Evening star., 1939-09-03

trade. Another large section OF the COM
munity look at foreign trade in both
directions purely from the point of view
Of the intense protectionism which they
favor.
I'm circles where foreign trade is more
sympathetically regarded, such as the
United States Chamber of Commerce,
the supporters of Free Trade Week and
amongst bankers with international con-
nections, there is practically no thinking
beyond the confines of Secretary Cordell
Hull's Trade Agreement Act Mr. Hull
disiikes quotas, which he thinks are diff
fcult to reconcile with the most-favored-
nation clause regime.
Urge 'Quantitative Technique
I'VE were able to offer our American
friends what was to them a new line of
thought as regards a quantitative ele-
ment in trade policy. We satisfied many
with whom we talked that an academic
hostility to quotas was no real answer
to our proposition of quantitative tech
nique, and that a quantitative element
inspired by liberal conceptions and aim
ing eventually at wider world trade was
not the same thing as purely restrictive
import quotas"
England will be represented at the
Cotton Conference which meets here
September 5. If the British delegates
bring the point Of view of the Man
chester men, the conference may have
a greater success than many observers
now expect. The chief proposition
which the United States will present
to the conference will be the division
Of the world cotton market among the
be asked to adopt quota policy which
might be modified along the lines of the
Manchester proposal.
In textiles. the United States is COM
petitor of Great Britain. This country
manufactures more cotton goods than
any land in the world, a boast which
once was Englands. In this fact is fruit
for the Manchester mems concern for
improved trade with America Now COT
ton textiles are in a critical phase for
England. The Lancashire cotton in
dustry experienced a difficult year in
1888 when the quantity of cotton piece
goods exported declined to the lowest
level since 1850.
For England, 1888 was also the worst
year for cotton yarn exports (World War
period excepted) since the early 1860s. ac-
cording to report issued by the Eco
nomic Department of the Joint Commit
tee of Cotton Trade Organizations. The
United States Bureau of Agricultural
Economics gives some idea of the scope
of the British textile industry whose
failing health prompted the Manchester
! journey and the reawakened British COM
mercial interest in the United States.
Figures on Output.
In Great Britain in 1885, the bureau
reports, there were 7038 textile estab-
lishments, with gross output of SELL
ing value of AS ,967 900 pounds. The
textile trades used raw materials, or
paid for work given out, total of
286,377, 900 pounds, and had net output
value added by manufacturer of 157,-
pOullOS. 1IlC cIIlplOycu
an average of 1,054,860 persons (exclud-
ing outworkers) and had net output of
149 pounds in 1885 per employe, an in
crease of 10 pounds over the net output
per worker in the preceding census
census OF production for the year
1890"
In 1886, Great Britain imported
3,152 900 bales of cotton for manufacture
in 1867, 3,346 100000 bales; in 1878
3,108 900 bales in 1938-9 2,243 900 bales
In 1856 the United States supplied
1,475 900 bales: in 1867, 1925 900 bales;
in 1878, 1923 900 bales; in 1889, only
SOB 900 bales. The rest of the 1888
cotton imports into were divided among
these sellers; Egypt, 3e7 900 bales India
All 900; Brazil 289 ,0O0 Sudan, 244 900;
Peru, 177,000; Argentine, $4,000.
Britain's main interest is in selling us
more goods to revive tagging industries
especially the cotton textile industry
The Manchester missionaries believe that
it can be done. If their report is acted
upon, the United States will have many
visits from British statesmen. As for the
American textile industry, with whose
output these statesmen would be in a
sense competing, the Manchester report
stated:
"The American cotton industry is in a
very depressed and uncertain condition
Internal competition is very severe, and
many plants are making serious losses
The industry is suffering from the un-
certainties connected with the American
Governments policy as regards wage;
and hours and raw cotton"