The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-02-01

OASIS, Tor every dollar paid to Ameri
can workers, engaged in producing
articles for export, some 25 cents is
paid to workers in foreign countries
for producing competitive articles for
importation to the United States.
Thus, if Mr.. Lubin's statement is cor
rect, he should have added that while
we secured these additional 100000
jobs for American workers we sacri-
feed possibly a million jobs which
American workers would have had if
these competitive foreign products
were produced, as they should have
been, in America with American
workers.
Years ago Congress enacted, at the
request of American labor, the Asiatic
Exclusion Law. Yet, today we find the
products of the very Asiatics, who
themselves were denied entry into our
country, driving the products of
American workers out of American
markets. This is not an idle state
ment. | have quoted to you extracts
from the report of the United States
Tariff Commission which very specif-
cally state that American Pottery
workers have their JOBS only because
the Japanese hesitated to export to
our American markets too great
quantity of the Pottery products of
the workers of Japan.
A few months from now the work
ers of our country will be told by some
Congressman, seeking reelection, of
the great benefits which were con-
ferred upon the workers through the
passage of the Wage and Hour Law
making it illegal to transport in
American markets the products of
American workers paid less than 80
cents per hour. We are wondering
what those who enacted this beneficial
law will say to workers who find their
JOBS transferred to workers in
foreign countries because the products
of these workers in foreign countries,
paid from cents to at most 20 cents
per hour, can be delivered into Ameri-
can markets at total delivered costs
which are less than American costs
of production of competitive articles?
From what | have been able to
gather great stress has been laid upon
the fact that through our entry into
these Trade Treaties we have enlarged
the market in foreign lands for the
surplus products of our three great
Automobile producers Little has been
said of the fact that as result of
an investment of some three billions
of dollars in cement and other roads
on the part of the American people
we have p reduced in America the
greatest market in the world for
Automobiles. If these three great
American automobile manufacturers
did not have such a field in America
for their production | wonder if they
would be in position to export auto
mobiles at the prices which they can
sell them for in these foreign countries.
We hear about the increased outlet
in foreign countries for the products
of our Beef Trust and our Canning
Trust. Perhaps, if there wasn't such
an outlet for what is termed the sur
plus products of these American
trusts the American Pottery workers
would be able to secure their meats
and canned fruits at a lesser price
than that which they are now forced
to pay. Surely, this is a two edged
sword The American people pay a
higher price because these American
trusts have an outlet in foreign
countries for what is termed their
surplus products.
Surely, if these experts at the State
Department and at the Tariff Com
mission will reduce tariff rates on
competitive products when such COM
petitive products to the knowledge of
these governmental agencies, already
control some 80 per cent or more of
the American market Congress can
well hesitate to renew the temporary
authority it has granted to them on
the basis of EMERGENCY. Incl
dentally, it would be interesting to
have some cf these State Department
experts define what is meant by emer-
gency other than the fact that, in
their opinion, Congress cannot function
and that they alone are competent to
legislate proper tariff rates.
We believe that Congress should
function within the confines of the
American Constitution. Further, while
not intending any reflection upon any
of this Committee or any
other member of Congress we believe
it only fair to state that when the
Constitution imposes upon the Con-
gress the making of tariff rates that |
such responsibility devolves upon Con-
gress alone and should not be dele
gated to any appointed officials of our
In closing, let me reiterate our alb
solute opposition to the further ex-
tension of the authority you tempor- !
arily granted to these appointed Of
ficials to virtually transfer the JOB
of American workers to
in foreign countries.