Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-13
FACTORY LEADERS
FAVOR TARIFF PLAN
Proposal to Give President
Wider Powers Is Backed
by Organization.

Organized manufacturers have come
cut in support of the proposal to give
the President wider discretionary DOW
erS In administration of tariff laws and
are advocating n-partisanship rather
than bi-partisanship in the member
ship Of the Tariff Commission.
seven methods of adjusting tariff
rates have been recommended by Con-
greSS to the manufacturers, according
to a statement issued today by John e.
Edgerton, president of the National As
ISOLATION of Manufacturers. Edgerton
was to confer today with President Hoo
yer, but he said the tariff was not to
be the subject for discussion.
Edgerton declared that since both DO
lltical parties were Sin close accord" as
to a protective tariff the greatest diff
culties today arise out of the method of
administration and the "insufficiency of
the agency of administration"
The proposals of the manufacturers.
designed to remedy existing defects, are:
Rate Adjustment Suggestions.
1. To change the present congress
sional standard of adjustment from the
d1fference between foreign and domes-
tic costs of production to ascertafred
differences in conditions Of foreign and
domestic competition. Such facts to be
ascertained by the Tariff Commission
upon appropriate petition and upon the
commissions recommendation to be
proclaimed by the Executive in terms of
such facts.
2. Removal of the limitation upon the
action OF the Executive, which now con-
flnes him to limitation of so per cent
IN the range of change, including nee
esSary Redistribution to meet the as
certained facts.
8. Under like conditions to authorize
removal from the free list when an
industry Is demonstrably likely to be
injured by a prevailing difference in
ConolClons OF competition and such in
dustry is conducted with reasonable
efficiency
4. That for the purpose of rate adj
Justment within the rule prescribed,
the President may consider in such
rate adjustment, in addition to the
difference in cost of production Of the
same or like competitive articles, alter
native elements or conditions which are
facts-that is, the difference in whole
sale selling prices of such articles in
both the United States or the principal
competing foreign markets, the invoice
prices OF foreign articles or their do
nestle values in the United States. the
advantages received by a foreign pro-
Queer from his government or other
sources, the transportation cost from
the principal foreign production points
to our ports Of importation, compared
with the transportation cost Of domes-
tic articles from the places Of sub.
stantial production to our ports of i'm
portation, or any other competitive
advantage or disadvantage which Is q
fact.
5. In the ascertainment of the facts
at issue, the President Is to have the
aid of the Tariff Commission, who are
to provide opportunities for appropriate
hearing in connection with investiga-
tions for applications for adjustment,
and the President may not issue a
proclamation on adjustment until the
commission has investigated and made
its recommendation.
Odd Number Proposed. Z
6. Substantially urging for the Ex-
ecutive the same discretion in using q
practical system of domestic valuation
as is recommended by the Treasury for
the use of United States appraisers to
ascertain practical United States VAL
uation where the foreign value is not
clearly reflected or obtainable.
z. To make such a conception Of
tariff adjustment effective, it is urged
that the Tariff Commission should be
composed of an odd number of mem
bers to prevent deadlocks. The MEM
bership should be men of high qualifi-
cation and compensated equally with
members of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, and the body should no
, longer be made bipartisan by law, but
| chosen solely upon capacity to dis
charge the special function submitted
to them.