The Washington times., 1929-08-23
SEE BORAH
As AID IN
FIGHT
y InteraatIonaI Nrv. servIee

Eager for the pending tarlffs
war, Democratic members of
the Senate Finance Committee
met today to plan wholesale
slashing Of the sharp increases
in Industrial duties in the new
Republican tariff bill.
The Democrats came into the
picture as the Republican tariff.
makers stepped aside after complet-
ing their revision of the House bill.
The Democrats met with Senator
Simmons of North Carolina, the
minority tariff leader to draft the
amendments and to determine
strategy for the approaching debates.
BOrah Fights Bill
The Democrats concentrate their
fire on a few industrial schedules,
while accepting verbatim the In
creases in the agricultural schedule.
Sugar, watch, cement and iron
schedules will be hit hardest and
an effort will be made to restore
hides and shoes to the free list.
Senator Borah (R.) Of Idaho gave
the Democrats some hope for sue.
cess in their efforts to slash indus.
trial rates. He issued a statement,
declaring the bill should be defeated
in it's present form as it increased
the economic inequality between
agriculture and industry. Borah APP
proved the farm product rates but
declared the larger increases in in
dustrial rates would continue the
same injustice we were pledged to
remedy"
TT Ia all wrong" Borah asserted.
'It is a violation of our pledge and
II 1t Is possible to defeat the scheme,
1t ought to be defeated"
Boost For Farm Rates
While the Democrats were in ac-
cord on the plan to attack the Re.
publican industrial rates, they ex.
hibited divided front on whether
the new agricultural rates should be
approved or increased. Senator
Simmons announced he wasn't quite
satisfied with them, but II any
be to increase them. This was
echoed by Senator Connally Cd OF
Texas,
I'm my opinion" said Connally.
"a general change in agricultural
rates viii not be suggested. Some.
rates may be too low and proposals
may be made to increase them. !
believe, for instance, that long
staple cotton should be given some
protection instead Of being placed on
the free list. Such an amendment
may be offered"
Simmons said the farm rates
would not give the economic equal
ity promised by both major parties"
If the industrial increases were re-
tanned.
"If equality between agriculture
and industry is to be restored" Sim
mons added, these new industrial
rates must be reduced and the in.
creased rates on farm products re-
tanned. If the higher industrial
rates are retained, then the bill is
Joke so far as it pretends to be a
measure of relief for agriculture"
G.. o. p. Chiefs Satisfied
The Republican tariff writer's
meanwhile sat back, satisfied with
their job. Their final effort was to
confirm previous changes in the ad.
ministrative features. The foreign
valuation plan was retained, al.
though the United States Tariff Com
mission was authorized to report to
Congress by January 1, 1880, com.
plete conversion Of the new rates to
a United States valuation basis.
They also approved the House plan
for the flexible tariff provision, un-
der which the President may raise or
lower rates by so per cent to meet
changing conditions of competition"
Other administrative changes of
note included the transfer of the
United States Customs Court from
the Treasury Department to the
Department Of Justice. At the in
stance of the American Federation
of Labor, a new provision was
placed in the bill giving labor or
ganizations the right to intervene ,.
cases before the customs courts in
which questions affecting American
labor are involved. This permission
also was given, as a matter of
right, to American manufact rers
and producers.
The entire administrative section
will be made public next Monday.
Announcement likewise was made
that the full finance committee
would meet September 4-when the
Senate convenes for business-for a
final vote on the bill. This will be
purely formal. Then the debate
will get under way in the Senate.