The labor world., 1922-07-29

Contradictory Attitudes
And that is the reason tariff pro-
paganda is flooding the country, and
it explains why senators at Wash.
ington are assuming contradictory
attitudes so frantically in the heat
of Washington.
The tariff contest lies mainly be-
tween U. S. importers and manufac-
turing interests. Propaganda and
pressure, political anC otherwise, are
the weapons.
During tariff discussions in former
years manufacturers have domina-
ted. Their ability to protect their in
terests caused many scandals. Their
principal argument was protection
or the wages of American workmen
from the effect of low wages of for
eign countries.
The upper hand is now held by
the importers. Since the war their
profits have been enormous. They
have absorbed the differential in
wages between American and Euro
pean workmen and the buying pub
lie has not benefited. Clocks selling
at $40 retail cost the importers about
$3.50 apiece, including tariff Lawn
mowers have cost them 9S cents, in
Guiding tariff. and the sale of these
at prices just below the cost of man.
facture-anywhere from $3.50 to
400 in carload lots-has put manu-
factures out of business. The mill
lions of profits in this trade are
worth fighting for, with the result
that millions of dollars are being
spent to defeat any tariff legislation
that will interfere with these profits
The argument used by these inter-
ests is that the tariff tends to in
crease the price of commodities to
the public, and the workman's favor
is sought with the argument that the
increase in the cost of liYinx is more
to be feared than plyome ent or
decrease in wages.
Between Hostile Lines.
Between the two forces each sena-
tor is sweating blood. Where the
industries of his state have been af-5
fected by the: competition Of foreign
| imports, factories shut down, and
| workmen thrown, out of jobs he is
! sure to hear the wall of constituents.
The propaganda of the importers,
+ however, is delivered through the
| department stores of the country,
and the influence of departm ent
stores upon newspapers is enormous
and is .keenly felt by every senator.
But the issue is not as clear cut
as it might seem at first glance. The
| larger corporations of the United
States CONT bine the activities of i'm
porters and exporters. manufacture
ers and consumers. The alignment
varies accordingly. The U. S.. Steel
>Corporation, for instance, wants
high tariff on steel products and
low rate on manganese. Manganese
mines in the United States. on the
other hand, want a high rate on
manganese and low rate on iron
and steel mining equipment Every
commodity is affected by similar
clashes of interest.
The tariff is now. the leading in
dustrial game of the United States.
but 1t is played without rules like
q lumberjack fights. and the senate
is asked to be the umpire. A senator
is bound to lose either way. Senator
Frelinghuysen got so alarmed at the
situation that he started his own
propaganda machine in favor OF
passing the buck to a tariff COM
mission with power to suggest rates.
I i-s-.~ ~sradd Offers profest
%. Senator Ladd has protested vigor-
! ously, as have other senators, against
the misleading propaganda that is
circulated One of his protests came
during the discussion of the tariff
on shoes and hides. The New York
Tribune printed a. signed story from
Washington which asserted that the
/ tariff Eon shoes and hides would
mean q difference of 81 to the pur-s
chaser of pair OF shoes. Senator
Ladd showed that the miximum tar.
iff would be SO cents a pair. Sena.
tor McCumber added that the tariff
on hides could only increase the
price Of shoes an. average of s cents
q pair. The New York Tribune, Re-:
l tpOOAAS0As anu oOpPOSSaAy III 1oSoi@oS
a protective tariff, made no reference
to the two page refutation Of tha
article. Senator Ladd brands this and
other articles as vicious propaganda.
There are many mysteries in the
tariff situation. Senator's are asking
1 why Smoot. high protectionist, de.
feated the dye, embargo. The textile
i interests were against it. of course.
another illustration Of the Influences
which swing legislation one way Of
the other. n sssz.. &. s,,z.
/ And because of all of these com.
i Eplfcatipns, and many others, paid
4 propagandists and. lobbyists are com.
i ing Into Washington in increasing
numbers. The fight has just begun,
i HUGE PROFITS IN OIL. ss 81;
j Il. e announced that the Sinclair
4 Crude Oil Purchasing company held
NJ u. Is7.6oo barrels OF oil June i and
4 fthat such oil wi u find market to
lrealize q prof OF so cents to posi-
Z l2s -