Evening star., 1922-07-23
LESS POLITICS In TARIFF;
LESS TARIFF In POLITICS
Some Growing Signs That Day Is Ap.
preaching When This End Nav
Be Accomplished.

powers of the tariff commission. in
order to bring about this faxlbility
The so-called elasticity" provisions
, OF the bill, as reported to the Senate
give the President authority to pro-
claim new tariff rates 10 meet chang
ing conditions, after there has been
an investigation. Obviously the Presi-
dent cannot make such Investigations
1t Is proposed now to amend the pro
visions SO as to link up the tariff
commission with the administra ton
OF the act. IF this be done, then the
tariff commission becomes a yirile
agency of the government-as the
interstate Commerce Commission.
For the tariff commission will then
be called upon to make adjustment
OF duties, just as the Interstate Com
merce Commission is called upon to
make adjustment of rates for trans
portation. The tariff commission
should be able to do this in a fair
and scientific manner.
For Stability OF Business.
If the proposal is carried out then
the tariff stands a good chance of be-
ing taken out of politics at last. Leei-
innate business, seeking only a fair
profit. should be satisfied The plan
should bring about stability Of busi-
ness that is impossible under the
system that brings about a complete
revision of the tariff almost every
time "a new administration is elected
Ever since March 4. 1921. when Mr..
Harding entered the White House, the
businss of the country has been wait
ing to Sc what the new tariff law
woul be~and it is still waiting
American producers and importers
would be able to present their cases
to an impartial tribunal-the tarifr
commission-when they believed the
rates were too high or two low. as the
case might be.
With these elasticity" provisions
and a capable tariff commission. It
would be possible for the country to
proceed for many years with out the
business upheaval necessitated every
few years by a rewriting of the entire
tariff law.
In the past the differences between
the republicans and the democrats
over the tariff have been far greater
than they are today. The republicans
contend for a protective tariff and the
democrats for a tariff for revenue
only, which nevertheless grants a
measure of protection. The democrats
are not free traders by any means to-
day. So even a return to power OF the
democrats would not necessarily
mean another upheaval of the entire
tariff. if the tariff were really taken
out of politics" and placed in the
hands of strong tariff commission,
acting under the President.
Advice Generally Ignored.
Much publicity has been given re-
Gently to an amendment to the tariff
bill proposed by Senator Frelinghuy-
sen of New Jersey, by which he in
sists the tariff may be written "sci-
entifically" and on a basis of CONVEX
sion costs. But the Frelinghuysen
amendment. while 1t increases the size
of the tariff commission to ten men,
bers and provides a million dollars
for it to make Investigations, gives
the commission little or no more pow
er than 1t has today in the matter Of
fixing rates-which is none at all. II
leaves the commission merely in an
advisory capacity, with authority TO
make Investigations. During the
framing of the present tariff bill. the
tariff commission has been called
upon frequently for information. it
has been asked to rewrite various
classifications. it has been asked for
advice-but its advice has been ignor-
ed far more than it has been followed.
Yet this advice was based upon sci
entific and thorough study of the
costs of production at home and
abroad of the articles in question.
the members of Congress knew more
about the matter than the tariff COM
mission, but because influential con-
stituents-manufactu or produc-
ers. as the case might be-insisted
that their advice be taken instead.
The hexibility and elasticity pro-
visions of the bill have been attacked
in some quarters on the ground that
they conflict with the provision of the
Constitution which says that all rev.
enue measures shall originate in the
House. But it is not believed that
this objection will hold water. In the
first place. Congress writes the tariff
law. fixes the rates or places articles
on the free list. Further. il writes
definite formula under which the
agency handling the changes in the
rates shall act.