The New York herald., 1922-08-12
HARDING GETS POWER
TO REGULATE TARIFF
ON FLEXIBLE SCALE
Senate by Vote of 36 to 20
Passes Measure With
Many Restrictions.
TIME LIMIT IS FIXED
Amendment Applies Only
to July !, 1924, Figured
as Time Of Crisis.
BOARD TO COLLAB0RATE
Will Initiate Any Changes and
Rates Above Maximum
Are Forbidden.
BOARD TO COLLABORATE
Special Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.

sPcCids DlSputcH TO HE NEW lOhk tfEhALU.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c., Aug. II.
BY a vote of 36 to 20 the Senate to-
night wrote into the Fordney-M -McCum-
Der tariff bill an amendment giving the
President of the United States broad
authority to revise tariff rates without
reference to Congress.
The adoption of the amendment, in
a form almost entirely changed from
the way it first was proposed by Sena-
tor McCumber. followed bitter all
day fight. It's application, further
more. was restricted to july l. 1924.
While sweeping authority is be-
slowed on the President to alter the
rates to within so per cent. above or
below those fixed in the Fordney-
McCumber bill, the Presidential power
was greatly restricted from that origi-
nally proposed Changes in rates are
to be initiated by the United States
Tariff Commission, all the proceedings
of which are to be published; the
President will not be allowed to. change
the form of any duty or proclaim
duties in excess of established maxi
NUNS. and the difference in the cost
of production at home and abroad is
to be the measure of the tariff rather
than. as primarily asked, the difference
in the Conditions of competition"
In the final vote three Republicans
opposed the amendment. They were
Senator's Gooding Gdaho). stanchfield
Core) and McNary (ore.). The
Democratic opposition was solid The
Republicans who voted against the pro-
posal did 80 because they objected to
the basis on which the President was
authorized to readjust rates.
Time Limit Wins.
President Harding appeared in the
fight when he sent letter to Senator
McCumber indorsing the>proposal along
the lines of his tariff message to Con-
gress. declaring that unusual economic
conditions warranted the unusual ac-
tion. He asked also that the Tariff
Commission be designated as the me-
dunn through which the President would
act in changing rates.
The Democrats fought the proposal
at every stand. first the principle in
volved and then the detailsA Senator
Reed (Dem., MOI branded as
traitor every Senator who would vote
for the amendment. which, he said, vio-
lated the fundamental theories of Anglo
Saxon government. The Democrats
were unanimous in declaring that the
proposal Is unconstitutional
Senator Bursum <(Rep., N. NJ OBJ
tanned the adoption OF an amendment
limiting tho Presidents power to fix
rates to July J., 1924. The vote was
- - 10. While the Finance Commit
tee opposed the limitation, eighteen Re-
publicans voted fer 1t. They wers SEN
atorsT Bursum On M. Cameron
(Ariz.),S Capper (Kan), Gooding
(Idabo). Harold tOkla.). Mccormick
Ill), McNary (Was.l.). Moses IN.
H.). Nicholson tCo!.). Norbecls (Neb. }, /,
Oddie tNev), Rawson (Iowa), Short
ridge (Cal.). stanfield (ore.). Stirling
(Ore.). Sutherland CIV. Val, wads-
worth ON. Y.) and Warren (Wyo.).
Ends Controversy.
The adoption OF the Bursum amend
ment paved the way for the easy VIC
tory in the proposal to give the Presi-
dent power to readjust rates. Senators
who otherwise would have opposed the
scheme voted for II on the ground that
a world emergency existed In which a
flexible tariff was essential. Without a
time limit the amendment was In danger
of defeat. Besides. II was understood
that the President would veto the tariff
bill unless he received such authority.
When the Senate disposed of the
amendment relating to Presidential
powers at 40 o'clock tonight II passed
on to an amendment extending the au-
thority Of the Federal Trade Commits
zion. Under the unanimous consent
agreement by which the tariff bill Is
being rushed through TO final vote the
Senate was bound to dispose of this
provision tonight
BY vote of "a TO Is an amendment
OF Senator F'relinghuysen tRep.. N. J.)
was rejected, although some of the es-
sential features were incorporat ted in the
sections which were rewritten. Three
Democrats-Senators Ashurst (Ariz.).
Hitchcock (Neb.) and Kendrick (wyo.
voted for the Frellnghuysen proposal
which was intended to give the Tariff
Commission added authority to deter
mine rates on scientific basis. Pro-
posals TO increase the salary of men,
bers OF the Tariff Commission and TO
appropriate s1,0oo,oo0 moro for its ac-
tivlties were voted down.
Tomorrow, when the Senate reverts
back to discussion of rates. in the
sundries schedule. an effort will be made
10 obtain an agreement fixing a day fo-
hnal vote. The expectation Is that fnal
action will be arranged for before tao
end of next week. not later thaa next
Saturday. With the action tonight the
-toI ~f A.
bill are out OF the way so far as the
Senate Is concerned. a
President Harding, in his letter to
Senator McCunlber which was read on
Continued on Second Page.