The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-03-07

SlIy.
'Dear Mrs. Eble:
Our semi-annual sale of hand
run Alencon laces begins on We'd
nesday, February 2Sth. These
laces will not be advertised and
we are anxious to have you see
them before they go on sale to the
general public. They will be here
for you to Sc on Tuesday, Febru-
ary 9th. The laces range in
width from to 13 inches.
There are:
$50 yds. usually $4.50)
$50 yds. usually 3.75) 9Sc yd.
$50 yds. usually 2.9S)
Our sales people will be glad to
serve you on presentation of this
letter. Very truly yours,
BLOOMINGDALE'S"
Far be it from me to criticize the
New York Department Store for offer
ing it's customers such fine bargains.
Indeed, it is clever merchandising. But,
to me it reveals something that is sim
lister in the present so-called Recipro-
cal Treaty Program. The store is an
innocent party. Let US look at the
record and see what we find.
For instance, we see that according
to the records of the United States
Tariff Commission, the foreign value
per pound for silk laces imported
from France was as follows:
Last 6 months, 1886 average, 1921
$G60 average franc rate).
12 months, 1887 average, $3.50
$3.50 (Average franc rate).
II months, 1888 average, $2.32
$500 (Average franc rate).
First 6 months 1889 average, $1.9C
$3.50 average franc rate).
Depreciation about 60 per cent.
Now here you have the secret as
to why a piece of French lace that
formerly sold for $3.50 a yard, anc
which was subject to a duty of 800
ad valorem, is now offered at 90 cents
a yard The duty has been reduced
from 900 to 500 in the Treaty will
France, but that is only a small par
of it. The French manufacturer i:
able to offer something else which is
even greater than tariff reduction.
! shall quote from an article il
"AMERICA FIRST" under date o.
January 1910 on this very subject. L
refers to a report on the French Lace
Industry made by John G. Carter sta
toned at Calais, France:
"The Calais lace industry
credits its current favorable posi-
tion largely to American demand
occasioned by benefits arising
from the Franco-American trade
agreement, the relatively low
value Of the franc compared with
the dollar, and a distinct fashion
trend in favor of lace"
France, in addition to depreciatine
her currency to gain an advantage
over us in her treaty with the Unite(
States has embargoed certain Ameri
can products and required licenses fo
importations of others. England, too
has made use of this same weapon t.
every single benefit she gave u
through the present treaty.
During the period Of negotiations o
our trade treaty with Great Britain
the value of the pound sterling wa
$5.O5; but four days after signature
were affixed to the treaty, the pount
was deprecated at $4.63. 1t is toda.
valued at about $3.95. Great Britain
as a war measure, has embargoe'
many American products on some o
which concessions were granted un
der the treaty.
She has invoked license provisions
for all imports and has destroyed
every semblance Of equal tariff treat
ment to our exports. All of thes,
actions are contrary to both the lette
and spirit Of our treaty, which wa
effective in January 1899. And still
our State Department does nothing t.
protect the economic interests of ou
country from the workings of an ob
viously very bad bargain.