is said that a great British com.
pany which has hitherto devoted it,
plants to the manufacturing Of nipple.
ments of war is paying ribute to thu
prospective league Of nations By
transferring its works into factories
for the manufacture of typewritine
: machines.
: Sir Donald MacLean, liberal lead
err. asked in the house Of common:
Monday whether the government hac
not given guarantees to the soar
making industry. France is concerned
with that question because Marseillei
has. hitherto been the worlds NOS
, important base for soap products ant
it Is reported that an English inter
est has planned big works there.
The self governing dominions o.
Great Britain are exempt from thu
difficulties the governments polio,
imposes on foreign merchants.
~ The Associated Press attempts
merely to describe the situation be-
cause 1t is a subject Of greatest in
terest to business men everywhere
and a source of controversy between
different schools Of British econom;
lists. It Is looked upon as the begin
ming Of an important chapter in thu
after-the-war economic adjustment.
The arguments of the free trader.
have been roughly summarized by the
Morning Hpst, which is the strongest
p%rotectionist paper in Great Britain
It also points out the possible weak
ness Of the temporary licensing meas
ure. saying:
I'VE believe the licensing system II
' a vicious system. It leads to favorit'
ism and corruption and leaves too
must discretion in the hands Of off
Gals. At the beginning of the war. Il
the government had been honest, i
would have accepted the logic Of the
situation and imposed a tariff, bu'
sooner or later q tariff must come"
Police Seek Clue
To Identify Woman