New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-10-16

Congress, and If there are to be any
changes these would be in specific
duties only, not new tariff act.
Mr.. Hoover. in a sense answering"
the Democratic stand. says he would
not delegate authority over tariff
rates to ANY commission. whether
non pa artisan or bipartisan"
A Tariff Commission. however. al
ready exists, and it has the power to
recommend" changes in specific
duties under the flexible tariff pro-
visions of the law. and the Presi-
dent has the power to adopt or
ignore the recommendations When
the Tariff Commission was formed
the ostensible object was to take the
tariff out of politics." 1t hasn't done
so in all respects. the claim being
made by the Democrats-and re-
peated by Governor Smith at
Louisvil.e-that the Commission has
been loaded" with the wrong kind
of experts.
On the question of foreign trade
Mr.. Hoover made a rather involved
explanation. much of the joy of
living would be destroyed if
we were denied sufficient imports"
were his words. His thesis is that
high protection will not interfere
with the right kind OF imports, such
as tropical products. but will bene-
fit by preventing imports of the
wrong kind, such as manufactured
products. Yet in almost the same
breath he admits that 80 per cent, or
$780, 100000 of such imports,
came in over the tariff wall, paying
duties of about 100000. 900 to the
government. 1.-The purchasing power
for our goods was undiminEhed by
this amount" he added.
Now, let anybody with the time
roll that around in his mind.
mo tariff act is perfect" he ad-
mitted. Yet the Fordney- McCumber
was regarded as the quintessence OF
perfection in Massachusetts. There
fore, when it has failed to lift the
textile industry from its lethargy
some explanation is due, including
wage statistics. In the latter method
Mr.. Hoover was ably prepared. He
showed how Yankee wooden and
worsted weavers. and American cot
ton weavers, earn more money
more american money-than their
foreign co-workers. An American
cotton weaver, for instance, earns
an average OF 40 cents an hour
when he is working. Cren hours a
day, so hours week, would be
an average of $eH. Another statisti-
cal reference showed that 5000
families depend upon the cotton and
wool manufacturing industries. TAX
ing the figures in their most optimis-
tic light one cannot wax enthusiasts
tic. What the textile workers are IN
terested in is relative wages, what
Is left over after the necessities of
life are paid for. For further in
formation one need only to visit
Lowell, Lawrence, Manchester. and
New BEDFORD. But according to Mr. |
Hoover, there has been employment
and prosperity"
Mr.. Hoover, it must be confessed
had hard field TO cultivate when
abiding to the textile industry in a
part of the country where textiles
constitute 26 per cent of the indus
trial life--when it is 100 per cent in
operation. The closed textile mills, or
those working on part time. indicate
that something is wrong and of
course it cannot be entirely due to
the tariff. The reason for this dire
depression was easily forthcoming.
however: THE same situation has
prevailed throughout the world and
is due largely to the same factors.
style changes, production in new
areas and decided changes in the
trends of consumption But if that
is so. how is the American tariff 60
ing to change this parlous world sit
uation?
The main difference between the
doctrine of Mr.. Hoover and that of
Mr. Smith is that the former wishes
it to be a function of Congress con-
clusively. Congress and the Presi-
dent, Mr.. Hoover says, lis the only
commission which can be held re-
sponsible to the electorate. Those
who believe in the protective tariff
will. ! am sure. wish to leave its re-
vision at the hands of that party
hiCh has been devoted to esta blish-
ment and maintenance of that prin-
ciple for 70 years" In other words.
! Mr.. Hoover favors the tariff being
the football of politics. while MI.
Smith faVors the tariff being taken
out of politics and treated "as a bus
mess and economic problem" and
that changes in specific duties should
be made only by IAN impartial tariff