Protection
one of the theories concerning the best development of a country's industries by means of taxes levied for other than fiscal purposes.
Incidental protectionists protectionists deny and limited protectionists affirm the wisdom of levying tariff duties with the intention and purpose of protecting home industries. The limited protectionists would have the legislation of the state take particular cognizance of the char acter of the industries of the people, and would have the law enacted with constant reference to the encouragement of the weaker-generally the manufacturing-pursuits. doctrine of incidental protection is to "let alone" so far as the original purpose of legislation is concerned, but would at the same time so shape the tariff that a needed stimulus should be given to certain industries.
The limited protectionist agrees with the free-trader in assenting to the proposition that the original condition of industry is found in nature in the environment of the laborer, also that the necessity for a varied industry is so great, so important to the welfare and independence of a people, as to justify the deflection of human energies by law to certain pursuits which could not be profitably followed but for the fact of protection. This makes a reason for tariff legislation. The weaker industry lives and thrives by the side of the stronger and thus modifies the crude rules nature by the higher rules of human reason. The protectionist would keep in view the strength and dignity of the State and would be willing to incur temporary disadvantages for the sake of a permanent good.
The doctrine of high protection is that the assumptions of free trade are specious and false. The influence of man on his environment is so great as to make it virtually whatever the law of right reason would suggest, namely, that every nation should be independent. Its sovereignty and equality should be secured by every means short of injustice. In order that a State may be independent and able to make out for itself a great destiny, its industries must afford employment for all the talents and faculties of man, and yield products adapted to all his wants. To devote the energies of a people to those industries only which are suggested by the situation or environment is to make a man a slave to nature instead of nature's master.
Not only should every state, but every community, be made comparatively independent. Every community should be able, by its own industries, industries, to supply at least the larger part of its own wants.
This cannot be accomplished in any other way than by the legal protection of those industries which do not flourish under the action of merely natural laws. In ternal trade is, according to this doctrine, the principal thing, and commercial intercourse with foreign states a matter of secondary or even dubious advantage. If the price of the given home product be not sufficient to stimulate its production in such quantities as to meet all the requirements of the market, then that price should be raised by means of gis legislation, and raised again and again, home manufacture be supplied in its till the foreign trade shall cease, and place.
PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN, a league composed of over 25,000 American volunteers, formed in March, 1917, to aid the Government in putting down sedition and espionage.
Mr. A. Briggs was made chairman of the volunteer auxiliary. The first working unit of the league was organized in Chicago, with Mr. Frey as its head. The association was built on military lines; every large city forming a division; each division made up of several districts, with a captain over each unit. The executive control was centralized in a Board of National Directors, whose PROTECTOR PROTEST headquarters were at Washington, D. C. those proteins having, in combination, The league co-operated with the De- other groups, such as carbohydrates, partment of Justice, Red Cross, Y. W. phosphorus, etc., and including the C. A., Army Intelligence, Navy In- nucleoproteins, glycoproteins, hæmoglotelligence, Alien Property Custodian, bins, phosphoproteins and lecithoproteins. Shipping Board, Food Administration, C. Derived Proteins, consisting of Jewish Welfare Board, and various other organizations.