The Washington times., 1929-08-08
S|N00T SLIDING
| SCALE FOUGHT
BY international News Service

BY International News Service
The Smoot sliding scale sugar
tariff. which provoked an outburst
OF condemnation from sugar re-
timers. beet producers and Eastern
importers, will be materially modi-
fled before the Republican members
of the Senate Finance COMMITTEES
approve it, it was indicated today.
A poll of the Republican tariff
czars indicated they favored modi-t
1ication of the scale to apply its rates
on raw sugar instead of upon refined
sugar as proposed by Senator Reed
Smoot (R.) of Utah, its author.
Committee members, moreover. re.
vealed little sympathy for the scale
although Smoot may win over some
support by his personal explanation
this morning at the committees
secret session.
Witnesses Rap Plan
The scale, however, has been
pounded by refiners and importers.
and even beet sugar companies. A
long list of witnesses told the com
inittee, in the presence of Democratic
members. that the scale would pro-
woke frauds, price manipulation,
Drive THluWCSlCIH OCCI SdScA %NAA
Germs out of business, and fail to
help beet-growing farmers.
The Republican members OF the
committee were not so hostile as the
witnesses. but they must be won
over by Smoot. before they'll even
adopt his idea of a sliding scale. A
poll of the Republicans revealed the
following opinions.
Watson. Indian. '"The scale likely
will be modified ~ apply on raw
sugar"
Reed, Pennsylvania. eff there Is to
be a scale, l think it should be on
raw sugar"
Deneen, Illinois: 81 haven't made
I'D my mind about the scale. l
think the consumer must be given
great consideration"
Bingham, Connecticut: "There
must be no discrimination against
our insular possessions, such as a
bounty to mainland producers. -
Nothing on scale.
Approval Doubted
4. sackett, Kentucky: II don't think
khe sliding scale will be approved
In its present form"
Couzens, Michigan: 1T haven't
made UP my mind about the scale. >
Edge, New Jersey: II am open.
minded about adopting scale-but
do favor a lower range of duties
than those carried in the House
BILL"
shortridge, California: Il have
felt the tariff (flat ratel could meet
the problem of the sugar growers.
i am not convinced as yet on the
merits of sliding scale"
Greene, Vermont: II feel friendly
toward the idea of sliding scale.
want to hear Senator Shoots ex-
PLANTATION before making up my
mind"
Two rival sliding scales were sug-
gested by refiners as substitutes
Sor Shoots scale. One. prepaSed by
Eudolph Spreckles, California sugar
YnaRnate, would fix a range from
81 to 50 per hundred pounds and
amply the tariff to raw sugar. His
scale carried a guaranteed margin
for refiners, and an internal revenus
tax to prevent profiteering. but
fixed the retail price Of sugar at
about 615 cents a pound.
The other, by T. G. Gallagher. OF
the Continental Sugar Company,
would apply a maximum rate of
$40 per hundred pounds whenever
raw sugar went below $3.50. His
acale, he said. would guarantee a
wholesale refined price of $6.07 per
hundred pounds. Neither scale APP
peared to make any impression on
committee members.
Many Prefer Bounty
The Democratic members Of the
committee meanwhile continued to
speculate upon the effects of a
bounty for domestic sugar produc.
ers. Sponsors Of the idea have con-
tended it would aid the sugar farmer
and yet save the consuming public
from paying the high costs Of a
tariff increase. Senator Eorah tR)
Of Idaho. also has a tariff expert
preparing such a plan.