New Britain herald., 1929-01-08
TARIFF IS UP TO
congress AGAIN
Brought to Front BY Ways md
Means Committee

Warrington. Jan. 8 N,-The tariff
l. before congress again In concrete
form.
The subject was brought to the
front by the ways and means COM
mtttee Of the house. whose members
were called together yesterday to
open hearings on tariff revision. The
work begins coincidcntally with the
settling down for 4 brief stay In his
Washington home Of President-
Elect Hoover. whose administration
will see the tedious Job completed.
When this will be accomplished
il an interesting question because
Of the uncertainty OF = special ses-
sion. the responsibility for which
rests upon the shoulders Of the in
coming president.
Republican leaders are divided
on the advisability OF an extra ses-
sion. some wanting farm relief now
to avoid one, while others favor its
postponement until an early spring
meeting. There also Is a division OF
opinion as to when such a meeting
should be convened. II found neces-
sary. Mr.. Hoover's views on the
subject will be sought during his
capital visit.
Meanwhile. the stupendous task
of readjustinG the 1922 Fordney-
McCumber tariff act will 60 forward
In committee. Representative Haw-
ley, Oregon. Of the ways and means
committee. has more than 80 wit
neases waiting to be heard on tho
first schedule.
This embraces chemicals, oils and
paints. Three days will be devoted
to this section and the remaining
II sections will be taken up In the
order In which they appear in tho
existing law.
The schedule relating to agricui-
tural products will not be reached
until January ~.
Chairman Hawley hopes to con-
clude the hearings by March I. and
by breaking up into Is sub-commit-
tees, each working on q different
section of rates. to have a new bill
ready by the middle Of April. II a
special session were called then, he
believes the bill could be passed by
congress by midsummer.
Many senator's and representatives
disagree on this point, however.
some contending that to proceed
with haste In writing a bill which
usually requires from nine months
to more than = year would result
in an unscientific law
To this republican leaders reply
that the revision Is in no sense to
be a general readjustment. which
occurs. at times. when party admin
istrations change. but an attempt to
+: revise only those rates which are
shown. after careful study. to re-
quire changing.
Chairman Hawley has expressed
the opinion that the hearings will
show that. only very small pro-
portion Of the more than 10000
! items in the law need readjustment.
Speaker Longworth. who is one OF
/ those holding out against an extra
session unless it is held In the fall.
; has said that only three schedules
the textile. farm and perhaps &C.
ment-probably would need chang
/ ing. He understands that producers
are satisfied with the steel and
. chemical schedules.
Although more than 70 tariff bills
have been introduced into the pres
ent congress and any readjustmen:.
however small. necessarily affects
thousands Of businesses and indi-
viduals. there has been COMPARE
lively little preliminary debate up to
the opening of the committee hear
ings. Even the democrats, whose
campaign developed opposition to a
general revision but what has been
regarded as a switch to a moderate
protective principle. have been
quiet. with a few exceptions.
One democratic member Of the
ways and means committee. Hull OF
Tennessee. former chairman Of
his party's national committee. has
come out for downward instead of
upward revision. but Representative
Garner Of Texas. ranking democrat
on the committee and chief finan-
cial spokesman on the minority
side, has kept silent On his probable
attitude.