The Washington times., 1929-04-17
HOOVER TOFACE
FARM, TARIFF
BATTLE
BY GEORGE 4. HOLMES

The political honeymoon that al
new Presidents enjoy until fhey
crash head-on into Congress was IT
an end today 30 far as President
Hoover II concerned.
with the echo of his first message
still reverberating around the halls
an Capitol Hill, Il became readily ap-
narenk that Mr.. Hooyer'a ideas on
tariff and farm relief are In for .
period Of rough sleddingf In the Con-
gress that rode into power with him.
There is the natural oppositi0a u
tne Democrats, OF course, but the ex.
tent Of disagreement within his own
party Ii wider than had been EelteT-
ally anticipated
III the quite general grumbling Of
the opening days IL translated into
effective opposition, It il wholly prob
able that dog-days viii see the fist
session of the Seventy-first Congress
stiIl laboring and sweltering IN
washington heat.
Summarized. the situation affect.
ing Mr.. Hooyer's recommendation
to the new Congress follows:
Little War Loans
Agriculture - Many Republicans
from the grain.belt are either openly
antagonistic or quietly Dissatisfied
with the farm proposals.f The Sem
ate Agricultural Committee II threal-
ening to include in its bill the so
called debenture plan, which Mr..
Hoover has never endorsed, which
he ignored in his message. but which
his friends say he does not approve.
Privately, they are criticising his
message for "lack of definiteness"
on specific propositions.
The House Agricultural Commit
tee il bringing out another bill
which members believe expresses
the Hoover ideas, but the farm or
ganizations have already begun TO
tear into it with savage criticism,
and that fact. couple with the ma
tural Democratic opposition, is hay-
ing some effect on wavering Repub.
licans from the mid West who are
under obligations to the farm or.
carnations for past support.
Tariff-The Democrats are mass
Ing solidly against the Presidents
tariff recommendation, and the
Republicans are widely. split on his
specific proposal for changing the
basis of valuation from European
to American in some schedules.
While there Ii general support
for limited upward revision, instead
of general revision. party leaders
are fearful that once 1t gets onto
the floor the you-scratch-my-back-
and.I ll-scratch.youra spirit that IL
always present when It comes down
to voting on specific schedules will
play havoc with the limitation
plans.
There is also considerable opposi-
ton to giving the tariff commits
sion any broader powers. az recon-.
mended by Mr.. Hoover.
Immigration-The President rec.
commended repeal or suspension Of
the national origins clause, which
becomes operative on July /. Lead
ership nthe fight against this will
come from the Presidents own
party. Senator David A. Reed (IS.)
OF Pennsylvania, win lead it. and
back Of him and flooding Congress
with appeals and propaganda stand
q long list OF patriotic and defense
organizations. including the Amer.
ican Legion. and the D. A. r.
And still Discomfort
There will also be some sniping
over the reapportionment and cen.
sus legislation, the only other two
matters dealt with by the President
in his inaugural message to the
new Congress.
Some further embarrassment may
be in store for the President in
the inquiry got under way this
morning in the Senate Judiciary
Committee and concerning the right
OF Andrew w Mellon to continue
as Secretary Of the Treasury.
The committee proceeded to the
investigation under terms of the
Mckellar resolution, which in.
structed 1t to report whether TIE
head of any department. of the
Government may legally hold office
after the expiration OF the term Of
the President by whom he was ap.
pointed. =
This was the outgrowth OF Mr..
Hooyer's failure to resubmit Mel.
Ions name along with other Cabinet
members on March 4. Mr.. Hoover
knew there would be a savage fight
on 4Iellon's confirmation, and
shrewdly refrained from submitting
the name.
Inc Mchellar resolution went fur.
ther--it also instructed the commit.
tee to ascertain whether In view
of the provision OF the laws of the
United States, Andrew w. Mellow
may legally hold the officeof Sscre-
tary Of the Treasury
This was in reference to Melons
wide corporation holdings and IN.
terests, and that Federal statute
which specifies the Secretary Of the
Treasury shall not engage in trade
and commerce.
If the committee should decide
that Melons name had to be re-sub-
mitted or that he was ineligible to
hold office because OF his business
connections. it would be q matter
Of grave embarrassment to Mr..
Hoover.
Only the House met today. The
Senate adjourned over until toner
row to give the farm blocers oppor.
tunity to wrangle themselves out Of
the debenture plan fight. Admins
tration leaders predict passage Of
farm bill in both houses within twI
weeks, but they are none too
sanguine.
4 a .