Evening star., 1935-04-13
NEWENGLANDERS
PUSH TARIFF PLEA
Cotton Textile Men Fail to
Get Action at White
House.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
After being told at the White House
that imports of Japanese textiles are
less than / per cent of American pro-
duction, New Englanders seeking a
higher tariff and removal Of the cot
ton processing tax held conferences
today to determine the next step in
their campaign.
Eastern cotton manufacturers con-
tend their business is menaced by
Japanese manufactured textiles, which
they say are sold in the United
States at less than the cost Of do
mestic production.
One immediate effect of yesterdays
developments was expected to be q
fresh concentration upon measures
and movements in Congress toward
correction of what the textile group
calls a critical situation. In support
of their stand, they point to the num-
ber of cotton mills recently closed.
New Demands Arise.
Meanwhile, new demands for a
higher tariff on cotton products were
raised today with publication Of OFF,
cial reports that imports of cotton
seed oil had jumped 100000 pounds
in one month.
These demands came from Chester
Gray. Washington representative of
the American Farm Bureau Fedora
ton. Despite a Scent duty, Com
merce Department complications dis
closed that 30,OO0,OOO pounds of cot
tonseed oil had come into this coun-
try since November as against no i'm
ports last year.
Senators George, Democrat, OF
Georgia, and Smith, Democrat, of
South Carolina. attributed the inflow
of cottonseed oil-used mainly in the
manufacture Of compounds and veg
etable shortenings-to the A. A. A.
crop reduction program. They saw
nothing alarming in the situation.
oGdy SCCS 7 EOtCSts
Gray took a different view, saying
it appeared to be a replica" of the
business, in which foreign products
walls. He added:
The American farmers are not 60
ing to give up their foreign markets" {"
Mr.. Roosevelt and four cabinet
members heard the pleas Of three
New England Governors yesterday
and promised further studies but,
in the opinion of textile men, offered
little hope of immediate action.
1t was finally decided that confer
ences with Secretary Roper should
continue. However, Mr. Roosevelt
said Japanese imports, based on 1888
production, would be only seven
tenths Of l per cent of the American
output this year.
The delegation. consisting Of Cows
Curley of Massachusetts,. Bridges OF
Nsu Hampshire and Brann of Maine,
and Representatives O'Connell and
Citron, representing the Governors OF
Rhode Island and Connecticut, pre-
sented three specific requests.
Processing Tax Opposed.
These included elimination of the
cotton processing tax. building tariff
walls equal to the cost of American
production, plus 10 per cent, and
equalization of mill wages in North
and South.
They presented a very interesting
case, but no solution" Secretary Wal
lace commented as he left the White
House
Wallace. who has aroused the ire
of New England interests by his de-
fense of the processing tax, said he
had not altered his position.
In a formal statement left with the
President. the Governors said cotton
mill wages in Massachusetts, dropped
from $ll5,000, 900 in 1923 to S3l ,000.-
600 in 1888, and the number of work.
ers fell from 114,000 to $4,000 in the
same 10-year period.