Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-14
PROPOSED TARIFF
|. EMB|TTERS BRITAIN
Shoots Gibe at Foreign Pro-
tests Adds to Resent
nnent Felt in England.
BIT A. q. GARDINER,
NntAd Yihapai RPitfsh EAitar

Noted Liberal British E6itor
By Radio to The star.
LONDON, July Ex-senator Shoots
gibe at the protests Of foreign nations
against the United StateS' proposed new
tart6 IS one Of those unfortunate re-
marks that ada resentment to the grave
alarm which the new tari6 proposals
have raised In this country and still
more In the British aonntnions.
The reactions Of those proposals upon
the political situation here are already
Sufnciently regrettable without the salt
Of ridicule being rubbed into the wound
The ruthless character Of the proposals
revives all the latent bitterness felt In
the public mind In regard to thu debt
tribute paid to the United States Is one
Of the chief causes Of the prosperous
condition Of industry In that country.
Hoover Macdonald Farley Menaeed.
II the intention Of ths authors Of
the new tariff were to prejudice the
hopeful negotiations between President
Hoover and Premier Macdonald In re-
gard TO the solution Of the naval prob
served, fer 1t Is recognized that the
worst atmosphere for a disarmament
discussion IS = violent tariff contro-
verSy.
The AFFAIR IS naturally hailed with
satisfaction by the reactionary party,
which, for e quarter Of a century, has
been waging q ceassless campaign for
destruction Of the free trade policy Of
this country. Having failed repeatedly
in frontal attacks, thsy, during the last
Parliament, adopted the policy Of nib
expedient It was applied 10 10 staple
industry but TO numerous small com
nnodiNes, such as lace. gloves and silk,
IN hopes that the policy would under
mine tbs system and pave the way 70
complete overthrow Of free trade.
The recent election, however, was
smashing blow TO this design, and the
first act Of Philip Snowden, as chan
eellor OF the exchequer, was to indi-
would be duly abolished.
In the House Of Commons this week
his action was challenged by the pro-
tectionists, who suffered q crushing de-
feat In debats and the subsequent divi-
sion.
But in spite Of this, 1t Is unden.able
that the American tariff proposals have
given new life to the protectionist cause
and the conservatives lament that the
scheme followed the election instead Of
preceding 1t, for on the present wave
Of feeling the protectionists would Ger
tainly have improved their position In
the House.
Try 70 Stampede Baldwin.
In view Of that wave. the extreme
protecttonists are engaged IN An at
tempt to stampede Stanley Baldwin
into q general tariff proclamation in
preparation for the next election,
which can be forced at any moment
The scheme takes the form Of q revival
Of Sir Austen Chamberla!n's imperial
policy.
While French trade associations are
proposing a European customs agree
ment IN order to wage q tariff war on
the United States, the British protec-
ttonistS advocate . customs union for
free trade within the British Empire
and tariffs against the external world
The chief motive power Of this crusade
comes from Lord Beaverbrook and the
Rothernere press, and the object Is to
unseat Stanley Baldwin Is the leader
Of the Conservative party and convert
the party into q frankly protectienist
party under the leadership Of Arthur
Neville Chamberlain, NJ. p, and former
minister Of health.
The menace Of . big scale tariff
war, with the world modified into
three great groups, European, American
and British, tends TO consolidate Labor
Liberal sentiment behind the govern
raent, for the danger provides an ur-
gent and common ground for action.
The more the Conservatives concer-
trate on protection, the more the Lib
erals are concerned to maintain Pre-
raier Macdonald in ONCE, for devotion
TO free trade IS the most distinctive
plank In the Liberal platform.
Snewden Loyal TO Free Trade.
Fortunately the imperial conference
called for next year viii, barring most
unlikely happenings, meet under the
auspices Of Philip snowden, whose 10y
atty to free trade Is above suspicion, and
imperial protection will receive short
shritt from HIM Nor IS it regarded as
seriously practicable on other grounds
None Of the domtnionS has ever shown
the slightest intention Of granting free
trade TO British manufacturers and the
British people have never wavered IN
their hostility to food taxes, without
which imperial free trade Is impossible.
Copyright, 1890