Askov American., 1931-12-17
WORLD TRADE DECREASING

1t is pleasing to note that one of
the first moves in Congress was
liberalization of the House rules, to
some extent minimizing the old three
man czar domination, which to a
great degree was responsible fer the
power of the eastern industrial special
privilege group. This former DOM
ination made it much easier to put
over the Hawley-Smoot tariff bill. the
most iniquitous piece of tariff legis-
1ation ever put over on the farmers
and workers of America.
The Hawley-Smoot tariff law has
been a strong contributing factor in
upsetting and making worse our eco
nomic foundation. 1t has seriously
decreased our foreign trade; it invited
and challenged trade reprisals and Ie
taliations; obstructed foreign debt pay
ments to our country, and it brings
us into state of economic war.
America, with its immense sur
pluses, demands the privilege of in
vading the markets of other nations
and selling in competition with their
home industries, and at the same time
insisting upon the privilege of an en-
barge at home that will shut out
goods from other countries. And ev-
cry country can produce some certain
articles cheaper than can some other
country-that is the reason for world
trade. But the policy We are pursu
ing, made possible through the last
congress enacting the vicious tariff
law, will do us no good. 1t is causing
only harm.
Today exports of our great surplus
producing agricultural industry is at
the lowest point since 1914; the min
ing industry is getting into bad rats:
and over six million laborers, with
their families numbering twenty mil
lions of people, have no regular in
comes. American earned money,
gained from the exploitation of the
masses, has been used to erect 1000
factories in foreign countries. The
products of these factories, made by
foreign labor and with American cap
tial, is used to compete with Amer
lean Manufactured products in foreign
markets.
The Hawley-Smoot law gives the
government no authority to negotiate
Or enter into any sort of reciprocal
tariff agreements or arrangements
with other nations, and the result has
been that other countries have fol-
lowed our lead of high tariffs and
have taken similar attitudes in re-
taliations. The foreign trade of the
United States for 1881 will be below
the level of 1913.
Senator Ccstigan, progressive Demo-
crat from Colorado, formerly a mem
ber of the Tariff Commission and a
student of these problems, will no
doubt have something constructive to
offer in the way of tariff reform. We
hope that every member of Congress
from Minnesota will cooperate to
wipe out the Hawley-Smoot law which
has been nothing but a handicap to
the great agricultural northwest and
"a detriment to the country as a whole.
The Askov American will endeavor
ito write editorially on some of the
major problems such as unemploy-
ment, Muscle Shoals, lame duck legis-
lation, agricultural relief. tariff, and
other issues while Congress is in ses-
sion, and our aim shall be to give
credit where credit is due, irrespective
of political faith.
We are facing a crisis and the well
fare OF the country-elevating the
masses much nearer to economic in
dependencies CT primary Importance.