Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-04-21
TARIFF BILL
UP IN SENATE
Mcc urnber Launches Meas.
ure with Address on What
Country Needs.

Washington, April 52T.---.ChAirman
;Mccumber Of the; nance Committee
launched the tariff bill Tin congress
yesterday with the following address:
This proposed. leeislationlewill open
the way to prosperity I'm the United
States but It will not! unaided, bring
'McCumber. THE American: people
must do the rest, and I want to say
a word to the American manufac-
turer and the American faborer#i in our
factories. This bill Is intended to.
and Il believe will, sufficiently. protect
your market against any excessive
foreign. invasion, but remember that
over ninety percent Of all our prod
ucts must be. consumed here at home.
Two-thirds Fave fPFSc.l-war Wages.
Il think I am clearly within the &C
tual facts whengIrsay that two-thirds
Of the American people. the bread
winners Of the United States, r not
receiving an income any greater than
their pre-war income. The. net earn
ings Of the agricultural class are, on
the whole, below the pre-war income.
When we deduct the rents. or in lieu
upkeep of the homes of another one
third of our population who are also
bread winners-it will be found that
their net income is. also below the
pre-war income.
when 1 say that these people can
not spend any more. than they earn,
1 think I have sufficiently fbre-
Swallowed the necessity on the part
OF the manufacturers of bringing
down the production cost of their
commodities to within the purchasing
rAonhat0 % 4 hSN-. 1yo OF oNrnu nf A~norfNar
farmers and American wage earners-
E~asRreach that cannot extend one inch
beyond the limit of their earnings.
B I'VE have tried to help bridge this
gulf between the production cost OF
manufactured articles and the con
sumer's ability to buy them by doing
what we can to increase the purchas-
ing power Of the latter and it is now
up to the manufacturer to do his part
to bring his cost down to meet the
size of the consumers -pocketbook,
With the present high cost of livins
it would,be unjust to start his economy
by forcing a reduction in tho wages
Of his employees.
Knowing the principal cost oftidle
mills and idle men is this disparity be-
tween manufacturers cost Of produc-
ton and consumers ability to pay,
think I can suggest a course that will
do mor for our national prosperity
that can be accomplished by any kind
of. law, tariff Or otherwise. Let the
manufacturer, be satisfied with most
meager return upon his investment
for a while. then let the employees in.
possible degree. Then If the retailers
will just follow the. manufacturer, the
! great American public. now hungry
for more and better things, will give
employment to all to supply it's de-
mands and old time prosperity will
again reign throughout the land"
Expect House Agreement.
Senator Jones. Democrat, New Mex.
leo, asked whether the majority pro
posed to take up the question o.
adopting American or foreign valua'
ton, Senator McCumber said tn.
majority was committed to foreign
! valuation and added that he did no
believe the question would be raised
in the senate, although forming tn
subject for difference with the house
later.
Senator Simmons declared the sen
ton or otherwise there might develop
a situation where it would have t
accept American valuation after tn
bill was to conference.
II still strongly believe the hous,
will agree to foreign valuation" re
piled Senator McCumber. IF it should
not and we get into a deadlock it will
he time enough, to discuss the ques
ton then. To discuss it now wouls
be. only a waste of time" "
Senator Simmons replied that Amer
lean valuation would have to be dis
cussed. because the committee pro
DOSed TO give the nresfdent nj
to proclaim hat valuation on givel