Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-18

WHICH WILL NldlIlIdlH cucCdFo CoulPCti-
ton of foreign against American goods
That is not protection. That this is
the meaning Is borne out by references
to the Underwood tariff of the last
Democratic administration as the ideal
The re-enactment of that tariff woulc
let in a food of foreign goods, destroy
employment and lower wages and de-
moralize our farmers all over the United
states. I would suggest that the EN-
Moves of industries in New Jersey
and the country should directly 1nvestl'
gate as 20 what would happen to theil
emplovra. mt with lowered tariffs.
immigration Restriction.
The Republican administration I'M.
nosed restrictions upon Immigration
largely to protect the American work
man. With the bars of immigration
down the flow of those seeking rene
from, the poverty of Europe would Gre
ate a horde of Job hunters around every
emnlovment office and every industrial
gate in the United States. The pressure
of this flood would break our wages to-
ward the levels of Europe.
No one places a higher worth upon
the foreign-born citizen than do. he
brings many elements Of great value
in our cultural development. We well
&C come his help in building our new
civ;lization. The immigration laws
should be amended to remedy the
hardships to families. I have urged
before that this be done. In my &C
centance speech I stated my opposltlon
tn anv increase in immigration. Inc
restriction upon immigration Is DOOR
not only to those of my hearers VINO
we're born on American SOIL, put 10
those who have come from the Ola
countries. for every one would suIler
equally by the lowering OF our wages
and standards of living.
The enactment of this law was OPP
nosed on economic grounds. do not
here propose to enter into the argu-
ments which were advanced in perfect
good faith that production in America
would shrink because we would have
too few workers, that the cost OF hv-
ing would thus increase, or that IL
would destroy Americas ability to COM
pete in the shipment Of her goods into
foreign markets. / did not agree with
these arguments. l believe that the
maintenance of the higher standards
of living stimulate the development OF
labor-saving devices, increase skill in
our workmen, and in our managers, and
that in this way we compensate for
higher wages. 1t is proving itself so
today. We are exporting more goods
abroad than ever in our history. We
are gradually lowering the cost OF liv-
ing by greater efficiency.
There is no measure on our statute
books today that represents a more
fundamental, sound and important
step in true progress than does this
new charter of American labor. It is
the necessary and natural companion
piece of a protective tariff. In the one
instance we protect the American work.
err from the goods of foreign factories,
living. In the other case we pre-
vent the excess labor flooding through
our doors to reduce the american wage.
Foreign Trade.
When, at the beginning of the Re-
publican administration, we were de-
termining those measures which would
restore and increase employment, one
of our first decisions was vigorously to
build up our foreign trade. We deter
mined that we must sell more products
abroad If we would have steady and
assured employment for labor in our
industries. We realized that we must
theoretically promote the sale of our
farmers surplus abroad both in their
interest and in the interest of labor
BY SO doing we increase the farmers
buying power and in turn his demand
for the products of labor
When we came into Office We were
confronted with total disorganization
of the world trade. due to the war.
We had been exporting great quantities
of munitions. This business was fin
iShed. World trade was demoralized
to such an extent that the actual move
ment Of commodities between all ma
tons was some 20 per cent less than
before the war.
We set out upon definitely organ
lied campaign to build up the export of
the products of American labor and of
the American farm. We reorganized
the Department Of Commerce for the
promotion of American trade abroad
on greater scale than had ever been
achieved or ever attempted by any gov
eminent anywhere in the world. We
mobllized our manufacturers and ex-
porters; co-operated with them in law
ing out and executing stragetic plans
TO expand our foreign trade in all di-
rectionS
Official Records.
AIidI tIlIS great part played by the
Government is no hypothetical asser-
ton Is amply evidenced by the fact
that the daily applications for assist
ance by exporters to the department.
have steadily increased from 500 daily
in 1922 to an average of 10000 a day
in 1928. In the last year before the
war our total exports were little UNI
der $2,500000,00O. In 1922, the first
year of the Republican administration.
they were $3,75O,0 100000. The dollar
since the war has not been as valuable
dollar as in 1913. If we make cor
rection so as to estimate them on a
quantity basis we find that our exports
for 1922 were in prewar dollars about
2,730, 0000 900. During the year 1927 our
exports were $4,750,O00 900, and if for
comparison We convert this figure to
the prewar value of the dollar. they
were S3,340 100000. Thus on any CAL
culation cur exports have increased by
over $1,000, 100000 during the past
seven years. This Is an increase of al
per cent since 1922 and an increase of
So per cent over prewar.
Now I want to clearly show what
this means. 1t was not due to world
recovery. If we make a survey of the
worlds trade today We shall find that
the export trade of all countries is
only 10 per cent above prewar, while
ours Is So per cent. Also. if we make
a survey of what has happened to the