Evening star., 1932-02-07
Forty-six Per Cent of British
Purchases in U. S. A.
fected by New Law.
SOME IMPORTS REMAIN
ON FREE ENTRY LIST
Movement of Commodities in Inter
national Trade May Be Ham
pered by Legislation.

The Commerce Department an
nounced yesterday that the effect on
American exports to become effective
in Great Britain on March l will be 10
impose 10 per cent ad valorum duty
on As per cent of that countryS an
nual purchases in the United States,
which, heretofore, have entered duty
free
British net imports from the United
States in 1880, according to the de-
partments statistics. amounted TO
s700,6 ,666, 900. of which 46 per cent, or
1924 100000, would be transferred from
the free to the dutiable list by the 10
per cent tariff.
May Affect Commodities.
OF the total imports from this coun-
try, S202. 2.761 900, or % per cent, Is al
ready dutiable, including per cent
dutiable under the recent abnormal
importations act, 1t was explained.
Imports from the United that will
continue to enter Great Britain free,
consisting chiefly of cotton, wheat and
meats, amounted to sl73,455 900 in
1890, or IS per cent of the total. The
figures. it was said at the department,
are subject to some correction when
announcement is made OF the add
tional unspecified commodities that are
to continue exempt from duty.
The department has assumed that
the new duty will not apply on imports
from the United States, which are
eventually re-eXported from England.
officials are reluctant to forecast the
effect the new protective measure would
have on this country's exports, but the
concensus was that while a 10 per cent
duty would not keep goods out Of a
country, it would hamper the free
movement Of commodities in interna-
tional trade.
Attache William L. Cooper at London
to the department has served to clear
up the uncertainty as to imposition OF
the new 10 per cent ad valorum duties
on imports now coming under the so
per cent duties of the abnormal i'm
port act of 1881. The new duties will
not apply on these commodities, at
least as long as the so per cent duties
remain in effect.
Cooper cabled that the imports into
Great Britain of colonial products are
to be exempted from the proposed
duties, as are also, until the forthcom-
ing imperial conference at Ottawa in
July, imports from British dominions.
The government had previously an
nounced its intention to apply the
principal of quota system to home and
empire produced wheat, but details of
such action have not yet been COM
pleted, Cooper said.
The commercial attache declared that
it is regarded as certain, however, that
in the event the quota is applied exports
Of wheat from the United States to
Great Britain, which in 1880 amounted
to S43,514,340, will be curtailed con-
siderably.
Retaliation action by this Govern
ment against the British tariff move
was regarded by administrative officials
yesterday as out of the question. 1t
was pointed out that the new duties
were in no way discriminatory against
the United States and gave this coun-
try no grounGs for complaint.
Exports Values Given.
The opinion prevailed, however that
it would create agitation for the adop-
tion of the resolution of Senator Reed,
Republican, Pennsylvania, for an in
vestigation by the Tariff Commission
of the effects on imports into. the
United States Of foreign products due
to deprecated foreign exchanges. The
general UeHel mere WdS tilde Quill NC
precautions have reduced the produc-
ton costs in foreign countries, allow
ing their goods to compete more favor
ably in the domestic market.
Of the 1924, 100000 of 1880 exports
from the United States to Great
Britain on which the 10 per cent duties
are proposed, the following are the
values of the principal commodities:
commodity- Value
Lard s28, 661, 753
SEins and furs undressed w 526l.845
Wood and timber ....... 30,643,l 1877
Chemical 9ther than drugs and 5.oo 5o7
Electric goods and apparatus . 1901 ,841
leather -,,... $3.50, SAT
Machinery - 38204,3l =
Conner " 25,207,1 100
Pig and sheet lead ............ $685. 'se7
Iubricating oil - l62l5,06
Manufactured wood and timber, Tl4l'4o9
Exports from the United States to
England of tobacco products which are
not affected by the new 10 per cent
duties had value in 1880 of $57,O83,-
923 Gasoline, which is in the same
category was exported to England IN
1880 to the amount of S66, 6,950,223. Cot