The Washington times., 1929-08-27
HOOVER FIXING
Of TARIFF #
CURBED
By WIN. K. HUTCHINSON

By WIN. K. HUTCHINSON
The power of President
Hoover to raise or lower tariff
duties will be limited virtually
to carrying out recommends
tions of the United States
Tariff Commission if Congress
approves the new flexible
tariff provision, recommended
by the Senate Finance Com
mittee, it was learned today.
The wide discretionary power Of
changing duties, held by President
Coolidge under existing law and ex.
tended to President Hoover by the
House. would be curtailed consider
ably IL the Senate plan Is adopted
The restriction of Presidential au.
thority in changing rates was made
chiefly to meet Democratic charges
| that the House provision was ufi-
constitutional because 1t delegated
rate.making powers to the Presis
dent.
Investigate Conditions
Under the Senate plan. the Presi-
dent could Investigate the differ.
ences in conditions OF competition"
between domestic and imported
articles. Such an investigation
naturally would be conducted by
the Tariff Commission in behalf Of
the President.
Then, il an investigation war
ranted any change in rates, the
President would be empowered to
determine and proclaim such I'm
creases or decreases in rates Of
duty expressly fixed by statute AZ
are shown by such investigation to
be necessary to equalize such differ.
ences."
The House included in this pro
vision a phrase, sin his judgment"
which would have PERMITTED the
President to make any rate changes
he desired. Similarly the President
could have ignored the result Of
any inquiry into the need for new
rates.
When the Senate struck out this
,, iscretionary power it virtually made
the President its agent to carry out
recommendation of the commission.
Ignore Sugar Tariff
This change may have curious
effect upon the Republican tariff.
Some years ago the commission
recommended a tariff of $1.23 on
Cuban sugar, as the actual differ.
ence in cost of production between
Cuba and the United States. Presi-
dent Coolidge, under his discretion
airy powers, ignored this recommen-
dation and 1t never has been carried
into effect.
If Congress approves the Senate
plan, a recurrence of the Coolidge
act would be impossible unless the
President deliberately evaded the
law. The time might easily come,
therefore, when Mr.. Hoover would
be compelled to reduce tariff rates
as excessive. If the Tariff Commits
sion filed such a recommendation
with him after an inquiry into the
effect of the new rates. This natltr-
ally would be displeasing to the high
protectionists.
Retain Bipartisan Plan
The Republican leadership par
TALLY protected itself against such
an eventuality by rejecting the
House plan for seven-member non.
partisan tariff commission. The
S4nate commit e retained the pres
emit system of a six-member bi-parti-
san commission, to which the Pregi'
dent names three high protection
Republicans and three protectionist
Democrats. A free trader or tariff
for revenue only Democrat hasn't
been on the commission since the
start of the first Coolidge admins
tration.
The Democratic members of the
Finance Committee meanwhile con-
tinued their daily sessions for the
purpose of drafting minority amend.
ments to the bill. Their work will
not be completed for week or more.
SmOOt Reports Bill
The new Republican bill, however.
will be reported to the Senate to-
morrow by Senator Smoot R.) of
Utah, chairman of the committee.
His report will include the rate
changes, already made public, and
the numerous changes in admins.
trative provisions, most of which
have been announced by Interna.
tional News Service.
Debate on the bill will be delayed
until next Wednesday, September 4,
when the Senate convenes for busi-
MSS after its all-summer vacation
and Labor Day holiday.