The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-11-17
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY

WASHlNGToN' Nov l7-TaFift
by so many farm and industrial
groups that politicians now are as
Stunning that congress will increase
the present protective wall.
Those with an ear to the ground
say that the Democratic partys
campaign swing to the protective
principle, and the Hoover victory
partly on the Republican "protec-
ton and prosperity" record, indicate
a greater degree of public unani-
nifty on this than on any other ma
tional issue.
The Republican managers, for
technical and party reasons, prob
ably will attempt to keep the tariff
move from reaching a vote in the
winter session of congress. They
prefer to rewrite the general tariff
law in a special Hoover session con-
trolled by the newly elected Re
publican house and senate major
tiles.
President Elect Hoover, his cam
paign orators and the party plat
form, all have committed the new
administration to increased duties
on agricultural imports. This was
the chief campaign talking point of
Vice resident-Elec Curtis and OF
Senator Borah.
Farm organizations continue to
have great hopes for relief by this
method despite the argument Of
many nonrartisan economists that
such aid IS futile. Some farm
groups even want an increase on the
present wheat duty Of q cents,
though practically the on,s foreign
wheat now entering the country is
of a special variety not grown here,
The demand is wider for in
creased duties on corn, hides, eggs,
vegetables and fruit.
I'm almost every instance the
Il United States government al
ready is having disputes with for
eign governments over tariff regu-
lations in these commodities, Es-
pecially in the case Of the proposed
so per cent increase on corn, the
Argentine government has protested
and the Argentine press has threat
ened reprisals against American
manufactured goods.
Critics of agricultural tariff in
creases point out that much Of the
Yankee sentiment in Latin
America is stimulated, if not caused,
by our high tariff policy. They ask
how Hoover on his "good-will' tour
of South America, can create better
markets for American products if
his administration is to close the
door even tighter against United
States imports from those countries.
To this the farm relief group
here replies that the basic evil is
the wide discrepancy between the
price of products which the farmer
buys and sells. Therefore they de-
mand equalization of agriculture
with industry.
This can be achieved, as the
Democrats used to preach, by cut
ting down tariffs on manufactured
products. Or it can be achieved by
raising duties on agricultural prod
ucts. Since there is no sign what
ever of any chance of tariff roduc-
ton on manufactured products, the
only remaining course is an equal
ling boost of farm tariffs, say the
farmers.
AS tariff tinkering for the farm
ers therefore appears inevitable, the
manufacturers are rushing forward
to get their share of any increase.
Senator David Reed Of Pennsyl-
vania is asking for higher duties on
aluminium, anthracite and pigiron.
VTICE-PRESIDENT- ELECT CUR
' IT'S proposed in his eastern
campaign speeches a tariff on shoes
and higher textile duties. Hoover,
in his Boston speeches, made no
definite pledges, but intimated that
ne would give friendly considera-
ton to such proposals.
All this is a far cry from the
McMaster senate resolution Of less
than a year ago, calling for a gen.
eral downward tariff revision.
There remain, however, many
Democrats in congress opposed to
the present high schedules on man
ufactured goods of no longer infant
industries Though they are not
strong enough numerically to block
the new industrial high tariff swing,
they may, with the help of Repub-
lican progressives, restrain it some
what
To prevent such restraint the in
dustrial high tariff increase repre-
sentatives probably will refuse to
support a farm tariff increase, un-
less the farm group supports them.
If the industrialists are able to
form such an industrial-farm COM
bine in congress. it will of course
be strong enough to dictate any
kind Of tariff legislation it wants.