The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-02
M M'CUMbER STANDS
 ALONE IN DEFENSE
 OF FORDNEY BILL
Whether Tariff Measure Will Be Sidetracked or Consider ation Continued Will Be
 Decided Today
By Associated Press

ator McCumber, republican North Dakota, as it's only consistent defender in the debate, the Fordney emergency tariff blll went through another se- ries of hard knocks in the Senate to- day, opponents of the measure accept ing every opportunity to attack it.
 Whether the bill will be side tracked Or consideration continued under linn itation of debate will be decided to- morrow when the Penrose resolution for cIoture comes to vote. The most ardent supporters of cloture and or the bill admitted tonight that defeat of the resolution to limit future speeches on the bill was inevitable They conceded that opponents of clo- ture would control from to 10 votes more shan would be necessary to de- feat the resolution
 Talks Of cloture, however, caused a deluge ct amendments, especially after Vice President Marshall had ruled that all amendments must be sub mitted ana read before the vote for cloture. Those who wanted changes in the bill, therefore, began loading 1t down and demanding that they be read.
 CRITICIZES SENATE
 Then there was the declaration of Senator Townsend, republican, Michi- gan, that h proposed to call up. the postoffice appropriation bill for com sideratIon immediately after the clo : ture vote. He criticized the Senate for wasting time when important leg islation was pending and challenged opponents of the Fordney measure co continue filibustering against "legti- mate legislation and take the conse- |quence."
 MT. Townsend's statements preci- pitated heated debate in which half score of senators participated. It was the first day in which the bill actually was to the fore in all dis cussion, and it's enemies picked flaws in every item. Although Senator Thomas, democrat Colorado, delivered "a lengthy speech against it. the full force of the attack developed after ward and continued until the Senate recessed.
 Senator Harrison, democrat, Missis- sippi, entered the fray and answered the Townsend challenge with the ac- cusation that the republican leader ship was attempting ito gag and ham string the minority and throw the burdens of the bill on the people with out a ~fuil and free discussion." He said the republicans, with the excep- tion of MT. McCumber, had not spoken wor-s in behalf of the bill and that the North Dakota senator had dis cussed only the wheat rates.
 STATISTICIANS INCLUDED
 Senate statisticians also got into the discussion. Senators Simmons of North Carolina and Walsh of Massachusetts, both democrats, produced figures to show the effect of the hill on living costs if it became a law. MT. Walsh based his calculations on the popula- tion of his state and declared passage of the measure meant an additional tax of $50 per family or approximately sS5, 100000 on the people of Massachu- setts during the measure's life of ID months He said it would add ap proximately $116 to the budget of each family of six for every week. The items he mentioned on which the cost would be increased included wheat, beans, sugar meat, butter milk, cheese, rice, potatoes and onions
 Senator Simmons presented figures to show that the nation would be taxed something like $500, ,O00,00O by the rate of 40 cents bushel on wheat in the 10-month period. He said mo- body could estimate what 1t would cost the entire nation on all of the IS items protected by the original measure. but made the guess that it WOulu De nlSner than $l,VUV,VVV,VVV.
 Senator Harrison also charged that supporters of the bill were not look ing at the side of the picture showing the increased living costs He picked out individual items such as shoes and sugar. computed the increase allowed by the bill and queried supporters of the measure as to what amount the retailers would add as result of the tariff rates
 %r1. : ..rsf Ts~x Canada and South American countries would follow enactment of the bill, Senator Harrison declared.
 Answering Senators Townsend anl Harrison, Senator McCumber said he did not believe President Wilson would veto the bill and argued that farmers receiving 50 cents day for their labor should be entitled to relief even at the expense of working men receiving S8 daily