The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-11-29
VALUATION
ON IMPORTS
is DISCUSSED
Richmond Manufacturers
Consider Plan Whereby
Levies Are Made on Foreign
Goods.
RESOLUTION PREPARED

Inc american valuation plan OF tne
pending tariff bill was under discus
sion by Richmond manufacturers in
a conference at the Arlington hotel
Tuesday afternoon.
A resolution had been prepared
which endorsed the American valua-
'ion plan.
John M. Lontz of the F. and n, Lawn
Mower company, who called the meet
ing, presented the menace to Ameri-
can industry and to American workers
by the flood of cheaply made German
goods which are to be found on the
market now.
The Ameri an valuation plan pro
poses. he said, to fix a tariff rate ac-
cording to the American value of the
article similar 10 the one that is i'm
ported. Citing q commodity valued at
50. Whic bcarries a duty of 40 per
cent. the import duty would be 81 in
the days when the German mark was
worth p cents. Today the import
duty on that commodity. measured in
marks al their current value, would be
about six GEMS.
This. he said. illustrated how only
m American valuation plan will pro-
toct the American manufacturer and
worker. and that if the mark valua-
ton plan is permitted the American
industries will be forced to close their
doors IN the face of a flood of cheap
made goods which foreign nations are
dumping into this country.
Cites British Action.
Attention gaI1pI to L1
Of Great Britain in promptly putting a
protective tariff upon 5000 individual!
articles. with rates ranging from 50
10 200 per cent higher than those in
the Underwood law. in order that she
may preserve her industrial life from
The low priced goods which Germany
is ready to throw on her markets.
England also has adopted a valuation
plan similar to the one proposed here.
Manufacturers said if German
goods flooded the American market,
manufacturers, unable to compete
with cheap foreign labor and the eN-
change situation, will be forced 10
close their doors, throwing millions
Of men out of work. These men. with
out money to spend, will not be able
20 buy goods from the merchants, and
The whole country will be financially
and industrially paralyzed.
The American valuation plan, 1t
was pointed out. will prevent this con-
dition. because it will permit the fix
ing of a tariff rate on the American
valuation of the articles which Ger
many is trying to import to this
country.
Had to Close Factory
facturer who made thermos bottles
had to close his factory because he
could not meet the cheap German
prices. and that this man is now i'm
porting German made thermos bottles
and selling them to the trade.
Whereas two years ago there were
112 toy factories in the United States
there are today only -. because cheap
paid German labor had forced the
american factories to close their
doors and throw their employees out OF
work.
Carl Ackerman, internationally
known as corresDondent. and for
mer resident of Richmond, was quoted
ss saying:
Recently in Italy ] bought q pearl
handled knife with two blades and q
corkscrew. neatly packed in a card
hoard box covered with Italian labs Is
u cost me 27 cents and was made II
German The same store was selling
afetv razOrs. similar to the famou
brands made in this country. for 6(
cents. They also were made in Ger
many
4 New York new rraper quoted hin
further:
Mr.. Alderman read from a secre
report made by a German commercial
fttache at Rome 10 the minister o
foreign affairs in Berlin upon German
commercial development abroad. Thi'
report. he said. urges the Germans II
take advantage of the malContont o
the Italian people TO create a polluca
situation favorable to German good
The attache recommended that sys
tematic supply OF German goods b
sent into Italy, even below cost pric'
if necessary, to .inundate IN emarhe
and create a situation which mlgh
eventually make it possible for tn
Germans to buy in Italian lndusTle
at a low rate and control trade De
tween Italy and the Balkans in such
way that Italy could not compete wit
Germany for those markets.
This was lnulcdllNe' MI. NOhSI ma
said. of only one of the oitenslY
movements which have been starte
bv Germany. They are not coniine
to anv one country he said, but ar
worldwide. stretching from the Id
cast to the United States, Europe an
South America Since the signing q
the armistice Germany has succeede
by being constantly on the oftenslV
and, being in an active state of mine
her new commercial offensive ha
only commenced
Mr. Ackerman said that combine
economic policy toward Central III
rope should ne taken by the Unite
States. England. France and Italy l
prick Germany's economic bubble.
a razor manufacturer was quoted .
saving that he saw an invoice or
dozen German made razors, costln
S3.61. which we're an exact duplicat
of a brand which he cannot sell to
less than $2i a dozen. He had bee
forced to cut his men from 600 TO 1O'
The situation, it was said. was mel
acing not only TO the manufacturer
but to the employees who are bein
thrown out OF work under a systeI
t1aaip goods OF