The Washington herald., 1921-02-02
CLOTURE rule
ON TARIFF BILL
FACES DEFEAT
Fight Now Centers on
Efforts to Abandon
Measure this Session.
FAVOR TAKING UP
NEW LEGISLATION
Eleventh Hour Amend
ments Protect Farm
Products Everywhere.

The legislative and political snarl
into which the emergency tariff bill
has thrown the Senate threatened
yesterday to become a replica of the
proverbial Gordian Knot The Aaw
in Senate sentiment. which pre-
CIudes extension of the simile, is
that the Republican majority can
not make up its mind with any
unanimity whether it would be best
to unravel or to cut.
The actual leaders undoubtedly
are prepared to apply the knife
today with the defeat Of the petition
for cloture, but there are many Re
publicans who think that the tan
gle, created by willing hands on
both sides of the chamber, can be
removed by the constant pressure
of keeping tariff legislation before
the Senate and ultimately forcing a
vote.
COncede Defeat.
The most optimistic proponents OF
the tariff bill do not believe that
cloture will pass. Estimates as to
the number of votes by which it will
gail range from five to nine. In
fact, the vote is more or less a fore
gone conclusion. and the chief in
terest centers on the struggle that
will follow as to the legislation to
be taken up next.
Definite announcements have
been made both that the tariff bill
will be kept before the Senate II
possible, and that it will be shelved
for the purpose Of considering ap
preparation bills.
Debate on the measure yesterday
brought condemnation to Republic
ans and Democrats from within
their own party as to the course
that was being followed on the
tariff
Senator Charles +. Townsend, of
Michigan, warned his colleagues OF
the dangerous political situation
that they were creating.
Calls Crisis FOIISh.
Il shall move Immediately after
the vote on cloturcs" said Senator
Townsend, that the Senate takd up
the appropriation hills The farm
ers are being fooied by this bill
that VIC are considering. I am op-
posed to such piecemeal tariff leg
!slation. The Republicans have been
playing politics pure and simple
with this measure, and the result
has been most dissatisfNinE. The
situation which has arisen over this
hill is foolish in the extreme. as
We all known that it cannot become
law. | intend to make it my bust
ness to force a vote in the Senate
very soon after we dispose of ClO-
ture that will show definitely
whether the Senate wishes to go
ahead and transact business or
whether it wishes to waste more
time on political vaporinEs."
Senator Charles s. Thomas. of Col
Orado. held the floor nearly all of
the day in speech in opposition
to the tariff bill. He was extremely
severe in mis- arraignment of its
provisions and stamped as spotted
prOteCtionists' those of the minority
who were in favor of its passage.
THE Democratic party is at the
lowest ebb today in its history"
said Senator Thomas. The reason
for this condition of the party is
easy to see. The votes that Demo-
Gratis will cast for this tariff bill
are the principal facto."
Many Amendments.
In the fact OF a vote at O'clock
today on the ClOture agreement bar
ring further amendments and limit
ing debate, bombardment of
amendments developed in the Senate
yesterday, swelling the list of
schedules for the dozen or more
covering farm products to two
scores, taking in nearly all indus
tries in the United States.
Senator Moses, of New Hampshire,
offered the Payne AldriCh tariff law
of 1909 as an amendment; Senator
BOTah, of Idaho, offered an amend
ment including canned milk. sugar
of milk, fresh milk and cream; SEN
ator Phipps, of Colorado, proposed
tariff protection for tungstun, steel
alloys and similar products; Senator
Smoot, of Utah, asked imposes for
beet sugar, syrups, molasses and
such products of his State; Senator
Thomas, of Colorado, proposed an
amendment affecting immigration;
Senator Kellogg, of Minnesota, pro-
posed duty on potatoes. potato
starch and such, and Senators Ash
hurst, of Arizona. Ransdell and Gay
of Louisiana, offered amendments.