New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
New Tariff Bill
T0BeLaunched
Before Recess
Protection for Twenty Farm
Products Is Provided in
Measure TO BE Introduced
in the House Tomorrow
Passage Seems Doubtful
Hitchcock Prepares to Or
ganize Democrats in OPP
position; South Hostile

| WASHINGTON, Dec. 18.-The franz
ing of an emergency tariff designed TO
protect twenty farm products was
completed late to-day by the House
Wavs and Means Committee. The
measure probably will be presented to
the House Monday with request for
action on it the following day.
The bill was designated as the Ford
ney emergency tariff. AS drawn, it
would be effective for one year from
date Of passage.
The measure was agreed to after six
hours of discussion by the full mem
bership of the committee, which elected
to honor its chairman by giving the
bill his name. Mr.. Fordney will pre-
pare and introduce the formal draft.
The committee broadened the orgl-
nal project Of Senate and House lead
ers in Joint conference. The bill was
said to have been planned as COM
prehensive measure to shield aGrlcui-
turists from further price declines
Representative Young, Republican, OF
North Dakota, chairman Of the agrlcul-
ture subcommittee, indicated that w Ways
and Means Committee members would
urge its passage before the Christmas
recess.
Products to Be Protected
Products to which tariff protection
would apply and the rates agreed upon
under the committee bill are as fol-
lows:
Wheat, 80 cents bushel; wool in
the grease, Is cents pound; skirted.
20 cents a pound; mutton and lamb,
PA cents pound; cattle, 80 per cent
ad valorem; wheat -four 20 per cent
sheep, 81 head if under one year old,
and 81 head if over one year; onions,
40 cents bushel; peanuts, 2 cents a
pound; rice, cents q pound if cleaned,
and ! a cents pound if unclcaned;
potatoes, 25 cents q bushel long
staple cotton, 7 cents pound, and
cottonseed, cocoanut, peanut and soy
bean oils, 20 cents gallon.
The committee asked the Treasury
Department to compile schedule Of
rates on wool products which would be
equal to the rates applied to wool This
schedule is expected to be ready early
Monday for inclusion in the bill when
introduced, Mr.. Fordney announced.
Proposals to include sugar, hogs,
frozen beef, vegetable seeds. barley,
flax, butter, potato -four and potato
starch in the list were voted down.
For the most part, according to men,
bers, the committee voting showed five
opponents to the protcctionist measure
and never less than three. Representa-
tive Rainey, Democrat, Of Illinois, was
understood to have informed the COM
mttee that he would lead floor fight
against it.
Demands for inclusion of many man
ufactured products were made by sew
eral committee members, but leaders
said these probably would vote for the
bill on final passage.
Stormy Prospect for Bill
Pronounced symptoms that the bill
would encounter stormy seas and
probably fail developed to-day. Sen
ate Democrats began to indicate op-
position to any protection measure, AMI
ii this opposition increases as now IS
threatened, the proposed legislation
will be blocked.
Senator Hitchcock, in the absence Of
Minority Leader Underwood, called
meeting of the Democratic steering
committee for Monday morning to CON
| slider what course Should he taken in
regard to tariff or embargo legislation.
At the same time Senator n.-cAc OK
said he would oppose tariff legislation
on the ground that it would restrict
fere seriously with American exports
Senator Hitchcock represented the
administration in the fight for the
League Of Nations covenant, and his
action in calling a meeting Of the
Steering Committee was looked on in
many quarters as forcshadowiny ad-
ministration hostility to the cmer-
gency tariff legislation which is now
proposed for the protection Of agricul
tural interests. 1t was regarded as
forecastng veto, if the measure
Committee is considering should pass.
However, there were other signs of
Democratic opposition than the antag
onism of Senator Hitchcock.
Solid South Opposes Tariff
Senator Pat Harrison, of Missis-
sippi, declared the solid South would
not stand for protective tariff. Sen
ator Simmons said he would not give
his assent to any propo ed tariff lcgis-
lation until he knew whether it was
really emergency legislation. Senator
llcflin said there was more chance for
an embargo bill in the Senate than q
tariff bill.
The attitude of the Democratic Sen
ators was the more noteworthy in that
it was made known after they had re-
ceived kilograms from ]. S. Wana-
maker president of the American Cot
ton Association, urging duties on pea
nuts, copra and soya beans 1t was
stated in these kilograms, which went
to both Senators and House members,
that these products were entering from
the Orient and that oil made therefrom
was interfering with cottonsced oil and
also oil from Southern peanuts
Democratic Senators, it was dis
closed, were becoming suspicious
that a concerted move was on among
Republicans to commit them to a pro-
tectve tariff policy which would be
embarrassing when general revision
was attempted.
When the attitude Of the Democratic
Senator'S became known it was widely
looked on as meaning there was little
real prospect for an emergency tariff
law or embargo law this session.
While an embargo measure might pass
the Senate, House leaders have said
ono could not pass that body. House
Republicans are proceeding on n plan
to pass tariff measure and not an
embargo measure. and hence the ques-
tion Of the attitude Of Senate Demo
Gratis toward such a measure becomes
Of moment.
In the new Congress and in a
lengthy session the opposition Of Sen
ate Democrats would not be material,
or at least would not be controlling.
| But in n short epeSioO with rre.r,,rc