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Show lliTOSlO TIFF BOARD OMAN Commissioners Expected to Study Effect of War on Industrial and Trade Relations of U. S. WASIMNUTOX, Julv L'S.-Ono of tho first tasks assigned to tho taritT commission com-mission to lo created by t ho ponding rovonno bill may bo a tour of Knropeun countries, including the belligerents, to study tho cllYct of tlio war ou industrial indus-trial ami trade relations of the United states and to report particularly infor mation which miyht aid in the adjustment adjust-ment of tariff duties to meet conditions likely to follow the restoration of peace. Administration crucial? let it bii known that the plan to send the proposed pro-posed eoni mission abroad was boin seriously considered in making public today to-day a letter from President Wilson to Samuel M. Hastings of Chicago, president presi-dent of the 1 lliuois Manufacturers ' association, as-sociation, in reply to a telegram from the associat ion surest in t hat a spc cial commission bo appointed to visit all foreign nations to investigate economic conditions juid trade opportunities. Will Carry Out Provisions. The president said whether the moment mo-ment to act upon the sueMiun was opportune op-portune was open to serious question, out that when circumstances justified it he intended to take advantage of the revenue bill's provision for investigation investiga-tion by the tariff commission. The letter let-ter in part follows: It was with real interest and appreciation ap-preciation That I recen ed your suggestion sug-gestion for t lie appointment of a coin-mission coin-mission to isit the helhcvrent nations na-tions for the purpose of studying the means wheiebv closer economic relations rela-tions niiiit be brousht about with the United Slates ami Europe. The general idea underlying your suggestion sugges-tion had for a long time been much in my thoughts. Whether this is the opport uno moment to net upon it, however, is open to serious question. Let me say that, when the circumstances circum-stances justify it. I shall take advan-tace advan-tace of that provision of the Hainey bill under which the prt-ddent is authorized au-thorized to dire-'t an examination or investigation by the tariff commission commis-sion of trade relations between the United Stales and foreign countries, including the conditions, causey an 1 effects of the competition of foreign industries with those of t lie Unite) States. Facts Are Necessary. After all. what we are interested In is to ascertain all the facts surrounding surround-ing our economic life and to disconnect discon-nect a fundamental thing like the fisi al policy cf the government with regard to duties on Imports from party policies. We shall strive to do this through the Instrumentality of a permanent, per-manent, r on -partisan commission composed of i able and xperieneed men. so that when the farts are one obtained the handling of our tariff -question may no longer be made the foot hall of politics. It ought to be possible by such means to make the question of duties merely ft question of pn nress and development, a question ques-tion of adapting means to ends, of facilitating and helping business and employing to the utmost the resources of the country In a vast development of our business and enterprise. Throueh the federal trade commission, commis-sion, which substitutes the milder process of helpful counsel for tiio harsh process of the law. we already , have, for the first time, a compilation of t he trust laws of t he world, to-" get iier with a complete analysis of the manner In which foreign governments gov-ernments entourage their business enterprises and associations. A committee com-mittee of representatives has under discussion a bill to permit co-operation among American manufacturers and business men exclusively for export ex-port trade, so that American enterprises enter-prises may be able to meet more sue. cessfully the organized competition with which they are face to face in international markets. Work of the Consuls. In addition to the information gathered gath-ered and s stemailzed by the federal trade commission bearing upon foreign for-eign and domestic commercp, our consular representatives and commercial commer-cial attaches abroad have kept us well supplied with information relative rela-tive to the cha nging business condl-itons condl-itons and the new financial processes which are proceeding with unusual rapidity, but it w ill be the privilege and function of the tariff commission to obtain and collate in an even more systematic way the information which is desired as a basis for oiflr future action. i We have not been accustomed to ! the large world of international husi-ness. husi-ness. hut it is evident that we must get acquainted with it immediately. America already is establishing new industries. Some of these,, like the dyestuffs industry, for example, are old and well established in Europe and have leen for generations. The study of such industries, their w-ages and their general organization with reference to economy and efficiency of operation cannot fail to be helpful to the business men of the United States and to the people In general. |