The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-06-30
rs UNION AT THE

ask?
"Our total foreign trade represents
a total of something less than seven
per cent of our normal yearly trade.
In other words, an increase of ten per
cent in the normal domestic trade is
of more value than our whole foreign
trade to American workers.
"This brings to my mind the fact
that most of our present trade with
England and Japan is composed of ma
terials needed for armament rather
than for ordinary commercial uses.
"And now, just few words about
our exports and imports. Let us see
where we stand. Let US examine the
record.
"The statistics for the first six
months of 1886 released by the De-
partment of Commerce. | notice that
our imports increased 1870 over last
year, whereas our exports only in
creased bad Sc. This is the trend.
1t is not healthy sign. Our rapidly
increasing debt; our vast expenditures
of public funds through Federal, State
and Municipal Governments; our un-
favorable trade balances are but
weather-vanes telling US which way
the wind is blowing. These are the
danger signals that give warning of
the dangerous shoals ahead to every
Ship of State that has ever dared to
follow such a course.
SEa11ouy ,poriconc II ic tipna for
us all to awaken to the real dangers
confronting the Nation. Increasing
imports Of foreign food products that
compete with the things we grow and
produce on our American farms, will
not help US in our present plight. This
ment. This is not the road to happy
and prosperous America. Increased
imports of manufactured items that
compete with the products of our own
factories and our own labor will not
solve the situation. 1t may bring us
few more sales of automobiles to
these foreign countries, but every car
sold on the American market is worth
three sold abroad.
every automobile sold on our own
market will increase our consumption
of gas, oil, tires, accessories; yes, the
car sold at home pays taxes, buys in
surance and hires services, and, in
many instances, gives employment to
chauffeur.
Stimulates Home Market
"With fourteen million unemployed
in America today, it seems to me that
our great automobile industry should
! exert itself to stimulate the home
market. Put one-half of these people
back to work and they will buy one
million cars. This is not idle Juggling
with figures. 1t is calculation that
is mathematically correct, because it
is based on the present ratio Of car
owners to our present employed and
the potential market would be for two
million, instead of one million, but in
order to be conservative, have taken
the smaller figure.
"Now let us try to visualize how
much stimulation the sale of one
million American automobiles would
give to American business.
The minimum expenditures of each
car would be at least $4,000 each
year. Many car owners, of course,
would spend much more, others would
spend much less. However, it is safe
to figure on an average of $35O.00 per
car. A million cars would mean an
expenditure of $350,000, 100000. Why,
this is more than 1870 of the total
sales value of all cars sold in the en-
tire American market in 1929, and
more than the total sales Of American
cars abroad; and, mind you, this is
sales turnover on the American mar
ket resulting from the sale of million
cars to one million potential custo-
mers who are now on our unemploy-
ment rolls. The slogan, therefore, in
America is: JOBS-JOBS FOR OUR
UNEMPLOYED. Find these jobs and
all business will hum.
"There are many glassware plants
here in West Virginia shut down sim
ply because the cost of producing
glassware for sale to American stores
is higher than the cost to the same
stores of comparable or competitive
glassware produced in foreign coun-
tries and delivered all costs, duties
paid.
"The lack of interest, yet, even the
Ignorance of those entrusted with ne
gotiating these allegedly reciprocal
trade treaties with foreign countries
is we'll illustrated by the comment of
State Department officials with ref
erence to the inclusion of glassware
in the recent trade treaty with Czecho-
slovakia, when the State Department
reduced the tariff duties from sixty
per cent to thirty per cent
Imports Hand Made
"The comment Of the State Depart
ment officials with references to glass.
ware, was:--
Domestic production of these prod
ucts is largely machine made, whereas
imports are largely handmade OF
speciality products. The United States
industry in handmade glass is rel
atively small and it's decline has beer
, due more to the competition from do