Great Falls tribune., 1921-12-07

which no American policy alone can
cure. We are a creditor nation, not
| by normal processes, but made SO BY
| war. 1t is not an unworthy selfish
ness to seek to save ourselves when
| the processes of that salvation are
| not only not denied to others, but COM
mended to them. We seek to under
mine for others no industry by which
| they Subsist; we are obligated to permit
| the undermining of none of our own
! which make for employment and MAIN
tanned activities.
Every contemplation, it little mat
| ters in which direction it turns, mag
nifies the difficulty of tariff legisla-
tion, but the necessity of the revision
is magnified with it. Doubtless we
are justified in seeking a more flex-
ible policy than we have provided here
| tofOre. / hope q way will be found
to make for flexibility and elasticity,
SO that rates may be adjusted to meet
les would involve us in chaos of trade
which cannot be accurately anticipated
| There are problems incident to unfair
| practices, and to exchanges which
madness in money have made almost
unsolvable. / know Of no manner in
which to effect this flexibility other
| than the extension of the powers of
| the tariff commission, so that it can
adopt itself to a scientific and wholly
just administration Of the law.
| I am not unmindful of the constitu-
| tional difficulties. These can be met
by giving authority to the chief execu-
| tive who could proclaim additional
duties to meet conditions, which the
congress may designate.
| Not Seeking More Power.
I I, Il
sire to enlarge the executives powers
or add to the responsibilities Of the
office. They are already too large.
If there were any other plan l would
prefer it.
| The grant of authority to proclaim
would necessarily bring the tariff COM
mission into new and enlarged activ-
| tiles, because no executive could dis
charge such a duty except upon the
information acquired by and the rec
concentrations Of this commission. But
the plan is feasible, and the proper
functioning of the board would give
us better administration of a defined
policy than ever can be made possible
by tariff duties prescribed without
! flexibility.
/ There is a manifest difference of
| opinion about the American valua-
ton. Many nations have adopted de-
livery valuation as the basis for col
| lecting duties; that is, they take the
cost of the imports delivered at the
port Of entry as the basis for levying
duty. It is no radical departure, in
view of the varying conditions and the
disordered state of money values, to
provide for American valuation, but
there cannot be ignored the danger
of such valuation brought to the level
of our own production costs, making
our tariffs prohibitive. It might do SO
in many instances where imports ought
| to be encouraged. I believe congress
ought well to consider the desirability
Of the only promising alternative;
namely, provision authorizing pro-
claimed American valuation, under
| prescribed conditions, on any given
list of articles imported.
Provision for Decreases.
In this proposed flexibility. author
| iZing increases to meet conditions SO
likely to change, there should also be
provision for decreases. A rate may
| be just today, and entirely out of pro-
tariffs are to be made equitable, and
not necessarily burden eur imports
| end hinder our trade abroad, frequent
| adjustment will be necessary for years
| to come. Knowing the impossibility of
| modification by act of congress for
any one or score Of lines without in
volving a long array of schedules, I
| think we shall go along ways towards
| stabilization, if there, is recognition of
the tariff commissions fitness to rec
ommend urgent changes by proclama-
ton. I am sure about public opinion
favoring the early determination of
\ foyiff rn1sor Thoro hny
assuring signs of a business revival
from the deep slump which all the
world has been experiencing. Our
| unemployment, which gave us deep con-
Germ only few weeks ago, has grown
encouragingly less, and new assurances
+, and renewed confidence will attend the
congressional declaration that Ameri-
| can industry will be held secure.
Much has been said about the pro-
tective policy for ourselves making it
impossible for our debtors to discharge
their obligations to us. This is a CON
tentlon not now pressing for decision.
| If we must choose between q people
| in idleness pressing for the payment
OF indebtedness or people resuming
| the normal ways of employment and
| carrying the credit, let us choose the
| latter. Sometimes we appraise larg-
est the human i'll most vivid in our
minds.
To Promote Employment.
We have been giving and we are
giving now, Of our influence and ap-
peals to minimize the likelihood of war
and throw off the crushing burdens Of
armament. 1t is all very earnest, with
national soul impelling. But peo-
pie unemployed and gaunt with hunger
face situation quite as disheartening
as war ,and our greatest obligation
today is to do the governments part
toward resuming productivity and
promoting fortunate and remunerative
employment.
Something more than tariff protec-
ton is required by American agricul-
ture. To the farm has come the earl
ier and the heavier burdens of read
justment. There is actual depression
in our agricultural industry while a
great prosperity for it is absolutely
essential to the general prosperity of
the country.
Congress has sought very earnestly
to provide relief 1t has promptly
given such temporary relief as has
been possible but the call is insistent
for the permanent solution. It is in
evitable that large crops lower the
prices and short crops advance them.
No legislation can cure that funda-
mental law. But there must be some
economic solution for the excessive
tion IN rafurps fo,