The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-02-22

on the free list, coffee, tea, rubber, tin
and raw silk which we do not produce
and will import anyway Labor has
never asked that tariff duties be i'm
posed on articles, not produced in
America.
Labor seeks the imposition of tariff
duties only on those products which
are competitive in American markets
with the products of American work
ers and farmers. In other words, we
ask for tariff legislation which will
protect the JOB opportunities and liv-
ing standards of American workers.
This is not a new or selfish policy.
It is policy the effect Of which has
the support Of the vast majority of the
American people.
Some sixty or seventy years ago
American labor realized that to pro-
tect the JOBS and the living stand
ards Of American workers it was nee
essary to exclude from the American
labor market the competition Of the
Asiatic coolies. Labor demanded and
| NciiS ItSe liIiaiiS tjidSLSl lIlc <a.SI-
attic Exclusion Law, not because of any
racial hatred, but, solely to protect
the wage and living standards of Am
erican workers. In later years we re-
allied that we could not assimilate
and provide jobs at decent wages for
the many millions Of European work
ers landing and settling along our
A ~ .r.-
again, almost unanimously, heard the
cry Of Labor, supported by millions
of real Americans, and enacted Re-
strictive immigration Laws, which
again protected the JOB opportunities
and living standards of our American
workers.
We submit in all sincerity that the
protective values Of such laws to
American workers are virtually set
aside when the products Of these ex-
cluded workers are permitted entry
to American markets at total delivered
costs which are less than American
costs Of production Of competitive
products.
Naturally, the question arises, why
in view Of the we'll known policy of
| Congress to exclude Asiatic workers
and restrict the entry of European
workers are the products of these eX-
cluded workers permitted entry into
American markets at total costs which
displace and transfer the JOB oppor-
tunities of American workers to these
very excluded workers in their coun-
tries, produced under what Congress
has set forth in the Fair Labor Stand
ards Law as substandard?
The answer is a simple one greed
-m0ney-profts.
The international bankers and the
large exporters, there are compara-
lively few of them, profit through the
purchase and sale of foreign exchange.
Their principal profit comes from the
successful manipulation of price
values, Of money values and the keep
ing Of a set of books. They, in them
selves, because there are so few Of
them, have only that political infu-
ence which comes through the expen-
diture of monies. Naturally, as this
is practically their only tool, they
know how to apply this tool to secure
the best profits for themselves.
Great stress has been laid on the
benefits which the great body of
American consumers secure through
reductions in our tariff rates. Very
little has been said of the profits which
few have made through loss of mill
ions yearly in revenue to our Treasury,
through these Trade Treaties. To il
lustrate this point, will take house
hold neceSsity-Sugar. In 1888 or
1884 the United States Tariff Com
mission found that there was a 25f6
less on cost in producing Cuban sugar
than American sugar. President Roose-
welt promptly reduced the duty from
&c to &c per pound. Again, through
our entry into Trade Treaty few
months later, we reduced the rate to
9/lCc per pound. Who are the princi- |
pal owners of Cuban sugar planta-
tions? The United States Tariff Com |
mission reported that they are mainly |.
some five or six large American bank
ers or banks. What has been the eff
feet of these reductions as they re-
late to the prices paid by the American
housewife for sugar? The facts are
that despite this reduction of more
than 1c per pound the American
housewife has paid higher rate for
sugar since the reduction of the tariff
duty than had been paid prior to that
date The United States Treasury has
lost yearly, | believe, some $40,000,-