The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-13
british PAPERS
RAPPOLICYUPON
ALL IMPORTATION
Free Trade Press Sharp in At
taCkS Upon License Plan
Disclosed by GeddeS in
House of Commons.

LONDON. March l3-Free trade
newspapers are sharply criticizing the
governments policy regarding importa
lions as disclosed by Sir Auckland
Geddes. minister for national service
and reconstruction In the house Of COM
mons Monday He said that an i'm
poEations Of, manufactured and semi
manufactured commodities which are
permitted 70 enter Great Britain will
re controlled by a system OF special
licenses until Sept l when the question
viii be reviewed"
The newspapers denounce this pro-
poSAl as an attempt TO produce pro
tecIloh without any mandate from the
voters, insist that a great majority Of
the voters are opposed 10 protective sys-
tenn and declare that England Is stin a
Tree country at heart. They say that
Great Britain gained her commercial
and financial supremacy through free
trade and can hold it only 6y free
trade"
one point on which newspapers Of all
SHADES n views on the tariff are
agreed y that after British manufacture
ers and merchants have enjoyed the
sort OF protection afforded them by
license systems. the vested interests
VIII have been upbuiit or at least fos-
tered, which will make II difficult to
revert to a free trade basis"
From the viewpoint Of importers, the
license system handlcaps them with all
the disadvantages Of a protective tariff
without its stabiliZing virtue Of certain
", They say that with a protective
tarlit OF 30 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 well-known
conditions. AT present they do not know
~whetherltO plan To do any business. be-
cause they cannot count on being
licensed to import. any given quantity
OF products or on being prohibited alto
gether from making imports.
The government. however, is able to
present strong reasons for special meas
ures: British industries have been torn
10 pieces by the war, They have been
compelled to give up all ordinary bust
ness, transform their plants into NUM-
ton factories and take orders from the
government. They have virtually sub
merged themselves in the government
machine and now claim that the gov
eminent is under obligations to give
them help and protection in the broad
est sense during a breathing spell suf-
ficlcnt for them to readjust themselves
to peace conditions.
England is swarming with American
business men who came over fully ex-
pectlng to re-establish their old con-
nections as soon as the vital factor OF
tuilldBo peFHiltleu. lney feallZed 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 II.
Some think they have a grievance.
They kept up their British establish
ments at a loss during the war on the
expectation Of doing business immedi-
ately after the close Of the struggle.
The process Of obtaining import licenses
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 It's merits, as the
controller judges 1t from the importers
standpoint and the board Of trades first
consideration Is whether the goods in
question car be obtained from English
FIRMS. II they can, the license Is re-
fused, II the importer makes out a
particularly strong case for special CON
sideratioh he will be permitted to ship
limited quantities.