The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-19
LEADER IN TARIFF
 TILT BROKEN UNDER
 STRAIN OF DEFENSE
McCumber Rails at Metro Re- publican Press For "SeIIing Out" and Concludes With
 "Side Show"
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau, The geHerald,

 Porter J. McCumber of North Dako- ta, chairman of the Senate commit tee on finance, and in charge of the pending tariff bill in the upper cham Der of Congress, has broken under the strain. He has finally indulged his passion to the extent of striking back at his critics.
 His defense of his measure was in two parts. In the beginning, he abused the republican press of metro politan centers for having sold their editorial opinion for the advertise ment of department stores" He com cluded with q presentation of that "side show to which protectionists in all other tariff fights have had resort--a cuckoo clock which cost 94 cents in Germany and retaiis in the United States for $22.50.
 MT. McCumber's anger revealed it. self In the whitening of the gills. It Is not known that the gods had pur- posely made him mad. or that they destroyed him. But he was de- stroyed.
 McCumber Is Cornered
 Of course. cuckoo clock is not a necessity of life, democratic critics pointed out. If 1t were, they con tinued. the protective rate of 50 per cent on it's original cost, which the republicans would impose. would have no effect, inasmuch as it would reduce the percentage of profit from 2,000 to 1,947.
 And McCumber was informed that the United States produces clocks to the value of $50,000,000, exports clocks to the value of S5,000,000, and imports clocks to the value of $5OO.- 0c0 only. Senator Underwood. dem- ocratic leader, who answered the Me- Cumber argument, declared that If Germany could sell 94-cent clocks in the United States for $22, Germany would. obviously. flood the market.
 Senator Caraway of Arkansas asked McCumber to reveal the names of the "conspirators," but McCumber declined. Senator Walsh of Montana went so far as to move immediate consideration of a resolution requir- ing the Attorney General to prose- cute the conspirators, but McCumber objected. Senator Norris, republican, delivered the unkindest cut. He stressed the fact that when demo- crats and progressives tried to in- crease the rates on excess profits, McCumber had declared that mer- chants made only s per cent, where as in defending his tariff bill he ar gued that their profit amounted to 1000 per cent.
 His Sad Plight
 | I,n a position more embarrassing than that occupied by any other man in the countsy He is piloting a bill which he cannot defend He is coun- tered by Senators Underwood and Simmons, experienced tariff debaters who have disclosed enough iniquities to set even the republican press against the republican measure. Me cumber, with the exception of Sena- tor Shoot, has no assistant other republicans, having agreed to vote for the bill in the end, stay out of range of shots. He is left to bear the entire brunt of the running fight the perpetual running fight, just as the republicans, including McCumber suffered Senator Spencer. single handed, to defend the loathsome Eewberry scandal.
 And McCumber has an election fight on hand. Balloting will com mence June 2s. He is in danger of being defeated. it Is said. Every day. as result of his tariff attitude, he hurts his chances. He cannot go home and defend himself, because he is compelled to stay in Washington and attempt to defend his bill. And he Is not expert on tariff matters, IS not a pleasing speaker, and a most ordinary strategist He charges dem ocrats with filibustering, and pe- cause of his approaching election, he himself would sidetrack the tariff bill to give way to the bonus. The President urges the tariff first, ana thus even the administration gets In his way.
 Underwood Concludes
 In closing the debate on the cuckoo clock, Senator Underwood said:
 .I challenged the statement of the senator from North Dakota. not as to his veracity, but as to his facts. I know his facts are not representa- tive of import conditions. However, I do not blame the senator for com ing to the defense of this bill. It IS time for him to come to it's defense. He has been indicted by the press or his party from coast to coast be- cause of the indefensible rates or the bill and the burden of taxation he intends placing on the American people.
 "He sat in silence and accepted the condemnation for weeks and weeks and weeks, and I expected every day that he would accept the challenge of republican newspapers. If he does not reply satisfactorily he will Of necessity be condemned.
 "However, the senator must make A real defense, defense that goes to real conditions, and he must not expect the American public or press to abandon their present line of ar sument because of showing or a few articles concerning which ab- normal conditions prevail-an exhipl- ton that might do credit to side- show in 1sarnum's circus. The illus trations (the cuckoo clock) brought forward by the senator are too un- usual and unnatural to stand as his defense before the American public
 
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