Evening star., 1922-06-20
PRESIDENT FACES
TARIFF PROBLEMS
Mr.. Harding Must Make
Choice as Climax in
Debate Nears.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

As tbe cllfndH approaches In the de-
| bate over the tariff President Hard
| ing finds himself confronted with a
choice between surrendering TO Con-
eress on the question of elasticity and
| iexibility in the making of tariff
| rates hereafter or making deter
| mined fight for the extension to the
| executive or a tariff commission Of
/ power to correct such inequities as
\ may develop in the actual working
out of rates in the pending bill
/ For Congress will not of its own ac-
cord deviate from the course follow
| ed in the past-namely. the making OF
a political farmland only the impe-
tus TO be furnished by executive ap-
| peal to public opinion can take the
tariff out of politics.
Partisan Influence Opposed.
| Many times in the last few decades
! have public men advocated the re-
moval of the tariff from pa rtisan in
I fluence on the ground that tariff rates
| made by Congress reflected the po-
[ litical desires Of the most infiuent al
! groups in American industry rather
|
suming public. But the moment as
never been as propitious as today for
d fight to vest in q tariff commission
| the same broad powers TO make rates
as is given to the Interstate Com
merce Commission to fix railroad
| rates The reason for the favorable
| opportunity is really the Unsettled
condition of Europe. Trade conditions
| are subject TO so many changes from
| day TO day that even the most ardent
lproteCtionists admit there will be in
| equities. To correct these Congress
| would necessarily have to keep con-
| stantly revising the tariff upward or
| downward. as circumstances require.
| President Harding has heard many
| complaints that the high tariff bill
now in the Senate would injure Amer
| lean foreign trade. His pet measure.
1 too. the merchant marine bill. is al
lready being attacked by democrats or
the ground that no subsidy in the
world will enable American Ship
| to compete with foreign flags If littl.
| or no goods Are TO be carried on re
turn voyages to the United States.
PerpIeAing Position.
The President is anxious on the
one hand TO conserve American in
| dustries and give them legitimate
protection, and to have on the Other
hand as big a foreign trade as IL
possible. To determine what are
just and equitable tariff rates. the
subject must be stripped OF political
privilege and special favor The de-
| cisions must be judicial and based
| only on economic facts. Congress
| has refused heretofore to permit any
| body TO determine tariff rates for
! exactly that reason-as Campalg
| a constituency have looked upon their
| representatives in Congress as their
particular agents in tariff matters
| Both republicans and democrats will
| admit that practically every tariff
bill in the past has been Influenced
by considerations of party politics.
| The situation today is unique. Many
| staunch republicans who think
| American prosperity depends upon
getting more goods sold in Europe.
| more cotton and agricultural products
for the war expanded American
production facilities and left US with
surplus supplies-are contending that
| a tariff wall will ruin American ex-
| port $ we'll as import trade. They
! declare the world must first get back
| to economic normally before a high
protective tariff should be enacted.
| G. o. =. Platform Cautious.
The republican national platform of
! 1920, on which Mr.. Harding was elect
ed, was cautious in this connection
and when the time comes for vote
on the tariff some republicans will
argue that they will be keeping the
platform pledge by urging postpone
ment of tariff revision rather than by
acting on it now. Here is the text
of the platform pledge:
| The uncertain and unsettled con-
dltlon of international balances the
! abnormal economic and trade situa tion
| of the world. and the impoSsbility of
l forecasting accurately even the near
future preclude the formulation of a
| definite program 10 meet conditions a
year hence. But the republican party
| reafiirmS its belief i'll the protective
principle and pledges itself TO a re-
| vision Of the tariff as soon as conii-
| tlonS shall make il necessary for the
preservation of the home market for
American labor, agriculture and in
| duStry.
Not Regarded Perfect
! While the emergency tariff law is
by no means considered d perfect
bill. nevertheless the duties in il are
not so far-reaching as in the bill
intended to be permanent. which is
now being debated in the Senate, Few
men on either side of the tariff de-
bate will admit that conditions to-
day are settled in the world of trade
The fluctuations which the repub
! lican platform committee had in
| mind in 1920 are still affecting the
costs of production and the whole
| trade question is enveloped in dozens
of uncertainties. Those who favor
the pending bill may find themselves
| a month or two after its operation
| wishing they could revise il again
Can Congress afford to act as a per-
manent tariff commission? Mr.. Hard
ing thinks not. He advocates giving
the tariff commission more power and
permitting the President to adjust
rates as circumstances make II neces-
sary. One political person charged
! with full responsibility. he thinks.
| would be better than 531 members
of Congress with individual and sec
tional viewpoints. All washington
is wondering If Mr.. Harding will
| make a fight for this provision or
| surrender to Congress. His position