Evening star., 1954-05-24
Troda and the Gross Roo,s
Tariff Issue Doesn't Excite
Weirton, Big Seller Abroad

worried about it one way or the
other-because they are strong.
This attitude Is perfectly ex-
emplifled by Thomas z. Millsop.
Weirton's 55-year-old. cigar
chewing, shirt-sleeved president.
who doubles also as president Of
National. He has been so busy
building UP the domestic market
that he hasn't had time to get
excited about overseas problems.
A World War ] Marine and
former millhand. who came to
Weirton looking for q job In
1927. "Tommillsop"- he Is
customarily identified around
here-aSserts with q mild exple-
tive: "If we don't get the busi-
ness abroad. Wen get 1t some
place else"
Asked for his views on the
Foreign Trade Agreements Act,
he responded: II wouldn't say
that it has helped. but there's no
place ! can see that it has hurt"
He thinks the administrations
trade program is worth consid-
ering." Period.
1--WE were doing business be-
fore these trade programs were
heard Of" he points out.
Mr.. Millsop. incidentally, was
an early Eisenhower backer, and
the only Eisenhower supporter in
an otherwise pro-Taft delega-
ton which the West Virginians
sent to the Republican conven-
ton in 1852.
He goes along with the Amer
ican Iron and Steel Institute in
advocating that any new trade
program protect domestic in
iustry from "such unfair meth
DDS of competition" as state
controlled exports and the prac-
tice of dumping" low-cost prod
ucts which are making them
selves felt here. He also agrees
that duties should be cut on
the import of items entering into
steel production.
But these are not burning is
sues so far as the Weirton ex-
ecutive is concerned, 1t Is clear.
A trade program, he philoso-
phizes, is mot just something
that you reach up and get out
of the air" He believes that only
as living standards abroad i'm
prove. and the demands for
goods increase correspondingly.
can global trade relationships be
satisfactory.
However. he insists quickly,
this is no plug for Point Four"
the program originated under
the Fair Deal for aiding unde-
veloped areas.
Having climbed from a job
less salesman to boss Of all Ma
tional's operations. Millsop it
too much of a rugged individ-
ualiSt for that.
In fact, it was the Weirton
type of rugged individualism"
that kept the town in the head
lines for much of the Roosevelt
and Truman administration as
Weirton Steel waged a some
times-uproarious and finally
successful fight to prevent the
unionization Of employees.
The Steelworkers Independent
Union-a company set-up-to-
day represents the workers, who,
accordfng to management, get
The highest wages in steel. with
a $13 daily minimum. Produc-
ton is at 95 per cent-a figure
far above the national average.
In the town of $4,000, more
than 80 per cent of the resi-
dents own their own homes, and
the two banks have deposits of
$274 million.
Mr.. Millsop,- who also Is the
energetic mayor Of Weirton, Is
responsible for the establishment
of q hospital and community
center that would shame those
Of many metropolitan areas. And
he has encouraged outside in
dustries which use tinplate to
locate in the town. which offers
free land sites.
This is the sort Of thing which
interests Mr.. Nillsop and Weir
ton-not the foreign trade pro-
gram.