Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-06
THE TARIFF TINKERs.

THE TARIFF TINKERs.
Every Evening received a letter a
day or 30 ago from Mrs. Marx u.
national music chair
man OF the General Federation OF
Womens Clubs, which stated In part
we are attempting to fight against
the discriminating tax on musical In
struments, which is soon to come be-
fore Congress. We realize that such
a tax, at this time will be seroius
menace to the future development of
American music, which needs our help
and encouragement now as never be-
FORE"
One is astounded TO know that the
Best Minds. now in charge of Con-
gressional affairs. are Attempting to
throttle not only the future develop
ment of music" but other arts as
we'll. Take the proposed tariff against
European movies. watterson r..
Rothacker, Chicago picture pro-
ducer. who this summer made a sur
vey of motion picture conditions in
England, France, italy and Germany,
declares that:
"our country Is now sitting on top
of the earth. The rest of the world
is looking up to America as the
leader among nations. The picture
screen has been great factor in
bringing this about. From our movies
the world has come TO know our GUS
toms. our ideals, and our country.
Even the sale of American goods has
been boosted by the shadow dramas
i'm which American manufactured
products were incidentally shown.
why disturb this situation7 America
now makes IS per cent of the worlds
movies. II we attehpt to tax the COM
paratively few foreign films enter.
ing this country. Europe may come
back with retaliatory tariffs which
would make American photoplays
comparative strangers on European
screens.
1T would be altogether possible foi
Europe to get along without so man,
American pictures--and don't forge
that. 1 saw studios in England
France, Italy and Germany tina
promise to rival our proudest pictur,
producing lots. These could easii,
be expanded---if this country forces
the issue.
To couch IL in classic language
we are sitting pretty now II we jus
sit tight"
But the tariff tinkers are not con
tent TO stop at virtually banning i'm
portations OF musical Instruments an
motion pictures. They would plac
an almost prohfbitive tariff on Ger
tain classes of books printed abroa,
notably scientific works which are No
published in this country. One migf
, think that American publishers, jea
4 Gus OF the foreigners, would cry 1--WE
done" to such an effort. But they q
not. A number of our leading pui
fishers say that the importation
books stimulates interest in readin
and that low tariff causes foreie
countries to admit our publish,
works on favorable terms. The fo
lowing well-known publishers ha'
petitioned Congress TO place no tar
whatsoever on books:
c. Putnam's Sons, Charles Scri
ner's Sons. Henry Holt & Co., Georl
II. Doran Co, Frederick A. Stok
Co, E. p. Dutton & Co, d. Applet,
& Co, the Century CO., Funk & Wa
nails Co., the Baker & Taylor c
A. l.. Burt Co., Oxford Universe
u Press, Dodd. Mead & Co., Longmar
Green &>Co., Grosset & Dunlap, Bre
tano's, Silver. Burdett & Co, Robe
NJ. Mcbride & Co., the Macmillan C
~ the Ronald Press Co., McGraw-H
- Book Co., Inc, d. Van Nospand
- Co., CHM & Co, Harper & Bros. a
Doubleday, Page & Co. of New Yo
- and ]. B. Lippincott Co. and Geor
w. Jacobs & Co. of Philadelphia.
We believe that II would be a go
. thing IL those tariff tinkers woi
N consuit>a few of their fellow-citize
. before they attempt to apply a hs
hazard tariff to this Country.