Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-03-13
Britons Agitated Over Pre-
vailing System of Licens-
ing All Imports.
AMERICAN BUSINESS
HURT SEVERELY
Efforts to Renew Pre-. War Relations
Bump Up Against Store Wall-Drit.
ish Newspapers and Business Men
Divided and Tariff Adsoeatss In.
ersasins in Nurbsrs-press De.
nandins One system or the Other.

London. March lS--Free trade news
papers are sharply criiicising the gov
ernments policy regarding importa-
tions AS disclosed by Sir Auckland
Geddes, minister for national service
and reconstruction, in the house Of
commons Monday.
tie said that all importations Of
manufactured aud semi manufactured
commodities which are prohibited To
enter Great britain will he controlled
by system OF special licenses until
Sept !. when the question will be
reviewed"
The newspapers denounce this pro-
posal as an attempt to introduce pro-
teotion without any mandate from the
voters insist that. aYgreat majority of
the voters are opposed TO a protective
system, and declare that England s
still free trade country at heart.
They say that Great Britain gained her
commercial and financial supremacy
thru Cree trade.
one point on which newspapers Of
all shades and views OF the tariff are
agreed Is that after British manufact-
urers and merchants have enjoyed the
sort of protection afforded by the
license system. the vested interests
Will have been upbuilt or at least fos-
tered, which will make it difficult to
revert to n free trade basis.
Uncertainty crippies Importers.
From the viewpoint of Importers.
the license system handicaps thsm with
all the disadvantages OF a protective
tariff without its stabilizing virtue OF
certainty They say that with pro-
tective tariff OF so or ~ per cent or
any specific rate they would know
where they stand and might adjust
their prices aud do busin.ss In accord. :.
ance with known conditions. At pres
ent they do not know whether to plan
to do any busipess, because they can
no, count on being licensed to import
any given quantity of products or on
being prohibited altogether from maxi
Ing imports.
The government, however, is able to
present strong reasons for special
measures. British industries have been
torn-to pieces by the war They have
virtually submerged themselves In the
government machine and now claim
that the government Is under obiiga-
tons to give them help and protec-
ton in the broadcast sense during Il
breathing spell sufficient for them to
Ieadiust themselves to peace condi-
tions.
American Business Barred.
England is swarming with American
business man who came over fully ex-
meeting to rec establish their old connec. =.
t,ons as soon as the vital factor OF
tonnage permitted. They have the
,to,,nage now but find that official bar
riers have been erected against their
using 1t.
The process .ofN obtaining import
licenses is that each prospective I'M
portcr must present his case to the
hoard of trade and to- the controiler
of imports. The controller Judges ~
from the importers standpoint ana
the board of trades first considera-
lion Is whether the goods In question
can BE obtained from English firms. IL
thcy can the license IL refused. II the
importer makes out n particularly
strong case he will be permitted to
ship limited quantities.
Motors and Typswriters Affected.
conspicuous among the American
nroducts which find themselves against
what virtually amounts to stone wall
are motors, boots, and typewriters
which cost from 5000 to 5000 in Eng
land today.
Itiis said great British company
which has hitherto devoted its plant to
the manufacture OF implements %
gar ,s Transforming Its works into
factories for the manufacture OF type
wariting machines.
The self governing dominions OF
Great Britain are exempted from the
difficulties the governments policy
imposcs on foregn merchants.
The Associated Press attempts mere
" 10 describe the situation because 1t
Ii i. subject OF greatest interest to
business mon everywhere and source
of controversy between different schools
OF British economists. II Is looked
upon as the beginning of an important
chapter. in Tho aftersthe- war economic
adjustment.
The arguments OF the free traders
have Oesn rousiiiy summarized by tie
Morning Post, which Is the strongest
protectionist paper In Great Britain. 1t
also points out the possible weakness
OF the temporary licensing measure,
saying; f,Y
1--WE believe the licensing system Is
a vicious system. II leads TO favoritism
and corruption and leaves too much
discretion In the hands Of officials. At
the beginning of the war II the gov
crnment.. had been honeat 1t would
have accepted the logic OF the situa :
ton and imposed tariff but sooner or
later d traiff must come.
~ f ,i Y e s s
Rslssus Gee Masks 70 Seldisrs.
yyashipgt an March 1A--Thp war