New-York tribune., 1921-10-31
Women Organizing
To Fight Valuation
Plan in Tariff Bill
Form Consumers Commit
tee and Declare Proposal
Before Congress Would
Result i'll Price Advances

Announcement was made yesterday of
the formation of Consumers Com
mittee of Women, characterized as nom
partisan and non-political, to oppose
by campaign Of education the adop~
ton of the American valuation plan OF
the Fordney tariff bill. Branch COM
mittees, it was said, will be formed in
other cities Of the country to crys-
talize sentiment against the plan.
THE committee will base its opposi-
tion to the bill on the contention that
retail prices Of most things Of use to
women would be tremendously in
creased if it were adopted. Kid gloves
which at present can be bought for
S3.25 pair would cost $3.50, it is de-
clared, and the prices of other articles
Of wear and usefulness would go up
from % to 100 per cent.
NO legislation OF greater interest to
the women Of America than the Amer
lean valuation plan of the Fordney
tariff bill has recently come before
either house of Congress" says state
ment from the committee. "Women
are the great purchasers and ultimate
consumers Of the nation. Women buy
90 per cent of all goods sold annually
by American retail stores. Upon them
rests the responsibility of making the
family income suffice for the family's
needs, possibility which is fre-
quently made difficult by the limited
amount of the average income. Under
these circumstances it is the duty Of
the women of America closely to exam
inc all tariff legislation with a view to
discovering whether its effect will be
to lower or increase prices to the ulti
mate consumer
eve have closely and carefully ex-
amined the language and the necessary
effects Of the Fordney tariff bill. Our
examination has satisfied US that this
bill is bound to result in greatly in
creased prices to the consumer on a.
most every article of common use and
purchase. We therefore issue this call
in a campaign Of education, so that
the real purpose and effects OF the
American valuation plan may become
generally known and pressure brought
upon members of both houses of Con-
gress for the elimination of that plan
from the Fordney bill.
Nothing in this tariff bill seems to
have been exempted from the profit
making eagerness Of the groups which
expect to benefit by it.
"a more unfortunate time for price
increases cOulu scarcely nave Dcen Sc
lected. Such legislation as this must
inevitably prolonG the existing bust
ness depression, aggravate the unem-
ployment situation and disrupt Ameri
can trade and industry. 1t is up to the
women of this country to do their ut
most for the prevention OF these un-
fortunate results. Convinced that we
are performing high public duty, We
issue this call to the women Of Amer
ica to organize themselves and to bring
pressure to bear upon Congress for
the elimination Of the American valua-
ton plan from the pending tariff legis
lation."
Mrs. Henry Moskowitz is secretary Of
the committee. Other members are:
Mrs. Gordon Auchincloss. Mrs. Harmon
S. August, Mrs. Henry S. Coffin, Mrs.
Abram I. Elkus, Dean Virginia Glider
sleeve, Mrs. William H. Good, Mrs
Learned Hand, Mrs. William Henry
Hays, Mrs. Raymond V. Ingersoll, Mrs.
Pierre Jay, Mrs Helen Hartley Jenkins,
Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw, Miss Florina
Lasker Miss Florence NJ Marshall,
Mrs. William Fellowes Morgan, Mrs.
George Haven Putnam, Mrs. Allen Ap-
pleton Robbins, Mrs. II. P. Russell.
Mrs. Arthur H. Scribner, Mrs. Alfred
f. Smith, Miss Ethel Stebbins, Mrs.
Jesse Isidor Straus. Mrs. Joseph r.
Swan, Mrs. c.. Z. Tiffany, Mrs. Ger
trude n. Van Nance, Mrs. W. H. Wad-
hams and Mrs. Frederick II. Within