Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-07-18
Harding Asks for Bargaining
Power if Duty Is
Imposed.
INCREASE MANY COSTS
Prices on Homes, Paving, Gas
and Other Items Would
Soar.
BULLETIN.
BULLETIN.
WASHINGTON, July 1s.-
The House voted this afternoon
to put oil on free list.

WASHINGTON, July 1S.-Presi.
dent Harding became the central
figure in the oil tariff wrangle in
the House this afternoon, when
Chairman Fordney Of the Ways and
Means Committee presented a let.
ter on the question from the Presi
dent.
The President in his letter opposed a
tariff on oil unless there is included IN
the bill a provision which would give the
chief executive bargaining powers" with
other nations to guard against retaIatory
measures.
Representative Byrnes, Democrat, South
Carolina, declared that the President had
written another letter on the tariff ques-
tlon which contained good Democratic
doctrine" He demanded that Fordney
/ read this letter. Fordney refused.
/ WOULD ENCOURAGE
I OIL DEVELOPMENT.
The Presidents letter dated June 30
was as follows:
MY Dear Mr.. Fordney:
Il understand that your committee
/ is very soon TO decide whether 20 in
/ clude a protective duty on crude oil
1 in the tariff bill to be reported TO the
/ House. I cannot refrain from express.
| ing the hope that your committee VIII
take note Of the foreign policy to
which we are already committed,
/ under which the Government IS doing
/ every consistent thing to encourage
! the participation Of American citizens
/ in the development Of the oil re-
] L.,
! course has been inspired by tho grow
/ ing concern Of our country over tho
supply Of crude oil TO with we may
/ turn for our future needs, not alone
/ for cur domestic commerce. but in
meeting the needs Of our Navy and
our merchant marine.
ITO levy a protective tariff on
crude petroleum now would he Mt varI-
0nce with all that has been done to
safeguard our future interests.
4 am not unmindful Of the oil in
dustry in our borders and must
cordially believe in its proper CON
sideration.
would It not be practicable to
provide for such protection in some
bargaining provision which may be
placed in the hands of the executive
so that We may guard against a
levying Of duties against US or the
imposition by other nations Of export
tariffs which are designed to hinder
the facilitation OF trade which is
essential to our welfare.
In the matter fscrude oil and in
the case of lumber. concerning which
we talked, our position will be the
stronger II the tariff levy is omitted
and authority is given the executive
to impose duty in appropriately
stated circumstances. / hope your
committee will find it consistent to
give consideration to these sugges-
tions.
"WARREN HARDING"
WOULD INCREASE
HOME GAS BILES.
"Gas bills will be Increased per cent
10 46,0O0,OO0 users Of gas in houses and
apartments If the proposed tariff on
crude oil is enacted into law" according
to J. B. Klumpp, Of Philadelphia, chair
man Of the oil committee American Gas
Association, protesting against the oil
schedule in the FOrdney bill.
THE American Gas Association" said
NIr. Klumpp, which represents 8, 400 pro
ducers Of manufactured gas In the United
States voices its opposition to the i'm
position of a tariff on petroleum, arti-
hciNl rs companies in the united States
used 26,0O0,0C0 barrels OF gas oil last year
in the manufacture Of gas. Since 1914, the
cost Of gas oil, the petroleum product
chiefly used, has enormously increased.
Less than a year ago we were told by
representatives OF the Oil industry that
the depletion Of the oil supply Of the
country was assuming suck PROPORTIONS
Continued on Page Two.)