Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01

Congress did not intend that such
severe penalties should be imposed for
Slight or casual violations.
Then came Herbert Hoover, who,
with Charles Curtis as Vice President
was inaugurated as Chief Executive on
March 4. In a vigorous inaugural adj
dress the new President promised that
his campaign pledges would be fulfilled,
and dwelt especially on the problems
of law enforcement. farm relief and
the tariff. He announced that the
first of these would be subjected to a
searching investigation by national
commission which he would appoint,
and urged Congress to do its duty in
respect to the others.
Mr.. Hoover's cabinet was headed by
Henry L. Stimson as Secretary of State
and contained two hold-overs-Secre-
tary Of the Treasury Mellon and Sec
rotary of Labor Davis. The names of
Mellon and Davis were not submitted
to the Senate for confirmation, and
little later the foes of the head of the
Treasury tried in vain to impeach his
right to hold the portfolio.
Farm Relief and Tariff.
The President called Congress to
meet in special session on April Is, ask
ing that it conf1ne itself to passing bills
for the relief of agriculture and revising
the tariff especially for the benefit Of
farmers and industries that had not
been prosperous. The House in 10 days
passed the Haugen farm relief bill; and
on May % it gave its approval to the
Hawley tariff measure, which revised
most OF the schedules and generally in
creased duties.
In the Senate the Republican radicals
and the Democrats insisted on putting
in the McNary farm-relief measure a
provision for the debenture or export
subsidy plan, though they knew this
would not be accepted by President
Hoover. In this shape the bill was
passed on May IA, and for a month the
House and Senate conferees struggled
over 1t, the House finally winning and
the debenture scheme being eliminated.
Mr. Hoover signed the measure on June
IS, and soon after named the members
of the Federal Farm Board authorized
by the act Alexander Legge of Chicago,
president of the International Harvester
Co., was appointed chairman, and the
board proceeded to promote the forma-
ton of farmers co-operatives, which
would be aided with loans from a re-
volving fund of $l50,000,000 that had
been voted by Congress. This work con-
tinued throughout the year, meeting
with general approval.
TangIe Over Tariff Revision.
With the question of tariff revision
the Senators got tangled up in a fight
that seemed interminable. A coalition
of Democrats and radical Republicans
was formed that succeeded in tearing
to pieces the bill reported by the Sem
ate committee, which resembled that
passed by the House. This anomalous
majority professed to be acting for the
farmers and even inserted in the tariff
measure the export debenture plan. The
rewriting of the bill could not be COM
pleted before Thanksgiving, and so was
passed on to the regular session that
opened on December 2.
In their spare time during the Au-
tumn the Senators investigated the ac-
tiVltieS Of lobbyists, especially those con-
cerned with tariff rates, and from some
witnesses, notably Joseph Grundy of
pennsylvania, they heard comments on
them and their doings that were not
pleasing.
President Hoover on Nav 20 ap-
pointed his commission on law enforce
ment, consisting of ii eminent men and
women, with George w. Wickersham as
chairman. 1t was understood this COM
mission would take several years for its
investigation, making recommendation
from time to time.
Stock Market Collapse.
The great debacle mentioned in the
introductory paragraphs came In late
october and continued for two weeks.
1t was the elimination of many months
Of frenZied gambling by amateur spec
ulators in sensationally rising mar
ket. Prices fell rapidly and paper
profits of about 100000 900 van
ished. The Government could do no.
thing to check the collapse, but when