The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-06-10

Washington. and Los An
eeles merchants are burned up be-
cause their citizens buy so much
in Canada and Mexico, bringing their
purchases in duty free under the
slOO exemption. So they are trying
to get congress to amend the law
They have no objection to the $500
limit being applied to returning Eu-
ropean tourists, or for once year
tourists who take their vacations IN
Canada or Mexico or Cuba.
But the man who runs across the
international line from some near
by American city every little while,
chiefly for the purpose of getting
tariff-free bargains, that's the fell
low-and his wife-they are after.
| Detroit merchants estimate that
citizens of that city buy about S.
| DOC. 900 worth of merchandise a year
in Canada under this 500 exemp-
ton clause. The city's board of
commerce has representatives IN
| Washington working to stop this
leak" They are getting co-opera-
ton not only from Los Angeles but
from Seattle, Ell Paso, Buffalo and
Erie.
The American Retail Federation
and other retail groups are coop
Grating Some of the estimates for
the total amount of Canadian and
Mexican goods brought in legally
without payment of duty under this
slO0 exemption runs as high as $780,
100000 year.
They say it is not only the money
they always do say that. But when
Mrs. Smith Jones meets Mrs. Brown
Robinson after such foray to duty
free stores across the line she boasts
about it. This not only encourages
the second lady, and her sisters and
neighbors to 60 and do likewise,
but it builds up the sneaking inn
preston that the American store
keepers are lot OF gyps, and that
it is positively civic duty to
thwart them in their attempted rob-
berry.
The Old Come-On
| Then, too, the storekeepers know
perfectly well that the person who
goes shopping to get bargain gem
orally buys something else. That is
the whole underlying basis for the
floss leader" device SO froWned
upon by the federal trade commits
sion. The store advertising some
particular bargain knows that If It
can get people into its doors by
selling something the customers
know is very cheap. the probability
is that one In every two will buy
something else-something on which
the storekeeper makes real profit.
So this mouth to mouth propa-
panda that bargains are to be had
over in Windsor, wren the Detroit
folks are talking, or down in Aqua
Caliente. If the Los Angeles and San
Diego wives are talking about their
shopping, is insidious.
Some Of these tariff dodgers real
ly buy only for their own use, but
many OF them resell, and make the
trip as often as the law allows
once every thirty days. Canada Of
fers tempting furs and duty-free
British wool cloth and garments.
Mexico has fine Indian art objects.
Both admit varieties of foreign
goods almost duty free because they
do not happen to compete with Local
industries.
According to the Los Angeles mer.
chants, the movie stars are the
worst offenders. They like to rur
over to Mexico anyhow, for one
reason or another. They resent fed
eral taxes in a really big way ant
get a thrill out OF cheating Uncle
Sam legally, which may not bother
the Treasury much but it is GER
tainIy a pain in the cash drawer
for the Los Angeles department
stores and specially shops.
incidentally. Los Angeles thinks
the proposed amendment futile. I
would permit the 500 exemption
only II the tourist had been out O
| the country at least forty-eigh
hours.
| That's just nice weekend,
) say the southern California dealers
| They want the period made mucl
! longer.
Not an Accident
, 1t was not just an accident tina
several newspapers had prominent
. ly displayed stories the day afte
. the announcement Of Justice Will
: Van Devanter's resignation that tn
probable appointee in his plac
, would be Senator Joseph T. Robin
!, !, SON of Arkansas, the Democrat
leader of the senate for these man
years.
The story was deliberately fed on
bv several senators who are strong
e w opposed to President Roosevelt
9 Supreme court enlargement plan.
e was intended to embarrass the Pres
y ident in his fight, and to make al
g surd the contention that the coul
q needed young" men.
o Being as the Arkansas senator
n;~y+y.Hya and In known to be