Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-23
More Tariff Clouds.

While the Republican members Of the
Senate finance committee were disem-
boweling the administrative features of
ranking Democratic member Of the COM
mittee, returned to Washington and an
nounced that lac proposed to offer four OF
Ave hundred amendments 10 the Repub-
lican tariff bill when 1t comes up for con-
Sideration In the Senate itself. The
tariff, 1t appears, is to be the battle
dore and shuttlecock of the politicians
for some time to come. The plans of
the Democratic leaders, now develop
ing call for a concerted effort to show
to the country. especially the ultimate
consumer, that the Democratic party is
anxious to cut down the cost of liv-
ing by cutting the prices of many COM
moditieS which he must use. If Senator
Simmons prepared his hundreds of
amendments to the tariff bill, prac-
tically all of them lowering tariff duties
or placing commodities on the free list,
and insists upon record vote in the
Senate on each amendment, following
reasonable debate" the bill is not
likely to get through the Senate and
the conference committee before snow
flies. And so, American business will
be called upon to wait little longer
for a new tariff law.
The general impression prevails that
President Hoover has been particularly
interested in some of the administrative
features of the new tariff bill. 1t is
said that he has had desire to take the
tariff, as far as possible, out OF the
field of politics and place 1t in the
field of economics. Some of the pro-
visions of the bill as it passed the House
were designed to carry out the ideas Of
the administration. But the Republican
members of the finance committee have
run roughshod over these proposals,
cutting them from the bill or amending
them. The House had planned to make
the United States, Tariff Commission
as far as possible a non-partiSan body
rather than a partisan commission. But
that has been cast into the discard
by the Republican members of the
Senate committee. The House lodged
greater power in the hands of the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury with regard to
valuations. But the Senate committee
men have changed all that and put it
back in the hands Of the Court Of
Customs Appeals.
In these amendments to the admin
istrative features of the bill, reducing
the power of the Executive in tariff
matters, the Republican members Of
the finance committee are likely to have
the support of the Democrats when
the bill comes into the Senate. The
Democrats are Of a single mind when
it comes to clipping the wings of a
Republican President. And it appears
that some of the high tariff Republicans
are of the same mind.
The Senate committee has substi-
tuted the American valuation for the
foreign valuation basis of the House
bill. This amendment has been spon-
sored by Joseph r. Grundy Of the
Pennsylvania Manufacturers Associa-
ton, and was adopted in the Senate
committee largely through the efforts
of Senator David A. Reed of the Key
stone State.
What will be the ultimate makeup
of the tariff bill, it is impossible to
say. II Senator Borah has his way, it
will be cut down to increases in duties
of the farm schedule and related COM
modit,--. Such result appears un-
likely at present. But, on the other
hand, the opposition to the increases
proposed in the rates on many Of the
industrial commodities may become so
strong that there may be hopeless
deadlock and no legislation. Possibly
such an outcome would not grievously
hurt the feelings of President Hoover,
who asked for a limited revision Of
the tariff, covering farm products and
those industries which have been hard
hit in recent years by foreign compete
ton. The demand for gravy" by
many of the industries and their sup
porters in Congress has been too strong,
however, to permit such limits.