, 1922-07-18
Same Old Jolly

ASOohDlNG to the Associated Press dispatches
- the question of the proposed American protec.
tive tariff was discussed in the British house of
commons a few days ago. In the course of the dis
cussion Sir Robert Horne, chancellor of the exchs.
quer, stated that the British government would
keep the fact steadily in mind that the payment of
her debts to this country would be very difficult,
II not quite impossible, unless the American tariff
were lowered to such a point as to enable British
goods to enter America freely.
rms statement has been seized upon by free trade
advocates and international bankers as an argu.
ment against the enactment of n protective tariff.
British propaganda is being disseminated through.
out the United States carrying the very plain init
nation that If we expect Great Britain to nav us
the money she borrowed of us during the war We
must permit her to exploit our markets. This il
but a continuation of the propaganda against an
American protective tariff which British influ-
ences nave been wagfng ever since the present tar-
III oli was first proposed In the house of repre-
sentatiFes. 1t is but a repetition of the propa-
ganda which Great Britain always swages arainst
the enactment of a protective tariff in this country
However,, 1t would seem that the British govern
ment has overdone the matter by jntimating il will
be unable to pay the United States loans negotiated
curing the war unless we maintain a low tariff.
what IL sauce for the goose should be sauce for
the gander," and If Great Britain is sincere in such
a position, then 1t would naturally follow that she
would assume the same attitude toward her Europ-
can debtors that she expects us to assume toward
ner. According to official dta from the records
her. According to official data from the records
Great Britain had outstanding to European coun.
tries war loans to the amount of S., 765 400, 0OO. Her
principal debtors, outside of the defunct govern
ment of Russia, arc France, Italy, Belgium. Serbia.
Portugal Roumania and Greece.
All or these countries prior to the Europeanywar
traded extensively with Great Britain and her .coJ.
onies. All OF these countries at present are In
worse shape financially than Great Britain. n she
cannot pay her war debts to ne unless she Ia ner.
mitted to have free access to our marke,a ,t.is 1t;1J
more difficult for these countries TO paw their war
debts to her unless they have free access to the
doHIfnions and colonies. The question then nat
uraIy presents itself, is Great Britain practicfnu
wnaI she breaches; is she extending to her debtors
the same economic privileges which She demands
the United States-extend to Great Britain?
Tho answer to This is. found in tariff Legislation
OF the British empire since the armistic. To h.
gn with, the United Kingdom departed from her
traoitional free trade policies and enacted the safe
guarding of industries act under which she terms
"key" industries. This list comprises over 6OO0I
different commodities.
Since the armistice every British dominion vhsch
includes Canada, Australia, New Zealand tbe
Union of South Africa and British India have
enacted nigh tariff Laws. Since the armistice every
BRUSH colonial possession, whether it be an island
OF located upon some continent, has put into effect
high tariff laws. And in every instance fine tarifs
avs enacted by the United Kingdom AID each of
In favor of all articles imported from anv otber
part OF the British Empire. This DISCRIMINATION
ranges from 10 to 40 per cent and operates against
imports from every other nation in the world
The tremendous handicap this laws upon other
natons OF the world, particularly England,s
European debtors, may be readily ascertained from
~S 1"Ss SAoS 1fcdb Dr1tdlnB colonies COmDriS6 10
per cent of the total colonial population of the
globe In other words, Great Britain and her colon
les nave not only imposed a very high tariff against
the products of her European debtors but they have
devised a tariff system which discriminates against
the products of the European debtors In trade with
70 per cent of the colonial population of the world
as well as the trade with the mother country
Great Britain expects her European debtors tn
pay up" nor Is she going to offer them free access
to her rich home markets in order to induce them
to do so. She understands quite well that her very
salvation depends upon her protection of her own
markets and industries from a flood of goods made
in nations with cheaper labor than there is IN Enc nn'
land. She understands quite we'll her trade with
her colonies must be protected against such foreign
co1npetttion,6f she would survive industriaIIv1
and commercially. Hence the protective tariff mol
icy of the<British Empire-the safeguarding oys;n.
dustries act.
In view of this policy of Great Britain. Il can
hardly be expected that the American public will
take seriously the British propaganda that Amer.
lea must open her markets to British products n
she expects to be repaid tho loans she has made
to the British empire.