Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-08

on boots and shoes might cost the
American people $685., 900 900 increase
in their shoe bill. What do we nnd
instead? Boots and shoes have remained
where they were in price. What little
change there has been is downward.
In recent radio speech q certain
Senator felt great alarm over the rates
on pineapples. He said we produced
only 5000 crates in the United States
and imported from abroad 100000
crates. Now, the fact is that we import
from Cuba about $2,000.000 worth OF
pineapples. and draw nearly $40 ,000. 000
worth from Hawaii and Porto Rico,
which are just as much a part of the
United States as the State that this
Senator comes from. 1t seems to me
good example Of such reasoning on
the tariff.
Tariff and Criticism.
With our Democratic friends the
tariff is popular, especially as 1t affects
their own districts, except when Con-
greSs is considering the passage OF a
new bill. Then they don't kick much
about the old bill that is In effect, but
they criticize the new rates which are
proposed. So the next time we have a
revision these rates they now complain
of will be all right.
incidentally, this wisely protected
$40 ,OO0,0 900 pineapple industry has fol-
lowed the other protected industries
The cost of pineapples has gone down.
As each schedule in the tariff came
up for discussion there was the same
prediction of dire results. An increase
over the absolute rates of 1922 were
filled with dynamite It would take
too long to 60 into all these calamity
prophecies. But, taken as q whole
every schedule that was increased in
the new tariff leaves the protected COM
modify selling lower in 1880 than in
1929.
The tariff on chemicals and oil paints
was increased 2.18 per cent, and the de-
crease in wholesale prices of oils and
paints has been 3.11 per cent. Linseed
oil Is the one commodity in the whole
range that shows any rise in price
The tariffs on earthenware and glass
ware were increased per cent, and
prices have decreased 321 per cent. The
tariff on metals and manufactures
thereof was increased 1.3 per cent, and
prices have declined 9.25 per cent. The
was increased 936 per cent, and prices
on raw and granulated sugar and mo-
lasseS have dropped 1928 per cent. Cot
ton was increased CTS per cent, and
wholesale prices have dropped 9.89 per
cent.
So it is, on down the list The sched-
ule on wool and wooden goods raised the
greatest howl of all, and as between
June of this year and last, prices have
dropped by 1915 per cent. The duties
on silk and rayon, 1t was predicted,
would beggar all the women in the land,
and the wholesale prices on these COM
modities have dropped 1912 per cent
Another Senator has often raised his
voice in hostility to this so-called tar
if monstrosity." Now he called at
tention to the fact that dozens of for
eign countries are adopting the same
policy as the United States This SEN
ator has discovered that Australia,
France, Poland, Greece, Peru, Portugal
Finland, Canada, Germany and the
Union of South Africa have increased
various tariff duties this wear. The
Italians have revised their schedules.
Great Britain is beginning to safe
guard" the interests of the empire.
Foreign Commissions.
In the 10 years that I have been in
Office as Secretary of Labor have met
most Of the commissions sent here from
foreign nations to study the secret of
American prosperity We make no eff
fort to conceal the reason for that pros
perity, and they see 1t every time. The
secret of our success is simple. 1t is
nothing more than keeping the home
market safe for the home manufacturer
and the home people.
So much for the predicted billion
dollar rise in the cost of living I ask
YOU whether you've seen anything of it.
Boots. shoes, clothing, but especially
our old friend sugar, were to roll up to
awful heights. They simply haven't
done 1t.
What we are mostly interested in is
to have the money to buy and to keep
American industry safe from unfair
competition OF low wages. which means
the low standard Of living conditions of
other lands.
Much of the opposition to the tariff
came originally from college professors
and professional economists" These
persons are entitled to their views. as
all other citizens are. But a good deal
of the weight disappears from these ad-
verse views whea you note that there
are other sound economists of author
ity who disagree with them and believe
the tariff to be THAT the great majority
believe 1t is, q necessity to~-the safety
of America.
Here is the Alexander Hamilton In
SIlEuCc, On-pdrClSan INSTITUTION, winch
has had its bureau of business condi-
tons examine the tariff. Here are a
few facts they emphasize:
In the old tariff law there were 1926
items. The new tariff leaves Alto of
these schedules absolutely untouched
Duties were increased on only 500
articles. Actual decreases occurred in
235 items
In 1929 we imported $4,000, 900 900
worth Of goods, more than half of them
free OF duty. Under the new law the
of goods entering free re-
mains about the same-64 per cent.
Unemployment here has cut down
these imports temporarily. When we
get going again. imports will go back
where they were. Foreign countries
have no legitimate kick. AS the Ham
ilton Institute says: There is con-
little danger that the export
trade of the United States will suffer
from the new law"
This whole outcry against the new
tariff grows out Of the fact that Ameri-
can international bankers and indus
trialists have built or bought some 1000
in the cheap labor markets of
other lands. Now they kick at the
new tariff because 1t blocks them of