JAPANESE GOODS.

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 25, 29 July 1933, Page 10

JAPANESE GOODS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —May I be allowed space to comment upon the letter signed 'Tairpky" m tonight* "Post"-? 14m wondering if the wiiter of t]ie letter had his tongue in his -iheck* when, after placing his pioposals m ■writing, he signed himself "Fairplay." He states that to place a protective tanff upon Japanese, goods would cause Japan to retaliate with taiiffs against us. Having realised that the Japanese would probably use this method 6£ returning good for evil, tbe writer then had the audacity to buggest'that a law be passed to pi event Japanese goods being retailed at less than "just slightly under the price Of British and local goods." "Fairplay." no doubt reasons that this "just slightly under" -would not be a tariff or that the. .Japanese with their lower reasoning powers when compared to ourselves would not see the motive behind this masterpiece of subterfuge, and so would not take any preventive measures against; us. "Fairplay" then states 'that this would allow our distributors to reap Ihe benefit oi\ a huge profit. I would like to point out to th,e writer that this could only be done at the expense o£ the consumer, and also that it is in economics always stated that the distributors, industries, etc., are, or should be, the "servants of the consumers." It is the public as the consumers who give the demand for goods, and should be allowed fair play to decide what they intend to purchase and the price they intend to pay. In conclusion I would point out to "Fairplay" that the only way in which we can compare wage values, or return for labour, between one country and another, is not in money value^ but in the comparison of purchasing value. All actions to increase' tariffs only lessen our purchasing power, while reduction of tariffs increases our purchasing power.— I am, etc., ■» , • . . , ■ ; B. SANE.