Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-26
HOUSE APPROVES
TARIFF CHANGES
Fight Over Sugar By-product
Rate Splits G. O. P. Ranks
as Westerners Bolt.

BY the Associated Press.
Another batch of amendments tC
the tariff bill were approved yester-
day by the House, but not until after
a series breach in Republican ranks
had threatened to disrupt the plans OF
the ways and means committee majority
to amend the sugar schedule.
The committee, which has priority
under the rules to offer amendments,
precipitated the controversy in propos-
ing to strike out the increase to slightly
over 2 cents a gallon. the rate on
blackstrap molasses for use in the
manufacture OF industrial alcohol. and
TO restore the existing duty Of one
sixth Of cent gallon.
Representative William E. Hull, Re
publican, of Illinois, proposed an
amendment to the committee amend
ment raising the duty to 8 cents a
gallon and won out by the vote OF 1872
to 1870. His victory was only a temo-
rary one, however, for the committee
amendment later prevailed instead by
vote Of 1856 to l16.
Backed by Corn Belt Bloc.
Hull was supported by Republicans
from the corn growing States, includ-
ing Representative RamSeyer of Iowa,
a member of the committee which
framed the bill, who contended the
Scent rate would open q market for
10000, 900 bushels Of corn a year as a
substitute for blackstrap in the manu-
facture of industrial alcohol.
Opponents, led by other committee
Republicans, and group OF Michigan
Representatives, argued that the higher
duty would increase the price of al
cohol more than 20 cents a gallon and
result in no benefit to the corn farmer
because manufacturers could not afford
to make alcohol at the present price
Of corn.
Blackstrap, a waste product Of sugar,
comes principally from Cuba.
Used In Making Lacquer.
In offering the committee amendment,
Representative Timberlake of Colorado
said it was the opinion of the committee
that the little more than 2 cents it
originally had proposed would serve
only to increase the price of alcohol
and be of no benefit TO the farmer.
He added that Henry Ford had claimed
it would add 100000 a year to his
production costs. Blackstrap Is used
in the manufacture of lacquer.
Representative Cole, Republican, of
inquired If such an increase was too
much for Mr.. Ford to pay.
During the discussion, Representa-
time Kitchener, Republican, of Michi-
gan, declared he thought Hull's pro-
posal was not to help the farmer, but
to open the distilleries Of the country,
now closed down. Hull denied the
charge and Kitchener said If he had
made mistake he was sorry.
An attempt by Representative La
Guardia, Republican, of New York, to
change the committee amendment to
reduce the proposed increase duty on
sugar was blocked by a point of order,
the chair sustaining Chairman Hawley
in his contention that the proposal was
not germane to the committee pro-
posal.
Earlier in the day, La Guardia, in
opposing committee amendment in
creasing by cents the 2 cents a
pound duty on figs, appealed to those
dissatisfied with the sugar duty and
other rates to join him In an effort to
amend the sugar schedule by forcing
the reading Of the entire bill
The fig duty amendment, along with
another raising the rate on preserved
figs to 40 per cent from IS, was APP
proved. Others adopted would:
Increase the rate of IS per cent to
so per cent on unbleached spun silk.
Decrease the proposed rates of 20 and
rs per cent to go per cent on silk vel
vet ribbons.
Restore the protection to rayon man
ufacturers accorded by existing law
and which the pending bill had re-
duced.
Representative Chindblom of illinois,
who headed the subcommittee that re-
vised the silk schedule, declared the
committee started out to make sharp
cuts In rayon rates but found prices
were generally on the decline and
thought manufacturers should not be
subjected to drastic reductions in
duties.
The average protection in the present
Law was around SGT per cent on rayon
products. he said, while the pending
bill would have reduced this to 45.27
per cent The amendment, he ex-
planned, merely brought the rayon
duties back to the present level. He
said the rates as amended would ben
et1t chiefly the small manufacturers.
La Guardia Opposes.
As the day wore on committee amend
ments were adopted in rapid order, but
biiOSC III Oh bilC JILL SJIuCk Op@
position in proposing an amendment to
raise the existing duty on white pota-
toes by rs cents per 100 pounds to IS
cents.
The amednment was approved by the
overwhelming vote Of 81 to 8, but over
the vigorous protest of Representative
La Guardia, Republican, of New York,
who described it as lousy larceny" and
predicted its defeat in the Senate.
Representative Jenkins, Republican,
of Ohio, also opposed the amendment,
declaring the growers in his section
were dependent on Canadian seed po-
tatoeS at existing prices.
Representatives Beedy and Nelson,
Republicans, of Maine, supported the
amendment, declaring that while i'm
ports of Canadian potatoes were small
compared to domestic production, they
were sufficient to unStabilize New Eng
land markets and injure Maine growers
Speaker Longworth, who was walk
ing around looking for a seat as the
vote was taken, was counted as the
third member voting against the po-
tato amendment, but he said afterward
he did not intend to oppose 1t. La
Guardia and Jenkins voted against it,
Other amendments adopted placed on
the free list posts. now dutiable at 10
per cent. and glass mosaics which are
works of art, now dutiable at so per
cent