Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-18

~ Ing IN neat the nnanCe COM
NV mittee of the Senate has
been wrestling with tariff
schedules. If the Senate
finally adopts the recommendations Of
that committee, there is every indica-
ton that by the time Winter comes the
American consumer will be forced,
through Unfortunately increased tariff
duties, to wrestle with additional bur-
dens entailed by further increase in
the cost of living.
1t Is because of the high rates carried
in the House tariff bill that foreign gov
ernments have filed protests with our
Government unapproached, in numbers
and in significance. in the consideration
of any previous tariff proposal. These
protests cannot be waved aside by the
mere assertion that the tariff question
is domestic question and that no other
government may protest the right OF the
United States to impose such tariff du-
ties as it sees fit No one doubts our
constitutional right to impose tariff du-
ties. The increases do not present
questions of right but questions of pol
icy. 1t is to the wisdom or nerroWnesS
of the policy to which shall address
myself, and not to its legality or con-
stitutionality.
Spirit Of Bill Is Outlined.
We are confronted with a tariff pro-
posal which fulfills the hopes Of one
of the members of the House ways and
means committee who stated on the
floor of the House that he would like
to see a tariff 80 high that the i'm
porters would break their necks trying
to bring in goods over it," 1t was in
that spirit that the bill was framed
and for that reason little wonder can
be entertained that foreign govern
mentS have voiced their protests. These
protests have come from governments
in every part of the world and have
been formally presented to our Depart
ment of State through diplomatic
channels.
It is quite true that in the consid-
Grafton of other tariff bills there have
been some protests, but never in the
history of the country have the pro-
tests been so universal or expressed in
such vigorous language. The reasons
for these protests are numerous and
apparent. so much so that in the de-
termination of the rates carried in the
pending tariff proposals most careful
consideration must be given to them.
Prosperity Hinges on Exports.
The prosperity of the United States
depends largely upon its ability to sell
its surplus abroad. The genius Of our
sources Of our country have resulted
in such an output from our fields and
factories as not only to supply the home
market, but to afford a surplus for the
markets of the world. In our early
history that surplus came almost en-
ttrely from agricultural industries, but
In recent years it has come in increaS-
ing proportion from manufacturing in
dustries. Through mass production
>f AAA kaNs fsaea
industries today dominate the world
trade.
The sale of our growing surplus can
be maintained only by creating
friendly feeling and cultivating the
good will of our foreign customers. IN
the long run we can sell to foreign
countries those products and articles
in which we have an advantage only
If in turn We make it possible to buy
from them those products and articles
which we need, and in which they have
an advantage. Only with such an
interchange can the United States OBJ
tain the maximum of national pros
perity Only with such an interchange
can the American worker obtain the
highest possible standard OF living.
Policy Of U. S. Is Explained.
It has long been the established
policy of this Government to assist
American producers in finding markets
for their surplus products, and in order
to do so we have taxed the American
people millions of dollars annually in
the establishment of governmental
agencies, such as consular agents and
commercial and agricultural attaches,
to study foreign markets and create an
atmosphere of cordial relationship
which will promote the expansion of
our international trade and commerce.
ANY movement, therefore, that will
tend to disrupt or alter that long es-
tablished policy is of vital concern to
the American people.
And what is the answer so frequently
made by those who would build tariff
80 high that the importers would break
their necks trying to bring in goods
ments were employed when the Ford
ney-McCumber tariff law was under
consideration In 1922, and they then
cite the increase in revenue and in
value Of ,importations under the Ford
ney-McCAmber law as compared with
the preceding law. This argument is
ingenious, Mt not sound. An increase
or decrease in importations may not
be accepted as conclusive Of the effect
of tariff changes on our foreign trade.
We have a rapidly growing population:
we have intelligence, initiative and
organizing ability; we have almost
boundless natural resources. Because We
have these things American industries
and American purchasing power. repre-
scented by commodities produced, have
naturally increased under every tariff
law. It is only normal. therefore, that
the trend of imports should be upward
even when handicapped by adverse
tariff legislation.
"Fairer" Method Of Comparison.
As the Fordney-McCumber tariff law
increased duties to unnecessarily high
levels, 1t inevitably affected imports adj
versely. The fact that under 1t the
value of imports increased, as compared
with imports of 1921, neither attests
the reasonableness of the duties nor
proves them not to have been injurious
to our foreign trade. The year 1921
does not give fair basis for COM
parison II was a period OF depression
following the postwar boom OF 1920
Domestic production. imports and con-
sumption we're all lower IN that year
.y.r In any other year since the end
or the World War.
It would be fairer to compare the
proportion of domestic consumption
supplied by imports since 1921 with the
proportion supplied by them in the
years Immediately preceding the World
War. If the higher level Of prices. the
growth of population and the greatly
increased per capita consumption Of
goods are taken into consideration, 1t
seems improbable that in the years
under the Fordney-M cC umber tariff,
total importations, free and dutiable.
have formed q larger proportion OF
domestic consumption than they did
from 1909 to 1918 under the Payne
Aldrich tariff.
However that may be. It Is certain