Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-02-20
U, s, FOREIGN TRADE
 IS ENDANGERED BY
 COMMITTEE ACTION
Cutting of Appropriation is Serious Blow, Says
 Alexander

Washington, Feb. 19.-American trade with the world is endangered by the action of the appropriations committee in cutting the foreign trade estimates of the department of commerce from $1,658,000 to $490, ,000, Secretary Alexander declared today in formal statement.
 "This is the most serious blow ever aimed from within at our for eign trade," the secretary said. "The sum allowed is only one-half of the appropriation now used.
 "At the very time when European and Japanese governments are striv- ing to perfect their trade promoting machinery thru enormously increas- ed appropriation this bill proposes to scrap the American machine, the most effective and smoothest run ming that any government has ever been able to assemble.
 "When over rivals have an almost overwhelming trade advantage in ex- change rates, this bill proposes to handicap American manufacturers by practically withdrawing the help ing hand of the government. Almost on the day when our merchant ma 1ine becomes fact, it is virtually announced that foreign trade is not worth supporting"
 Funds for the promotion in the Far East are cut in half, he added, stat ing that this means "a great slacken- l ing of effort" in a district where Japan, Germany and England are re- doubling their efforts. "The great markets of the east will return a thousand fold every dollar this gov ernment spends there," he said. | "As g result of the cut in approp- riations," he stated, "district offices must be abolished in New York, Bos- ton, Chicago, St. Louis, New Orleans San Francisco, Seattle, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati | Dayton, Los Angeles and Portland Ore"
 No Commercial Attaches.
 "The bill aims to abolish the com mercial attaches entirely" Secretary | Alexander said. "This service was established in 1914 at the request of American business. It has won the approval and respect of American business. As now conducted it costs $185,000, trifling and inadequate sum. There is not an office in the I SeTVICc tUAt uOGS HUI tuIH III AuOA Y than that every year in actual busi- ness, and the contracts obtained by American houses though some of the offices run into the millions of dol lars. That is, taking into account only the promotion work figured in dollars and cents. Twelve commer- cial attaches--men trained and ex- perienced in commercial and econo- Akx~ nk ~~rs nva% n po attached to embassies and legations in a dozen foreign capitals where they are charged specifically and solely with the promotion of Ameri- can business interests at this critic al period will be withdrawn peremp. torily within three months time and dismissed.
 "At least 15 trade commissioners, who are reporting on rapidly chang 1 ing commercial conditions in Euro- penn countries from Denmark to Austria will have to be recalled by the first of May.
 '"If this bill is passed, sail have to close up almost all the district and cooperative offices in this coun- l try. The cutting off of help in the Washington office means decreased efficiency all around. It means smaller commerce report and de- layed trade figures.
 "This is not economy. It is down. ing tools at the most critical stage of our commercial history. If this bill goes thru it will cost 10 times as much money to put the plant in rum ming order when the grave error of shutting it down has been demon strated. And it will be demonstrat-