New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-04-03
Say Threat of
Cernan-Made
Goods Is Myth
Importers Entertain Little
Fear From Dumping of
Manufactures in u. S.;
Producers Not Certain
TIME menace of low-priced Ger
man-made goods that threat

TIME menace of low-priced Ger
man-made goods that threat
ems American manufacturers
is largely myth, according to sew
eral of the largest importers, who
are preparing to do battle with those
who are urging Congress to impose
extremely high tariff rates on GER
tain commodities or to value i'm
ports at the prevailing American
selling price for such goods.
The importers declare that the ex-
pected dumping" of German and
other foreign merchandise on Amcri-
can markets has failed to materalze.
They take issue with some American
manufacturers who assert that the
great inequalities in exchange are
favoring the American importer as
against the American manufacturer.
They contend-and in this the stats
tics compiled by the government tend
to bear them out-that those countries
which have greatly deprecated ex-
change have raised prices for export
to Offset this difference in exchange
rates.
For the seven months ending Janu-
amounted to $58,346,07O, over Ave
times that of the corresponding period
the year before and almost 200 times
what it was in the seven months end
ing January, 1919. A large part of the
last period, it must be remembered,
lay before the armistce was signed.
There is no lodging the fact that
imports from Germany are increasing
rapidly. In the seven-m@ith period
ending last January our imports from
Germany were larger. than those from
lands or Spain and were exceeded in
Europe only by those from France and
The United Kingdom.
| On the other hand our exports to
Germany during this period were about
four times as large in money value as
American imports. at would seem
from these figures" said q prominent
importer, that the American manufac-
turer and exporter is finding Germany
a more profitable trading medium than
the importers are"
Prefers U. S. Hosiery
There has been much talk among
American hosiery manufacturers of
German competition within the last
few months. One Of the largest i'm
porters in this city finds it more profit
able to handle the product of American
hosiery mills than that of German
mills at present. and vouchsafed the in
formation that large orders for hosiery
placed by American retailers with Ger
man mills last year were cancelled q
few months after being placed, because
American prices, in their decline, had
dropped below German prices.
Import statistics gathered by the De-
partment Of Commerce place imports
from Germany by few of the leading
articles at the following figures for the
sevcn-month period ended last Janu-
airy: Chinaware, etc, $664,O86: laces,
1881 yards, valued at s6o,l70; leather
gloves. 97,46l dozen pairs, valued at
at 81 .3S7.377. and cmbroideries, 672. 492
yards, valued at 1854.
Imports OF leather gloves from
France were almost five times as
valuable as those from Germany, and
imports Of chinaware from Japan al
most four times as valuable as those
from Germany.
Considerable complaint has been
made recently by American toy msnu-
facturers and cutlery makers Of Ger
man competition. Detailed statistics
on the Importation of toys are not
available. but the total imports from
all countries during the seven months
ended last January we're valued at
$1,000. 900. against $3,900,000 in 1920.
1t is believed that q great portion OF
these toys came from Germany. Amer
lean toy makers insist that bisque
dolls are being offered by the Germans
and sold ia this market at about one
third of the domestic prices. Ameri-
can exports of toys, however, during
the period covered, were worth consid-
erably more than third Of imports,
being valued at $2,7S5,298.
Doesn't Fear Dumping
In cutlery Americans imported from
all sources about 100000 worth in
the seven-month period. Exports in
the same period were about $5.7oo.o 900.
II don't think" said representative
Of George Borgfcldt & Co., a large i'm
porting house. that we need fear the
u H. 30 ~