South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-10-27
TARIFF COMMISSION
WILL PLAY FAIR
OFFICIAL ASSERTS
Proceedings Before Body Will
Be of Judicial Nature,
Says CulbersOn.
BY LOUIS LUDLOW.


The United States tariff commission
intends 70 play fair under the broad
powers conferred upon It by the
new tariff law.
The commission is charged by the
act with the duty OF making all in
vestigations looking 70 the pro-
/ claiming by the president Of new
rates under the flexible clauses Of
I the enactment and 1t has laid down
for its own guidance the broad prin-
ciple that its proceedings shall be
/ exclusively in the national interest
and not in the interest Of any sec
\ ton Of the country, Of any branch
/ industry or Of any class OF producers
/ or consumers.
The commission has also set at
/ rest a belief quite general since the
+ ey-McCumber bill became the
law OF the land that it would at
once recommend 10 the president
numerous rates of duty revised in
| conformity with tariff information
previously compiled by exrerts of
/ the commission and ignored by the
finance committee Of the senate
when framing the legislation. No
recommendation will be made by
the commission until a special in
vestigation shall have been con
Quoted.
Transmits Requests.
The president has transmitted TO
the commission all requests for
changes in the tariff that have been
received at the white house.
William s. Culbertson, vice chair
man of the commission, POINTS out
that obviously the mere fling of
an application with the commission
for a change in a tariff rate will not
entitle a party to a formal proceed
ing. Only those cases viii be taken
up for action which present a prima
facie case under the law and which
involve the public interest, he said,
adding that the commission Will be
al liberty to narrow or widen the
scope of any case laid before II
and will not be limited in its find
ings TO the relief asked by the APP
pHcant
Speaking for the comm sslon, its
vice chairman made it known that
proceedings before the commission
will be of a judicial character. The
nature of each proceeding will be
set forth in a published statement,
he said and interested parties will
be heard on designated dates Hear
ings VIII be supplemented by field
investigations in the United States
and foreign countries.
AT no point will the action Of
The commission be precipitate," Mr..
Culbertson declared, after explain
ing that its procedure Will be much
like that followed by a court or by
other government commI ssions, such
as the interstate commerce commits
sion.
COnstrue Phrase Broadly
Assurance was given that The
phrase. cost Of production will be
construed broadly. This phrase
looms large in the text of the fieXi-
BILE section. which provides that any
rate of duty may he increased or
I decreased so FER cent If necessary
to equalize the differences in costs
of production in the United States
and the principal competing coun-
try"
Mr.. CulbertsOn said that the COM
mission Will take into consideration
all conditions Of production, prices
and other advantages or disadvan-
tages in competition in determining
costs Of production which, though
difficult 70 ascertain. he admitted,
may be found. he asserted, with suf-
fcient accuracy for tariff making
purposes.
Mr.. Culbertson denied that uncer-
tainty 70 business would result from
the new powers conferred on the
president.
con the contrary" he said, eft is
more than likely that these pro-
visions will lead 10 greater stability.
Nothing could be more disturb ng
TO business than the long drawn-out
tariff controversy through which we
have just PASSED. Business men
should be interested in a measure
which affords them adequate OppOr-
tunity 20 be heard and 70 have in
dividual rates modified 20 meet the
changing conditions without the
serious upheaval which usually
comes with a general tariff revision"