Evening star., 1921-08-12
LEADERS MODIFY
NEXT TARIFF LAW
Committee Members Reach
Tentative Agreement on
Valuation Plan.

Republican members Of the Senate
finance and House ways and means
committees reached tentative
of the American valuation plan for
passing duties in the next tariff law.
The House members. it was under
stood, had accepted practically all of
the Senate committee changes. none
Of which alter the principle of the
plan.
At the same time. it was declared.
the conferences had practically agreed
on exclusion of the dye embargo from
the bill. Although no formal action
was taken. 1t was indicated the meet
ing had virtually decided to protect
the dye industry through high import
rates. and a committee composed of
Senators Smoot. of Utah and Dilling-
ham, of Vermont, and Representatives
Longworth of Ohio and Frear of Wis
consin was appointed to study the
rate question.
Assessing Accepted.
The House policy of assessing tariff
duties on the basis of American val
uation Of imported merchandise was
accepted by republican members of
the Senate finance committee yeSter-
an agreement then on details Of
the program. Republicans acted
alone on the question. the democratic
members being ushered out of the
meeting. in accordance with what
was said to be custom.
mittee policy in republican confer
ence" brought protests on the Senate
floor during the day from Senator
Simmons of North Carolina, ranking
democratic member of the committee.
and Senator King. democrat. Utah.
colleagues were taking testimony in
secret and that no record was being
made. SO that other members of the
committee would never know what
had happened. He charged that Gus
toms experts were being heard and
that it was "a serious matter" to ex-
clude the minority members.
Scores Interests.
Mr.. King said the situation called
for 1.-The severest condemnation" add
ing:
ut is a we'll known fact that all
kinds of interests are here trying to
written by the dye and other monopo-
lies"
In addition to the customs experts
who, Chairman Penrose said. merely
were carrying out instructions OF the
republicans In drafting changes in
was before the committee yesterday.
The latter suggested that an amend
ment should be added which would take
care of the countries whose currency
has deprecated sadly.
The customs experts, who Mr.. Sim
I'M n
been heard extensively in open sessions,
according to Mr.. Penrose.
Under the assessment plan accepted
by the republicans the comparable
wholesale selling price provided In the
House bill as a basis remains the same.
Its scope, however, is limited in the re-
spect that where no article Of commerce
in the United States exactly like an
imported product is to be found, the
American wholesale selling price of
other comparable. foreign commodities
is to be accepted as the basis for levy
ing the duty.
More Agents Needed.
The expectation that a much greater
amount Of work would devolve on the
customs service through the application
of the principle was recognized by the
sponsors Of the plan. who agreed to ask
Secretary Mellon to increase the number
Of customs .d aSents. - M; a;+l Pehr9se h,, sns
said the customs officials felt that
thirty would be sufficient. 3.
These men as rapidly as they can be
obtained will begin the work when the
measure becomes a law as is expected.
The added work has been much dis
cussed subject, but the committee be-
iieyed the new valuation system would
bring satisfactory results by the use Of
more inspectors.
The Senate finance committe ordered
today favorable report on the Long.
extending the dye embargo in the
emergency tariff law. but amended
to extend the entire act to January
Representative Longworth had pro.
posed extension Of the dye. embargo te