Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-22
FLEXIBLE TARIFF
: CHANGE TAKEN UP.
Approval of Plan Cutting
Presidents Powers Expect
ed in Conference.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A compromise on the flexible amend
nnent to the tariff bill whereby the
Presidents power to change customs
dunes would be sharply curtailed was
dicussed by the conferees today with
prospects Of final adoption.
AS described by Senator Watson, the
Republican leader, and one Of the con-
ferees the new plan would authorize
the Tariff Commission TO report In
emergencies what IL believed to be q
+a.r change in a tariff and the Presi-
dent wuuis be required to proclaim the
rate in effect or veto 1t.
Under existing law, the commission
merely reports differences. cost OF pro-
duction and the President may proclaim
a duty increase or decrease 70 limit
~ A, per cent to equalize those differ
ences or completely ignore the commis-
sion's findings.
The new plan would not permit the
President to ignore commission report
by inaction. 1t has been oiscusse ,a.S.rs
President Hoover by Republican Leaders
and he has been represented as being
willing to forego some OF his power.
Good Chance Of Approval Seen:
Senator Watson said he believed there
was a good chance Of the plan oelng
approved by the conferees at announcer
meeting tomorrow.
THE flexible controversy was the only
one unsettled after todays meeting;
The conferees compromised on $1!,OVg
as the salary for members OF the Iarin
Commission, as against $lU,ouU IN tne
Senate bill and $4,000 In the House
,.ses,,re and rewrote another section to
provide that no member could serve a.
chairman Of the commission twice our
ing one term. .s.s and
agreed to eliminate the Senate coantion
amendments directing the tarln com.
mission to turn over to members on
Congress while q tarin Dill Is penuMs
all information obtained by IL Ieiatns
10 cost of production and requiring tne
Commission to inquire into emciencies
of industries, unemployment ana otner
factors in cost Investigations.
Debenture Dropped.
The eonferees late yesterday agreed
n abandon the export debenture plan
which the Senate coalition also wrote
into the bill. In addition, they voted
ia eliminate the Senate's duty OF 50
cents an ounce on silver and Its amend
nent permitting the free entry OF ce-
nent imported for purposes OF puDnc
construction. A rate of cents pouno
on all cement was adopted.
The House eonferees receded from
the stand of that branch Of Congress
for free soft wood lumber and agreed
TO a duty Of 81 thousandnoard IeeS
on this commodity. The Senate bill
carried a rate of $3.50. A Senate proviso
making this rate apply to railroad ties
and telephone and telegraph poles OF
al woods was eliminated.
Comments ON Grundy Defeat.
Meanwhile Senator Harrison, Demo-
crat. Mississippi. said yesterday that
the defeat of Senator Grundy In the
Pennsylvania primary should mean the
defeat Of the tariff bill conference re-
port and put some backbone in Presi-
dent Hoover in this controversy"
Through the Democratic national
committee Senator Thomas of Oklahoma
suggested that in case the tarif bill Is
passed an appeal should be made to the
Country asking individuals and groups
opposed to the bin TO petition the Presi-
dent for q veto.
Thomas also interpreted the result Of
the Pennsylvania Republican senatorial
primary condemnation Of the Grundy
tariff bin by the Republicans Of Penn
sylvania."