Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-22
BY HERBERT BRATTER

I
eign policy. former Ambassador
George F. KEENAN, finds that
"selfishness and shortsighted-
ness ride supreme" between
/ wars, A case in point Is the
current clamor by textile and
other interests to limit imports
| OF cheap Japanese goods. such
as cotton fabrics and blouses,
which have been arriving in
mounting quantities.
Before World War II we
brought economic pressure on
Japan by quotas and gentle
mems agreements" limiting
their shipments here. Later
these were supplemented by
limitation Of our exports OF
strategic commodities to ia
pan. When Japan turned
toward the Asiatic mainland
we sought to checkmate her
there as well. The Japanese
answered ut Pearl Harbor.
Have We really learned any
thing from that experience?
United States textile spokes-
men view with alarm the
growth Of imports from Japan
from i.5 million yards of cloth
In 1852 to an estimated 75.9
million yards in 1855. Not
only piece were i'm
ported, but sheets, pillowslips,
blouses and other items, the
products OF t'low wage rates
and elasticity of operating
hours Against the imports,
says the American Cotton
Manufacturers Institute, our
weakened tariffs are of little
avail. Although Japan has
voluntarily undertaken to limit
future exports and to avoid
price cutting, our industry in
sists that the Government
impose strict quotas.
Two Per Cent Impoct
A recent survey Of 20 Amer
lean industries indicates that
the most prosperous Of all has
been textiles and apparel,
Since Japanese goods, even ut
the present rate Of imports.
equals only about two per cent
OF total United States textile
output. the manufacturers de-
manding import quotas obyi-
ously are more concerned with
the future than the present
japanese competition.
Two questions are posed by
the clamor for quotas. First. is
the injury caused by imports
OF Japanese textiles ana ap-
parel such that a sympathetic
nation should give that inuus
try greater protection? Second,
II we rigidly restrict japanese
earnings in this market will
the economic consequences on
Japan in turn have political
consequences that may DE even
more costly to this nation?
The cheap Japanese labor
argument so often heard can
be taken with a grain Of salt.
Back in 1887. when similar
fears Of japanese trade COM
petition swept the United
States textile industry, DR..
Claudius Murchison, now eco
nomic adviser Of the American
Cotton Manufacturers Insti-
tute. negotiated in Japan q
far reaching "gentlemen's
agreement" that limited Japa-
nese textile exports. Then, to
correct some false notions, -"
he pointed out that lit is not
generally true that the jap
anese industry operates at ex-
cessively long hours and with
out recognition of customary
days Of rest. :. We derived no
impression that they (the
workers. were subjects Of aex-
ploitation. In our COM
petition with the Japanese tex
tile industry we are not COM
peting with labor exploitation
or with lower living standards.
! have undergone an in
tensive educational process"
That was in 1897. Since then
japanese labor unions have
learned a lot from us. The
workers standards have i'm
proved. In 1854 per capita real
income in Japan was So per
| cent above prewar. We fear
Japan's cheap labor" but the
country with the cheapest la
Dor In the world per unit OF
output is the United States.
which helps explain why SO
many countries raise tariff bar
riers against our goods.
Third Best Customer
Japanese workers produc-
tivity in textiles. according to
japanese data. Is less than halt
that here; In farming. a third
to a half; in steel and electric
power, a fourth; and in coal
mining only a tenth.
In considering imposition OF
quotas on Japanese textiles
a step which. incidentally,
would certainly stimulate de-
mands for quotas on various
other import items-the Ma
ton looks at more than just