The Washington herald., 1921-04-19
PERMANENT TARIFF
LUMBER SCHEDULE
In BITTER ATTACK
Tentatively Imposed Du.
ties on Finished Prod
.uct Starts Fight.
FREE" WOOD URGED
This Would Encourage Hous-
ing and Preserve Forests,
Advocates Contend.

A fight over the lumber schedule
of the permanent tariff bill be-
Aame a certainty yesterday when 1t
was learned that duties have been
imposed tentatively by a sub
committee of the House Ways and
Means Committee upon practically
all finished lumber, only certain
kinds of rough lumber remaining
on the free list.
The duties, as tentatively agreed
upon, provide for protection on all
kinds of fir and spruce, both rough
and finished lumber. This is de-
signed to furnish protection to the
West Coast lumbermen who fear
importations from British Columbia.
The general impression has been
that pine and other kinds of lumber,
both rough and finished, would be
allowed to come in free, inasmuch
as no claim of any need Of pro-
lection has been advanced by the
manufacturers. That lumber should
remain on the free list has been
strongly urged by the National Re
tail Lumber Dealers Association as
a means of encouraging housing
construction and also in order to
conserve the forests of the United
States.
Free Advocates Howl.
Advocates Of free lumber set up
a howl when 1t was discovered that
the tentative rates contemplate that
while rough lumber, except fir and
spruce, shall be free of duty, lum-
Der finished on two sides would bear
a duty of so cents per 1000 feet, and
lumber finished on more than two
sides 81 per 1000 feet.
The rates on fir and spruce are
sl.50 per 1000 feet on rough lumber,
81 per 1000 feet on lumber finished
on two sides, and $3.50 on lumber
finished on more than two sides.
1t is declared that comparatively
little rough lumber comes in from
Canada; hence the imposition Of
duty on finished pine and other vari-
cites of lumber Is said to mean
that the bulk of the imports will
, be dutiable. The saving in freight
rates on finished lumber. as COM
pared with rough lumber, rs SO
great that It will continue to be
more economical to bring in the
finished lumber than to import It In
rough form.
Anti-Dumping Changes.
The Senate Finance Committee
which is holding hearings on the
emergency tariff bill, has deter.
mined that changes will be neces'
sary in the anti-dumping and ex-
change valuation sections.
These will be to make administra.
ton simpler, according to Senator
Boies Penrose. chairman OF the
committee, and will not alter the
essential features. Penrose said nc
amendments will be permitted in
the strictly tariff portions.
All agricultural amendment;
must wait for the permanent tar
in" Penrose explained. The two
technical features of the bill are
new. and amendments to them are
proper"
Penrose said the committee hopes
to conclude its hearings by the enc
of the week, and be able to report
out the bill at the time. He an
ticipates speedy passage after con.
siderable discussion on the fool
over the anti-dumping and exchang.
4 valuation clauses.
The committee, at its hearing yes.
! terday listened to Judge Marion de
vries. of the United States Court oi
Customs Appeals. who explained
how the bill differed from similar
measures introduced last session
John E Walker. head of the legis-
lative drafting bureau of the Sen.
ate. suggested two amendments af
fecting administration. James B
Reynolds. former assistant secretar,
of the treasury. also appeared
Witnesses to be heard later includ,
customs officials from New York.