The New York herald., 1922-06-12
Fear Effect Of Politically
Framed Bill on the
Campaign.
GRAB BAG ITEMS SHOWN
Believed People Are Convinced
Measure Would Incfease
Cost Of Living.
By LOUIS sE1BoLD.

BY LOUIS SE1BOLD.
Special Dispatch to THE New York HuALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
washington. ID. c.. June IL.
The Texas story of the man holding
onto the tail of bear headed for a
precipice and destruction generally
describes the tariff situation In the
United States Senate.
The majority of the Republican
Senator'S who are publicly advocating
but privately condemning the Fordney-
McCumber bill are literally hanging on
10 the bears tail with full appreciation
of the ultimate result
Most Of them would be perfectly
willing to let go II the President or a
group Of party leaders would show the
way to safety. In other words, prob
ably three-fifths of the sixty Repub-
lican Senator's who express little admi-
ration and absolutely no enthusiasm
for the economic bludgeon''--as tie
bill was recently described by>a New
England senator-would joyously sup
port a move to sidetrack 1t until after
the November elections.
The belief Is general among Repub-
lican Senators, who do not share the
opinion Of the hidebound high protec-
tionists that the measure is likely to
turn out to be a liability instead Of an
asset In political sense.
Enactmcnt Would he Resented.
Senators and party leaders holding
this opinion find the impression is
gaining ground throughout the coun-
try that the McCumber tariff bill will
add to the cost Of living. and that the
people will resent it at the polls.
Whether the McCumber bill will lift
instead of reducing the cost Of the
necessaries OF life Is. of course. mat
ter Of factional dispute. According to
the critics Of the measure, the impor-
tant thing is that people of the coun-
try believe that It will do SO.
Appreciation Of this fact among Sem
ators probably has much to do with
their apathetic interest in the contest
between Mr.. McCumber and his SYM
pathetic party associates, on the one
hand, and the opposition on the other.
Mr.. McCumber, to whom the tariff bill
is political expedient rather than an
economic necessity, would be greatly
surprised IL he realized the number of
Senator'S of his party associates who
favor delay In putting through the
tariff bill until after the elections.
The measure has been kicking
around the two houses of Congress for
eleven months, the House having
passed 1t in July last. :. It was In the
Senate Finance Committee for eight
months. Since April 20 1t has been the
legislative battledore and shuttlecock
In the open Senate. During the gen.
orally wearsome and turgid debates
the tariff show has played to lean gall
leries and very largely to the empty
seats in the Senate.
Rate of Progress shown.
When the Senate recessed last night
until tomorrow only eighty-five of the
43S pages in the measure had been
considered. A number of controversial
features had been passed over. The
Senate has reached item NO. 35S in the
total Of 1880. Only 260 items have
actually been decided. Senator Lem
root one of the critics of the bill, esti-
mates that at the present rate OF
progress forty weeks will be required
to dispose of the measure.
President Harding recently ex-
pressed the opinion that the tariff
should be disposed of by July is. At
the present pace there is small chance
of his wish being gratified.
From the very start of the tariff
debates Mr. McCumber. whose legis-
lative technic has been severely
criticised. was put on the defensive
His Republican associates. whose
votes to report and pass the bill were
won by concessions Of personal or
political Importance to themselves
have not only withheld active support
but In many instances have aided and
abetted in rejecting his recommenda-
tion.
The most impressive features of the
tariff debate have been contributed
by the Democratic minority including
Senators Simmons. williams and Un-
derwood, and by few Republicans
including Senators Borah, Lenroot
and Norris.
The Democratic strategy in fighting
the bill Is admitted to have been very
effective because II has largely ig-
nored partisan considerations and re-
flected the objections of business in
terests, the agricultural industry and
the newspapers which are ordinarily
catalogued as supporters of Republi-
can policies.
Hundreds Of editorials appearing in
Republican, Independent or at least
Continued ON Pnge Two.