The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-03-04
DISCRIMINATION AND THE M.
AND M. CLAUSE.

II o.
| Washington, Feb. 81" 'Retalia
ton is free traders DOGGY. Dis
elimination is a very real condition
which actually confronts u.s." assert.
the Republican Publicity association
through it's president, Hon. Jonathan
Bourne, Jr. "Those free traders who
are trying to scare Republicans away
from the tariff revision upwards with
hair-raising warnings of what the
foreigners will do to us, would do
well to scan the testimony which has
been given to the Ways and Means
Committee showing what the for
eigners are doing to us by way of dis
elimination against our goods. And
all we have to combat it is a stuffed
club tariff rated at six per cent ad
valorem and about two percent eff
fectiveness due to foreign currency
depreciations.
"The National Foreign Trade
Council, by no means a high protec-
ton organization, recently presented
evidence showing that the following
products, when imported into Great
Britain from other parts of the en-
pire, are admitted at reduced rates
Currants, dried or preserved fruits,
sugar, glucose, molasses, saccharin,
motor spirits, motor cars, musical in
struments, clocks, watches, and
cinema films. This places American
exporters of these products at a de-
cided disadvantage in comparison
with competitors located anywhere
within the British Empire says the
Council. Moreover, large sections of
Africa restrict the exports of many
of their products except to British
ports and destinations.
early in 1919 the Republican
Publicity association called attention
to Bonar Laws statement concerning
the future trade policy Of Great
Britain, that imperial preferences
would be put into effect at the
earliest possible moment and, fur
Their, that amy measure increasing
the productive power and man power
of the dominions is a good thing for
Britain as well as the EMPIRE and
the Association propounded the ques-
ton as to whether the United States
cared to join league of nations in
which Great Britain, with her five or
six voting dominions, was to give
preferential treatment to those do
minions, while no other member of
the league would be permitted to give
preferential treatment to any other
member. Quite evidently Great Bri-
tain is following out the policy out
lined by Bonar Law.
"The Trade Council also presents
testimony to the effect that Ameri-
can cottonseed oil has long been dis
eliminated against by at least five
European countries; and certain adj
ministrative regulations adopted in
South American countries quite gen.
orally are detrimental to American
canned 50 goods. Experience has
shown says the council, the equal
ity Of treatment can never be Sc
cured by the United States without
provisions in our tariff which will
such discrimination by
foreign countries against American
products
"That is precisely what was accom-
plished by the maximum and mini |
mum clause of the tariff act of 1909. |
That clause met every situation pre-
sented by the Trade Council by i'm
posing on the goods of those foreign
countries which Disseminated against
American exports a supplementary
duty of % per cent, additional to the
regular rates, on those goods when
imported into this country. Not only
that, but if in force, today the clause
would take care of the British prefer
entail policy, for it provided that the
minimum Tor regular) tariff might
extend to the. whole of any foreign
which did not discriminate
against us, 'or may be confined to or
exclude from its effect any depend
,ncy, colony, or other political subdi-
,ision having authority to adopt and
enforce tariff legislation. This would
ncluGe Canada, Australia, India,
south Africa, which have authority
% enact tariff legislation, and the
asst two, apparently impose export
luties. " s,
Zone can not but be impressed
With the thoroughness with which the
maximum and minimum clause of the
law provided for such
xigencies, and with the necessity for
L. - 4 - l.,