Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22

far into the regular session. on the
ground that such prolonged discussion
constituted an unsettling influence upon
business conditions. Because of this
understanding the leaders are looking
forward particularly to q peruSal of his
message to the regular session.
The new session will convene on De-
cember 2, with the three-year-old Ques-
ton OF seating William s. Ware as
Senator from Pennsylvania as the Off
cial order of business An effort by
Senator Norris of Nebraska one of the
Republican independents. to obtain ac-
ton on the Ware case during the spe-
cial session brought an agreement to
take 1t up as the first business of the
regular session.
1t is estimated that three days will
be required for, the disposition of the
Ware case, after which the tariff will
again be brought before the Senate.
Opinion as to how much longer the
Senate must wrestle with the measure
before reaching final vote is variable,
with the most conservative estimate
being that the Christmas recess may see
final action on the bill.
Senators Keep at Work.
Having voted, A to 26, late yesterday
to increase the raw clothing wool duty
from 81 to "a cents a pound of clean
content, the tired tariff warriors in the
Senate today faced only a few more
hours work on proposed wooden goods
rates before retiring to their homes for
welcomed rest.
Contrasted with the measure passed
by the House on May % last, the bill in
the form presented today by the Sem
ate could hardly be called likeness in
any particular but one. While both ac-
coded to the cries of farm groups for
higher agricultural tariffs. the two
measures are far apart respecting in
dustrial rates, and much rate cutting is
still anticipated by the coalition in
power.
The House bill carried hundreds of
industrial rate increases despite the fact
that President Hoover recommended to
the special session a limited revision,
with primary attention given to farm
levies and stepping-up of few of the
duties on products of tagging manufac-
turing industries.
Tackling the task of rewriting the bill
In Midsummer, the Senate finance
committee Republicans slashed scores
OF industrial rates, but left many as
proposed by the House, and the coali-
ton OF Democrats and Republican in
dependents was far from satisfied.
Worried by Debenture.
Republican leaders are not so wor-
ried over the rate reductions accom-
plished by the coalition as they are
over the incorporation in the bill by
the group OF the export debenture plan
granting a Federal bounty to exporters
, OF farm commodities and the repeal of
the 7-year-old policy permitting the
President to raise or lower duties in
emergencies. Only in a few instances
have duties been lowered below exist
ing law.
President Hoover is opposed to tho
debenture plan and also wishes to re-
| tain executive power over rates be-
| tween general revisions by Congress.
The Simmons Norris substitute for
the flexible clause which was adopted
would return to Congress all rate
changing powers now delegated to the
| President. Whereas the President is
| now empowered to increase or lower
| rates by SO per cent after investiga-
| ton by the Tariff Commission. the SUBJ
| stitute plan would authorize the COM
| mission to recommend to Congress
| transfer to or from the free list and
| provide a safeguard against general
revision by limiting Congress to the
| individual rate changes dealt with III
| commission reports.
The House is believed to be over
whelmingly for retention of the present
| flexible provision and already has voted
| against the debenture. Unless some
| compromise on these propositions Is
reached between the two bodies. many
observers see a hopeless deadlock in
I conference.
| While Senate Democratic and Repub-
lican independent leaders insist they
will never compromise on these major
| provisions, House minority chiefs hold
that If the House recedes on the fiex-
ible issue, everything could be settled
nicely in conference-meaning, Of
course, abandonment of the dcbenture.
| Other important Senate revisions Of
administrative sections include pro-
vision for retention of the Tariff Com
mission as a bipartisan instead of a
bipartisan body as proposed by the
House. The Senate bill also calls for
a complete reorganization OF the COM
mission within 80 days after enactment
of the bill,
Both bills failed to disturb the GUS
tom of baSing ad valorem rates on for
eign valuations, although the pending
measure would direct the Tariff Com
missi l to survey and report to Con-
gress by January /, 1892, the feasibility
of adopting the United States value or
some other domestic formula.
The Senate bill contains also a new
provision setting up an Office in the
Tariff Commission, to be known as the
consumers counsel" with a $4,000
four year-term attorney at its head,
with power to argue all petitions for
changes in tariff leVies.
The Senate still must act on commit
tee amendments to the sugar. silk,
rayon, papers and books and sundries
schedules and the free list. Then in
dividual amendments to all schedules
will have to be disposed of, as well as
the scores OF House increases left un-
touched by the finance committee, be-
fore the measure will be In snaps for