The Washington times., 1923-04-11
HARDING FACES
HIS TWO BIG
PROBLEMS
Shipping Board Policy and
Tariff Question Taken Up
BY President.

President Harding today under
took to begin the unraveling of two
Of the most important and en-
barrassing problems confronting his
Administration-the matter CT dis
position OF the American merchant
marine, and the possible effect Of
the Fordney protective tariff upon
present high prices in the sugar
and other markets.
Before the end Of the present
week, the President plans to meet
with both the Tariff Commission
and the Shipping Board. The full
personnel Of both bodies are to be
called in at the White House to
lay before the Chief Executive their
findings and recommendations and
to receive further instructions.
To Define Policy.
Following the conference with
Chairman Lasker and the Shipping
Board is expected to come a full
pronouncement of the Administra-
tions policy relative to the disposi-
ton of the huge merchant fleet
which the last Congress refused to
substitute, and which, for that
reason, the President refuses to-
further operate. The board, after
a long series of conferences and
much elaboration, has evolved
plan whereby the Government may
get out from under" which the
e. Cd 70
The plan has been carefully
guarded, however, and there has
been no >intimation as to whether 1t
provides outright sale, or whether
it comprises certain unique and
startling features" as originally
predicted by Chairman Lasker.
The conference with the Tariff
| Commission is expected to develop
that the increased tariff has nothing
to do with soaring prices. Far to
| the contrary, there have been indi-
cations that with respect to Cuban
sugar still further increase in duty
might well be imposed. The Tariff
Commissions figures show that the
old duty under the Underwood
emergency tariff was $3.50 per hun
dred pounds, while the duty under
the Fordney law is $1.75. AS this
is an increase of but sixteen-hun-
dredths of a cent per pound ard
sugar has jumped and 4 cents III
the market, it would appear feasible
to further increase the protective
wall.
Will Fill Vacancies.
| In addition to meeting with these
| agencies, President Harding Is
facing the task of filling certain
vacancies in his administrative
staff, principally the Craftsmanship
of the Shipping Board to be va
Gated soon by A. D. Laskef, and
the eighth membership on the Fed.
eral Reserve Board.
While the President has given no
deep thought to the shipping post
as yet, he has indicated that a
promotion might fill the vacancy.
OF the members Of the board, Meyer
Lissner and Admiral w. s. Benson
| are considered the most likely candt-
dates with the preference conceded
to Lissner, who halls from the
Pacific Coast where he has long
been a prominent figure in marine
| circles.
Will Appoint Dawes.
OF the candidates for the dirt
| farmer" membership on the Reserve
| Board, 1t Is almost certainty tnaC
the post will go to Walter H. Chap
pell of Chanute, Kans., Endorsed by
the Farm bloc, many farm organiza'
tions and all of the forces which
pushed Milo D. Campbell into office.
Others to be reckoned with. how
ever, are A. II. Denton of Kansas,
Endorsed by Senator Curtis, and A.
H. Elmore of Spokane, Wash, in
| A. H. ~
| The President, however. has indi-
Gated the appointment would go to
the Middle West, and has definitely
eliminated the South from the race
in view Of the failure OF James G.
McNary's nomination to the Comp
trollership of the Currency.
The only other big appointment is
| that of Henry G. Dawes to the
Comptrollership, as announced from
Florida. This will be made before
the end Of the month.