New-York tribune., 1922-08-08
Snlot,t Blocked
I'm His Attacks
On Sugar Pool
Senator Defends His Action
i'm Proposing Limitation
on Cuban Crop and At
tacks American Kefiners
Call for Inquiry Fails
Utah Man Blames New
York Bankers Who Were
Caught by Falling Prices

Fro,, The Trtounes washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7.~AeSenator
Smoot, trying twice to-day in his own
defense to force action during the
tariff debate in the Senate on his
resolution to Investigate the alleged
sugar pool in this country, declared
that his motives in preparing limita-
tion Of the Cuban sugar crop had been
impugned by Senator Harrison. He
produced the letter ne had written
General Crowder, President Harding's
representative in Cuba, and insisted
that his only idea, in suggesting a
limitation of the Cuban crop, was to
protect the beet sugar industry in the
United States against attacks by Amer
ican sugar refiners and New York
bankers who got caught by dropping
sugar prices.
The Senator flatly denied the charge
that he had promised a reduction in
the duty on Cuban sugar if the Cuban
crop were restricted. In his own de-
/ fense, also, he read letter from the
president of Cuba which said that no
American official had suggested limi-
tation Of the crop, as charged by Sena-
tor Harrison. Both attempts to call
up the inquiry into the sugar pool
were blocked.
Flexible Tariff, Up again
The other chief development in con-
alteration of the tariff measure V-2s a
meeting of Senator Lenroot with mem
bers of the Senate Finance Committee
to discuss rewriting Of the bills pro-
visions for flexible tariff in order to
obviate what many regard as the un-
constitutionality of the present word
ing. 1t is believed that the legality Of
the flexible features can be improved
by fixing definite basis on which the
tariff commission can recommend the
alteration of rates.
Senator Smoot's speech was in reply
to an attack made on him Saturday
by Senator Harrison. He criticized the
Mississippi Senator for attempting to
blacken his character. He admitted
having recommended to General
Crowder that the Cuban crop be limited
to $500 900 tons, but insikted his whole
purpose was to save the beet sugar in
terests of this country. He asserted
that he had written General Crowder
after Senior Portuondo of Cuba had
suggested such a course to him.
Letter to General Crowder
Senator Smoot's letter to General
Crowder said:
q hope you will lay before the
President of Cuba my attitude toward
the sugar industry both of Cuba and
of the United States.
"Mr. Babst, of the American Sugar
Refining Company, is doing all he can
to arrange matters so as to export at
least 100000 tons of sugar to Europe
have agreed to do all in my power to
secure the passage of a joint resolution
authorizing Cuban sugar to come into
the United States without a cent of
duty, providing it is refined in bond
and shipped to any country outside of
with the financing Of sugar in bond
and assist the refners greatly in Sc
curing foreign market for Cuban
sugar.
Il am sure the limitation of the
Cuban crop of sugar, for the present
year to 100000 tons, will be a solu-
tion of the problem not only for Cuba,
but for the United States as we'll. So
sure am l Of this that l think that it
would be wise to have incorporated in
the pending tariff bill rate of duty of
1& cents pound, which would make
the duty on Cuban sugar Ia cents a
pound. l am sure that Hon. Eugene
Meyer, Of the War Finance Corpora
ton, is ready to assist in financing the
sugar refneries on their expectation of
sugar to foreign countries.
81 shall be delighted to hear from
you as quickly as possible after your
arrival in Cuba, advising me of the re"
suit of your conference with the Presi-
dent. l have had the sugar schedule
in the pending tariff bill passed over
until hear definitely from you"
Smoot Tells of Deal
Senator Smoot said he had nothing
to conceal and "no apology to offer"
He told of call at his office January
s by Senor Portuondo, OF Cuba, and
General Crowder. Senor Portuondo
said the Cuban producers were in
desperate straits and urged restriction
of the crop to 2,500,000 tons.
Senator Smoot continued:
General Crowder and I then dis.
cussed the question and | told General
Crbwder that on account of the critical
condition in which we found ourselves,
if Cuba, as the Senior had proposed
would limit her crop to 100000 tons,
l knew the price Of sugar would i'm
mediately rise and would take chances
to save the industry, even though tenn
porarily, in the United States, and that
would support Ia cent rate on
Cuban sugar. 1t was one chance for
the industry 1t was one more chance
for the people Of the West, and had
abs olute confidence that Congress
would act later if 1t became absolutely
necessary.
"The proposition never came from
us; it came from Cuba"
With respect to the ALLEGED pool of
Alfred Grover, Senator Smoot said no
one believed that story. He asserted
that he had invited Grover out of his
office, as he had no time to waste on
his proposition.
Wreck Inuuest Rlames ENGINEER