Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-05-05
Industries
In Need of
Anti-Dumping Provisions of
Tariff Bill Will Not Prevent
Underselling, Says SEN
ator McCumber.
Foreign Prices Lower
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.

Washington, May 4.-That the
anti-dumping provision of the emer-
gency tariff bill will not halt the
present underselling of American
products by foreign products in
American markets was admitted by
Senator McCumber of North Dako-
ia, ranking republican member of
the finance committee. in opening
the debate on the measure i'll the
senate today.
This underselling will continue in
increasing volume until American
prices fall and American wages are
lowered or until the tariff on the
competing foreign products is
raised. Such protection will be at
forded agriculture products by the
emergency tariff bill and other prod
ucts. it is contemplated. by the
permanent tariff law to be enacted
several months hence.
The anti-dumping section provides
an additional duty to be assessed on
foreign goods dumped on American
markets at prices below the home
market value. 1t will be ineffective
because there are no foreign goods
being dumped in American and will
not be until conditions radically
change.
Dumping Not Necessary.
Foreign goods are not being dump
ed here because it is not necessary
to do so. American prices are so
much higher than foreign prices that
the foreign goods can be sold in the
United States above home market
prices and still undersell American
competitors. With the foreign goods
sold here at prices no less than the
home market value the provision OF
the anti-dumping section will not
apply to such imports.
German products are reaching
American markets in volume rapid
ly approaching the prewar figure,
and American industries are alarmed
bv fears Of the effect of German
competition, but the protection
sought can be afforded only by per-
1nanent tariff legislation.
81 think every man in the senate
realizes the condition of the indus
tries throughout the United States
at the present time" said Senator
McCumber. while we have recog-
nized that industries in every line
were suffering from the reaction
after the war, it was well known
that the agricultural industry was
suffering more than any other.
While the farmers product had
gone down from one-third to one
half in price, yet everything the
farmer had to purchase has renamed
at the old price.
No Occasion for Clause.
81 regret that the house saw fit
to attach to what was purely an
emergency tariff proposition other
provisions relating to anti-dumping
and new method for determining
values of foreign currency, thereby
injecting into this discussion new
propositions.
81 regret that the anti-dumping
provision was attached because ]
can see no occasion for it. In all
the hearings we had before the sem
ate finance committee there was no
showing as to any dumping. Ger
tainly there is no danger of the
dumping OF agricultural products.
and there is little danger Of the
dumping of manufactured articles
because prices in this country are so
much higher than anywhere else in
the world and it is not necessary for
foreign manufacturers. in order to
sell their products here, to dump
their goods at prices below their
own"
Senator King of tUal1, democrat,
asked Senator McCunlber if it were
not fact that the anti-dumping
provisions are "a fraud upon the
public and pretense from which no
benefit will be derived whatever"
Senator McCumber replied that
that was not his opinion.
"Isn't it possible" continued Sen
ator King, for this anti-dunping
provision to be so administered as
to perpetuate monopoly in the
United States or permit 1aanufactur-
ers in the United States to perpetu-
ate present prices?"
II do not think that is possible" "
replied Senator McCumber.