The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-12-17
Lifting Of Toriff


United States.
A few years before, speaking on the
same subject, the late Samuel Com
pers said, / quote
81 do not want you to interpret
my remarks as emanating from an
advocate of Free Trade, but it does
seem an inconsistency to impose a
tax Ga tariff duty upon the prod
uct Of the European and Asiatic
workmen if this product is brought
to the ports of our country, and,
then to open up the same ports so
that the wOrkmen themselves can
come here by the millions"
In substance GOmpers very proper
ly demonstrated that it is inconsistent
to restrict the immigrant from entry
to our country while at the same time
to permit the product Of the Immigrant
to enter our country by the payment
of small and inadequate tax or tariff
duty.
We, the organized workers, realize
full well the inconsistency and the in
adequacy of the tariff rates now in
force. AS Gompers 50 well stated in
1911, Labor's position today is the
same on both the subject of indiscrim-
mate entry of persons or property and
for the reason so well stated by Comp
ers, which l repeat, / quote, ut is
simply ease of self preservation of
the American working classes"
Incidentally, the position of the
American Federation Of Labor on the
question of alien immigration and on
the entry of competitive products of
the workers in foreign countries is
identical.
| In June 1910, President Green and
members of the Executive Council of
the American Federation of Labor
publicly appeared before the Platform
Committees of both major political
parties and set forth the requests Of
Labor on the question of immigration
and, on the question of the entry of
competitive products of foreign work
ers. / quote from the printed platform
requests of the American Federation
of Labor:
immigration
I'm order to protect the welfare
and the standards of living of the
American workers, organized labor
has favored from the beginning
restricted and controlled national
immigration policy. Up eaval $
oh hy
abroad demand the exercise of un
renting vigilance in the enforce
ment of these controls. We urge the
adoption of d declaration in favor of
the continuation of the nations re-
stricted immigration policy and the
progressive application of these
principles as dictated by changing
conditions"
Following, on the same page, W.
find that the American Federation o.
Labor, referring to the entry int
American markets of competitive pro
ducts of workers in foreign countries
requested, l quote:
Protection of Wage and Working
Standards
"To protect and safeguard the EN-
plOyment opportunities of America $
wage earners against unfair cOmpe-
titiOn of the products of workers of
low wage and depressed standards
and conditions of employment of
foreign countries, and, with which
we are bound to be faced at the end
of the present European and Asiatic
wars, and, in order to hold secure
the advanced industrial relations
and employment standards secured
by Americas workers through legis-
lative enactmentS and collective
agreements against competition from
products Of workers in countries of
lower standards, it is essential that
adequate and proper legislation be
had to obtain these ends. We urge
the adoption of this policy and
procedure"
You will note that this matter of re
stricting the entry of the competitive
products of workers in foreign coun
tries is virtually the same position a
Labor has taken on the question of re
stricted immigration, namely, the pc
sitiOn stated by Gompers, 1.-The self
preservation of the American worllin
classes"
The language herein used forcibl
indicates that the American Fedora
ton of Labor is mindful of the con
ditiOns which Americans workers, dc
pendent for their employment Oppol
tunities on the production of thos
articles which compete in America
markets with the products of worker
in foreign countries, will be faced wit
at the conclusion of the World War.
If we are to safeguard the employ
ment opportunities of Americas il
dustrial workers; if we are to provid
productive jobs instead of doles fO
our millions of returned soldiers
sailors, marines and merchantmen
who are now and will continue to b
offering their lives that we may COL
tinue to retain the freedoms handle
down to us by our forefathers; if W
are to provide productive jobs for tn
many thousands now sacrificing thei
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