The Indianapolis times., 1929-09-16
Flexible Provision of Bill
Approved at Unions
Convention.
O. K. ON OTHER CLAUSES
Democrats and Farm Bloc
Contend Green's Letter
Is Not CIinCher.
BY PAUL r. MALLON
United Press stan Correspondent

WASHINGTON. Sept. 16.-The
American Federation of Labor gave
approval of the disputed flexible pro-
vision of the pending tariff bill in a
letter from its legislative COMMITTEES
presented today to the senate by
Chairman Reed Smoot of the
finance committee.
Farm bloc members and Demo-
Gratis, opening vigorous fight
against the provision, were struck a
severe blow when Smoot produced
the Endorsement, dated Feb. ID,
which the legislative committee
stated had been written "in con-
formity with the action of our 1928
New Orleans convention and by di-
rection of William Green, president
of the American Federation of La
bor."
In addition to this Endorsement
the committee also gave its ap-
proval to many other features of
the administrative section of the
Republican tariff bill and con-
demned only one section, which, it
stated, would increase mail order
shipments of cigars from Cuba.
Avoids Stand on System
It avoided any declaration regard
ing the provision proposing to es-
tabliSh a United States valuation
system of fixing tariff rates in the
future, instead of basing them on
the foreign cost of production.
The f1exibility provision, one Of
the most important sections of the
pending bill gives the President the
right, working through the tariff
commission, to increase or lower
tariff duties by so per cent at any
time the commission finds a change
advisable.
The system has been in force for
six years and strongly has been op-
posed by the Democrats and the
farm bloc leaders, like Senator
Borah of Idaho, who now are work.
ing to eliminate that feature from
the pending bill.
They contend it gives the Presi-
dent the tariff making power in
vested in congress and has resulted
only in increases of tariff rates even
above the level set by congress.
Changes Vote Prospect
The coalition group claimed a ma
jority of the senate was ready to
strike the provision from the bill.
but the federation Endorsement in
the name of $4,000 local unions in
the United States may change the
situation considerably.
Items specifically indorsed by the
federation included the provisions
prohibiting importation of convict
made goods, prohibiting Importation
Of advertising material in individual
envelopes, giving labor the right to
be heard before the customs courts
and the. supreme court, and the pro-
vision preventing importation Of
goods falsely bearing American la
bels.
Senator's Simmons and Harrison,
Democratic tariff leaders, protested
the letter did not constitute an in
dorsement of the whole bill and con-
tended that Matthew Vol, vice.
president of the federation, had OBJ
jected to many features of the house
bill when he testified before the
finance committee.
Meanwhile, the senate took up the
disputed sections of the adninistra-
tive provisions, passed over last
week, and Chairman Smoot pre-
dicted a vote on the flexible clause
would be reached before the end
Of the week.
Tax Figures Available
Smoot today submitted to Secre-
tary of Treasury Mellon the names
Of nearly 200 corporations whose
income tax returns are sought by
the Democratic members Of his COM
mittee.
Smoot declined to make public
the names Of the corporations un-
less ordered to by the committee.
Little likelihood of the committee
taking such action was seen, since
it is not scheduled to meet soon.
The list Of corporations was
drafted by the Democrats Saturday.
They expect to use the tax statis$
tics in their fight on the rates q
the Hauyiev- GroO Oof tariff hjJ