Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1921-09-23
THE TARIFF PLAN.

Dan FIdHclSCOt oep-. lf."QulCh
to realize the danger of home IN
dustry by the importation of low
priced German merchandise, Eng
land Australia and Canada have pro-
vided adequate protection to their
manufacturers so that the workers
in those countries would not have
to lower their standards of living.
but America is yet to act, according
to statement issued today by the
American Valuation Association, an
organization composed of the manu-
facturers of this gentry.
Congress now has before it tar
liff bill, the statement continues,
which If adopted with the American
valuation plan for assessing ad val
orem duties on imports. will afford
the best relief to the evil which to-
day threatens several of the leading
industries of America with extinc-
tion.
When Australia placed an EN-
barge upon German goods. that gov
ernment said: Our boys fought
against the Germans and we are
going to see when they come home
they have Jobs, and we are not go
ing TO allow Germany TO rehabili-
tate herself at the expense of our
own people" Canada, instead of
allowing German merchandise to be
valued at the present rate of the
mark. has arbitrarily determined to
value imports from that country at
SO percent the normal exchange
rate of the mark or seven and one
half times the present rate. Eng
land has placed duty against Ger
man goods for the protection of its
people, but with the proviso allow
ing for the return of that duty if
the goods are shipped to tie United
States. In other words I'll duty is
adequate to protect British indus
try but the british fnancier can
take in these goods, pay the duty on
them. and then ship them over here
and get a return of his duty plus a
profit on the trafsaction And tie
American workman is thrown into
competition with the low-priced
German.
With the German mark Is times
below normal, as compared with a
depreciation of little more than one
dollar in the English pound sterling.
two cents in the japanese yen and
about 10 cents in the French franc,
America faces a problem in arraus-
ing a schedule OF tariff rates that
will provide adequate protection
against Germany and not act as Al
embargo against other foreign coun-
tries if the present system of asses
sing duties on fo.eign Valuation "a
used. But by determining all ad
valorem duties on the American
Valuation plan, or wholesale mar
ket value in this country, no dis
elimination is shown and all coun-
tries will be treated alike in the
1 amount Ol uIlJ u ' . "a vi ~
ports
"If the American valuation plan
is not made part of the tariff bill,
the lawn mower industry in this
country, giving employment to more
than 1000 people at an average
wage of $500 per iay and produc-
ing 100000 lava mowers annua'ly
will be destroyed. ]. NJ. Lontz
president of the F. & n. Lawn Now
er Company, says in a statement t.
the secretary of the American Val
uation Association, 81 have recent
received German catalogue. datec
May 2, 1921, quoting a price of 6F
marks on a lawn mower which is an
exact duplicate of a popular Amer'
can model that at today's price Ia
bor and materials can not be pro
duced in America for less than 425
With the mark worth but fractio-
more than a cent and half in