Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-03
FARM TARIFFS MAY
HINGE ON CANADA
Some Increases Depend on
Attitude Toward st. Law
renee Waterway.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN

Increases in the tariff duties on GER
tain farm products may depend to q
considerable extent on the attitude Of
the Canadian government toward the
proposed waterway connecting the Great
Lakes and the Atlantic, by way of the
st. Lawrence River, it was intimated
here today on high authority.
Congress is about to assemble and put
through a tariff revision bill, with
special emphasis on farm products as
one part of the program of aid to the
American farmer
Reports received here are to the effect
that the PROPOSAL to raise the tariff on
farm products has drawn the fiSe of
the press In Canada. which Is support
ing the government Of Premier
Mckenzie King.
These newspapers 60 further and take
the position that II the tariff is raised
on these farm products, in which
Canada Is particularly interested, and
Of which she exports q considerable
amount to the United States, all chance
of the negotiation and ratification Of a
treaty for the construction Of the St.
Lawrence waterway will 60 a-glim-
mering.
Long Negotiations Cited.
The attitude Of the American Govern
ment it that there Is no assurance from
Canada that the st. Lawrence water
way treaty win be signed. even If the
tariff rates on these farm products are
not materially raised. For nearly eight
years, it Is pointed out here, the
Canadian government has held up, In
one way or another, the negotiation Of
the treaty for the construction Of the
waterway from the Great Lakes to the
gulf, which is a project which must be
undertaken and carried out jointly by
the United States and Canada.
Since Mr. Mckenzie King became
premier he has expressed himself
friendly to the st. Lawrence project.
But whenever the matter has come to
the point OF accomplishment he has
found some excuse for baking During
the last administration 1t was the hope
of former Secretary of State Frank 3.
Kellogg that the treaty finally would
be negotiated.
There was long correspondence deal
ing with the subject betweens Mr.. Kel-
logg and the Canadian Minister, Vim
cent Massey. Agreement was reached
on the terms Of treaty providing for
the construction Of the waterway "in
pKlIlClptC, Dut Lie OdudNlNII &UfeEll-
ment then said that 1t wished to post
pone the actual drafting Of . treaty
until the Dominion government had an
opportunity TO confer with the provin-
cial governments of Quebec and Can
ada.
Treaty Tentatively Drawn.
More recently, the Canadian internal
situation was ironed out and treaty
was tentatively drawn. At the last
minute, however, 1t is said, the, Cana
dians backed away on the ground that
they could not act until IL was known
what the United States was going to
do about the tariff It became apparent
early last Summer that the tariff on
farm products was to be raised material
ly as part of the farm relief program,
and the matter was emphasized by
President Hoover In his campaign ad-
dresses.
The development of the waterways,
including particularly the development
Of the st. Lawrence project, Is regarded
of the means Of aiding the farmer ma
terially. The construction Of the st.
Lawrence waterway project would re-
suit In giving the farmers OF the West
and the manufacturers, too, a. means
of greatly reducing the freight charges.
It is urged by American authorities that
the construction Of the st. Lawrence
waterway might so benefit the farm
ers that it would not be necessary to
increase the tariff materially. To put
it the other way round, the failure
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