Evening star., 1925-02-01
TARIFF COMMISSION
ABOLITION IS VOTED
House Democrats Get
Amendment Over, But Re-
consideration Is Due.

House Republicans, caught mapping
on what many of them believed would
be dull Saturday, failed to muster
enough votes yesterday to defeat an
amendment by Representative Gar
ner, Democrat, Texas, to the moe
pendent offices appropriation Dill
which would wipe the Tarin COM
mission out Of existence July l.
The amendment, which eliminated
n provision of S712,000 for expenses
of the commission during the coming
fiscal year, was adopted by vote OF
63 to Sc. Democrats, with few eN-
Ceptions supported the amendment,
while Republicans, handicapped by
absentee, opposed ii.
Representative Longworth, the Re
publican leader, and Representa-
tive Wood, Republican, Indiana, in
charge of the bill, announced that
they would demand a roll call vote
on the amendment before passage OF
the bill, probably Tuesday. The vote
yesterday was by tellers.
Cuts shipping Board Salary.
Massing their strength a few mo-
ments later, Democrats again out
numbered Republicans with result
that an amendment by Representa-
tive Byrnes, Democrat, South Caro-
lima stipuIating that no assistant
TO receive more than $500 a year
was adopted. SO TO SO. Mr.. Byrnes
said the assistant to Chairman
O'Connor is paid $4,000 and he de-
clared that the board was planning
to name other assistants at similar
salaries.
Action on the Garner amendment
came after more than an hours de-
bate, and after a proviso continuing
the ban against commissioners par
ticipating in proceedings IN Whlch
they or any member of their familles
are interested had been eliminated on
a point of order.
Even If the Tarifti Commission ap-
uropriation should be restored by an
other vote the stipulation regarding
the qualification of members TO par
ticipate in proceedings is out of the
bill for good, unless reinstated by the
Senate and retained by conferees.
Group Declared Useless.
Mr. Garner and those who support
sd his move to abolish the Tarln
Commission declared it was serving
no useful function, that the Treasury
could furnish all the information now
obtained from the commission, and
that the President was showing an
inclination to disregard the law that
the commission is to be bipartisan
Coolidge for delay in acting on the
commissions sugar report, assalIed
rhe appointment by President Harding
of Commissioner Classic as Demo
crate and charged that Mr.. CoohdSe
was Juggling the reappointment OF
Commissioner Lewis until he couId
determine on some 'scalawag" Demo-
crat who would be more inclined 10
the tariff views of his Republican
colleagues.
Wants Report TO Congress.
Mr.. Garner said that when there is
a revision in the tariff law he would
make an effort to compel the commls-
sion 10 report to Congress as wen as
to the President, so that the puoAC
would know the recommendations OF
the commission under flexible pro-
vision of the tariff law.
Mr.. Wood, while declaring he be-
lieved the Tariff Commission shoulo De
a nartisan body, declared the Presi-
dent should carry out the spirit of
the law by making it bipartisan he
oriticized Woodrow Wilson for ap-
nointing to the commission a Repub-
lican who, he declared, was out or
sympathy with the Republican party
on the tariff issue.
Chairman Green of the ways and
means committee said the commission
had been drawn into political discus
sion, had lost prestige and It's useful-
ness had become impaired.
Representative Oldfeld of Arkan-
sas. a Democratic committee mem
her said the commission should be
abolished IF it is going to give Con-
gress opinions instead of facts