The New York herald., 1922-07-23
WAR ON WOOLRATES
LAUNCHED INSENATE
Continued from First Page.

some extent, the tariff figured in prices
but entered defense Of the COMMITTEES
rates on the ground that they were ne
cessary II the wool industry was to con-
tinue In America. Most Of the time on
the floor. however was consumed by
Senator Walsh.
This duty" he said, "is the highest
ever levied on raw wool under any tariff
law. 1t Is equivalent in each instance
to approximately thirty-three cents per
clean pound. 1t Is the first time that
the clean content has been made the
basis for a duty on wool. and 1t will be
observed that the Senate rate Is an in
crease over the House rate Of at least
s3 per cent, or even more whenever the
maximum ad valorem provision cas- per
cent? is operative. In fixing the clean
content rate at thirty-three cents per
pound 1t will also be noted that the in
crease is so per cent. over the rate pro-
vided for In the Payne-Aldrich law.
Rates Held CamouflaEed.
Assuming that the duty fulfills Its
purpose OF raising the value OF domestic
woods by the amount Of the duty. the in
creased cost to the wool manufactu
which will, of course. be passed on to
the public after further pyramiding, viii
be $72.oo0.00o year.
/'The elaborate scale of brackets In
this bill. when translated into plain Eng
lish simply means an approximate duty
of thirty-three cents a pound, yet by
a. l..x-x t. II. a.
pear much lower than the actual pound
rate.
"Inasmuch as the wooden branch of
the industry (carded wooden manufac-
ture) Is more largely dependent upon
the finer and higher shrinking woods
than Is the worsted branch, It follows
that the effect Of q duty levied upon the
grease basis has been to discriminate
against the carded wooden manufacturer
and In favor of the worsted industry
The Underwood law. placing wool on
the free list, eliminated this discrimina-
ton. and the public protest. particularly
against schedule X OF the Payne-Aldrich
law. was so loud and was such power
full factor in the repudiation of that Law
by the electorate that 1t can be safely
to the levying Of duties on wool on q
grease basis.
Public to Get Pyramid.
! THAT the wool growers suffered Sc
vereIy in the depressions OF 1920 ant
1921 cannot be doubted. but so did al
branches Of industry suffer. and SO die
the consuming public. That every effor
should be made to improve the condition
Of the wool grower all agree. but thu
wool grower should expect no more to b
done for him by the Government through
indirect taxation than those engaged II
any other industry. He should not ex
pect the great majority OF the people tt
be burdened by taxation to a greater ex
tent than is the case at this time.
The facts show that the backet slid
ing scale Of duties. through which tht
rate Of 3ycents a clean pound OF wool II
levied, is Objectionable because 1t is de-
ceptive and cannot be administered II
such a way as to avoid litigation. The,
all show that the domestic producoior
of wool, Notwithstanding high protec
tive duties imposed under the emer
gency tariff law, has not Increased anf
that at this time 1t 10 necessary 10 I'M
port from 40 to 30 per cent. OF the woo
consumed In the United States. LIKE
wise, II can be shown that the cost (
the wool manufacturing industry OF tn
SO cents a pound rate will be $72.6o0,
oo0 which when paid by the consumer
after pyramiding, Will approximate
| 5000, ,000, ,000."