Evening star., 1926-04-01
COTTON HOSIERY
TARIFF ATTACKED
Reduction Deliberately De.
Iayed, Declares Dennis at
Senate Inquiry.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY 6. GOULD LINCOLN.
The cotton hosiery case, involving
q possible reduction in tarin duties
has been deliberately delayed by
the ma jority members" Of the Tsrin
Commission. Vice Chairman Alfreo r.
Dennis charged today OF the senate
inquiry into the administration OF the
commission. BY the ma joritN mem
bers, DIR. Dennis said, he meant Chair
man Marvin and Commissioners
Gls ssie, Brossard and Baldwin.
DIR. Dennis detailed to the commit
tee his efforts TO get consideration OF
the cotton hosiery case, which he SAID
appeared 10 be q prima fscie case for
reduction Of duties. Finally after
months Of effort, he said. he made
statement to the commission on March
10 decla ring that he preferred 10
withdraw. since it In useless for me
to sit here" with the prospect OF be
ing overruled by vote OF 4 TO ].
At this meeting of the commission.
he said, Chairman Marvin brought in
report of the committee on cotton
hosiery. Of which he himself was
member, containing 10 additional
pages OF which he, DIR. Dennis, had
been completely una ware. At the
same meeting, he said, Commissioner
Costigan also had Withdrawn beca use
request for informa tion made by
him rega riding the cotton mills com.
mittee report had been characterized
as ''impertinent" by the chairman.
Says Reduction Is Needed.
In support OF his contention that
the cotton hosiery csse apparently on
Its face dema nos a reduction of du-
ties. DIR. Dennis told the committee he
thought the domestic production OF
cotton hosiery in year had been So
! 100000 dozen pairs of hose, valued at
$106 900 900. The imports of cotton
hose in the same period, he said had
been only 1000 dozen pairs. valued
at little more than 81 600 O0O. Fur
| thermore he said. thp exports OF
America n produced cotton hose had
been 5,159,750 dozen pairs. valued at
| $40 500. 900.
The application for a cha nge in the
duty on cotton hosiery under the fex-
. ible provisions OF the tariff act had
been made to the commission January
10, 1929, DIR. Dennis said At FIRST the
| only applica ton had been for higher
duties. but the inquiry had been broad
ened to include all kinds of cotton
hosiery, and it became evident that
the case involved a possible reduction
/ In duties.
Voted fer Increases
DIR. Dennis Sd id that he went tu
6irman Marvin and begged him al.
! most on bended knees" to take up this
| case, and that the chairman had con.
sented to bring In a program for the
! Cons1dera ton of cases under the hex.
/ ible provision of the tariff act. incIud.
! ing seven cases. only two Of which in.
/ rolved possible lower duties. cotton
/ hosiery and paint brush handles. Tha,
! was on June is, 1925. These ca So
! had heen long pending The commits
! sion. he said. has acted on fve ca ses
involving higher duties end sent them
! 10 the President. DR.. Dennis said tha
he had himself voted for the higher
! duties, but he criticized severely the
commission for falling to act on the
! TWO ca ses involving a lowering OF the
duties.
The vice chsirma n OF the commits
| sion discussed with the Senate com
mittee also the cotton glove case
! In which report was finally made
| to the President recomme nding an
, cent adralorem TO about iI2 per cent.
! Coolidge Rejected Increase.
| President Coolidge. DIR. Dennis
/ pointed out had refused TO carry out
the recomme nda ions of the commits
sion in regard TO cotton gloves. The
! President. DIR. Dennis said had been
| very wise.
Dir. Dennis said that about S.Oo0..
ana IL
annually in the United States. He
! said that he had made an inquiry AT
a large department store here and
| had been told that if the increased
duty went into effect it would have
;! resulted i'm raising the retail price
! OF the gloves from about $1.00 pair
I 10 $3.50. He said that Germsn my was
! the principal competing country in
the production OF these gloves.
"A great deal has been made OF
| the fact that the President did not
abide by the decision of the Tariff
| Commission In this case. said DIR
/ Dennis. He said that he did not see
why the President should be bound
by the recommendations of the Tariff
! commission, that TO his mind the
/ final decision should rest with the
| chief Executive In this connection
he referred also 10 a report of the
Tariff Commission Oh sugar duties, in
| which the President had not con
| CURED.
! Commission Divided.
| He pointed out that in the case of
| the sugar report the commission was
J divided. and that II there had not
been congressional action taking Com
! missioner Classic out of the conSld-
| Grafton of the sugar case, report
, To the President would have been
| hlocked. with the commission sta nding
Al to 4 In the cotton.glove case Dr.
Dennis "a Id the commission also was
| divided. At that time. he said, there
| were hut four members OF the COM
mission. Chairman Marvin and Com
missioners Classic, Costigan and
Dennis.
| .'If l had refused to sign the report
on cotton gloves, II would have
blocked action" said DR.. Dennis.
| ..But | joind with Commissioners
| Marvin and Classic In sending the
report to the President, and at the
| same time sent along Il criticism OF
the recommendation based on the
cost data. Commissioner COstigan re
fused to sign the report and | signed
| 1t merely to make ii possible to have
action by the commission.
The Senate committee will hold 1t:
next hearing on Monday, when DIR
Dennis will conclude his testimony
and Chairman Marvin will proba bly,
be heard again.
|