The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-14
SIMMONS OBJECTS ID 6O PER CENT TAX |NFURN|TURE SCALE
Furniture Duty Consumes Days Argument-Under- wood to Ask That Woods
 Go to the Free List
By Associated Press

Washington, June 1s.@The admin istration tariff bill was subjected to another general attack today in the Senate by Senator Simmons, demo- crat, North Carolina. who declared the committee duty of 60 per cent ad valorem on reed and willow fur niture--which subsequently was ap- proved-was illustrative of the plan of the majority as outlined in the whole bill.
 You start in the kitchen, levying heavy duties on kitchen utensils and ware" said the senator. Next you impose a heavy tax on table ware and then you go after the furni- ture in the home. levying duty Of so per cent on furniture in common use throughout the country.
 All Duty Increnses J If you can tell me anything of consequence entering into the house. hold or the building of the home or that goes on the backs of the people on which you have not increased the duties I don't know what 1t is. If this tax is for revenue then I say to you do not go into the homes of the people to tax the necessities to raise revenue"
 Senator Simmons argued that a 60 per cent duty could not be Justified from protection standpoint, but this was disputed by Chairman Me- Cumber of the finance committee and Senator Townsend, republican, Mich- isan.
 Furniture Fight
 The furniture Item furnished the only real fight of the day in which the unusually good progress was made on the bill. DisposIng of sev- esal remaining minor amendments In the metal schedule the Senate got through with the wood schedule. after deferring the fight over the proposal to retain shingles on the free list.
 Then 1t went into the sugar sched- ule but since the committee had not recommended any change in the House rates in that section, the big controversy over this will await com pletion of action on the remaining 1,7o0 committee amendments.
 Underwood Speaks
 Senator Underwood of Alabama, the democratic leader. gave notice when the wood schedule was taken up lndl dS lHC piOpti tifHC iC WOhiN move to restore logs of fir. spruce. cedar and western hemlock to the free list. A duty of s1 per 1000 feet, board measure, was approved by the House and the committee. The Ala bama senator said 1t was absurd to put the logs on the dutiabls list when timber, hewn sided or square was left on the free list,
 Aside from the so per cent duty on reed furniture, rates In the wood schedule approved included 15 cents per gross on clothes pins; 35 per cent ad valorem on house furniture of wood. and from 40 to 50 per cent on porch and window blinds. baskets. shades and screens of bamboo wood, straw or palm leaf.
 Biack Strap MoIasses
 Opposing the committee approval to put black strap molasses on the free list, Senator Broussard. demo- crat. Louisiana. during consideration of the sugar schedule, argued that duty on this commodity was essential to protect the producers In his state and that the rate would not increase the price of feed to live stock grow CTS as had been contended before the finance committee.
 Proctor & Gamble Charged
 Senator Broussard charged that Proctor & Gamble had started a widespread selfish" propaganda for free black strap. urging that duty would increase prices of mill feeds, in which such molasses Is used.
 A tariff duty of 25 per cent ad valorem on new type was approved today under a vigorous protest by Senator King of Utah, who said the only purpose he could see was an Affnrf dagfrnv the fnraiUn lam guage press of the United States.