The New York herald., 1922-07-17
Continued from First Page.

Continued from First rage.
and the complications of the ship sub
sidy bill caused by the Intervention of
the Anti-Saloon League.
Need Harding's strength.
Unless the President throws the fun
power of his Influence behind the
Senate leaders there is no telling tust
what may happen as the result OF
omissions Most Of the troubles con-
fronting the majority party in the
Senate at the moment are directly
traceable to the selection of Senator
McCumber defeated candidate for
renomination) as chairman of the
Finance Committee.
The consequences of following the
archaic process of filling vacancies
because of seniority are held by i'm
partial party critics to be at the root
of most Of the Congressional troubles
awaiting the attention Of the Presi-
dent. That which is true Of the Sem
ate Finance Committee is held to ap-
ply equally to the Ways and Means
Committee Of the House, to the head
of which Mr.. Fordney was elevated
under the seniority rule.
The tariff and bonus bills, which
combined have caused more trouble
and bred larger degree of insur-
gency than any other two measures
in the recent history of Congress.
were prepared and promoted by
Messrs. McCumber and Fordney.
With all due respect for the many
admirable personal qualities Of the
North Dakota Senator and the Mich
igan Representative, neither of these
gentlemen is at present viewed as
possessing the qualifications neces-
sary to the prepartion of so import
ant project as the tariff BILL
No other revenue measure ever has
been so generally repudiated by rep
resentatives of the party in power
proposing it. or by the people of the
country. The primary fault of the
revenue muddle is now admitted by
many party leaders to have been due
to the haphazard and inefficient man
ner in which it was constructed under
the direction Of Messrs. Fordney and
McCumber.
Estimates Erroneous.
Each was permitted a free hand in
the work of producing a reasonable
tariff bill to meet the economic situa-
ton. The leaders Of the two houses
kept their hands off on the theory
that Messrs. Fordney and McCumber
measured up to the job. The results
of the debate in, the Senate have
proved conclusively that the estimate
Of the qualifications of Messrs. Ford
ney and McCumber was erroneous.
The Democratic minority. led by
Senators Underwood and Simmons, is
admitted by Republican leaders to
have made a sieve out of the tariff
bill The filibuster projected by the
Democrats is further conceded to have
created the impression among the
people OF the country that the Ford
ney.McC cCumber measure is equally un-
desirable to producers, manufacturers
and consumers, more particularly
to the last, who will be confronted
with a staggering addition to their
living costs.
If the opposition to the tariff came
only from the Democratic minority
there might be some justification for
the assertion Of Mr.. McCumber that
It was based entirely upon partisan
considerations. The fact is the most
vigorous opposition to the tariff has
been reflected by Republican Senators
in which no one group has been un-
usually conspicuous. Various fea-
lures Of the tariff measure have been
openly repudiated by Senators af-
filiated with the farm bloc. which is
always seeking special privileges
personal supporters Of the President
Senators who have always been cat
alogued as stand patters," favoring
the maximum of high protection. and