New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-02
fordney Meets
All Opposition
To Tariff Bill
Ways and Means Chairman
Shows Immediate Need Of
Measure 10 Relieve Slump
i'll American Industry
Means Increase i'm Jobs
Pictures Dire Results of In
vasion of United States
by Foreign Producers

FROM The Trtbunee Washington Burgau
WASHINGTON, July l. Chairman
Fordney of the House Committee on
Ways and Means discussed to-day for
the first time since the introduction of
the new protective tariff bill the gen
eral purposes of the measure and the
immediate aims of its various provi-
sions. lie also answered all the charges
made in opposition to it by the Demo-
cratic party in Congress.
The key to the necessity for the
higher rates on imports, Mr.. Fordney
showed, is in relieving the unemploy-
ment distress by protecting American
industry, and manufacturers from the
constantly increasing flood Of cheap
labor products from Europe.
ME-. Fordney presented new COM
pilation of figures demonstrating the
results of the invasion of the American
markets by foreign producers His
table of comparisons is based on re-
ports from more than 800 factories in
the principal industries. 1t shows the
total number of employees of these
representative concerns decreased from
124,668 in May, 1920, to 440,971 in May,
1921. In the same period the total
pay roll for the 500 plants declined
from $31,967, 1862 to $18,81O,527.
These figures accurately reflect the
trend of business and unemployment in
general, Chairman Fordney said.
With the revival OF production in Eu-
rope, American industries have suf-
fered and unemployment in the United
States has steadily increased. That
there should be a readjustment after
the war was inevitable, but the exist
ence of an inadequate tariff law on our
statute books, law that does not pro-
tect American industries and does not
guarantee the American market for
American products, is making the eff
tects of the readjustment doubly
severe.
"The German ex-soldier is finding
employment in his native land on the
increase, while the American soldier is
encountering more difficulty, as the
days go by, in securing employment.
81 do not herald the bill, which is
being presented by the Ways and
Means Committee, as a panacea for all
national difficulties, but I do predict
with great confidence that its effect
upon American industry and upon
American labor will be entirely bene-
fcial'
Under existing rates many products
from Germany, Japan and other coun-
tries are coming upon the American
markets at far less than the American
costs of production, with the inevitable
result that American labor is DISPLACED
he continued
Mr.. Fordney, discussing the so-called
American valuation feature of the bill.
indicated that this reform, which
means merely the assessment of ad
valorem duties on domestic valuation
rather than upon uncertain foreign
values, has done much in the past to
make ineffective some of the protection
laws.
"The difficulties of securing accurate
Information in regard TO values abroa d
have been recognized for many years"
he said. He added that the result of
the old system has often been under
valuation and fraudulent invoices of
all kinds"
Representative Thomas A. Chandler,
of Oklahoma, member of the Commit
tee on Ways and Means, issued a state
ment saying that the inclusion in the
tariff bill of the duties or petroleum
and oils will mean reduction in the
price of gasoline to Is cents a gallon.
Mr.. Chandler declared the tariff on
oils would raise about $51 100000, which
would otherwise come from the pockets
of the taxpayers. His statement was
in answer to some of the Democrats
who are bowling that the new tariff
bill will enrich the interests at the ex-
pense of the public"
For many months the Standard Oil