The New York herald., 1922-05-19

no Ilc46 III VI tlic dAAillOpAly OiA IiAS
tariff was reached to-day when Sena-
TOR McCumber IN. d.. in charge OF
the bill. read the riot act to the abb
sentees Of the Senate, and declared
II they did not propose to stay on the
Job they should resign. so their States
could send to the Senate men who
would attend to the business of the
country. To this came the reply that
Senator McCumber had reached the
limit Of Senatorial "discourtesy."
To save time the Senate is still oper-
ating on the legislative day Of April
20. when the tariff bill was made the
unfinished business. Instead Of ad-
journing> now the Senate merely re-
cesses, which eliminates the morning
hour and prevents the introduction of
all sorts Of bills and petitions, and
even excludes the prayer of the chap
lain.
Eighteen Months OF Debate.
However. that expedient has not
brought the tariff bill much closer to a
vote. To-day the Senators were strug-
Cling with items on page 81, the dis
tance they have plowed through the
measure In four weeks. There are 43S
pages in the bill, so at that rate 1t will
require eighteen months to finish the
debate.
Again there are 1880 paragraphs In
the bill, and the Senate late to-day had
struck q snag and was anchored on
paragraph 60. On that basis it>would
take about two years to complete the
debate on the bill.
To add to the distress of those In
charge Of the measure. whenever a
knotty problem comes up which on Its
face will lead to much discussion It Is
passed over. That was the case when
the coal tar tariffs and other items in
the chemical schedule were reached.
WASHINGTON. May 1s (Associatet
Press) .-Asserting that Senate Repub'
Iicans. or most Of them. had decided te
accept the pending tariff bill as reported
by the Finance Committee. Senator Un-
derwood (Ala.). Democratic leader
declared to-day he wanted the record or
the measure so clear that this would be
the issue In the fall campaign and tha,
the people would pass judgment on the
bill.
'.They (the Republicans) are not go
ing to consider the various Items as pre-
serted," Senator Underwood said, "and
the only Jury to which we (the Demo
crats) can appeal is the jury that must
pay the taxes"
The minority leader was discussing a
paragraph In the bill dealing with duties
on pigments for paints. He said this
was one of the items that the people
could understand, and that 1t could be
made clear that the only purpose was to
.build I'D a tariff wall to increase the
profits of the producers"
After a four hours' fight the Senate
approved committee amendments propos-
ing a duty of "a cents pound on
lItharge and of 3 cents pound on or
ange mineral 2oth Of these materials
are lead pigments.
Committee rates Of az cents pound
on red lead and 2h cents pound on
white lead also were approved. The
Democrats sought to have each Of the
four rates reduced to II cent pound.
The committee proposal for % per
cent. rate on varnish was the subject
of an attack by Senator Norris (Neb..
REM, who also scored the votes on
paint and said II appeared that the Sem
ate agricultural tariff bloc was In a
deal to support the committee rates
generally In exchange for protection on
AGRICULTURAL products.
where II the Farm BIocf
.r have been wondering about the
farm bloc" he added. We've been
dealing In products the farmer needs
and have been increasing the tariff on
every one. Where, oh where Is the farm
bloc?"
Noting the presence OF but a few
Senator's, Mr.. Norris added that absent
Senators appeared to come In blindly
and vote increases that we know are in
creasing the expense the common people
must pay.
II can't explain It in any other way
he added. There must some under
standing. It Is not fair. A bill built on
that kind OF bargain is its own death.
Some Senators are going out this fall
before farming communities and will not
be able to defend the votes they have
cast to day."
Replying to Senator Norris. Senator
McCumber said it might be there were
no importations OF varnishes now. but
the bill was framed to be effective for
years. He denied there would be an in
crease Of 25 per cent. in the price, of
varnish because of the 25 per cent.
duties proposed.
with respect to the effect Of the
proposed tariff o.: farmers. Senator
McCumber said the agriculturists in his
State had not asked that everything
they uged be admitted duty free, but
only that they have equal protection
with other industries.
An amendment to the bill under which
the President would be authorized to
enter into reciprocity agreements with
other nations In the case Of specific
commodities was introduced to-day by
Senator McNary (Rep., Ore.). The
amendment is similar to provision In
the House bill, which was stricken out
~ the Senate Finance Committee.
Rates on Soap Fixed.
Committee rates on soap were agreed
10 as follows: Perfumed, SO per cent.
ad valorem; unperfumed, 10 per cent !;
medicinal, 20 per cent, and all others, S
per cent.
Opposing these proposed increases In
the duties on soaps Senator Fletcher
tFla.). Democrat, attacked the bill gem
orally. asserting that prices would GO
UP as soon as the measure was passed,
or even before that time. if prospects
Tor rs passage were good.
That's the purpose OF the biil," he