Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-08
MOSES PREFERS
FLEXIBLE TARIFF
Senator Condemns "Move
Afoot to Turn U. S. Markets
Over to Foreigners"
WILL p. KENNEDY.

Senator Moses of New Hampshire,
clared to a gathering of SO New
England manufacturing and export
executives, officials of the Departments
of State and Commerce and members of
the House and Senate from New Eng
land last night that he would prefer
the present tariff law with its flexible
provision, whereby a wise President can
give the rates industries need" to the
tariff bill as it now stands in the
Senate.
He condemned "a movement that Is
afoot to turn over the nome markets to
foreigners"
House Leader Tilson, following Sena-
tor Moses. said he expects the House
to work out a, tariff bill. that will get
rid of some of the barnacles the Senate
has put upon it, and then said, sig
nificantly, "If not we can retain some
of the provisions of the present law"
These New England business leaders
are spending two days in the Capital
making an intensive study Of the for
eign trade service available to American
manufacturers at the Department OF
Commerce and to demonstrate to their
representatives in Congress and to the
Federal departments that they are
vitality interested in aggresstvely pro-
noting New England's foreign trade
The tour is under the auspices OF the
New England Export Club of the Boston
Chamber of Commerce in cooperation
with the New England Office of the
Federal Bureau of Foreign ana Do
nestle Commerce and the Associated
Industries of Massachusetts,.
Representative Tilson said later that
he had returned to washington Specln-
caIly to learn what the Senate Is 60
ing to do with the tariff bill" and Will
House leaders. He expressed his belief
that 1.-THE Senate has done great deal
of harm to the tariff bill" and pre-
dicted that the House will not accept
the debentures plan as tackled on 10 the
bill in the Senate. He was emphatlc
in saying that the House will not sur
render the flexible tariff provision.
The hint thus given by a leader IN
both the Senate and House that the
tariff bill might be allowed to fail so
as to retain the flexible tariff provision
that is in the present Fordney-
McCumber act, gives encouragement TO
the plan that has been discussed Sc
cretly by House strategists.
Briefly they propose to let the totter-
ing Hawley-Smoot tariff bill die when
it comes back from the Senate. Then
the Fordney -McCumber tariff act,
which initiated the flexible tariff" pro-
vision, would operate. Under this
President Hoover could say to the Tariff
Commission:
Extensive hearings have been held
in both House and Senate showing the
need for increases in tariff duties. I
want you to make a careful study of
those hearings and of other tnforma-
ton YOU have available, and to report
to me with recommendations on all
agricultural products, and on certain
other industrial products regarding the
need for protection"
The President could then, on such
recommendations, exercise his author
ity to increase duties up to so per cent
of present duties. Commodities that
really must have protection could get it,
Those who have proposed this scheme
argue that it would be notable DEM
onstration of the economic Soundness
of giving the President such tariff
making power, for the protection OF
American industry in the event that
Congress fails to act. The people would
know Just where the blame lies. Those
who have been demanding undeServed
protection for certain schedules under
the threat of otherwise preventing the
acceptance of needed duty increases
would be eliminated from the give and
take" and log-rolling Of congressional
would be thwarted. The undue actiV-
tiles of lobbyists would prove futile.
The Presidents position with the
country would be strengthened-whe
certain of his political opponents
thought they, had him in a hole"
Playing of politics in the Senate would
get deserved black eye.