The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-06-20
HARDING IS
IN DILEMMA
ON TARIFF
Faces Fight for Power
to Correct Inequi-
ties.
RY DAVID LAWRENCE.

III DA IO LA w
Copyright, 1922, by The Argus.)
Washington, d. c., June 20.-As
the climax approaches in the de
bate over the tariff, President Hard
ing finds himself confronted with
choice between surrendering to
congress on the question OF elastic
i,y and flexibility in the making of
tariff rates hereafter or making
determined fight for the extension
to the executive or a tariff commits
sion of power to correct such in
equities as may develop in the ac-
tual working out of rates in the
pending bill
For congress will not of lis own
accord deviate from the course fol-
lowed in the past-namely. the
making of a political tariff-and
only the impetus to be furnished by
executive appeal TO public opinion
can take the tariff out of politics.
Many times in the last few
decades have public men advocated
the removal OF the tariff from par
tisan influence on the ground that
the tariff rates made by congress
reflected the political desires of the
most influential groups in Amer
ican industry rather than the true
interests of the consuming public.
But the moment has never been as
propitious as today for a fight to
vest in a tariff commission the
same broad powers to make rate 5
as is given to the interstate conf
merce commission to fix railroad
rates. The reason for the favorable
opportunity is really the unsettled
conditions of Europe. Trade con-
ditiCns are subject 20 so many
changes from day to day that even
the most ardent protectionists admit
there will be inequities. To correct
these congress would necessarily
have to keep constantly revising
the tariff upward or downward as
circumstances require.
Hears Many Kicks.
President Harding has heard
many complaints that the high tar
iff bill now in the senate would in
lure American foreign trade. His
pet measure. too, the merchant
marine bill. is already being at
tackled by Democrats on the ground
that no subsidy in the world will
enable American ships to compete
with foreign flags if little or no
no goods are TO be carried on re-
turn voyages to the United States.
The president is anxious on the
one hand to conserve American in
dustries and give them legitimate
protection and to have en- the other
hand as big a foreign trade as Is
possible. To determine what are
just and equita BILE tariff rates the
subject must be stripped OF poiit-
ical privilege and special favor. The
decisions must be judicial and based
only on economic facts. Congress
has refused heretofore to permit
anybody to determine tariff rates
for exactly that reason-as cam
paign contributors and other in
fuential men in a constituency
have looked upon their representa-
tives in congress as their particular
agents in tariff matters. Both Re
publiCans and Democrats will ad-
NIT that practically every tariff bill
in the past has been Influenced by
considerations of party politics.
Situation is Unique.
The situation today is unique.
Many staunch Republicans who
think American prosperity depends
upon getting more goods sold in
Europe, more cotton and Ggrlcul-
tural products-for the war ex-
panded American production facil-
tiles and left us with surplus sup
plies-are contending that a tariff
at all will ruin American export as
we'll as import trade. They declare
the world must first get back to
economic normalcy before a high
Protective tariff should be enacted.
The Republican national platform
Of 1920 on which Mr.. Harding was
elected was cautious in this connec-
ton and when the time comes for
Continued on Page Eleven.)