The New York herald., 1922-02-06
VALUATION PLAN
DECLARED UNWISE
Manufacturers Committee At
tacks Feature in FOrdney
Tariff Measure.
UNFAIRNESS is ALLEGED
Difficult Administration Also
Predicted Because of Com
parability Question.
UNFAIRNESS is ALLEGED

The committee of the National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers representing
those members who are opposed to the
American valuation feature OF the Ford
ney tariff and all versions of tnat plan
involving it's fundamental principle yes
terday made public it's report In oprosi-
ton to the plan as it was presented to
the convention of the association in
Washington on January 81.
The report, which is signed by w. w.
Lorch of the Ely e. Walker Dry Goods
Company, ST. Louis. chairman. and other
members of the committee. is prefaced
with protest against the action Of the
National Association OF Manufacturers
in not making public the numuer OF
ballots cast In the recent referendum on
the American valuation plan and the
number Of members who did not vote.
The reply of the opposite IN members to
the six principal contentious of those in
favor of the American valuation plan
are summarized as follows
"G) That the amount OF undervaiua-
tions on imports from abroad, on the
present basis. have been grossly cxag-
gerated, and that the adoption Of Amer
lean valuation will not prevent under
valuations.
"(2) Nothing liz to be gained by OBJ
tanning the same amounl of duty from
goods brought in from low priced ccun-
tries as from high priced countries. The
basis of duty must be such as to protect
American industry against the low
priced country.
"(3). 1t naturally follows that actually
we will not treat all foreign countries
alike In any sense that is OF vaiue to
them or to us, because the high priced
countries almost inevitably, according to
the procedure proposed. will have their
goods cmbargoed.
"tf) In spite of everything tnai has
been said to the contrary, the dutiable
foreign value has, from years of cXperi-
cnce. and the special organization de-
vised as a result of that experience, been
very successfully ascer.ained to date,
while 1t will be almost Impossible to
ascertain the dutiable American market
value under the proposed plan on account
of the great diversity of prices in this
country In our geographically and eco
nomically widely separated markets.
"(5) There is no provision whatever
in the law at present for changing ad
valorcm rates. The Treasury Depart
inent does not change the ad vaIorem
rates at all on account Of deprecated
currency. or for any other reason.
"(6) The American valuation plar
will be exceedingly difficult to admin
ister, first, because the question of COM
parability arises and II as exceedingly
bard to ascertain whether an article
similar in material. quality, constr dctior
and kind to an imported one is made in
this country or not; that Is, as tc
whether IL really is similar, and, sec
ondy, when that has beer determined /,
is exceedingly difficult to ascertain what
is the dutiable market value In this
country"
Tho report continues 10 point out
other objections found to the American
valuation plan. 1t adds:
'Thc much feared inundation of our
American markets by foreign goods has
not materialized. Our exports and our
imports have declined together, as Is
natural and was to have been expected
When our agricultural situation viii
have improved, our trade. national and
International will improve in proportion
1.-The radical changes now proposed ir
the tariff law to meet conditions that arc
admittedly transitory. will, If adopted
retard our recovery instead of advanc.
ing il, because exports are an cssentia
item in our economic health"