New-York tribune., 1921-12-22
Fordney Assails
importers for
Tariff DELAYS
Denounces Man ssWhosc
Chief Interest Is i'm Bring
ing Product of Cheap For
eignLabor to OurMarket''
Demands u. S. Valuation
Charges s'Insidious Propa-
ganda" in Attempt to
Continue Old Methods

Frvr. The Tribx~s's woshtncto~ Burccu
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21-Taritf dis
cussion was revived in the House when
Chairman Fordney OF the Ways and
Means Committee declared American
importers were responsible for the
delay In enacting the sc-called per-
manent bill. The opposition to the
measure. Mr.. Fordney told tho House
In long address, Is traccable "to the
man who produces abroad and the man
whose CHIEF interest is in bringing the
product OF cheap foreign labor to the
American market"
MI. Fordney attacked with psrticu-
lar vigor the "insidious propaganda' -
to defeat the American valuation plan,
The opportunity for excess profits and
fraudulent under-valuations is behind
the demand for continuing the levying
Of sd valorem duties on the basis of
foreign valuation, ne said
Shows Store Exhibits
Interest in Mr.. Fordney's address
was enhanced by series of twenty
one "eXhibits'' showing the results of
an investigation Of "the department
store that is leading the fight against
the American valuation plan" He
would not disclose the name of the
store, but said it is in Chicago and is
one of the largest importing establish
ments in America.
"The opponents of increased import
duties contend that they will result in
increased prices" he continued. ION
the exhibits I have been abla to Sc
cure, the percentage of increase of sell
ing price over cost ranges from SO .
per cent to 1,126 per cent. 1t is my
contention the importer desires first to
displace the American article,
and. second, to exact as high profit
as the market will permit.
Those interested in importing
enterprises are we'll organized and
spending large sums of money in an
effort to make you and me believe that
what they seek is for the country's
general welfare. The importer is
working to delay or defeat tariff legis-
lation, and to accomplish his end he is
centering his criticisms on the Ameri-
can valuation plan, without which, on
account of present chaotic worldwide
conditions, it will be most difficult to
write tariff measure at this time
that will afford the slightest degree
OF protection against countries where
protection Is most needed"
DISCUSSING tIe results OF ms luVeSt1-
cation, Mr.. Fordney said:
81 submit this as evidence that the
importer is not free from mercenary
instincts, and that his motive is more
than a concern for the consumer. Witt,
.ow duties his profits increase, he has
figured it out time and time again
Information contained in the i'm
porter's invoice is seldom open to the
public. There may be some question
! regarding the propriety of my giving
out this information here to-day. To
my mind, however, information of this
Kind is of tremendous public interest
"Competitive products are coming
upon the American market at far less
than the American cost OF production
with the result that many American
manufacturing institutions are idle
and many American citizens arc cut
OF employment. Congress is endeavor-
ing to write a tariff law and the de-
clared object is to protect American
industries, and our efforts are being
opposed chiefly by importers, whose
interest is not in the furnishing OF
mp oynent to labor in American
manufacturing establishments, but in
Unloading upon the American market
t tremendous profits the product OF
the poorly paid labor of foreign coun-
sries."