Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-04
BIG TARIFF BOOST
IF TREATIES END
Abroeation of Trade Agreements
Would Mean Increased Duties
Officials Say.
washington Special TO Baltimore sun.

Washington Special 10 b"i''t"'f'
w,sh,ng,on. Oct. At the 32 com
vosrc,al treaties. which the President 's
nrdcrcd IA ahrogatc in the Jones Mer'
rhant Marine Act. 90 into the discard.
ADMINISTRATION officials declare, ui II,
vail will he automatically raised aroun9
this country higher than any ever ufeaiheo ::
oi bv the most radical pfotecuioi'S' 'i
American politics L.. ,,;l
bc placcd upon every commodity tnae
enters the United States IN foreign
SHIN they affirm, and the freight rates
unon every commodity that Is imported
IN an American ship will increase to the
same extent There viii be no tree Inst
mxeept upoh such articles as may reach
the United States through Canada or
Mexico.
This Is Ione Of the most important
nhases al she situation created by Con-
vress when in passing the Jones act, 1t
a,rec,ed the President to denounce those
sections OF the trade treaties which re-
strict the night OF the United states 10
impose discriminating customs duties on
imports entering the United states IN
foreign vessels and IN vessels OF this
country. =, F.,
10 denounce these treaties on the eround
,hat Congress did an unconstitutional
thing IN ordering il done, many high
officials hcry who have intimate knowi-
edge az the Effect such action would have
upon the tariff. feel that he would have
been equally justified IN his refusal, on
tho ground that an almost prohibitory
system Of duties would go INTO eject the
moment tho treaties ceased to operate,
Ia every tariff act passed by Congress
for n century. Il was shown today, ln-
chdinr the Wilson, Dingley, Mckinney;
payre and Underwood laws, It Is provided
that a 10 per cent ad valorem duty, IN
addition 10 all existing duties, shall ne
collected on merchandise which snail be
imported IN foreign ships of all countries
with which the United states mas no
trade treaties barring such discrimination;
The inclusion Of this provision IN taIih
laws long ago ceased To excite any ue-
bate or interest for the reason tna'
treaties were IN effect with all countries
which had any ships engaged IN the Aunerl-
can trade and, therefore, the provision
had no practical effect whatever.
R9t Il those treaties which 1t took
100 vc,rs 10 corsummate should be de- |
nounccd as a step toward building up the
American merchant marire-and that
Was the purpose Of the Jones act-What |
Was merely a piece Of dead legislation;
first written into law back in l7S9, would /
be rcsurrectcd. and if not carried out, |
~ provided for as late as the enactment
Of the Underwood act, gross increase
in the tariff rates Of approximately lou
per cent would 90 into effect.
Nor Is il easy 70 visualize such a revo-
lutionarv thing. While il Is true. ae-
cording 20 the highest tariff authorities,
thar the increased size Of the Amencan
merchant fleet now makes it possible TOR
the vessels of this country TO carry be-
tween 36 and 50 per cent Of all imports,
II Is argued that the 10 per cent Increase
IN the tariff would merely provide sub
sidy Of 10 per cent on those imports
for these ships They carried something
like 81 $50 100000 worth Of goods
into the United States during ! months
of the last fiscal wear. which would mean
a subsidy Of sl6,O 100000 for the. ship
owners, II il is assumed that with the
treaties out Of the way thoy should II
crease their freight rates 10 per cent. rs
they would undoubtedly have the privll-
lcro Of doing
The total imports Of the last fiscal
wear were approximately S5,oOOOOO,OOO
BY far the greater part Of these goods