Copper Exporters, Inc., 26 Broadway, New York City.

Pipe Fittings & Valve Export Association, 1421 Chestnut Street, Philadel

Douglas Fir Exploitation & Export phia. Co., Henry Building, Seattle.

Plate Glass Export Corporation,

Durex Abrasives Corporation, 63 Grant Building, Pittsburgh. Wall Street, New York City.

Redwood Export Co., 405 Montgom

Electrical Apparatus Export Associa-ery Street, San Francisco. tion, 541 Lexington Avenue, New York City.

Export Petroleum Association, Inc., 67 Wall Street, New York City.

Export Screw Association of the United States, 23 Acorn Street, Providence, R. I.

Florida Hard Rock Phosphate Export Association, Savannah Bank & Trust Building, Savannah, Ga.

General Milk Co., Inc., 19 Rector Street, New York City.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Export Co., 1144 East Market Street, Akron, Ohio. Grapefruit Distributors, Inc., Davenport, Fla.

Inter-America Exporters, Inc., Broadway, New York City.

11

Metal Lath Export Association, 47 West Thirty-fourth Street, New York City.

Rubber Export Association, 19 Goodyear Avenue, Akron, Ohio.

Shook Exporters Association, Stahlman Building, Nashville, Tenn.

Signal Export Association, 74 Trinity Place, New York City.

Standard Oil Export Corporation, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City.

Steel Export Association of America, 75 West Street, New York City.

Sugar Export Corporation, 120 Wall Street, New York City.

Sulphur Export Corporation, 420 Lexington Avenue, New York City.

Textile Export Association of the United States, 40 Worth Street, New York City.

United States Alkali Export Association, Inc., 11 Broadway, New York City. United States Handle Export Co., Piqua, Ohio.

Walnut Export Sales Co., Inc., Twelfth Street and Kaw River, Kansas

Northwest Dried Fruit Export Association, Title & Trust Building, Port-City, Kan. land, Oreg.

Walworth International Co., 60 East

Pacific Flour Export Co., care of Forty-second Street, New York City. Fisher Flouring Mills Co., Seattle.

Pacific Forest Industries, Tacoma

Building, Tacoma, Wash.

Western Plywood Export Co., Tacoma Building, Tacoma, Wash.

Wood Naval Stores Export Associa

Phosphate Export Association, 393 tion, 1220 Delaware Trust Building, Seventh Avenue, New York City. Wilmington, Del.

TRUST LAWS AND UNFAIR COMPETITION IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES

Under section 6 (h) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Commission notes the following measures involving trust laws and unfair competition in foreign countries:

Argentina.-A new grain act was passed in September 1935. Fixing of minimum prices will continue, as will fixing of basic prices at which the grain board will purchase from producers for resale to exporters at world prices. A corporation of meat producers was formed by the Government in January 1935, extending export markets and thereby raising internal prices. Other boards and commissions are in operation for the sugar, wine, dairy, cotton, and yerbe mate industries. Decree of November 26, 1935, provided new

regulations for unfair advertising in labels, containers, wrappers, literature, and radio announcements.

Australia.-Benefit payments were made to growers during the year under the Wheat Growers Relief Act and the Wheat Bounty Act, part of the amount having been derived from a sales tax on flour. A compulsory pool and a commonwealth marketing system are under consideration. The Dairy Products Act, consolidating various export levies, assured producers of a domestic price above export parity.

Austria.-The Government's price-raising program, effective in 1935, was modified in 1936 by a new policy including a plan to dissolve the antiprice-cutting courts, and active attempts to lower the price of foodstuffs.

Belgium.-Under a decree dated January 13, 1935, providing for regulation of production and distribution by cartels or trade associations, a number of industries have entered into agreements to prevent the creation of new means of production or the enlargement of existing plants. A law effective on January 7, 1935, created a national coal office to control production and fix prices. A decree of February 26, 1935, supplemented that of December 23, 1934, to curb sales of stock, and a decree of July 9, 1935, created a banking commission which will also control issuance of securities.

Brazil. The Minimum Salary Act, January 14, 1936, provided for commissions to be set up in regional districts for the purpose of determining minimum wages. Law No. 178, January 9, 1936, regulated sales of sugarcane by planters to mill owners. Other control organizations include the national coffee department and the cocoa institute.

Bulgaria.-The Industrial Law of October 12, 1935, gives governmental authority to control industrial expansion, to forbid erection of new plants, or check renovation and expansion of established enterprises in industries which are deemed to have reached the saturation point. A ministerial order published November 13, 1935, amends the law regarding trade and industrial names, and prescribes detailed rules for the marking of piece goods, to avoid misrepresentation.

Canada. In addition to the Trade and Industry Commission Act, the Economic Council Act, and the Wheat Act, referred to in the Commission's last annual report, Canadian legislation in 1935 included: The Relief Act, Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act, Social Insurance Act, Fair Wages and Hours of Labor Act, Minimum Wages Act, Fisherman's Loan Act, Dominion Housing Act, Exchange Fund Act, Fruit, Vegetables, and Honey Act, and an Act to Provide for Limiting the Hours of Work in Industrial Undertakings.

The following laws were amended in 1935: The Combines Investigation Act, the Companies Act, section 498A of the Criminal Code, the Natural Products Marketing Act, Precious Metals Marking Act, Canadian Farm Loan Act, Farmers' Creditors Arrangement, Customs Tariff Act, Patent Act, Public Works Construction Act, Live Stock and Live Stock Products Act, and Weights and Measures Act. The Economic Council Act of 1935, and section 98 of the Criminal Code dealing with unlawful associations were repealed in 1936.

In decisions rendered by the Supreme Court of Canada in June 1936, the Farmers' Creditors Arrangement Act and the 1935 amendments to section 498A of the Criminal Code were held valid; the Dominion Trade and Industry Commission Act was upheld in part; the Natural Products Marketing Act and the Social Insurance Act were held invalid. As to the Minimum Wages Act, the Limitation of Hours of Work Act, and the Weekly Rest in Industrial Undertakings Act, the vote of the justices was three to three. Appeal may be taken to the Privy Council in London.

Royal Commissions were appointed in 1936 to investigate the textile industry and the importation and distribution of anthracite coal. A code of fair competition and business practice for the retail trade, effective in Alberta in 1936, included labor provisions and price fixing, and prohibited the use of loss leaders, the giving of gratuities or secret rebates, false advertising, misleading statements, and other unfair methods.

Colombia.-Law No. 87, 1935, established a section in the Ministry of Industry and Labor to promote industrial activities and the establishment of new industries.

Cuba. The Law against Clandestine Industries and Commerce, August 21, 1935, declared illegal and punishable by fine the operation of industries and commerce which involve manufacture or sale without complying with certain provisions. Law No. 165 of 1935 and decree laws No. 52 of 1935 and No. 825 of 1936, provided for a National Board of Trade representative of business interests and governmental offices. Decree Law No. 822, April 13, 1936, provided for a National Technical Fertilizer Commission to regulate the importation, manufacture, and sale of fertilizers, and fertilizer materials.

Czechoslovakia.-The Industrial Law passed in 1935 required industries to remain in production unless authorized by Government to close. A business that is operating at a profit will not be permitted to close and thereby add to the unemployment problem. A decree effective on May 9, 1935, Law No. 251 of December 22, 1935, and Decree No. 70 of March 27, 1936, regulated single-price stores, prohibited change in location or establishment of new stores, and limited

the products that may be sold. A law defining installment sales and setting forth the rights of the parties was passed in 1935. The Grain Monopoly Act, effective July 13, 1935, continued the monopoly created by law in 1934, which controls the purchase and sale of all domestic and foreign grain, including also flour and mill products. A bill for revision of the Cartel Act was introduced in 1936. On May 1, 1936, there were 787 agreements in operation on the cartel register.

Denmark. The Danish Grain Law, August 3, 1935, imposed taxes on certain grain imports, the proceeds to be used for agricultural aid. This act was amended on April 7, 1936.

Dominican Republic.-Law No. 929, June 21, 1935, regulated the hours of work in commerce and industry.

Ecuador.-Decree No. 209, issued in March 1936, established a control board to regulate fruit exports and imposed export taxes to be used in aid of domestic production. A National Economic Council to coordinate governmental policy was created by executive decree in 1935. Similar councils are functioning in Colombia, Chile, Mexico, and Peru.

Egypt. Decree Law No. 108, September 19, 1935, established surtaxes on imports to compensate for exchange dumping.

Estonia.-Under the Control of Industry Law, April 1, 1936, the Minister of Economic Affairs is authorized to exercise a wide control over all types of industries, in order to prevent unfair competition and to safeguard economic interests. Existing plants may not be extended or new plants established without license from the Ministry.

France. A series of decrees signed in July and August 1935 included provisions for price control, agricultural encouragement, foreign-trade control under a quota system, investment safeguards, banking regulations, and other trade measures. Further decrees in October 1935 provided for various administrative reforms, including: Modification of company legislation; amendments to regulations for the stock and commodity markets; control of the manufacture and sale of gas-protection apparatus; reduction of the bounty allowed spinners; provisions for the fixing of maximum prices for essential foodstuffs in the colonies; requirement that enterprises holding concessions or receiving subsidies must utilize French vessels only; various modifications of the wheat-control legislation, including withdrawal of the bounty on exports, withdrawal of the tax on wheat used in the manufacture of flour, special reductions in land leases and interest rates on farm loans, reductions in fertilizer prices, and provisions for confiscation of wheat surplus in an effort to reduce the production of wheat. The building of new flour mills and increase in grinding capacity are prohibited.

A decree law on October 30, 1935, authorized a compulsory industrial agreement for the silk manufacturing industry, if subscribed to by two-thirds of the manufacturers representing three-fourths of the means of production; but a vote in the industry on December 1 failed to obtain the required support. A bill for the compulsory cartellization of the spinning industry was introduced in December 1935. A decree for the control of production of naval stores was published on March 29, 1936. A law dated March 22, 1936, prohibited the opening of new shoe stores or factories, or change in size, increase, or displacement of plants during 2 years, without authority of the Minister of Commerce and Industry. A law of March 22, 1936, prohibited the establishment of new one-price stores during the period of 1 year; stores already established are prohibited from creating new departments for the sale of one-price merchandise, or from establishing new branches.

Germany.-Industry has been organized into groups under the guild principle. Cartel supervision has been intensified, agreements are subject to consent of the Minister of Economics; more compulsory cartels have been formed. Prices of goods produced from foreign raw materials are regulated by the Government. Special supervision of prices by the Price Commissioner has been removed. Production may be regulated by decrees on a quota basis.

Regulations forbid dismissal of workers, expansion of existing plants, or erection of new plants, without authorization.

As part of the Reichs Food Estate, numerous associations are operating under control of the Minister of Agriculture, with authority to regulate production, sale, prices, and price spreads of agricultural products, including processed goods. Special privileges, credits, and subsidies have been granted to producers of some agricultural products. Export subsidies are raised by levies on industry, the wholesale trade (including imports), and on agricultural products.

The land reform movement has continued, including division of large estates, reclamation of waste lands, and operation of the inheritance tax law under which Government authorization must be obtained for mortgage, sale, or division of land. Foreign trade is conducted largely through clearing, payment, or barter agreements. Exchange was under control of the Minister of Economics until April 1936 when authority of the Prime Minister over foreign exchange and raw materials was announced. A number of decrees and ordinances have been issued regulating advertising.

Great Britain.-Under the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, amended in 1933, regulations were in effect in 1936 for market control of hops, fluid milk, pigs, bacon, and potatoes; restriction of imports was applied to certain meat products, fat cattle, processed milk,