maintained essentially free-trade policies, now impose tariffs
and import controls on a great many products. Today, most
countries follow a protectionist policy although the degree of
protection, of course, varies greatly from country to country.
UNITED STATES TRADE POLICIES
During the past century, the United States has revised
tariff rates frequently, but, for the most part, has maintained
what amounts to a protectionist policy. Since the end of the
Civil War, Republican administrations generally have tried
to maintain or raise tariffs while Democratic administrations
have attempted to reduce import duties. Following World
War I, protectionist sentiment was particularly strong in Con-
gress. At that time, agricultural leaders, many of whom had
been against tariffs in previous years,, joined with industrial
leaders in demanding higher duties. As a result, Congress raised
tariffs twice within ten years, once in 1922 and again in 1930.
Tariff rates during the early thirties were the highest in the
history of this country. But in 1934, our high tariff policy was
reversed. Since the middle thirties, tariff rates have been cut
substantially; nevertheless, tariffs on many products are still
so high that foreign manufacturers cannot sell the things they
produce in this country.
At the present time, tariffs constitute only one of several
barriers to the entry of foreign goods into the United States.
For many industrial products, our complex tariff rate schedules
and antiquated customs procedures are even more of a barrier
than tariffs. In addition, quantitative restrictions and licensing
requirements have been imposed on a number of agricultural
commodities in recent years. Tariff quotas, for example, have
been applied to such products as cattle, butter, potatoes, sugar,
and wheat. Import licensing provisions have been used to limit
imports of fats and oils, rice, and peanuts. The federal govern-
ment is now authorized to impose restrictions on the entry of
practically any agricultural product whenever unrestricted im-
portation would interfere with farm price-support operations.
Within the next year, Congress will again be asked to make
a decision on our future trade policy. Obviously our congress-
men are not going to take seriously, at least at the present
time, any proposal which would involve abolishing all tariffs
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