Evening star., 1939-08-27
BY the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, Aug. Z6.-1ne
United States is returning to its his
toric policy of free trade at home.
Tariff walls of one sort or another
set up between the 48 States in the
last 10 years-usually in the form
of special taxes or fiat bans on GER
tain goods, they were raised during
the depression to protect shrivenng
local businesses, but they grew so
fast they aroused widespread fears
this country might be divided per-
manently into small economic units
like Europe is-are gradually being
torn down through interstate CO.
operation.
At least five States have repealed
trade barriers at legislative sessions
this year, and score of others have
refused to pass new laws restricting
the flow of their neighbors' goods.
A major reason for creating a Fed
eral Government was to guarantee
free trade. The articles of confed-
Grafton had failed largely because
they permitted the States to handle
business in separate ways, as a re-
suit each State taxed imports and
exports from each other State until
the tax bill was out of all propor-
ton to the cost of the goods.
When the Constitution was writ
ten, therefore, it was made to saw
plainly that commerce between the
States should be regulated solely by
the Federal Government.
Barriers Unconstitutional
AS lar as the broad spirit of the
constitution is concerned, all the
interstate trade barriers that exist
To-Day are unconstitutional. The
supreme Court said as much in 1924
IN the case of Gibbons VS.. Ogden:
II there was any one object riding
over every other in the adoption of
the Constitution, it was to keen
commercial intercourse among the
States free from all invidious and
partial restraints"
The broad spirit of the Constitu-
tlon and the strict letter of it are
olHerent things, however. BY avoid
ing any semblance of commerce
control, supporters of State trade
barriers have got them safely past
uhe courts through labelling the laws
Tor purposes of revenue" or for
purposes OF control of food stand
aros or for purposes of safety on
the highways or some other pur-
pose coming under the legal powers
conferred by the Constitution m
the States. VA
FOR this and other reasons the
oennltlon of a trade barrier" is
sometimes a Question of hot disnute
some States disown them. Others
make no bones about them. In al
most all cases the effect on other
states is an indirect result of the
laws direct purpose: Encouraeino
INDUSTRY and trade within the STATE
passing the law.
Illustration of Barriers
The widely different forms the
tarlff walls take is illustrated in the
barriers 1889 Legislatures either have
torn down or refused to build. Thev
are listed here as compiled and
summarized by the Council of state
Governments at Chicago, spearhead
OF the drive for untrammeled inter
state commerce:
l. Indiana repealed the port-of-
entry provision in its State Alcoholic
Beverage Act.
Forts OF entry are, in effect, Gus
toms houses. State frontier out
posts at which inspection of incom-
ing automobiles and trucks are
made and special taxes levied ac-
corolng to the laws of that State.
Eleven States had ports of entry
1or one or more purposes when
count was taken at an anti-trade-
barrier conference of "A States
sponsored by the Council of State
governments in April.
z. Florida repealed a law levyinp
high fee for inspection of out-of-
State eggs.
3. New Mexico removed a 5-day
special license fee on out-of- State
statesmen.
4. Connecticut refused to pass a
law limiting the size and number
OF gas tanks on trucks using the
State roads. This would have
forced out-of-State trucks to buv
Connecticut gas.
Missouri Repeals Law.
D. missouri repealed a LIQUOR law
which Disseminated against out
ot-State liquor interests.
3. Iowa, the country's second big
gest butter producing State, refused
to increase its present tax on oleo-
margarine.
Z. Preference for local materials
IN State contracts was refused in a
half dozen States. Ohio turned
down a bill which would have ner-
mltted State institutions to buy only
that coal mined in Ohio. Connecti-
cut refused passage of a law giving
all state contracts for supplies and
public works to resident bidders if
their bids were not more than 3 per
cent higher than out-of- State bid
ders. Illinois turned down a bill to
restrict State printing and pur-
chases to Illinois.
8. California, Connecticut, Florida.
oregon and New Jersey rejected
legislative discrimination against
out-of-State wines and beer.
9. California refused to pass a
DILL banning butter from being
brought in from other States.
10. New York defeated a proposal
to prevent importation from other
States Of ice cream manufacturing
products without permit from the
State health commissioner.
Those 10 instances indicate the
range of the problem. but the extent
OF the movement against trade bar
riers is much broader Wisconsir