The Connecticut labor news., 1921-07-29
MANUFACTURERS
 ASK TARIFF RATE
 AT OWN VALUATION
Congress With Plan to Shut Out Foreign Goods.

Washington, July 2o.-Adoption of the American valuation plan in the new tariff bill was strongly urged on behalf of Connecticut manufacturing industries before the Senate finance committee this week. Dudley liar mon of Hartford appeared in behalf of the Manufacturers Association of Connecticut, and told the committee that the industries of the state con sidered the American valuation pro visions of the Fordney bill essential to the adequate protection Of many Connecticut products from destruc- tive foreign competition, under the present abnormal conditions of world trade and international exchange.
 H. A. Philips of the American Fab rics Company of Bridgeport, man. ufacturing faces, also testified before the committed Charles F. Rockwell of the Miller Brothers Cutlery Com pany of Meriden, and A. E. Winter of the Bridgeport Manufacturers Association were present at the hear time of adjournment The commit tee will resume consideration of the American valuation plan next Mon- day, when a number of other man. ufacturers will be heard in favor of the proposal.
 MT. Harmon told the committee that the Manufacturers Association had formally recorded itself in favor of the American valuation plan by vote of it's board of directors and ex- ecutive committee. Members of the association, he said, employed last year more than quarter of a mil lion men and women, and represented an aggregate investment of nearly one billion dollars He pointed out that Connecticut is a highly indus trialized state, with such a diversity of manufacturers that it presents a good cross section of American in duStry.
 Recent reports to the association, y he said, "show that out of more than erating schedule is only three and a reduced from one-fourth to three ffths and more. A number of plants are closed this summer for from two weeks to indefinite periods. In many instances, plants which are closed, or which have greatly curtailed their op- erations, are confronted with the spectacle of large quantities of inn ported competing goods arriving Tn the United States and finding ready markets at prices below the Ameri- can cost of production. No conceive able sacrifice of profits economies ir operation, or reduction of wages, o1 all three combined, on the part o1 tn emanufacturer, will enable him tc compete with these prices.
 "On the other hand, we believe that adoption of the American valuation of imported goods on the principle established in the Fordney bill, vii serve to meet this situation, and off set the doubl eadvantage which the foreign producer Is now enjoying l through his extremely low costs o1 production and his greatly depreci ated currency. Furthermore, we be lieve that American valuation is thu 1 only measure immediately available l which will so protect the American
 manufacturer in his right to compete 1 during the present abnormal condl 1 tions.
 we have not seen the soundnes: of the American valuation principle l anywhere denied We are convinced it offers an essential and effective means of relief to some of our indus
 tries. It seems to us, therefore, tha 1 these considerations far outweigh any questions as to the physical dificul l ties of administration, especially II
 view of the expressed judgments O. l competent experts, before your com
 mittee this week, that the obstacle: 1 to overcome are not nsurmountable | and that the American valuation p1ar 1 IS workable from an administrative | standpoint"