The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-10
Who Won the War?
(Hartford, Conn. courant.)

Who won the war! 1t begins to
look as though Germany had won
it after all, and that she has some
mighty potent allies here at home.
If the pace is kept up two years
longer, she will have captured the
markets of the world-these OF
America included. Just how long
she can keep on paying her work
men in currency that is Internal
ionaily worthless and underselllns
the rest of the world in their own
markets nobody knows. The facts
are that She is doing it, and that's
the answer. Those persons nys-
teriously referred to as "the great
American banking interests tell
us we must shut up shop and buy
German manufactured goods, so
that Germany may pay her in
demnity. Beaten on the battlefield.
our foes win in the marketplace!
Free trade England has no il
lusiens on the subject. The British
are a practical people; they wor-
ship TO economic fetiches. In an
swer TO the German invasion they
have promptly put a protective
tariff upon about 5000 individual
articles, with rates ranging from
so to 200 per cent. higher than
those in the Underwood bill. AS
Senator Mclean told the Demo-
cratic senators the other day,
Great Britain has taken this ac-
ton for purpose. She has taken
it in order to save her industrial
life. and she knows when her in
dustrial life is at stake. Whether
we know when ours is at stake, I
do not know, but it is time we did
know
Why talk vaguely about other
nations" when the American valu-
alton plan of the Fordrcy tariff bill
is assailed? Everybody knows just
who is meant. Everybody knows
that Americas shelves are being
flooded with German made goods,
with the Made in Germany left
off. Everybody knows that our
factories are on short time, and
our workmen walking the streets.
But what everybody does not know
yet, is that Germany and the Unit
ed States are now on a practical
free-trade basis. Why? Because
her marks are worth next to moth
ing and our tariff is levied upon a
mark valuation. Such a tariff is
next to no tariff at all. The Amer
lean valuation plan would substi-
tute the dollar-valuation for the
nark-valuation. The Simon-pure
free traders were driven to cover in
this country years ago by the re-
morseless logic Of facts. They now
masquerade in deprecated for
eign currency and try to slip in at
the side door. Come out into the
open, gentlemen.
During the war people blew out
their cheeks and talked bravely
about boycotting German goods
when the war was over. They
now pocket their profits and give
Germany the place of commercial
honor. 'Tis the jingle Of the
guinea. Because of the grotesque
variations in exchange rates, Ger
many enjoys practically free-trade
with us, Italy pays small duty,
France more, England g respec-
table amount, and Switzerland
practically in full. We are now
living under a tariff, preferential
in favor of Germany. The Ameri-
can valuation plan would treat all
nations alike. 1t operates just like
a specific duty. 1t is synonymous
with a square deal.
Our local contemporary chides
us gently for adopting the slogan,
America First" and delicately
suggests that Uncle Sam cannot
hog the wealth of the world and
warns him that. il he tries it, he
should eventually suffer the fate
that commonly comes to hogs"
We arc duly reproved. Down must
come oEr colors. but it hurts
10 be told to hoist in their
stead the slogan, Germany First.