Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-20
COMMITTEE HEARS
TARIFF ARGUMENTS


prices in the retail stores, amounted
to q tax of 100000 on the con-
Stunning public, H. E. Miles, Of Ra-
cine, Wis, chairman Of the Fair
Tariff League, declared today before
the senate finance committee.
Protesting against the increased
duties which the silk manufacturers
have asked for, Mr.. Miles said the
present tariff duties constituted a
virtual embargo on silks that come
in competition with the kinds made
in the United States. He said his
association believed in balancing
through a tariff the wages paid in
foreign countries and in this country,
but argued that the existing rates
did more than this so far as the silk
industry was concerned.
1.-THE silk industry before the war;"
Mr.. Miles continued, "had the high
est protection and paid the lowest
wages of any industry in the coun-
try. The working women are en-
titled to their silk stockings and
their silk gowns and congress should
be very careful about adding to the
prices that they must pay"
Asserting that there had been a
wages here and abroad, Mr.. Miles
declared that because of his eff
cheney the American workers in
reality drew low comparative wage.
His products, he said, were filling the
markets Of the world in competition
with workers everywhere.
eff the manufacturers could be put
under oath and sweated," the wit
ness declared, 1--WE would get more
information about wages and costs
in sixty minutes than we have got
ten in, the several days Of these hear
ings."
Increased tariff protection for a
variety of products, including the
leaves fthe trees, was asked of
senate tariff trainers. The schedule
under consideration was that of
'sundries,'' and articles discussed in
cluded asbestos, dolls, toys, 1aces and
buttons, plain and pearl.
Representative Hickey, of In
diana, told the committee that there
recently had grown up in his state
an industry of chemically treating
leaves and shrubs to be made into
wreaths for Christmas decorations
and baskets.
Toys Manufacturers
American manufacturers Of toys
and dolls asked the committee not
only for protection against German
and Japanese competition, but also
for the exclusion of these articles
which are the product of child labor.
Specifically they asked for duty of
40 per cent of the value OF the toys
and dolls based on the prices pre-
vailing in the American market.
Spokesman for the manufacturers
piled high the committee table with
toys ranging all the way from the
wooden letter blocks to the electric
train to support their argument that
they had revolutionized the indus
try by combining education with
the amusement feature for the chill
dren. They had been able to build
up the industry here during the war,
they said, and had turned from the
"flimsy, namby-pamby' things i'm
ported before the war, to .substan-
tial toys that laid the groundwork
for the child's education.
German competition is the most
serious factor, they asserted, and
imports from that country are be-
ing seriously felt. The American in
dustry has slumped off so per cent.
riously affected, the witnesses de-
claring that of the 1874 doll factories
in the country a year ago, only
twelve of the leaders now remain.
Imitation pearls, buttons, tooth
and other brushes, novelty jewelry
and several other subjects were dis
cussed before the committee during
the day. DR.. Thaddeus P. Hyett,
chairman of the Oral Hygiene COM
mittee of greater New York, gave
a lecture on the value of the tooth
brush on the American home life
and concluded with plea that tooth
brushes be put on the free list. He
said there were only two American
manufacturers of such brushes and
that the cost of their product was
high.
y George A .Fernley, of Philadelphia
speaking for the American brush
manufacturers association, present
ed the other side of the case. He
said the American manufacturers
could meet the home demand and
that their product was far superior
to the imported article, particularly
that coming from Japan. He added
that one manufacturer, through it'll
national advertising campaign, had
done more to spread the doctrine of
oral hygiene than the entire dental
profession.
E. M. Johnson, of New York City,
speaking for American manufac-
turers Of imitation pearls and spe-
cialties, urged that the duties on
those articles as proposed in the
Fordney bill be retained. He exhibit
ed a. varied collection of imitation
articles manufactured in this coun-
try and gave the wholesale prices,
remarking that the retailers "get the
profits
LAS usual" said Senator smoot,
Republican, Utah.
Asking for a cut of more than
80 per cent in the duty proposed in
the Fordney bill on novelty jewelry,
David J. Gallert, Of New York City,
told the committee that the jewelry
industry was so well established in
this country that it needed little pro-
lection. He declared that the rate
proposed would shut out importa
tions and handicap the American in
dustry which gets many ideas from
the imported articles.
A duty of rs cents a gross instead
of six cents as proposed in the Ford
ney bill on matches in small boxes
was asked by Fred Fear, Of New
York, speaking for the match manu-
facturers' bureau. Committee mem
bers remarked that this was quite
an increase, but he asserted that it
was necessary if the American in
dustry was to continue.
A protest against the Fofdney
rates on imported pearl buttons was
made by Frank J. Appelleed, of New
York City, an importer. He said the
Fordney rates were prohibitive and
also asked that the Is per cent ad
valorem rate on agate buttons be re-
duced to 10 per cent.
COP. State Chairman