The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-07-26
british PREFERENCE
FOR TRADE IS URGED
AT OTTAWA FARLEY
Refer to Alleged Oil Price-Cut.
ting in U. S. as Unfair
Competition
CEREAL GROUP IN QUANDARY
Would Open Anthracite Coal
Market in Canada to Welsh
Mine Interests

Ottawa. Ont, July 26-LP)-Threats
to the trade of u. S. oil and coal in
terests in the British empire arose
in the parleys of the British empire
conference Tuesday.
Referring to unfair trade prac-
tees" the committee on trade within
the commonwealth heard inferential
references Monday to alleged price,
cutting by American oil companies
and the committee was represented
Tuesday as protesting that for larg-
er companies to force smaller COM
petitors out Of business by cutting
prices was unfair.
The threat to U. S. coal came in a
declaration from the Canadian del
egation. placing anthracite coal on
the long list of items from which the
committee might select articles for
British preference.
If anthracite were to be selected it
would hit at the present sale Of U. s.
anthracite in Canada by opening
that market to the Welsh mines.
Shipments of American anthracite to
Canada last year totaled 100000
tons compared with 87l 900 tons from
the United Kingdom.
Cereals Group in Quandary
There have been informal discus
sionS between the dominionS con-
corning primary products. including
wheat, meats. lumber, fish and fruit.
1t was said Tuesday the dairy prod
ucts group had made satisfactory
progress. The group consider ing
cereals still was IN a quandary, how
ever. Its problem Of trade standards
and the promotion of British wheat
sales under the auspices of an en-
pire marketing board was also a con-
Germ of the conference committee on
economic cooperation.
Wheat is the most important eco
nomic question for Canada. Austria
liza, India. and to a lesser degree for
South Africa and Rhodesia. The
average annual world crop, exclusive
of Russia and China, now exceeds
3,700,000,000 bushels compared with
3,000,000,00O during the period 1909
1912. European crops of wheat are
now about equal to those of pre-war
days. but the chief non European
countries, the U. S.. Canada, Argen-
tina and Australia, have pushed their
production up from l,476OO0 900
bushels to 2,l200Oo,00o.
See Little Competition
American representatives have
pointed out that U. S. export wheat.
chiefly soft variety used in cake
and pastries, was of small competi-
ton to the hard bread wheats of
Canada, which have three contract
grades better than the best American
hard winters and one equally as good.
The home market, it was said, is al
most sufficient to absorb American
hard winter wheats for bread baking.
Demands at this conference for
British embargo on Russian wheat
were said to be predicated on the fact
that Russia can grow both hard and
soft wheat and under-sell the world
market. The unofficial English view,
however. is that the Russian threat is
over-emphasized, since the crop
shortage has resulted in few sales of
Russian grain to the United King
dom in the last several months. re-
CARELESS of Liverpool cargoes.
American interests said Tuesday
the United Kingdom would do well
to take rs per cent OF the Canadian
anthracite trade away from the UNI
ted States.
Huge debts to the United States
which must be paid in gold by Great
Britain and Canada. demanded con-
Tuesday as unofficial dis
cussion Of monetary readjustment
began.
Appointment of H. H. Stevens,
Canadian minister Of trade and COM
merce. as chairman of the committee
on monetary and financial affairs,
means. some Of the delegates believe.
that the question OF silver will be
brought up.
Stevens is an authority on the sill
yer issue as it affects a large part of
the world, particularly India. China,
and some South American countries
The committee will meet THURSDAY.