Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1921-03-25
HARDING CABINET
IN LONG SESSION
Believed That President and Ad-
Wsers Want Farmers Tariff.
ALARMED OVER SITUATION
Chief Executive and His Official Fam.
ily Hold Long Conference-Discus-
sion Is Conducted by Secretary
OF Agriculture Wallace.


Washington, March 19.-American
agriculture Is facing it's gravest danger
from the flood of foreign importations
pouring in practically free of duty.
This was the unanimous opinion of
President Harding and his cabinet.
following their longest conference
since the new administration took Of
fee.
The meeting Of the President and
his official family lasted more than
two hours. most of the discussions re-
Iating directly to proposed means for
preventing what was declared to be
the impending agricultural crisis.
Unless all indications fail. the Pres
ident, in his first message to congress,
will insist that legislation to relieve
the situation be given precedence
over all other business.
Would Avoid War Powers.
The President stated that he was
'Ioath to resort" to war powers con.
Ierred upon him by the trading with
the enemy act, which would enable
him to place an embargo ON agricul-
tural imports. This law has not been
repealed. Rather, he will look to con-
gress for the early enactment of emer-
gency tariff legislation which will save
the situation by placing heavy duties
on agricultural products.
With Secretary of Agricultural Wal.
lace leading the discussions, the cab
met went exhaustively into the situa.
tion, which discloses that:
/. Millions OF tons of wool and 9th
er products are being poured into the
country practically free of duty.
2. Foreign exporters are piling up
huge stocks of their goods in ware
houses here. taking advantage OF
favorable exchange rates.
The President declared that this
situation, dangerous In itself, assumed
N'tremendous'' proportions when it was
found that 1t actually threatened the
Horticultural self-sufficiency" of the
country. American farmers and live
stock raisers, unable to combat the
influx Of foreign importations, are
abandoning or cutting down their in
terests. This was found to result d.
rectly in a great reduction of Ameri
can agricultural productivity.
''There clearly must be some i'm
mediate relief Of the agricultural sit
uation, or we shall lose our flocks and
our herds" was the way i'm which one
cabinet member described the danger
Members of the cabinet, in their
discussion with the President, found
that agricultural products and live
stock from Europe and South America
could be laid down on the Atlantic
seaboard at prices cheaper than are
charged by farmers in the Middle
West. Despite this fact. the ultimate
consumer was reaping little or nc
benefit I'm the form Of reduced prices
Transportation Charges High.
The element of high transportation
charges figured largely in the cabinet
discussion, it was learned. ImpOrta
lions of frozen beef and mutton com
ing all the way from Australia ano
New Zealand are being sold here In
large quantities at much less cos'
than western producers can supply
after transportation charges have
been added.
Many sections of the country have
been practically denuded of herds OF
sheen and cattle because Of this con
dition. II was found. II was the unan
imous opinion of the President and
the cabinet that the first necessity
was the placing of heavy duties on
agricultural and live stock imports
Deuding the enactment by congress OF
a permanent protective tariff.
President Harding expressed regre'
that the emergency tariff Legislation
passed at the last session. but vetoed
nv President Wilson, was not In ef'
feet at this time. 1t is strongly In
dictated the President will insist thai
similar legislation will occupy the run
attention of the new congress, even
to the extent of holding up tax and
revenue revision.
Mr.. Harding refused to approve the
LEGISLATIVE program agreed upon by
the Republican members of the sen
ate finance committee and house ways
end means committee early this week
because II did not provide for emer'
gency tariff legislation TO protect the
farmers.
The senators and representatives
were opposed to an emergency tarin
hill except an anti-dumping measure
with an amendment to the existing
tariff law providing for the collection
OF ad valorem custom duties on the
has,s of American valuation. rather
than on the foreign valuation.