The New York herald., 1922-08-02

was accomplished through general
speeding up by the Republicans The
Democrats made q determined fight
against the rates. but the Finance Com
mittee through the insistence or SEN
ator Mclean. was dominant.
Senator simmons showed that the IN
creased duty on silks written into the
bill. in spite of the fact that American
factories produce "a per cent OF all
the silk consumed in the United states
will add s15O.000.00o year TO the
American silk bill.
"This bill is reeking with just sueh
Inconsistencies and outrages upon the
American consumers OF these products
as | have disclosed" he said. This IL
the worst, concede IL is the very worst
but the great captain OF the silk indus
try In this country is man OF tremen-
dous influence In the financial indus-
trial and political world. He dominates
and controls the silk industry 10 the
same extent that Mr.. Wood dominates
and controls the woolen industry and
that Mr.. Lippitt dominates and controls
the cotton industry.
"The silk manufacturers of the United
States as a body are not asking for In
creased rates. They recognize thaS the
rates now existing are high enough ana
in many instances are too high; they are
satisfied. But Mr.. Cheney and the small
coterie which surround him. who are
more directly interested in his operations
than others in the industry. want higher
duties, not because Mr.. Cheney meets
with any competition In the manufacture
of 80 odd per cent. of his products, for
he does not and he knows 1t; at least all
the other silk manufacturers OF this
country recognize 1t. They have no
competition.
Competition in the silk industry be-
tween the United States and Europe has
practically ended. 1t is a bagatelle. II
is too small to take into account. But
there is a kind of silk coming into the
United States known as pongee and
habutai; produced in Japan, / believe.
and pongee In China and Japan. II is
small account compared with the ag-
gregate of silks consumed in America.
probably not more than 6 or Z per cent.
l am told 1t is per cent. There are a
few novelties coming In from Europe
still, a few new designs which do not
hurt but help the industry.
Solid Support Lacking.
Evidence of the fact that the silk
manufacturers of the United States are
not solidly behind Mr.. Cheney-Horace B.
Cheney of Manchester, N. H.--Has been
tne presence IN washington OF Arnlln y.
Stapfel of New York city. representing
the silk defense committee, composed of
members of the organization OF which
Mr.. Cheney is president, the Silk AS
ISOLATION Of America. Mr.. Stapfer has
been waging a single handed fight in
Washington against the high rates and
has been responsible for the vicious
fight made against the schedule in the
Senate.
The American consumption OF silk Is
$500 100000 n year. The increase in the
duties means s1500Oo.ooo more. and. act
cording to those opposing the rates, II
will be felt by everybody man, woman
and child.
Senator Shappard (Tex), in charge of
the opposition to the schedule. declared
that silk no longer Is a luxury rs as
serted by Senator Mclean. Silk, he ex-
plained, Is a commodity which Is essen
tial to every day American life.
One of the strong points in the argu-
ments for a reduction OF the silk sched-
ule was that under the Underwood tariff
law. which provides high rates, the silk
industry fiourished. In 1914 the Ameri-
can industry supplied SO per cent of
American needs, while In 1919 II sup
piled 81 per cent.
The truth is that the Finance Com
mittee has been split on the high silk
rates. The Senator responsible for them
is Senator Mclean among whose con-
stituents Is MIR. Cheney. who Is credited
with writing. to all intents and purposes,
the silk schedule Mr. Cheney was In the
gallery when the rates were adopted.