The Washington times., 1929-09-02
GIVE s
TARIFF NO
RESPITE

Its members scattered far
and wide over the holiday,
Congress today enjoyed .
"lull before the storm, !" with
the tariff wars destined to get
under way in the Senate this
week.
One senator-Reed smoot R.) Of
Utah-shattered the quiet on Capitol
Hill by issuing broad attack on
Democratic opposition to the new
tariff bill.
He warned the country. that the
Democrats have assailed every tariff
bill since 1890 as certain to bring
economic destruction to the Ameri.
can people but that each time the
nation enjoyed its greatest pros.
perity after the bills were enacted
into law.
Tone Significant
The significant feature of the
Smoot statement was its tone. The
veteran chairman Of the Senate Fi-
nance Committee rather indicated
Republican leadership would sponsor
the bill wednesday. explain its pro-
visions and then sit back listening to
the thunder of Democratic attacks.
If this strategy can be carried out,
1t will mark a new era in tariff de"
bates. In the past, each party has
had its designated spokesman who
wrangled days upon days over each
important rate in the bill.
The debates which begin Wednes.
day may last the rest of the year.
Smoot has said he expected the bill
to become a law before December /,
while Senator Watson (R) Of Ind.s
the majority floor leader, has in.
dicated he expected the debates TO
last until Christmas. He even
threatened to abandon the bill If it
were not a law by New Years Day.
Up To Democrats
The length of the debates, how.
ever, will depend entirely on the
Democrats as they can permit
passage of the bill any time they
see fit. In the past, it frequently
has required five months to get
similar bills through the Senate.
Smoot, in his statement, reproved
Representatives Mrs. Mary T.
Norton CD of N. j., who predicted
cost of women's clothing.
Smoot intimated that Mrs. Norton
didn't know what she was talking
about.
After every protective tariff has
been proposed, beginning with $780,"
Smoot added, "the Democrats have
repeatedly claimed and circulated
freely among the people, that the
-, = iyHIxy 30
cost Of living and thus burden the
masses. Subsequent events have
always proved that the predicted
result never took place.
prices did not increase after the
Republican tariff of 1890, or after
the Republican tariff Of 1897, or
1909 or 1922. The tariff primarily
has nothing to do with the price
level, as economic history abun6-
antly proves. Prices vary in the
case of articles on the free list as
with articles on the protected list, acs
cording to domestic competition,
domestic supply and demand and
the cost of production"
House Still Out
smoot said Mrs. Norton was
harming the cause of women
workers by repeating false tale
told by Democrats for many years"
He invited the Congresswoman to
consult the women workers of her
State and "she will find that she is
betraying their interest"
While the Eenate meets Wednes.
day, the House will continue on
vacation until September Is. Then,
the lower branch probably will start
another vacation-possibly on the
"skip-stop" basis of recessing FIR
three days at a time-until the
Senate has completed the taUff.
Both branches then will have to-
iron out their differences and ap-
prove the conference report before
it becomes law.