New-York tribune., 1921-01-13
New Tariff Bill
Now Pledg ged
ByRepublicans
Fordney Tells Opponents
Workable Measure Can Be
Framed Despite the. Chaos
Throughout Europe
Many Urge Higher Rates
Say Foreign Manufacturers
Will Flood u. S. Markets.:
Exchange Is Big Problem

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.-Repubi-
can leaders in Congress purpose to
frame q workable permanent tariff law
despite the chaotic foreign exchange
situation and the uncertainties of for
eign labor conditions, Chairman Ford.
ney Of the House Ways and Means
Committee declared to-day during dis
cussion of a revision Of the Under.
wood act
Witnesses before the committee
called attention to what they described
as q concentrated effort on the part of
Europeans, especially English and Ger
mans, to rush their products to Amer
lea as means Of fastening a read
justment of adverse exchange rates.
The statements brought from Repre-
sentative Garner, Democrat, Of Texas.
a question rs to whether j, were nos
siblc at present 10 draft a law which
would meet future conditions, assum-
ing exchange rates would be restored
to an equilibrium within year or two.
Impossible, Says Manufacturer
II think it will be impossible" Fl. T..
Henry, manufacturer of Geneva, N.
T., replied, ito draft tariff that will
be workable under the present condi-
tlons. Future readjustments cannot be
forecast and rates that may be good
now will serve no purpose later on"
"You spoke parable there" said
Mr.. Carrier. "But our Republican
friends insist that we should 60 ahead.
They will attempt the impossible"
Mr.. Gamers statement was cut
short by Mr.. Fordney, who interjected: /:
I'VE stand on our declaration. It is
our plan to frame new tariff, and we
are going to do it. The exchange stu
ation. of course, presents difficulties,
but we think those can be surmount-
cd"
The colloquy ended, Mr. Fo-dney
asked the witness concerning rates
needed to block imports from Europe
Mr. Henry answered that none of the
firms in his trade had been able to
compute the rates required because of
the constant changes in exchange. He
added that none in America could fore
tell what the European labor market
OF the future would be, or whether the
foreign cost of production would con-
tlnue to decrease, IS is now indicate
Many Request Higher Tariff
Throughout the day a stream of wit
nesses, each of whom was allotted ten
minutes, flowed by the big semi-cir-
cular committee bench and requested
higher tariff rates, but few were able
to suggest specific duties for the rea-
sons mentioned by Mr.. Henry. AS a
rule they suggested only revival OF
the Payne-Aldrich tariff schedules
which they said ought to shield them
from "the ever increasing dumping OF
European manufactures on markets of
the United States"
Particular attention was given by
the witnesses to discussion Of the
rapid recovery Of German industries
from the wreckage Of the war. Those
industries, it was testified, have re-
cuperated more rapidly than American
business men had ever believed pos
sible, and the committee was urged to
prepare a barrier against tho inflow
anticipated.
G'aman labor have accepted the con-
ditions of their homeland as is histori-
cally true Of their race, the committee g
was told, and now are working, thou
sands in the most highly skilled
branches, at wages below those paid
prior to the war. The question Of
whether the pay of the workers would
ultimately go up or down was submit
ted to the committee for determination
IN the drawing OF new tariff Law,