Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-16
HOOVER STATEMENT
SEEN AS DEFENSE
New Attitude Toward Tariff
Held as Reflection of Pub
lie DisapprovaI.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Although President Hoover's an
nouncement that he would sign the
| tariff bill was no surprise to official
Washington. there was extraordinary
| interest in Just what he would say in
his statement accompanying approval.
The Presidents reasons are of a de-
fensive nature, which is very unusual
in the long history of tariff making,
| though, to be sure, President Harding
did somewhat the same thing when he
signed the Fordney-McCumber bill in
1922.
The fact that Presidents have become
apologize in tariff bills Is much more
a reflection of the public's diSapproval
of the tariff process itself than an as
sault on the protective principle.
President Cites Benefits Achieved.
The issue has no longer become one
of protection as against free trade, but
the defense of protection and the hon.
esty of the claims of those who request
the aid. Nevertheless, Mr.. Hoover points
with pride to the fact that even under
the new tariff bill the proportion of
imports which will be free of duty may
be estimated at from 81 to, SO per cent
as compared with an average Of 663
per cent under the Underwood law,
passed by Democratic administration,
whereas the Mckinley Wilson, Ding
ley and Payne-Aldridge laws had a
free list of so per cent or less. In
other words, the President thinks 1t is
significant that the number of items
on the free list is increasing.
Mr.. Hoover did not denounce any
particular schedule, but contented him
self with a statement that no tariff
law is perfect and that it contains
many compromises between sectional
interests and between different indus
tries" He takes the position that the
complexities of the legislative task re-
quiring an examination of more than
$500 items makes it inevitable that
the Responsibility must rest upon the
Congress in a legislative rate revision"
Flexible Provision a Safeguard.
The President assumes that duty of
the Executive is on the administrative
side and that the flexible provisions
of the new law will have to correct in
equalities and may be the means of
preventing a general revision of the
tariff with all their necessary collat-
eral surroundings in Hobbies, log-rolling
and the activities of group interests"
which he says are disturbing to public
confidence.
The President felt that any delay on
his part in making known his intention
to sign the bill would be the subject of
misunderstanding. He declared that
ut is urgent that the uncertainties in
the business world, which have been
added to by the long extended debate
of the measure, should be ended"
Mr.. Hoover further pointed out that
even if he had vetoed the present bill
or If it had failed in conference, there
would be a renewal of the demand for
tariff legislation and the agitation
would continue.
Effect Of Agitation Cited.
In this connection he declared that
nothing would contribute to retard bust
ness recovery more than continued agi-
tation for revision.
Mr.. Hoovers whole idea has been to
dispose of the question as quickly as
possible, leaving it to the future to take
care of the adjustments necessary in
an already disturbed economic world
After more than Is months of dis
cussion the tariff is finally out Of the
way.
Copyright, 1900