The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-03-24
Highest in History
BY BASIL MANLY
Times STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Times STAFF CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON March 24.-An~
other series of records for all time
has been smashed by the Grumpy
billion dollar tariff bill which today
is being sent to conference by the
senate.
1t is the highest tariff bill in the
nations history
Its enactment has been char
acterized by the most brazen log
rolling and vote trading that the
senate ever has seen.
It is the only bill whose chief
lobbyist secured a seat in the senate
and personally directed its final
passage.
More millions Of words have been
spoken in the debate on this bill
than any other measure ever before
the senate.
Joseph R. Grundy's Tariff
It is no longer the Smoot- Hawley
bill. It is Joseph r. Grundys tariff.
Grundy made it as a lobbyist and
he saved it as a senator when Reed
Smoot, the veteran chairman of the
finance committee, went groggy
under the blows of the coalition and
his colleague. David A. Reed of
Pennsylvania, threw up the sponge
and sailed for London.
They call it the billion dollar
tariff.
This means that it is expected to
increase the cost of living for the
American people a, billion dollars q
year.
Here are some of the increased
items that make up the billion dol-
lar burden. according TO the esti~
mates Of the Rawleigh tariff bus
reau:
Sugar, $35 100000, if the senata
rate of 2 cents pound is kept, or
$95,000,000 at the higher house duty.
Lumber $6O.O00,000, representing
a, shift from the free list to duty
of $3.50 q thousand feet.
Many Increases Provided
Wool $25,000,00O, when the highs
er duties on raw wool, yarn, fabricss
clothing, blankets and hats are
taken into account.
Cement $45,000,000, unless the sens
ate amendment permitting stata
and cities to import duty free is ais
loved to stand.
Brick, $12,5OO000, figured on tf1S
Dare duty, without allowance fog
pyramiding by the contractor.
Paint SIS. 900 900, including the in@
creased duties on pigments and Inns
seed oil.
Hides, leather and shoes $50, 000.@
600. This was defeated in the sens
ate by a narrow margin, but is In
the house bill and Is expected to be-
retained by the conferees.
Add to Consumers Cost
These are only a few of the big
items around which the long and
weary battle in the senate has
ragged. In sdditio- there are in-
creases on hundreds Of other items.
ranging from O. few dollars of extra
burden to as many millions.
Some are not even produced in
this country but are checked by high
duties because there are possible
American substitutes which the
people can be forced to use.
Almost every farm product now
bears an increased duty. Most Of
these in the minds of farm belt
senator's, will be gold bricks" for
the farmer, but they probably will
be added to the cost of the city
consumers food.
Among these increased farm re-
lief duties are:
Beef, 6 cents a pound; cream, 56
cents a gallon; butter, IA cents a
pound; cheese, 8 cents a pound;
eggs, 10 cents dozen; flour, Sl05
per 100 pounds; lemons, III cents;
prunes, 2 cents; beans. 81 cents;
onions, az cents; tomatoes, 3 cents;
cabbage, 2 cents a pound. and mush-
rooms, 10 cents a pound and As per
cent.
Can Industry Afford 1t?
When congress began writing this
bill a year ago the country was
prosperous, industry was booming
and these increased prices might
have been absorbed without pro-
ducing a political CONFUSION.
Now. with business marking time
and millions out Of employment, the
question beginning to be faced In
Washington, is whether industry can
afford to pay higher prices for ray
materials In the hope Of passing th9
cost on to the consumer.