Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-16
CAPITAL SURPRISED s..
At FRENCH TARIFF.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
tLe2sed Wire Service to The Journal.)

Copyright, 1921
WASHINGTON. Aug. 13.-Mem-
oerS OF congress have been aston
lshed this week by the disclosures
that the French government had at
tempted to impose a tariff duty on
war materials shipped to France
during the war.
Congress learned for the first time
that France insisted that if the
American government attempt to car
~ back to the United States the sup
plies remaining after the armistice.
duty of about $150,000,00O would
be imposed. AS consequence Of
this threat, the American liquidation
commission holds to France for four
hundred million dollars property or
iginally valued at one billion, sew
en- hundred million dollars.
Not only did France agree to waive
a tariff claim when the sale was
made, but promised that the goods
would be used for the benefit Of the
French people III rehabilitating de-
Xastated areas. Now it turns out
sold most of the property to specu-
iators and individuals who are try
ing to ship the goods to the United
states and sell them here at cut
prices. The house of representatives
has blocked the scheme, however, by
adopting resolution imposing a tar
III OF ~ per cent on all such goods
so that none OF it would be dumped
on American shores
So far as the rest of the world is
concerned, however, American auto
mobiles and trucks, leather and har-
ness goods, electrical equipment and
other American products which we're
originally intended for the use, of
the allied armies, will be available at
prices far below those at which
American firms are Offering their
own goods at this time.
No exclamation was mazda in con.
gress of the reason why the French
government violated the spirit of it's
understanding with the American
ltquidating commission and permitted
the war material to fall into the
hands of spectators. Indeed the
American commission, of which Ed
win B. Parker and General Dawes
were members. felt that in disposing
of the American supplies at approx
imately twenty-five cents on the
dollar they were doing charitable
thing.
Instead. vast quantities have been
sold by the French government to
houses which already have sent to
the United States, free of duty, more
than two and half million dollars
worth of goods in the month of
of this kind of goods hereafter, con-
gress takes the position that it
merely Is protecting American firms
against unfair competition.
incidentally, 1t has been disclosed
that the British government did not
impose any tariff on goods sent from
the United States to Great Britain
for war purposes, but waived all tar
if claims. The French government
set up as a precedent the action Of
the United States in dealing with
surplus stocks left in the Philippine
islands at the close of the Spanish
American var, the usual customs du-
ties being paid on such tax. AS a
matter Of fact. the precedent was
not valid, because Spain was the en-
envy of the United States at that
time and not an ally.
The American commission, how
ever, realized that it would cost a
good deal of money to guard the
large supplies if they were not dis
posed Of to the French government,
and that it would take a large num-
Der of American troops to watch the
supplies. So the American commits
sion found itself compelled 10 accept
The French terms, and consoled it,
self with the idea that the supplies
would find their way in small quanti-
ties to the French people, who thus
would be materially assisted in the
work of recon StructiOn. t.s