Evening star., 1922-09-21
PRESIDENT SIGNS.
NEW TARIFF BILL;
. PRA|SESMEASURE
May Be Greatest Customs
Legislation In History,
Says Executive.
RATES WILL BECOME
EFFECTIVE At MIDNIGHT
Elastic Provisions Hailed by Mr..
Harding-Many Witness A.
fixing of Signature.

President Harding today signed the
tarir bill of 1922, making the new
rates effective at midnight tonight.
The bill was signed shortly after
II o'clock in the Presidents ONCE
in tho presence Of Chairman McCum-
bsr of the Senate finance commit
tee, Chairman Fordney, Of the House
ways and means committee, a num-
Der Of House members and others.
Many Witness Signature.
Besides Chairman Fordney of the
House ways and means committee and
Senator McCumber, chairman of the
Senate finance committee. those who
stood about the executive as he put
hts name to the measure were: Rep
resentatives Hawley. Oregon; Timber
lake, Colorado: Hadley, Washington; /;
Watson, Pennsylvania; Young, North
Dakota. and Green, Iowa, all members
Of the ways and means committee. and
George A. Sanderson. secretary Of the
Senate: William Tyler Page, clerk of
the House; Robert w. Farrar. clerk
of the Senate finance committee: Clay
ton F. Moore; clerk Of the ways and
means committee; John E. Walker,
drafting clerk Of the Senate: Marion
Devries, presiding judge Of the Court
Of Customs Appeals. and Harry
ways and means committee. besides
Secretary Christian and Executive
Secretary Forster and score or more
OF newspaper correspondents.
Ferdney Presents Pen.
Chairman Fordney. before handing
to the President gold-mounted
fountain pen with which to sign the
important paper, said: Mr.. President,
it is with pleasure and pride that we
come to you today with the tarin
completed"
Waving his hand toward Senator
McCumber and the members of the
ways and means committee grouping
themselves. about the Presidents
desk, Chairman Fordney said: "Mr.
President. here are some of the men
WHO have been busy putting in shape
thfs Legislation and who have come
here to have the pleasure of seeing
you put your signature to the accom-
As the President received the pen
from Chairman Fordney he first tried
the point on his thumb mail, saying.
"From my experience it is always a
good thing to try these first. Some
times they don't work.
THAT one will work. Mr.. President"
Chairman Fordney assured him. ut
is loaded and all ready for you.'
President Signs Bnl.
Without further comment or cere-
mony the President took his chair
and with only a casual glance at the
date, the hour and the moment.
The executive then arose and as he
returned the pen to Chairman Ford
for coming. This law has been long
in the making. I do not know how
many are in accord with me. but IL
we succeed, as we hope to succeed, in
making effective the elastic pro-
visions of the measure. 1t will make
making in the history of the govern
ment."
with those few words the cere-
monies came to an abrupt end, and
as they were leaving the executive
Office building the Capitol group was
photographed by the news camera
men.
Signed I'm Both Houses.
The engrossed bill was signed yes
terday by Speaker Gillett. of the
House. and Senator Cummins. re-
publican. Iowa, president pro tempore
Of the Senate.
President Harding was informed
by Chairman Marvin, of the Tariff
Commission, that the commissions
forces would have to be tripled in
size to permit it to perform the
duties which will devolve- upon it
through, operation of the so-called
flexible and scientific provisions OF
the new tariff law. Increased appro-
priations also will be needed, the
President was told.
There was a postscript to the long
tariff fight when q House resolution
to correct a minor clerical error in
the bill was presented yesterday in
the Senate. Senator Ashurst, demo-
crat, Arizona, offered an amendment
to place an embargo of three months
against importation of long staple
cotton, but it was defeated forty
eight to thirteen. Another amend
ment by Senator Trammell, democrat,
Florida, to place q duty of cents
q pound on long staple cotton was
defeated forty-six to fourteen.