Evening star., 1924-03-08
COOLIDGE RAISES
TARIFF ON WHEAT
II Cents a Bushel and rs
Cents a HundredWeight on
Flour Increases Ordered.

Putting into operation for the first
time the flexible provisions OF the
tariff act, President Coolidge has
ordered increases of IL cents bushel
on the duty of wheat imports and 26
cents a hundred pounds. on wheat
flour. advancing these two rates,
respectively to AZ cents and s1.04. AT
the same time, the ad valorem rate
on mill feeds has been decreased from
l5 per cent, as fixed by law, to Z z
per cent.
The new rates, established by
proclamation issued yesterday by the
President on the basis of informa-
ton gathered at his direction by the
Tariff Commission, will become eff
fective thirty dags from the date or
his action, and, therefore, VIII be
operative at tn" beginning of the
usual April flood of wheat imports
from Canada.
The wheat rate at present is 80
cents il buShel. and that on flour IS
cents a hundred younds but the COM
mission found that in Canada. the
principal competing country IN the
cereal. wheat could be grown at IA
cost of IL cents n buShel lower than
in the United States: and that 100
pounds of -four could be produced for
S1.0l less. The difference between
the costs of producing mill feeds IN
the two countries, however, amounted
TO only three-tenths of one cent
hundred pounds. The new Sl.o4 rate
applies to Semoiina, crushed or
cracked wheat and similar products,
as well as flour.
First Change OF Duties.
The new rates represent the first
change in the duties of the Fordney-
McCumber tariff act since 1t WAS
passed by Congress in September,
1922, and the proclamation issued to-
day was the first exercise of the
powers conferred on the President to
Increase or decrease rates within
maximum of 80 per cent after inves-
tigation by the Tariff Commission.
Several other inquiries designed to
ascertain whether existing rates are
fair arc under way. including an in
Nestigation Of the duty on sugar.
The first step toward change i'll
the wheat tariff was taken last No
Nembtr by the Wheat Council of the
United States, Incorporated, of which
Representative Anderson of Mime
sofa is president: The wheat council
filed an application for Investigation
on the grounds that the existing rate
of so cents Il bushei on wheat did not
adequately represent the difference in
Canadian and American costs of pro-
duction. President Coolidge, impressed
by the councils plea and with the re-
suits of preliminary inquiry by the
Tariff Commission. ordered an inveS-
liSallOn.
Canada Aids Inquirer.
Much of the inveStiga cation was con-
Quoted in the field under the direction
of William :. CulbertSon, vice chair
man of the commission, who made
survey of production costs in the
Canadian wheat growing provinces.
The Canadian government assisted
the commissions agents in the in
quiry to considerable extent, al
though such aid had not been expect
ed by the commission.
Field reports and records We're OBJ
tanned from seventynine regions in
the United States and Canada, and
We're supplemented by testimony be-
fore the commission late in February.
After conclusion of the hearings, the
commission prepared it's report. A
controversy as to the form of the re-
port, however, arose within the COM
mission and held up the presentation
of findings to President Coolidge for
more than a week.