The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-12-06
Washington
SCENE
49, = 80
By LEN DE CAUx
Observation-Disclosures

NHHHIIHiN Observation-Disclosures |
CANADIAN TRADE PACT
PARTY POLITICAL ISSUE
The trade pact with Canada has
been made a party political issue,
as in fact most anything else that |
happens will be from now on un-
til elections. The Democrats point
with pride to it, while the Repub-
leans view it with alarm-which
also was to be expected.
Lowering the tariffs, and there
by the barriers to trade, between
the United States and Canada
means more business for American
manufacturers, and for Canadian
lumber and agricultural interests
given some chance in the United
States. By the same token it
means less protection for build
ing manufacturing industries IN
Canada and for certain lumber
and agricultural interests in the
United States.
The kicks from lumber and
dairymen and others particularly
affected were registered without
delay, and loudly re-echoed by Re-
publican leaders. But other politi-
cal observers inclined to think that
the treaty is a smart piece of bus
mess; that general benefits In in
creased trade will outweigh tenn
porary and limited disadvantages
to special interests; and that po-
litically the administration will
count it as feather in it's cap.
CONSUMER
THE FORGOTTEN MAN
Lowering tariffs has a tendency
to lower prices for consumers and
with elections coming on, the ad-
miniStration is showing some con.
Germ about its reputation for price
raising. Up until quite recently
the consumer has been one of the
New Deals forgotten men.
So-called consumers representa-
tgives in the AAA and NRA have
been allowed office space, station
cry and the opportunity for ittl,
harmless research. But when some
of them started to put up a figh
in AAA to keep the consumers
end up, they were quickly purget
from the administration. The Or,
gram has been to give as quick al
impression as possible of increas
ed income to business, farmer
and labor, and of higher costs lar
gelyl nullified the rise for the lat
| ter to groups, to hush it up.
I Whether the new Consumer
Division (headed by Walton f
Hamilton) of the emasculate
NRA will be hushed up also, re
mains to be seen. Any sort {
consumers protection, even if
goes no further than research, j
+ bound to jar the sensitive corr
l of special business interests.
NATIONS NEED
: MORE GOODS, LOWER PRICE
Oranized labor is being circl
lated by Hamilton with lette1
that point out how higher wag'
: don't mean much if they are a
t. companied by increased livir
? costs. In contrast to the gener
policies of the administration
: increase prices by curtailing pr
: duction, Hamilton declares tn
2 "the Consumers Division is int
ested in a greater abundance
= goods and lower prices" At t
= : same time he asserts that "chea
! ness must not be sought at the e
= pense of labor"
Labor, in fact, has an obvious
:. terest in plentiful production a
% low prices. With industry in
control of private proft-make
Ia however, many unions have be
= led to endorse the price-raising I
L duction curtailments Of employe
D. for fear lest wages will be
rs of profits cannot be maintained
Labor craftsmanship here c,
is fronts a serious problem-of reC
tn Cling such individual unicr pi
cies with the general workers
terest in lower living costs. 1t
particularly handicapped in t
country by the lack of a sin
a. party of the workers to unity
8 boris interests in the political Fl
lis and bv the weakness of the C
p sumers' cooperative movement.
us WAGES MUST GO UP
,ts BETTER PRICES for FARMF
nd The problem seems to call |
t.. a scissOrs-like approach, fix
de two apparently opposite dir
SIS tiOns at the same time: ms
WIS tence on increased wages
o. workers and better prices
ok. farmers coupled with just as
per OrOus insisteHlce on lower pri
lar for consumers and no cHrti
pie ment of production.
but This would constitute a sque
ers if not a definite cutting in,
certain elements, it is true.
list instead of the present sque
un- on workers, farmers and
18th, middle classes-caught betw,
'es- low incomes and high liv
rti- cOsts-the squeeze would be
the profit interests which
IRE least necessary socially.
uffs CANADIAN FAVORS MUST
GO To OTHERS
Tariff concessions granted
Canada under the pact will
to be extended to other coun
ar. under most favored nation ire
AM except for Germany, which
ada nounced her treaty with the I
18O ed States. But trade with {
limo countries in the products invol
is not extensive.
n m More important are the
SON range international implicat
in The Canadian liberal party is
ner ditionallv closer to the United
hin tes in its orientation than
ntl. strongly pro-British Conserva
LATE The speedy consummation Oh
-. treaty with the limited States