The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-08-15
SHARP PRACTICE
ON PART OF french
Use Threat of Tariff on War
Supplies Sent In By
America
FORCED AMERICA
TO TAKE LOW PRICE
Then French Sold Supplies to Specu-
lators Who Are Dumping Goods on
American Markets at Good Profit -
Congress VIII Stop Their Importation.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial Dispatch to The Reformer)
sr -... Cons.riaht 1901

Especial Dispatch to The Reformer)
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON, Aug. l5.-AIembers
of congress have been astonished this
week by the disclosures that the French
government had attempted 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 Ameri-
can government attempted to carry
back to the United States the supplies
remaining after the armistice, a duty
of about $l500O0Q00 would be imposed.
As a consequence of THIS threat, the
American liquidatlng commission sold
to Franco for $40O,O00UOO property orig
inally valued at $l,3O0,0O0,000.
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 PEG
pie in rehabilitatimg devastated areas.
Now it turns out that the French gov
eminent has sold most OF the property
to spectators and individuals, who are
trying 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 adopt
ing resolution imposing a tariff of 80
per cent on all such goods, so that none
OF it viii be dumped on American
shores. So far as the rest of the world
is concerned, however, American auto
mobiles and trucks, leather and harness
goods, electrical equipment and other
American products, which were Origi-
nallv 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 explanation was made in congress
of the reason why the French govern
ment violated the spirit of its under
standing with the American iquidat-
ing commission and permitted the war
material to fall into the hands of spec
ulators. Indeed. the American commits
sion, of which Edwin B. Parker and
General Dawes were members, felt that
in disposing of the American supplies
at approximately - cents on the dollar
they were doing a charitable thing. In
stead, vast quantities na'-o been sold
by the French government to houses
which have already sent to the United
States, free of duty, over two and a
half million dollars worth of goods in
the month of June alone. I'm prevent
ing the entry of this kind of goods
hereafter, congress takes the position
that it is merely projecting American
Incidentally, it has been disclosed
that the British government did not
impose any tariff on goods sent from
the United States to Itreat Britain for
war purposes, but waived all tariff Gus
toms.
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 war. the
usual customs duties being paid on such
stocks. As matter OF tact, the pre-
cedent was not valid. because Spain
was the enemy of the United States at
that time. and not an ally The Ameri-
can commission. however, realized that
it would cost a good deal of money to
guard the large supplies. if they were
not disposed of to the French govern
ment, and that it would take q large
number of American troops to watch
the supplies. So the American commits
sion found itself compelled to accept
the French terms, and consoled itself
with the idea that the supplies would
find their way in small quantities to
the French people, who would thus be
materially assisted in the work of re-
construction.