Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-13
HATCHET is BURIED
BY BASEBALL TRIBES
lands IS BIG CHIEF
TARIFF LAW TO GO
THROUGH DESPITE
RATE OF EXCHANGE

Washington, Jan. 12-Republican
leaders in Congress purpose to frame
a workable permanent tariff law de-
spite the chaotic foreign exchange 81
tuation and the uncertainties of for
eign labor conditions, Chairman Ford
ney of the House ways and means
cussion of a revision OF the Under
wood Act.
Witnesses before the committee
called attention to what they de-
scribed as a concentrated effort on
the part of Europeans, especially
English and Germans, to ruhs their
products to America as a means of
fastening reimbursement of adverse
exchange rates. The statements
brought from Representative Garner,
Texas, a question as to whether It
were possible at present to draft a
law which would meet future condi-
tons, assuming exchange rates would
be restored to an equilibrium within
year or two.
L.
L. Henry, a Geneva, n. Y, manufac-,
turer, replied, Ito draft a tariff that
will be workable under the present
conditions. Future establishments
can not be forecast and rates that
may be good.now will serve no pur-
pose, later on"
You spoke a parable there" said
Mr.. Garner, but our Republican
friends insist that we should go
ahead. They will attempt the impos-
sible."
Mr.. Gamers statement was cut
short by Mr.. Fordney, who interject-
ed:
I'VE stand on our declarations. 1t
IS our plan to frame new tariff and
We are going to do it. The exchange
situation, of course. presents difficult
ties, but we think those can be SUR
mounted"
The colloquy ended. Mr.. Fordney
asked the witness concerning rates
needed to block imports from Eu-
rope. Mr.. Henry answered that none
of the firms in histrade had been able
to compute the rates required be-
change. He asserted that no one in
America could foretell what the Eu-
ropean labor market of the future
would be or whether the foreign cast
OF production would continue to de-
crease as is now indicated.
Throughout the day a stream of
witnesses, each Of whom was allotted
ten minutes, flowed by the big semi
circular committee bench and re-
quested higher tariff rates. but few
were able to suggest specific duties
for the reasons mentioned BY Mr,
Henry. AS rule they suggested on
l. revival of the Payne-Aldrich tar
if schedules which they said Tht
to shield them from the ever-in-
creasing dumping of European manu-
features on markets of the United
States.
Particular attention was given by
the witnesses to discussion of the
rapid recovery of German industries
from the wreCkage of the war. Those
industries, it was testified, have re-
cuperated more rapidly than Ameri-
can business men had ever believed
possible and the committee was
urgd to prepare a barrier against the
inflow anticipated.
German laborers have accepted tn,
conditions of their homeland as is
historically of their race, the corr
mittee was told, and now are work
ing. thousands in the most highly"
skilled branches. al wages below
those paid prior to the war. The
question of whether the pay of the
workers would ultimately go up or
down was submitted to the committee
for determination in the drawing If
a new tariff law.