Evening star., 1921-02-19

The House today launched into
long debate on a special rule to give
the emergency tariff bill privileged
status and hasten it to conference on
the Senate amendments. Opponents
of the measure made determined
fight against the rule, but supporters
believed the bill would be ordered to
conference instead of being referred
to the ways and means committee for
onsidera ton.
In opening debate against adoption
of the special rule Representative
Pou. North Carolina. ranking demo-
crat on the rules committee. charged
that his committee had granted a re-
quest for a special rule made by only
nine of the twenty-five members OF
the ways and means committee, where
the tariff bill originated.
He declared that none of the ways
and means minority had been con-
suited regarding the majoritys ac-
ton and accused supporters of the
bill with attempting to put over on
the House a measure which bore no
similarity to that passed by the
House two months ago.
Mr.. Pou said he did not believe
Congress should deal with impor-
| tant Legislation SO hastily and urged
that the bill be sent back to the ways
and means committee. where lit can
be reconsidered and can come back
| to the House to be dealt with sane
ly and nationally"
Speed Is Essential Now.
Acting Chairman Green of the ways
and means committee. replying to Mr..
Pous charges. declared the commit
tee had found it necessary to act
speedily, for Congress is being held
responsible for the daily increasing
losses of the farmers If further de-
lay comes. he added. it must be borne
by the democratic party and not by
the republicans in Congress. Mr..
Green reviewed arguments made
when the House first considered the
bill. asserting that, they still hold
good. except that conditions are
| worse now than they were when the
bill was first considered.
1t was contended by Representative
Garrett, democrat. Tennessee. that the
fundamental character of the bill had
been so changed that it amounted to
a new measure.
Nobody can tell what the effect Of
this legislation will be on industry,
he said. yet We are asked here to
let the bill go to conference with
out even having an opportunity TO
instruct the House members of the
conference as to the wish of this
body"
Representative Treadway, repub-
lican, Massachusetts,. member of the
WAYS and means committee, said when
he voted for the bill in December
he had no idea ii would become law.
If its passage had appeared certain
then he would have hesitated. he
added.
Treadway Will Oppose 1t.
But today there is so great possi-
bility of it's becoming a law that Il
now oppose it," he said. My reason
for this is that if there is such de-
mand for it, it can be passed even if
vetoed.
The word seems to have been
spread, on high authority. that the
President expects to veto it. l don't
want to take that chance. 1 don't
want to put it up to the President
with a view to inviting his Veto"
MIR. Treadway declared industries
in the east were in as bad condition
as agricultural interests in the west.
And yet he added, "you propose
to put a accent tariff on a bushel
of wheat. making a barrel of flour
cost S1.S0 more. thus paralyzing the
buying power in the east to that ex-
tent.
A man well informed had told him,
Mr. Treadway said, that the woolen
tariff would close every mill in New
England.