AMERICAN TARIFF.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19610, 4 May 1929, Page 16

AMERICAN TARIFF.

SHOULD THE DOMINIONS RETALIATE? %a\7 inlanders are well aware or rile orie-sldednens which characterise* the trad* relations of this Dominion and the United States. We spend millions annually in the purchase of American goods, and so soon as there seems a likelihood that our exports to that eountry may really amount to something there is an outcry for a tariff that would be virtually prohibitive. Precisely the same situation exists in Canada, and it ia dealt with trenchantly by "Politlcue," a writer in the "Vancouver Daily Province." He says:— "The figures for 1928 reveal Canada as havinj purchased '240,000,000 dollars more of goods from the people of the United mates than we sold to them. Tho actual figures which show this enormous balance in favour of the American Republic are at follows: — Exports to United States, almost •tS0|O0O,t)O0; imports from that eor.nfcry, about 719,000,000 dollars. "In addition to this heavy balance lvalue* us we are now informed thnt about 147,000,000 dollars worth of our exports to the United States is likely to b$ shut out or seriously decreased. Th;\t weans we have to find 240 plus 147, or no less than 387 millions of dollars to pay for what we buy from the United States of America. We must •lther notiny this seller that we shall take steps to trade elsewhere or without notification, follow the example of this seller, and so trim our tariff and eur treaties, that onr business people and ear consumers will buy where they etn make better terms.

"There It, or may be very shortly, real occasion to take well-considered steps to reduee oar buyers and our consumers to go to countries where they can not only purchase their requirements, but do this on some reasonably reciprocal basis. In Canada we art in a position to-day to bargain because of our purchasing power (phenomenal in proportion to population), yet we go oh buying Yankee goods and trading with these business people on their terms.

"Ths pres«t President of ths United States leavts as no doubt M to the American attitude. Ho puts it very tersely: 'Two very Important policies hare been adopted by this country, which, while extending their benefits alao in other directions, have been of the utmost importance % to the wageeanieri. One of these is the protective tariff, which enables our people to live acording to a better standard, and to reeetre » better rate of compensation thaw people, at any time, anywhere on the ea*th ever enjoyed. This saves the American •workmen." And again, and this is verv significant in the present juncture: "Wo have built agriculture iquorely into the structure of our pro-tf'-tlve *"stt'tn, find the American farmet must not be undersold at home by Xew Zealand mutton, Argentine beef, Canadian wheat, Danish butter, Bulgarian tobacco, Chineeo eggs or Cuban sugar.' "Thero is no misunderstanding these declarations. It all resolves itself into a question of proper propaganda to educate Canadians in regard to their best business interests. At the same time it is an opportunity to take steps to increase trade within the Empire. At present we are exporting to Great Britain far more than we import from there. Britain has investments in •'•fM.jwhi amntuitiiir to 2,334,364,000 deOws, and this country has IW.OUU.OOO unvested in th« Old Land. 'fall la soother bond of business union, another reason for the cultivation of a larger commerce within the Empire. ''Surely it is high time for greater efforts to make us In Canada independent of the sudden chan *~* in tariff so common at Washington. Our business men, our farmers, our lumbermen, spend time and money In building up a trade with this great republic to the sent*, only to waits up some morning *•> find that this market aftd this trade fesß heen closed tsj as,"