The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1921-05-05
WASHINGTON LETTER
By J. E.. JONES.
FIXING UP THE TARIFF.


Sattes that does not know some
thing about churches, but there are
81, 100000 unchurched people just
the same. And everyone has beer
hearing about tariff ever since those
s.bolshevik" Bostonians dumped thu
English tea in their harbor. Bu'
there are more people "untariffed'
than there are unchurched. Every
well regulated newspaper man can
not help but entertain grevious
doubts upon the question when hs
assays to write about the tariff ant
call it ''news." But the tariff, like
poor relations and taxes, is ever witt
us and in each succeeding campaign
the doctrine of Diogenes Laertius
though seventeen hundred years old
is reiterated, and intelligent voters
are informed that the tariff laws are
'slike cobwebs for if any trifing OF
powerless thing fell into them, they
held it fast; whiic if it were some.
thing weightiers, i, broke through
them and was off" Upon this
theory the Republicans are bent up
on having an emergency tariff law
since the party in power is unan-
imously agreed that the tariff mea-
sure of the party recently kicked out
of power is a large-meshed cobweb
In. the analysis of the trade situa'
ton based upon government stats
tics it is found that the balance OF
trade in favor of the United States
was $274.OOO,O00 in February and
$123 ,OOO,oO in March, a reduction OF
more than fifty per cent. Ameri-
cas- balance Of trade with the world
is fast waning under increasing i'm
ports and decreasing exports, and as
this is particularly tragic in the
eyes of any Republican administra-
ton, haste is being made to put
through an emergency tariff bill, ac-
cDmpanied by anti-dumping proyi-
sions, and the provisions for Ameri-
can valuations, SO that products OF
the agricultural industry will be pro-
tected while at same time "infant"
and other manufacturers will be
shielded from what the Congressman
tell us is "the destruction COMPETE
ton of foreign labor and capital"
Even Germany exported products to
the United States during 1920 that
were valued at $88, 1886, 28O, which was
almost nine times as much as was
sent here In the preceding year.
Compared with normal pre-war
figures it is shown that Germany
has "beaten back" to one-haR its
normal output. Thus it will be
seen that Germany's foreign trade
is growing by leaps and bounds, and
the sad fact presents itself conclu-
sively to the National administra-
ton that Americans foreign trade is
dwindling. The tariff weapon of
the Republican party is being plac-
ed in new arnor to combat the in
roads of foreign competitors; and
an emergency tariff law, followed by
a permanent measure, is the immedi-
ate concern Of the National law
makers, since they figure that the
sure road to our industrial and
economic salvation is by the tariff
highway.
THE OUTLAW REDS.
Some Of the Eastern cities have
recently been flooded with Circulars
addressed to Comrades" who are
supposed to exist among the working
class. These "fiers" purport to
the view Of the communist
party in America. They begin
with savage assault upon all kinds
Of organizations, including manu-
facturers, chamber of commerce, the
A. F. of L., and kindred labor UNI
ions," whim they denounce as la
Dor fakirs." The communist party
in these circulars figures it out that
our present form Of government is. a
Capitalist state" and that the only
they can find is in the over
throw of it all and the substitution
of 'the sovist government. OF,
course these is not the alarm felt
over the agitation that existed dur
ing the critical days following the
war, with its discomfort among
soldiers and civilians because Of the
Encouragement of their usual course
of living. The activity of the Reds
is, nevertheless, not to be ignored,
and it is therefore felt to be mat
ter Of interest to be referred to in