Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07
EUROPE IN DRIVE
0NU. S. TARIFF LAW
Americans at Amsterdam
Conference Likely to Hear
Much Drastic Comment.
BY PAUL SCOTT MoWRER.

special oA0t chicsSo f ps il News. 'A' III" vi"
PARIS, July 6-Two hundred Amer
1can business men, who will attend the
opening of the biennial meeting Of the
International Chamber of Commerce at
Amsterdam on Monday, are likely to
have an unpleasant surprise. There
is nothing on the agenda of the meet
ing about American tariff increases, but
the American delegates in private con-
versation with foreign delegates are
likely to hear of little else.
Europeans in particular are planning
to say privately to the Americans ex-
actly what they think about the pro-
posed revision upward Of the Amer
lean customs duties. More and more
the question of this new American tariff
is becoming the predominant European
preoccupation. 1t has gone far beyond
mere business discussion. It has
become a matter for statesmen.
Groups Planning Reprisals.
Responsible ministers are making
speeches about it. Committees are
studying possible reprisals. Great move
ments of economic alliance and COM
mercial defense are being based thereon.
NCNcI III ICCCHO ycdIo HAS OA1C WAIOAC
of Europe appeared so united on any
single issue.
Britain, France, Italy and Germany
all seem to hold much the same views.
These views, distorted though they per-
hapS seem, are seriously held and can
be summarized as follows:
Imperialism takes many forms. The
newer imperialism is economic and its
chief exponent is the United States
40 oh kha
rafting not Saber but bag Of dollars.
Facing overproduction in many lines
at home, it is already beginning to try
to inundate the world with American
goods, often by process known as
dumping-that is, selling cheaper abroad
than at home. At the same time its
citizens seem to think that the sale
OF foreign goods in the United States
is injurious to their interests, and the
new tariff is designed precisely to ex-
clude all foreign goods. Thus Amer
lean producers. enjoying exclusive pos
session of their own big domestic mar
ket, would better be able to push sales
abroad by dumping and cutting prices.
War Debts Hamper Europe.
Meanwhile, Europe is unable to re-
pay its war debts or its commercial
debit balance in goods or gold and
runs the risk of seeking untransferred
American balances reinvested in Europe
Americans, 1t is predicted, will buy
buildings, houses, factories, fields, and
before many years Europe will be prac-
tically an American financial colony,
whose population will really be produce
ing for the benefit Of the United States.
Such a situation, say Europeans,
would constitute IAN intolerable abuse
of economic power" and must be pre-
vented at all hazards.
But how to prevent It? ReprisaIs
and defenSeS suggested are various. One
Is the further development of European
carteiS, which tend to divide the Euro
pean market between the chief Euro
pean producers at fixed prices, with
elastic tariffs to exclude outsiders. This
method has already made great head
way on the continent and it is hoped
that the British Labor government will
at last succeed In recognizing British
industry sufficiently to enable it also
to participate in certain cartelS.
Commercial Treaties Suggested.
Another method greatly favored is
by means of commercial treaties, which
IN some way evade the most favored
nation principle and establish CONNER
cial equality on the idea that I'VE will
buy only from those who buy from u.s."
Still another reprisal suggested is
that of counter-valuing duties; that
Is, each country would be charged the
same rate that it charges itself on the
same class OF goods. Still another is
that of definite economic ententes with
all sorts of preferential arrangements
for members.
The Franco-German- industrial alli-
Ance which already exists, could, 1t is
suggested, be strengthened and de-
veloped, as could Britain'S preferential
arrangements with its own colonies and
dominionS.
Some observers think they see in
CzechoSlovakia, Rumania and Jugo-
slavia the beginnings of little eco
nomic entente. There is even begin
ming to be vague talk of a Latin eco
nomic entente, including France, Italy
and Spain.
Italy's Attitude Changes.
It Is significant that Italy, which for
years has scoffed at the suggestion of
European unity, is now beginning to
admit the necessity for all to combine
against the American danger" Ger
tain French enthusiasts like Louis
Loucheur, minister of labor, in the
present government, and Yves Letro-
Quer, minister of commerce in an earlier
government. to say nothing of Aristide
BRAND, foreign minister, speak more
United States of Europe" and this
conception is frequently echoed in Ger
man business circles.
What seems certain Is that cam
paigns will eventually be begun in sew
eral countries against the use of Ameri-
can goods. The italian Automobile
Club recommends that the names of all
purchasers of American cars in Italy
should be published and held to shame
in the newspapers. Swiss groups sug-
gest that If Swiss clocks and watches
are shut out of America, then pref
erence should be given in Switzerland
to French, British, italian and German
cars over the American makes,
Europe Plans Being Outlined.
While there is a certain amount Of
rancor and envy perceptible IN all this
talk and protest, there is determination
also Europe is slowly and uncertainty,
yet none the less surely, getting ready
for action.
However, as long as the American
tariff is not actually passed by both
the House and the Senate Europe will
continue to hope that something can
be accomplished by means Of protest
and explanations, official and unomcial.
In this respect the business men at
tending the Amsterdam meeting are
certain to get an earful."
AS for actual reprisals and measures
of defense, these will only come when
apparently no other recourse is open
and after careful study OF all phases
of the problem.
Copyright, 1929
CHURCH AND THEATER
49, -,As 40 na AHFno