The New York herald., 1922-03-20
CALL FOR EMBARGO
ON GERMAN POTASH
Producers Here Will Ask Con-
oTcss for Protection Against
Imported Product.
S3O.0O0,000 ALREADY LOST
Destruction of L. s. Infant In
dustry Seen in Campaign
Directed by Berlin.
S3O.000,000 ALREADY LOST
Special Dispatch 10 The sew Sop,s HERALD.

Special Dispatch 10 THE sew SoRis HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. g., March 10.
Backed by the German Government.
the potash trust of that country is
dumping potash for fertilizer into the
United States markets at such low prices
that the infant American potash IN
dustry, comprising an investment or
sSO,000.O0O, is completely closed down.
according to a petition TO be presented
to Congress and President Harding to-
morrow by the United States Potash
Producers Associations
Protection not only for the American
Industry but for Anerican agriculture.
which must depend upon potash for
fertilizer. is demanded in the petition
wll'ch Is signed by Frederick w. Brown,
:e"retary OF the United States Potash
Producers Association.
'fhirty-seven American plants have
been closed for more than year as a
result of the German campaign, accord
Ing to the petition Not orly are the
stockholders losing ali return on their
money, but thousands OF Americans are
rendered idle and without funds as
result of the German drive.
Entire Town JObIess.
In California an entire town is job
less, the petition states. The town,
Scarles Lake, cost S5,000,000 and was
built at the time the American Trona
Potash Corporation established itself.
The aim Of the German campaign is to
obliterate the American potash industry,
tho petition charges, after which it will
have II monopoly throughout the United
States and will be able to increase prices
sufficiently to cover the loss il now is
h,.r 4 hal
cost. The petition reads in part:
The German Government. through
enc of its official agencies for trade eX-
ransion and domination. the Deutsches
Kali Syndikat. has to all intents and
purposes destroyed property owned by
American citizens to the extent Of $780,.
900, 600 in the last twelve months. This
destruction was performed deliberately
with the intent TO stamp out American
competition with the German potash
monopoly. which ,seeks to regain its
world wide control of a necessity of life.
German agents threatened and pre-
dicted this action just before the United
States declared war on Germany in
1917 in an endeavor to frighten Ameri-
can citizens from investing their money
in this industry.
''rhe German Government is officially
responsible for this recent destruction
OF American property, and its officials
are now laughing at the plight of the
American producers.
Malice Is Charged.
German agents are now conducting
an extensive propaganda in TINS coun-
try TO mislead Congress and the pubic
about the needs of the American potash
Industry to the end that 1t may be de-
MED the protection it seeks from for-
eign aggression and may never be re-
vived'
Some of the American potash plants
involving Investments totaling millions
are located in New Brunswick, y. j. !;
Omaha, San Pedro, Cal Searles Lake
Cal, and Antioch, Neb. Few American
industries are more widely situated or
affect more business territory than that
OF potash it Is pointed out. One OF the
largest plants is that of the Eastern
Potash Company. at New BrunsWlck,
which cost 100000.
But the German Government VIII not
permit it to operate" charges the peti-
ton.
The German trust forced American
potash middlemen to sign contracts IN
September. 1921, the petition charges.
by which these concerns were to buy
al least 70 per cent of their potash from
the German company. Ihe Germans
were able to force this contract upon
the American concerns, it is explained,
because they control the price of potash
throughout the United States.
lf. A. Huston of 42 Broadway. New
York, Is head of a bureau working in
the interests of the German syndicate,
the American producers charge in their
petition. The petition declares that Mr..
Huston is directing propaganda through
out the United States.
Mr.. Huston denied the term was TRUTH
fully descriptive of his work at recent
Congressional hearing. This denial is
printed in the petition. At the same
time. the petition gives a facsimile of
the current" New York Telephone Di-
rcctory in which Mr.. Huston is listed as
engaged in potash propaganda" work.
There Is shown also the fac-simile repro
duction OF another part of the directory
which lists the German Kali Works as
~ Broadway, or at the same location as
IN, arfirp of Huston