Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-20
A Coalition Victory.

The Senate coalition, composed of
nearly all the Democrats and of four
teen Republicans, voted the Norris
amendment for the debenture plan of
farm relief into the tariff bill yesterday.
The vote did not come as a surprise
The coalition has had the bit In its
teeth for months, indeed, ever since it
the House over the farm relief bill last
May.
The coalition yielded finally in its de-
mand that the debenture plan should
be placed in the farm relief bill. 1t
had to. or there would have been no
farm legislation. 1t did not care to
take the responsibility for preventing all
farm legislation. Furthermore, the
coalition leaders saw another oppor-
tunity to flght for debenture when the
tarin bill came up in the Senate. 1t
remains to be seen noK how far the
coalition will 60 If 1t becomes certain
that no tariff revision legislation can be
effected as long as the debenture clause
remains in the bill. For it is expected
that the House. which voted over
whelmingly against debenture on the
farm bill, will not change its position
now. Certainly President Hoover is
not likely to approve q bill containing
the debenture clause.
One OF these days the Democrats in
the Senate will have to decide whether
they wish to prevent all tariff legisla-
ton or permit the Republicans to revise
the existing law. The Republican de-
sire has been to dispose of the tariff as
early as possible; get 1t out of the way
and have the country adjusted to the
revision as soon as possible. The Demo-
Gratis, on the other hand, have been
anxious to carry the tariff fight into
the coming congressional campaign
next year. 1t viii suit them better to
have the bill passed finally in January
or February or later. The Republican
progressives who have aligned them
selves with the Democrats are not so
particular about the time Of the pas
SN6G VI bAAG phlhs What tAfCy VAIN 10 y
bill which gives the farmers increased
tariM protection for their products and
refuses additional protection to the In
dustriss whose products the farmers
have to buy or even cuts down the
tariff rates on those products.
It is quite clear that the Democrats,
II they wish to make an issue In the
coming campaign of the tariff, must
oppose any tariff revision put through
by the Republicans, whether it is de-
signed to aid the farmer alone, or gives
added protection also to the manu-
faeturers.
President Hoover, when he called the
special session Of Congress, asked for q
Limited revision" Of the tariff There
has been no indication that he has
shifted his position in this regard. The
failure Of Congress now to put through
n tariH bill would leave him in the
same position. Congress would in all
probability have to bear the burden Of
the failure of the tariff bill, II that is
to be burden.
The Democratic Republican Progress
sive coalition has stricken from the
tarih bill the so-called flexible pro-
visions which President Hoover has
roundly supported. 1t has now put into
the tariff bill the debenture clause,
which the President has just as roundly
denounced. The House has supported
the flexible provisions and has de-
nouneed the debenture. There seems
little or no possibility of the bills be-
coming q law with these two amend
ments adopted by the Senate. They
may be Of value to the Senate coali-
ton, however, for trading purposes,
once the bill gets to the conference
stage.
With the disposal of the debenture
amendment, the Senate now is in a
position to begin consideration at last
Of the rates written into the tarin by
the Senate finance committee. This
will be a crucial test for the coalition
Its leaders predict that the coalition
will hang together, even in the matter
Of rates. But that is still to be de-
termined. After six weeks OF debate
the Senate has about completed its
work on the administrative features"
Of the bill and is preparing to get down
to the real inwardneSs Of the tariff,
the rates Of duties on imported COM
nodities.