Evening star., 1933-01-11

The movement to buy American" I"
which has been gaining momentum in
the public consciousness, Is analyzed
in various sections of the press. Some
general conclusions favor the view that
In practice such a policy must be tied
up TO the tariff as a means Of pro-
section. There is much doubt that, In
an unrestricted market, the public will
buy otherwise than with the purpose
to get what 1t wants at the most ia
voranle price. Representatives of the
American Legion have supported the
movement and its inspiration is held
to be In the failure Of some foreign
nations to meet debt obligations.
without some positive means Of in
surfing that American goods shall not be
undercut In their own home market" I"
advises the San Francisco Chronicle,
1T is impossible to enforce a preference
Tor the home goods. Purchasers will
nuy in the cheapest market open to
them. Short-sighted 1t may be, but
when were the generality Of us ever
-sighted?" The Chronicle points
out that China has been unable to pre-
vent its people from buying japanese
goods and adds. as to human nature
on the whole. that when prices are
equal people will listen to the argu-
ment to buy the home product" but
that when prices are In favor of the
foreign article they will not listen, at
least not enough of them to count. I"
That paper holds that "the protective
tarin Is the real Buy American recipe"
~
The movement Is described similarly
by the Omaha World-Herald as "of a
piece with the tariff" Expressing its
opposition to the purpose of its present
supporters, that paper argues: 1.-THE
fallacy Of the Buy American cam
paign Is the assumption that manufac-
turing Is the only important element
In our economic organization. Buying
American, If 1t were carried out com
pletely. would undoubtedly help certain
manufacturers. 1t would undoubtedly
provide jobs IN the protected indus
tries. But what OF the rest of us? The
rest OF us are consumers of manufac-
lures, are producers of wheat and corn
and hogs, are engaged in building and
transportation and the rendering of
many services Buy American would
harm us in all capacities. 1t would
raise the prices Of what we buy and
restrict the market for what we sell.
The farm problem Is essentially the
problem of the surplus. We produce
more food than our own. market can
absorb and we depend Upon foreign
trade to dispose of 1t. How can our
crops be sold abroad If we prohibit
foreign nations from paying US in the
only way they viii pay-sn gcods?"
THE American public win probably
buy with reference to its own needs"
thinks the Lowell Evening Leader,
rather than under the inspiration of
on awakened nationalism." The Leader
feels that sit Is hardly to be expected
that discrimination against foreign
goods viii actually be carried very far,
however much Of an outcry may be
raised for the buying Of only American
products" 1t believes at Is hard to ac-
complish much where everything de-
pends on the personal action of indi-
vtduals." and that "the vast majority
OF men and women purchase at the
best possible prices, regardless of con-
siderations OF public economy" That
paper, however, recognizes that there |
Is certain amount Of boycotting that |
probably can be done with justice"
pointing out that certain manufac-
tured articles are imported on terms |
that are available only because labor |
in some countries is wretchedly under |
paid"
"A cheap play on alleged patriotism, |
which contains no economic merit Of
any description" Is seen by the Fort
Worth Star-Telegram. and that paper |