U.S. ATTITUDE TO IMPORTS OF WOOL

Chronicle (Levin), 28 March 1946, Page 8

U.S. ATTITUDE TO IMPORTS OF WOOL

WELCOMED IN BRITAIN LONDON, March 26. The wool industry in Britain wel comes the nevvs that the United State> authorities have declared against the quota liinitation of'wool imports into Anierica as reeoirimended by sectiony of the American woolgrowers. The opinion of the trade here is that the worJd commerce in . wool would have received a serious blow liad the United States adopted any quantitative liinitation of imports and there is gratilication that the United States authorities indicate a desire for closer, rather than more distant, commercial relations tvith the great wooi exporting | eountries. The iSenate Commission set up to j consider the marketing of United j States home-grown vvool — arising ou1 ' of the fact that the duty paid on im- \ ported wools is cheaper than United I Htates doniestie vvool — received coii ] flicting evidenee. Some sectious urged i that wool imported into America j rihould be made still dearer, either by higher tarilt's or import quotas, but I btliers urged that the doniestie wool j prices be Jowered to make them com petitive witlr imported wool. The United States G-overnment has decided tha't it vvill be better for it toi absorb the losses on doniestie wool rather than raise additionai barriers against imports, and points out that the fonner course is more eonsistent j with the United States foreign eeo- : nomic policy. It, fherefore, proposes j legislation whieh will eontinue the re- ! cent subsidies to United States vvool- ! grovvers for two years from the close I of the war and until the downward trend in the United States sheep population is ehecked. Paymen't to Growers. The legislation vvill authorise payments to the grovvers as an alternative to ioans or purchases of stocks b}' the Commodity Credit Corporation and the administration hints that other meth- ! ods may be adopted later, "so as to remove the Govermnent in so far as possible from participation in the wool business. ' ' Signilicance is attached in trade cireles in Bradford to the statement that the United States authorities are prepared to develop an international vvool agreement with interested foreign Goveriimeiits to provide for eoordination in world vvool marketing and price poiicies from the standpoints of the j producers, consumers and international trade, and will inguire into the vvilling- I ness of other Governments to partici- | pate in sueh an undertaking. The view I in Bradford is that this represents ai new departure in the United States! vvbol policy whieh hitherto has been something quite separate from that of j riiost other eountries, in as niueh as ! United States high wool production j costs vvere responsible for thr high im- j VV. Bryant 1, Mrs. W. Bryant 2; fruit ; l.jaf, no yeast, .Mrs. Scott 1; jam tarts, j Mrs. \v. Bryant 2; sfiu.sage rolls. Mrs. R. I port duties on ali foreign apparel ' wools. - " • •* j Orderly Scheme. j The indications are that the United ! States is much interested in an orderl;, I marketing scheme for British Enipire J wool, and, as America holds a surplus i of doniestie wool equal to oue vear'si United States production, she has a ! problem somewhat similar, though by i no means of the same size. The willing- j ness of the United States to cooperate ' with other eountries in matters all'ect- ' ing the marketing of wool and selling! poiicies is vvelcomed in trade cireles in Bradford as holding a promise of new and closer eooperation with Anierica 111 tliese matters and traders hope that the possibilities will be fully explored.