New-York tribune., 1920-12-27
War ON Unfair
Foreign Trade
Methods Urged
Leland Summers Suggests
Body Like British Board
to Protect u. S. Business
From Unjust Competition
Retaliation Is Favored
Points Out Means Whereby
Discrimination A broad
Could Be Met and Checked

Establishment by the United States
Of body similar to the British Board
of Trade to help facilitate American
foreign commerce and the adoption of
aggressive and, if necessary, retaia-
tory measures to combat what he called
unfair foreign competition now being
practiced against American merchants
were advocated In q statement made
yesterday by Leland L. Summers, for
mer chairman of the foreign missions Of
the War Industries Board and Of the
advisory commission Of the National
Council of Defense. Mr.. Summers rep
resented the United States abroad dur
ing the war as technical adviser Of the
War Industries Board, and was the
American member of the Inter-Allied
Munitions Council.
Mr. Summers said thatsas a result
of inadequate organization in this coun-
try and unfair competition by certain
foreign countries cur national pros
perty was now being subject to slow
process Of strangulation.
eve are now being Disseminated
against by many artfices of unjust pref
erence," said Mr. Summers. "We are
facing an era where trade is the domi
mating factor in international relations
and we must decide to what extent we
are to accept in these international re-
lations the hand of any government up
holding principles of gain in violation
Of principles of justice"
Mr. Summers said that the United
States was being Disseminated against
in foreign markets by preferential tar
ifs and unjust price control which ex
listed during the war and were being
continued to the present day.
U. s. No Longer a Debtor Nation
ave must act and act resolutely,"
said Mr.. Summers. eve must make
subterfuge and artifce Improbable.
We ale no longer a debtor nation. The
question of app ying a high tariff now
that we are a creditor nation, the abro-
cation of charges on an international
canal in favor of single nation. dis
elimination in the freedom of shipping
for national gain-these are questions
80 be looked at carefully and fearlessly.
If they are applied in retaliation they
cannot be questioned. If we must, let
us abandon equality and the most fav
oreG nation clauses and retaliate
openly"
Discussing the formation of some sort
of organization that would be tanta-
mount in function and authority to the
British Board of Trade, Mr.. Summers
said:
1--WE do not have to change the prin-
ciples of our organization for interna-
tional dealing What is needed is q
strengthening of our present system.
The State Department and it's ambassa-
dors may continue in their adhel ence
to traditional methods. But on all i'm
portant subjects of national concern
affecting any of our great industries
ho nd fha Ch1tr IS
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
could have commission to advise and
act, this commission to have behind
them the skilled knowledge and indis-
pensable facts possessed only by repre-
.sentatives of American industry. Be-
hind all must ever be in sight the power
of the American people to tetaliate."
Cites Two Cases of Discrimination
Having in mind the recent protest of
the United States to Great Britain
against the disposition of the oil re-
sources of Mesopotamia and Persia and
the controversy between the United
States and the Entente in the matter Of
control of the cables taken from Ger
many as an example of discrimination
against the United States, Mr.. Summers
said:
II need not dwell on the treachery
and trickery of cable censorship for
trade purposes under government con-
troll OF cables or the imposition of ex-
elusive mandates violating the rights
OF the mandatory or the power Of
applying retaliation to any nation
which becomes party to international
trade discrimination. have in mind
the. subject of oil in Persia and Mexico
The preferences in banking or the
regulations in regard to ports and
bunkering or preferential tariff treat
ment between colonies who have their
own Parliaments, which is equivalent
to two nations contracting to exclude
international equity Of trade. Possibly
at this time these are not subjects for
public discussion. But we have the
power. Have we the courage? | hope
that we vii! develop an organization
which will place our zation in posi-
ton whore we do not have to solicit
equitable treatment, where we car
offer clean hand in international
friendship in all directions and at the
same time insist that the hand we grasp
shall be clean"
Tells What u. s. ls Losing
hr. Summers charged that as q re.
suit Of discrimination against the
United States by the British the United
States lost hundreds of millions of dol.
lars. He estimated the figure at be-.
THcH'NOfpNNO
ans determination, he said, was prac-
ticed at time when the United States
on tne other hand was giving the Brit.
Ism the benefit Of low govc rnme Mt price s
on american materials, which netted
W me br'tish an annual saving of ST.
eou,ooo,ooo. Mr.. Summers said:
In our dealings with the British on
various materials. we found that THO
unjust profit which would be made for
l .ne oeneht of British trade amounted 4
20 SSo.ooo,ooo to 100000 900. On our
side OF the game we were giving she
british the benefit Of our low govern.
ment-controled prices on base raw
materlals-steel, copper, timber, wheat
petroleum-and number Of esssnt;s,
commodities. This represented an an.
nual saving TO the British Of ahou,
1900 900, 900 If you want 10 make m
gust trade unpopular YOU must make
It Improbable. II IL the only SOVEREIGN
remedy Any business or trade metb.
ods which prove Improbable will no,
long endure"
Ar- Summers said that he exnects n
draw up definite plan for the protec.
eion OF American trade against unfair
foreign competition ard present this
plan to the authorities At Washinyton
for ador ton.
In Cnile fabricated wares from Eng
land, the United States and Japan havc