The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1950-06-29

war imports accounted for 20 TO
30H Of total consumption. During
and after the war the domestic in
dustry expanded considerably, not
only because imports were largely
cut off except from the United
Kingdom, Mexico and a few other
Countries, but also because the de-
mand for pottery increased in
keeping with the enlarged pur-
chasing power Of the public. En-
ployment increased somewhat in
proportion.
"In the Past three years imports
have, however, climbed to the point
where today they are above the
19371939 average. Japan, Ger
many and Italy are the loading
sources beside the United King
dom.
"Now it is proposed to reduce
the tariff still further as a means
Of stimulating imports. In 1949
slightly more than twenty million
dollars Of pottery wares were inn
ported, and this represents foreign
invoice value, before payment of
duty. Even today the imports from
Japan are still limited because they
have not reached pre-war levels Of
production in that country. Yet
pottery items are listed for addi-
tional duty reductions for next
September in the forthcoming tar
iff negotiations. Obviously the
policy is to give yet more Of our
jobs to labor in other countries.
There can be no doubt about this.
"They say that this is necessary
inorder to place more dollars into
the hands Of the doIlar-short coun-
tries so that we can reduce our
dollar aid. But what will happen if
by doing so our workers are forced
out of jobs? This will cost money
too. Where will that come from
Out Of the taxpayers pocket the
same as foreign aid. Had we not
also better think of what situation
we will be left with after the dol
.lar-gap has disappeared?
wages in the pottery industry
compare favorably with wages in
other industries, even though there
is still a large amount of hand
work. The average hourly wage is
$1.45. Thus the industry cannot be
described as inefficient or unecon-
omic and therefore a fit subject
for liquidation.
"There is no direct measure Of
man-hour production in pottery be-
cause so many different varieties,
sizes, qualities and patterns are
produced. For example, plates, cups
and saucers differ among them
selves so greatly that the nearest
approach to productivity can be at
tanned by measuring general out
put by the dozens and making com
parisons on that basis.
ain this way we can reach
fairly reliable estimate of the num-
Der of employees that would be re-
quired to produce the pottery that
is imported. The best statistics we
have relate to vitrified china table
ware, in the production of which
four or five thousands workers are
engaged. Imports are roughly as
heavy as domestic production. In
other words, imports have taken
four or five thousand jobs that
would be filled by our own work
ers if we made the products in this
country.
"The imports of vitrified china
represent a little less than half OF
total pottery imports. We can,
conclude quite safely
that ten to twelve thousand addi-
tional workers would be required
to produce in this country all the
pottery that is consumed here.
However, we want to point oui
that we do not object to share Of
the market going to imports. We
the need of importing if
we are to export. What we do OBJ
ject to is the level of the competi
tion and its capture of constant
ly growing share of the market. II
imports took our market from Us
because foreign producers are more
have a better and more
attractive product and therefore
beat US technologically, or if THEN
workers outdid US in point of skill
industriousness and artisanship-|
that would be one thing.
"When, however, the foreign ad-
vantage lies almost wholly if not
completely in the fact that work
ers in other countries are paid less,
work longer hours and operate
under less favorable working con-
ditions, an entirely different set Of
is faced Competition
that gets its advantage from such
sources is unfair and the Labor
Committee Of the House is very
right in setting out to inquire into
this phase of foreign competition.
minimum wage legislation in
his country was recognized as nee
essary to assure minimum stand
ards of living. 1t was clear that
he employers who paid fair wages
could not long continue to do so if
his products had to compete in the