Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-05
Five Men on Commission.

1t provides for a commission of five
1pen, at a salary of $500 year. TO be
appointed by the President and confirmed
by the Senate In the original commits
sion the members are TO serve for a term
of two, three, four, FIVE. and six years,
respectively. and thereafter the appoint
ments are to be for the full term of six
years The President is to designate the
respective terms and to name the chair
man.
1T is further provided that not more than
three Of the five commissioners shall be
members of the same political party. TIE
commission is given power to appoint a
secretary and other employees and to fix
their compensation with the furthe pro-
vision. in order TO give the commission
as free hand as possible. in ohtainin.
expert information, that these employees
shall not be subject to the civil service
regulations. except as TO clerks. stenoS-
rapheTs, messengers and other employees
Of similar grades.
The principal Office of the commission
Is TO be in the Treasury Department at
Washington The commission is given
tions at any other place. either in tie
United States or foreign countries.
Duties Briefly Enumerated.
The duties Of the commission are pro-
vided for in sections :: and 1. While
much simpler and bIiefer than the sub
jects relating to this subject in otner bills.
these sections will fully define, ia nay
judgment. all the duties which the tariff
commission should perform.
These duties are, in general. to inyes-
tgate the cost OF production Of all ar
ticles. both here and abroad. which may
be made the subject of tariff legislation
and especially with reference to the
lab bnr he- ~
and for iaw materials entering into the
manufactured articles. and the condition
Of domestic and foreign markets as they
AFFECT American products, together with
all other facts which may be helpful to
Congress in providing proper rates of
duty.
They are also to report TO the Presi-
dent. whenever he directs, Information
as to the effect OF tariff rates or ex-
actions or regulations imposed by for
eign countries upon our products. to as
s:st him I'm the application of the maxi
mum and minimum tariff and other ad-
ministrative provisions of the customs
laws
The commission is given the usual gem
eral powers by the LongwOrth bill. The
power to punish any person for failure to
appear or produce evidence is reserved
for Congress. the power of the commits
sion in that regard being confined to a
full report Of the matter to Congress.
Valuable Results Looked For.
1t is believed that much of the infor-
nation which will prove most valuable
to Congress will be acquired through the
means of statements made confidentially
to the commission. on the understanding
that the names of those giving the in
formation will not be made public. and
therefore cannot be taken advantage of
by business competitors.
The results Of the Investigations of the
commission are to be made in the form
of reports, and submitted either to the
President or to Congress. when called for
by either. There is a further provision
which gives to the tariff committees Of
the House and Senate the right to sum-
mon the commission to appear before
them.
In general. the purpose of the bill is
stated to be TO establish permanent
tariff commission, which shall have all
the powers Of the present tariff board.
and in addition. further powers for the
purpose of making it thoroughly eff
cient body, and to give it every proper
facility for conducting its Investigations.