Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-17
NEW TARIFF LAW
SOUGHT IN TURKEY
American Imports Treble
Value of Exports-U. S.
Autos Prove Popular.

Turkey as well as the United States
is working on new tariff law. The ar
ticles that Americans sell to the Turks
are described in bulletin from the Ma
tional Geographic Society.
Nowadays American razors are aid
ing Renal Pasha in his campaign to
weSternize the masculine population of
his country" says the bulletin.
Before the World War, clean shaven
Turks were nearly as scarce on the
streets of Constantinople as bearded pc
deStrianS on the sidewalks of Broadway.
Now and then a bewhiskered Turk
visited the neighborhood coffee shop
proprietor who amputated boards as a
side line, but few faces felt the keen
edge of razor blade. Last year, 5000
American safety razors were imported
into Turkey to transform the faces of
Turkish men, while only 500 raZorS
made in other countries found their
way into the republic
Tires Used for Footwear.
"Many Turks in the larger cities who
have not yet severed connections with
their facial adornment are patroniZing
American industries in other ways. If an
American tanner could recognize leather
from the hides he processes, he would
feel at home on a street corner of Con-
Stantinople gazing at the feet of pass
ing Turkish men and women. In the
Turkish government Offices, travellers
will soon hear the familiar rat-a-tat-tat
OF American typewriters, for according
to recent report to the United States
Department of Commerce 5000 ma
chimes will be shipped to the republic.
The American tire manufacturer
travelling in the interior sees the prod
ucts of his factory pounding over the
almost impossible roads; but, perhaps
he Is more surprised when he sees his
products enveloping the feet of the
T :rkiSh peasantry. When tires have
had their full quota of blowoutS, they
are sold to the rural folk, who cut them
in four or five pieces and with a few
strands of wire, shape them into what
appears to be uncomfortable footgear;
but the Turkish peasants arches ap-
parently become accustomed to the
rounded tread of these makeshift san
dals.
American wool. cotton and even silk
pas by the Constantipole corners, al
though parts of Turkey, particularly in
the neighborhood of Brusa, are IA
nous for their SilkWorm culture. Amer
1can-made collars now are encircling
more and more masculine neckS each
year; and occasional Turkish bath
rooms, which as yet are luXuries in
the East, are likely to contain Ameri-
can-made tubs and fixtures; while an
American-made toothbrush may repose
IN a made in Europe
holder.
American Motor Cars Popular.
"You can travel for hundreds of miles
along Turkish roads in the interior and
never see gasoline filling station. Au-
tomob1le mechanics are almost unknown
But automobile importationS increase
even in years when other importationS
decrease. Since there are few Turks
to repair cars, there is no used-car
market. Many Turks simply run their
new cars until they permanently stop. OF
about 1000 cars now increasing Turkish
traffic, about rs per cent are American
made or products of American owned
assembly plants at Smyrna and Alex
andria, Egypt.
where the traveller once walked or
bumped over the roads in a springlAr,
donkey-drawn or oX-draWn cart, he
now can ride in a brand-new 1929
model touring car or sedan from
Detroit, or if he is in a large party,
SiX-Wheel buses are at his disposal.
In modern, luxurious conVeyances,
he passes farms worked with the type
of implement used in Bible times; but
here and there the crooked stick pillow
has given way to the glistening, steel
bladed cultivators of American manu-
facture and the modern American
made harvester has taken the place of
the old-fashioned grain harvesting i'm
plementS.
Altogether the United States sells
about $4000,000 worth of American
products to Turkey year. On the
other hand, America buys about $12,-
100000 worth of Turkish products.
An additional $5000,00O worth of
Turkish products reach the United
States indirectly through European
countries. American demand for Turk
ish carpets, apricot kernels, emery ore,
figs. raisins, licorice, almonds, walnuts,
pignolia and pistachio nuts, olive oil,
pottery, tobacco, valonia (acorn cups
and wool causes the balance of trade
IN favor of the Turkish exporters"