The New York herald., 1921-09-20
American Valuation.
A Critic Calls II a Plan to Keep Ont
Goods Made Abroad.

To ruE NEW YORK HERALD You print
a letter from, Richard J. Simmons on
the American valuation plan In which
he says that customs experts are IN
favor OF this plan, and goes on to quote
from various persons whom he describes
as experts. There is no word in the
English language that is abused more
than the word expert unless It be, per-
hape. the word efficiency.
! The Treasury expert feels that It Is
his duty 70 collect all the money that he
can from the importer, 1t makes no dif-
ference how outra geous the plan Is or
how unjust It is. IT makes. no difference
II the intention Of Congress is to collect
rs per cent, IL, by distorting or twisting
the law, they can collect 1000 per cent
duty . they are willing and glad to do
II. The Treasury expert feels that 1t is
his duty to extort as much money as
possible from the importer.
The Treasury reports show this plainly
enough, and anybody who Is familiar
with importing knows It, and, as mat
ter OF fact. II Is not always entirely the
fault OF the Treasury expert. because he
tation OF q great many statutes. which
are found to mean great many things,
after they are enacted. which most peo-
ple never suspected before they were
enacted. although / always think that
there Is always somebody who knows
beforehand just what Is going TO happen.
no matter how innocent he seems to be.
Mr.. Lamb Is quoted by Mr.. Simmons
as saying 1T would also do away with
the irritation caused in foreign countries
by the Investigations mado by our spe-
cial agents" / doubt very much IL X
would be possible 70 do away with the
irrltations spoken of. Special agents
ave a way OF causing irritation any
way. Any fairminded man who Is fainii-
lar with the Limoges matter knows
that the Treasury Department was In
the wrong and the importers were right,
and the Limoges people cannot be
blamed for being irritated.
/ think MIR. Lambs statemen. that
very little Is known about narko; like
Limoges. ST. Gall ard nottingham 10
rather far fetched. think .he Treasury
Department is fairly well informed as
Ear as st. Gall is concerned. and believe
also as to Limoges and Nottingham.
Information may have been refused. but
after all Europe is not the United states.
ard tho merchants In Europe arc not
subject 10 the authority Of United States
Treasury officials. ] do not think that
urder similar circumstances American
merchants would be pleased 10 have
themselves investigated by officials from,
France, Germany. &c.
Tho quotation from the Tariff Com
missions report may be correct but
am Under the impression that the Tariff
Commission was not In favor OF the
American valuation scheme. However.
the quotation says that the American
valuation scheme would "obviate the
difYicuitles incident TO reliance upon In
voices, variance between foreign cons
sumption values and export prices, in
stability Of exchange and differences in
cost OF production In foreign countries .
Now all these things are facts and they
cannot be done away with. No amount
Of talking or thcorlzing will do away
with the facts that arc spokon or
There are differences in costa OF goods
and always have been and always will
be, and great difference also In quail
ties of goods.
IL appears TO me that tho American
valuation scheme Is absolutely nothing
moro than a prohibition scheme. Fer