Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-15
C. O.P. MOOD RUNS
follower TARIFFS
Democratic Sharpshooting
Rather PIeaSeS Leaders
in Senate.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

The energy and intelligence of the
Democratic national committee, in its
campaign aginst the tariff is major
topic Of discussion in Washington and
in dispatches going out from here.
Nothing like 1t has even been done be-
fore. The initiative for it seems to have
come from Chairman RaSkoD. When
the Senate began considering the tariff
Mr.. Raskob set up here as his deputy
Democratic eX-CongreSSman and ex-
ofncial in the Wilson administration,
Jouett Shouse of Kansas. Mr.. Shouse,
IN turn, set up an organization which
includes an assistant exceptionally able
in writing things of a sort the news
papers like to print
From this combination has come some
OF the best andti-tariff sharpshooting
that Washington has seen in a long
time. The latest inStallment admits
that the Senate Republicans have de-
cided to write bill lower than the
Hawley one, but declares there is a
Joker" The Democratic committee
says the lower bill is going to be
achieved by lowering duties on COM
modities as to which the tariff doesn't
matter anyhow. In order" they say,
TO bring the average rates down we
may look for drastic reductions of the
outleS on kongo nose rings. Eskimo
snoWShoeS, Chinese rickShaws and other
articles OF equally wide use.'
G. o. p. Leaders Concerned.
That is obviously a burlesque. Yet,
ike all burlesqueS, there is just enough
truth behind 1t to jar the Republicans
little. The fact is, Republican leaders
IN Congress are more than a trifie con-
cerned about the brilliance and acidity
Of the tariff comments which the
Democratic committee is getting into
newspapers of all shades of politics.
The truth behind this Democratic carl
cature is illustrated by the tariff on au-
tomobiles. That duty in the existing
law Is Is per cent. Twenty-Five per
cent is retained in the House version of
the new bill. Now the Senate Repub-
licans propose to reduce the rate to 10
per cent. The heads of the automobile
industry say that 10 per cent is all they
tariff except a nominal one for tech
nical reasons. AS elected in the Senate
hearings. the total number of foreign
automobiles brought to America last
year was just over 500, compared to a
domestic production of upward of
100000. The automobile industry does
need nominal tariff. It needs it only
for the technical purpose of qualifying
to set up countervailing duties in case
discriminatory duties against the United
States.
It is fact that the Republican SEN
ators are combing the whole tariff care
tariff can be reduced and what COM
moditieS can be put on the free list.
It Is fact that this process, added to
other earnest efforts made by the Sen
ate Republicans, will lower the new bill
,hoIa I1o 10
wrote it. The fact that the House rate
on automobiles can be reduced more
than half without the faintest menace
to the automobile industry Is proof that
the House bill could not have been
written with an eye to the lowest prac-
ticable rates.
Reductions and Commodities.
No one need take too seriously the
Democratic jeer about reductions being
made where reductions don't count. The
Senate bill will almost certainly make
reductions below the rates In the House
bill on some of the most important
commodities, especially sugar. The Sen
ate Republicans will stand of" some
of the most insistent manufacturers
who demand extremely high rates.
The present mood of the Senate Re
publicans Is to refrain carefully from
high rates and literally to write bill
markedly lower than the House Dill.
This mood does not spring from any
uncomfortable virtue within the souls of
the Senate Republicans. 1t was in
spired by the widespread criticism OF
the House bill, together with some other
pressures. Those Republicans who sin
cerely want a moderate bill are rather
pleased with the Democratic sharp
shooting. 1t helps keep the Senate Re-
publicans as a whole firm In the new
faith If all public criticism of the
House bill should cease suddenly and
permanently it would be quite possible
.. %La NO ior mort ~ tho Senate Re.