, 1922-09-30
European Inconsistency

EUROPEAN have been conducting
u propaganda for over a year against the enact
1nent OF an American protective tariff. In this they
have been aided by the International bankers ia
this country, the free traders and the importing in
terests, all of whom place the prosperity of Euro
pean manufacturers above the prosperity of Amer.
lean manufacturers and the welfare of American
workingmen-
Since it became a certainty that a protective
tariff would be enacted this session of congress,
European propagandists have redoubled their at
tacks upon the United States and upon the protec-
tive tariff. They are now claiming the tariff viii
ruin them and will make it utterly impossible for
them to repay any of the loans made TO them by this
government during the war.
Metropolitan papers are reprinting editorials
from British, French, German, italian and other
European newspapers berating the United States
for protecting its own industries, safeguarding it's
own markets and affording steady employment to
its own workmen.
They denounce the tariff as a selfish policy. This
IN face of the fact that every European nation has
written at least one tariff (some of them have
written three or four since the armistice, each one
being higher in its rates than the preceding one.
until today, in many European countries, tariff
rates practically amount to an embargo.
All of this propaganda is finding ready echo in
Democratic newspapers and from Democratic mem
bers of congress and other Democratic leaders who
are on the stump. They are all fearful that the
protective tariff is going to throw some European
working men out of a job and deprive some Euro
pean manufacturers of a chance to exploit the
American market. According to their theory, it is
hAF SNAiAS1 ~ inns NbuiNlN " dhppN a DpllIN NnlIu
protects its own industries and it's own working
men. They would have the country "aitruistic' t.
the extent that our working men would be walking
the streets, our manufacturers without business,
our American farmers without a home market for
their produce all IN order that European nations
might fatten on our adversely.
In this connection it is very profitable to recall
the sentiments of President Harding in his annual
message to congress last December, when he urged
the enactment of a protective tariff. In that mes
sage he took cognizance of just this propaganda and
gave his opinion of it thus:
Sensible of every obligation of humanity, com.
merce and finance, linked, as they are, in the pres
ent world condition, it is not to be argued that we
reed destroy ourselves to be helpful to others.
With all my heart 1 wish restoration to the PEG.
pies blighted by the awful world war, but the pro.
cess of restoration does not lie in our acceptance of
like conditions. 1t were better to remain on firm
ground, strive for ample employment and high
standards of wage at home, and point the way to
balanced budgets, rigid economies and resolute
efficient work as the necessary remedies TO cure
disaster"
ut is not an unworthy selfishness to seek to save
ourselves when the processes of that salvation arc
not only not denied to others, but commended to
them. We seek TO undermine for others no industry
by which they subsist; we are obligated to permit
the undermining of none of our own which make
Tor employment and maintained activities
Much has been said about the protective policy
for ourselves making it impossible for our debtors
TO discharge their obligations TO US. If we must
choose between a people in idleness pressing for tho
payment of Indebtedness or a people resuming the
normal ways of employment and CARRYING the
credit, let us choose the latter"