WOOL FOR AMERICA

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 32, 8 February 1929, Page 12

WOOL FOR AMERICA

THIS QUESTION OF DUTIES

| United I'ress Association— By Electric l>ltirrapb—Copyrlelit. Australian I'roi* Association. WASHINGTON, Gth February. Requests for an increased duty on grades wool, including virtually the entire range of domestic'production,Were 1 made on behalf of farmers and ranchmen to-day at the Ways and Means Committee's tariff hearings. Some of the petitioners asked for a 36 per oent. duty on clean wool, and others for 40.

The spokesman for the wool process interests asked that there be added to the primary duties additional levies of 3 to 11 cents on account of scouring, carbonising, and "detainting," where these are done before importation. Representatives of the carpet manufacturers asked that the provision of the present law allowing the refunding oE duties on course carpet wools be expanded so that carpet-makers might draw free of duty on foreign supplies of other low-grade wools. Representatives of the carded woollen manufacturers asked that all duties bo placed upon a uniform ad valorem basis. The National Wool Growers' Association representative declared that domestic wool production hud increased 23 per cent, since the Fordney-Al'Cumbor Act was passed. "There is a grout possibility of a further increase. Provided stability is given to the industry production should overtake the requirements of the nation within <i decade, if protection is continued." This petitioner said the domestic production costs were "a lillle over 40 cents v lb for greasy and a little over a dollur for dean landed at Boston."

Other petitioner asked that the language of the law be made proof against the detent of its intent by Court interpretations and methods of determining the clean content of imported wool. They claimed that much wool had escaped full duties under the present law. The carded woollen representative said that the present 31 per cent, specific duty is the equivalent of 70 per cent, of thevalue of some low-grade clothing wools, and suggested that since little of this class was produced in the United States tho duty should be 24 cents a lb on so-called 24's and lower grades.