The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-11-16
Tariff Hike
on heat to
Come Soon
N. B. Updike of Omaha Con-
fers With President and
Finds Immediate Ac-
ton Planned.
No Remedy Neglected

Washington. Nov IA higher
tariff on wheat as a means Of aiding
the middlewest farmer will be a real
ity in few weeks. according to Nel-
son B. Updike. publisher Of the Oma-
ha Bee. who was caller at the exec
utive office at the White House to-
day.
II found that President Coolidge
had already taken steps necessary TO
increase the tariff" Mr.. Updike sad.
"and was amazed TO find that he had
yoluminous and accurate information
at hand concerning the middlewest
conditions.
The president presented me with a
copy Of q letter from Attorney Cen
eral Harry n. Daugherty replying TO
an inquiry by the president as to the
preliminary steps necessary to impose
2 higher wheat tariff The letter
from Mr.. Daugherty. stating that first
an investigation must be made by the
United states tariff commission before
proclamation could be issued for a
higher tariff was dated November
1S, and 1t was the day following that
the investigation by the commission
was started. Il indicated that the
president means business and is do
ing everything to expedite relief Of
the miadlewest farmer.
All Information at Hand.
There is little doubt that the In.
vestigat-on viii be short. and I know
that It viii result in developing facts
that will warrant the president in in
creasing the duty on wheat. IN fact.
all the information which the COM
mission has announced It desired in
its present investigation into the
wheat situation Is already in the
hands Of the United States Depart
ment q Agriculture. which Tor sev-
eral months has made a thorough IA.
vestigation Of its own along exactly
the same lines.
Transferring the Information from
the United Startes Department q
Agriculture 10 the tariff commission
and its assimilation by the commits
sion viii not take long.
Expect Lower Freight Rates.
The president emphasized the fact
that II the investigation showed facts
to justify the higher tariff. as II s
my opinion il will prove. the higher
tariff Viii be only for the purpose a
meeting the present emergency in the
wheat belt Meantime. everything
VIII be done 70 avert a similar con
dition among wheat growers in the
future. The president gave assur-
ance that every facility was being
pressed into service 70 carry or an m
vestigation ef p-opo>ci plans FOR PER-
,manent relief Of wheat farmers such
as pushing TO completion an invesf.-
cation fer the purpose Of readjus;inE
and lowering freight rates on export
wheat and wheat products.
Another possibility proposed by
Secretary Wallace and others is that
of purchasing surplus wheat with
view q exporting il 70 foreign mar
kets The needs u charity for Europe
may cause large demand on wheat.
Paving the way fer farmers 10
work oat their own cooperative wheat
marketing movement Z found advis
able by them is also planned.
1t viii be gratifying to the wheat
farmers Of the m,ddlewest 10 learn
that the first thing Presiden; Cool.
idge has done is to take steps "a
meet the present emergency as It now
exists and permit other plans 10
work as fast as possible"