The Washington herald., 1920-02-22
JEALOUSY BACK
OF TRADEC CUT
Knitting Of Commerce Ap'
preparations Takes on
New Phase.
BUSINESS MEN PROTEST
Will Come from All Sec
tions to Urge Neces-
sary Upkeep.

lnterdepartmental JedlOusleS are
believed by those familiar with for
eign trade matters to have been
back of the serious cut which Con-
gres put in the estimates of the Bu-
reau of Foreign and Domestic Com
merce for foreign trade promotion
work.
The State Department, it is
known, has felt ever since the COM
mercial attache service was insti-
tuted. only a few years ago, that it
was invading it's field of work. in
/ that the men did the work which
the consular service was doing in
part. They wanted all of the re-
ports and all of the directions con-
/ cerning foreign trade to come
| through that department. How
ever. with the beginning of the
commercial attache service the men
came directly under the Department
of Commerce, and were in no way
responsible to the Department of
| Foreign Affairs.
This jealousy has been found in
a number of controversies between
the two departments in trade mat
/ ters. The State Department wanted
/ some sort of supervision over these
men, and IL it could not get them.
it took the next best step, accord
/ ing to the opinion in well-informed
| circles.
The action of Congress the other
day is believed to have been due to
officials in the Department of State
I giving to the committee the impress
sion that these foreign trade at
/ taches are not needed, but that the
same work is being done by the
consuls. While the consuls do gath
er trade information and submit II
through the State Department chan
nels to the Department of Com
merce, they do not duplicate the
work. The commercial attaches
have a broad field and actually do
the trade promotion work in bring
ing the foreign interests in need OF
goods together with those in the
United states who have them to sell
However, there is a feeling that
when Congress is fully acquainted
with the facts and the Importance
of the work of these officials at a
time when all of the governments
are striving to rebuild their foreign
trade lessened somewhat by the war
it will reverse the committee and
not only put the commercial at
saches back in the bill, but will in
crease all of the appropriations for
foreign trade work
The effect of cutting down the ap-
propriations for the foreign trade
promotion work will be felt in ev.
erv congressional district which has
any kind of an industry. it was
: pointed out last night. The Foreign
Trade Bureau gathers the infornfa.
tion necessary for the American in.
dustrial interests to sell in foreign
fields.
These industries are now doinr
great work in recovering from the
effects of the war and are getting
around to the manufacturing Of
supplies needed in private lines o.
endeavor. They are increasing theil
output with the idea of advancing
the foreign trade of the country
Should the work of the foreign
trade promotiSn service be cut ou
at this time. it Nwas said. then whel
the Industries rRach the point whel
they are ready 10 go into the for
eign f1eld.~the pecessary informa
tion will not bel available
Result: 1t wiIk act as back
water behind a dam. There will
be no outlet for the goods, the good
will nile1sa.and- thS factories will
have to lessen theft output an
this means, of Seouffse, men an
women thrown outsof work
/ When these facts are brought t
the attention of Congress. then,
Is believed. the Representatives. vii
realize what has been Ndone by tn
appropriation pruning knife. tn
Representatives are to be acquaint
ed with the facts.
| The business interests Athroughou
the country are massfing for
friendly invasion of theA Congress
sional halls to tell their representa-
tives that the work of tine commit
tee must not stand in This regard.
Not only will the ColPgressmen re
ceive letters giving ind detail the re
suits which will surjly follow ap
proval of the conn fnittee's actio
with relation to thf foreign trad
promotion estimats' but II
planned to have bu iness men com
from every Congr ssional distric
and personally intcAview the Con
gressmen. 30 that tpese men wi
have first hand kno vledge of tn
affair.
Indignation meetinI Es have al
ready been held in come OF tn