The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-06-05

founded Arthur Hen
NJ. Litvinov derson, BRAND, Dino
Grandi and the rest Of the commits
sioners by the calm statement that
their "capitalistic" governments were
running themselves and the rest of the
world by selling goods dear at home
and cheap abroad-in other words, by
dumping. And he then with equal
calmness denied fatty that the Soviet
government had been guilty Of this
pernicious practice, though generally
accused Of it. Russia. he asserted,
had done just little friendly ex-
porting.
sit is perfectly obvious that low
prices cannot be regarded as indicat-
ing dumping" he declared. IF, how
ever, by dumping is understood a
policy of high monopolist prices in the
home markets and cut prices for ex-
port, it will be found precisely that it
is the capitalistic countries which are
guilty in this respect"
The Soviets, continued the commits
sar, are eager to help in bringing to
nm end the present economic depres-
sion, and on their behalf he offered
two suggestions for the consideration
of the commission. The first of these
was that the European powers adopt
q convention pledging themselves to
compulsory sale in the home markets
at prices no higher than on foreign
markets. The Soviets, Litvinov said,
would sign such convention. He as
serted that it would raise the buying
power Of the masses and help them
absorb overproduction.
His second proposal was this: In
order to remove the atmosphere of
mistrust and jealousy that has been
aggravating the crisis, all nations
should sign pact of economic nom
aggression along the same lines as
the Kellogg pact outlawing war. The
draft Of a protocol of such pact was
submitted to the delegates. It called
for a general customs truce, among
other things.
In the first sessions of the COM
mission the question of the proposed
Austro-G German customs accord was
brought up, and the pact was vigor-
ously and skilfully defended by DR..
julius Curtius, German foreign min
lister, and Johann Schober, Austrian
vice chancellor. The British and
French insisted that the accord should
be submitted to the World court for
an opinion as to whether it violated
the postwar treaties, and the council
OF the League of Nations ordered this
done. The council has selected Arthur
Henderson as chairman Of the 1882
disarmament conference.
THERE has been of late much dis
! cussion as to whether, conditions
in the United States justified general
cut in wages, and what the effect of
such a move would be. Secretary of
Labor Doak took a hand in the debate
with a statement to the effect that
any move on the part of industry to
lower wages would be considered
violation of confidence by the admin
istration because of the agreement to
maintain wage scales which President
Hoover obtained from the industrial
leaders late in 1922 In the event Of
wage reductions, he declared, organ
ICED labor would be justified in de-
handing higher pay and in opposing
the move by strikes.
Mr.. Doak added that so far as he
knew, no leader of industry has pro-
posed reduction in wages. Such
suggestions, he said, have come from
bankers, and are based on the opinion
that workers pay should be lowered
to conform to the low price levels
which have resulted from the depres-
sion. He attributed the current con-
troversies between workers and en-
ployers to the expiration of agree
ments, and added that in nearly every
case the difficulties have been amic-
ably settled. Six impending strikes,
which were brought to the attention Of
the Labor department the previous
week, were averted by the depart
ment's Cancellation service, and in
every case a return to the existing
wage scale was effected.