Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-23
GREAT BRITAIN TO
WAIVE CLAIM FOR
TARIFF PRIVILEGE
Matter Of Export Duty on Skins
From India to be Amicably
Adjusted Soon.
BETTER THAN TARIFF FIGHT

Special Dispatch From Every Evening s
Washington Correspondent
Washington, March 23.-Great Britain
will probably agree, in the near future,
to waive her right to a preferential export
tariff on skins imported from India and
used in the glazed kid industry. If this
is done. Secretary of the Treasury Hous-
ton will not exercise his right to fix tariff
on the finished products imported from
England sufficient to offset the privileges
and exemptions which the British manu-
facturers now ENJOY.
John c. Savior of Wilmington, dele
gated by the United Leather Workers
International Union to look after the
interests of the workers in the glazed kld
industry in the Delaware metropolis,
said negotiations were favorably progress
ing. MIR. Savior said he agreed with
the view of Senator Wolcott that the
question should be settled through diplo-
matte channels. and the legal weapon
placed in the hands Of the Secretary of the
Treasury should be made use of only
when negotiations fail.
Secretary Houston said he would use
the power given him by Congress If the
State Department should notify HIM that
the matter could not be automatically
adjusted, but there was no reason TO
suppose Great Britain would not accommo
date herself to the views of the United
States, the Secretary declared
''The law is mandatory" Mr.. Saylor
said, "and if Great Britain refuses to
allow skins to be exported from India to
the United States on the same terms rs
her own manufacturers enjoy, the Secre-
tary of the Treasury must fix duty on
the finished product imported from Great
Britain sufficient TO equallze the prefer
ential advantage which she now enjoys.
British manufacturers pay an export
duty of FIVE per cent while in Wilmington
we must pay fifteen per cent If we would
use East Indian skins.
at is absolutely necessary for the
manufacturers in Delaware, New Jersey
and Pennsylvania to obtain the India
raw material If thew would keep their
factories in full operation. Nearly forty
five per cent. of all the glazed skin workers
in the United States are employed in
Wilmington. so it is serious matter for
Delaware The pay roll in this business
is very large"
Mr.. Saylor said the workers were abso-
lutely opposed to high protective tariff
on the raw material He declared that
the Central Labor Union of Wilmington,
with which he is officially identified would
not take any action, or support any policy
which threatened an increase IN the
already too high cost of living
Let us compete on the same terms
with Great Britain and we Will not need
a protective tariff" said MIR. Saylor
LET us have access to the worlds raw
material without being required to submit
to preferential disadvantages and we will
be able to keep our plants in full operation
We want no special privileges, neither
should we be required to submit TO dis
elimination.
India produces from 40 to so per
cent Of the raw material, said Mr. Saylor.
"This being the case, it is obvious that if
so important market is practically closed
to lis through the operation of a prefer
entail export tariff. the business is serious
" menaced. Wilmington already is
feeling the effects of this Several es-
Establishments have reduced their output
and others may follow if the tariff diff
Guilty is not adjusted"