Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-06
REVISION IS SOUGHT
IN TARIFF CONTROL
Reorganization of Commits
sion, Based on Compromise,
| Will Be Asked of Congress.

An earnest effort will be made in
Congress to reorganize the present tariff
commission. A compromise between
the views Of President Hoover as en-
bodied in the tariff bill passed by the
House and the provisions of an entirely
different character written into the
Senate bill is being sought.
When the measure was last debated
in the Senate the issue was sharply
drawn between the President and his
opponents. Congress will not consent
TO q delegation of all tariff making
powers to the Executive, while Mr..
Hoover is just as determined that the
old idea of a board to recommend
changes to Congress does not lead to
constructive action.
Representative Davenport of New
York. one of the ableSt members in the
House, has introduced a bill intended to
set up machinery for tentative action
by the President, at the same time per-
uniting Congress to diSapprove tentative
changes in duties IL not in accord with
congressional policy.
Is Hailed as Compromise.
This is in the nature of compromise
because. as Mr.. Davenport contends, it
leaves the control of tariff rates in the
hands of Congress and yet provides a
disinterested board to make detailed
studies and recommendations which in
turn can be checked by the President
and by Congress.
There is no doubt that the tariff
commission idea is in itself favored by
all parties, but the question really is
where the ultimate power shall be
lodged Neither the Executive nor Con-
gresS seems willing to let the commits
sion itself have the final say. Mr.. Hoo
vers request for flexible provisions were
Ohiaf TsvanVffixyo
to act when Congress was not in Ses-
sion and also to develop the method
whereby particular schedules could be
taken up without reopening the whole
tariff law.
The big item in the controversy is
political influence Where will it be ex-
erted? At present the pressure is ap-
piled against members of Congress gen.
orally. If the Chief Executive had the
mower to modify the tariff he would
have to withstand all the political pres
sure that would be concentrated on his
ONCE. Under Representative Daven-
ports plan the Executive could accept
the recommendations of the tariff COM
mission, but Congress could interpoSe an
objection.
Majority Approval Required.
The advantage of the scheme lies in
the fact that It would require a ma
tority act Of Congress to diSapprove the
tentative action taken by the President
In other words, minority groups would
not have as much chance to get APP
prevail of their particular claims unless
their cause happened to command the
support of a substantial number IN ooth
Houses. This would mean that the
President and the tariff commission In
most instances would control the situ-
alton. although here again on vital
questions Congress would probably, by
ioint resolution or otherwise, indicate It's
views to the Chief Executive.
The Davenport compromise would, on
the other hand. take care OF many
minor changes in the tariff, some OF
them of an administrative nature,
which are prompted by changes In eco
nonic conditions. The fact that Repre-
sentative Davenport has introduced a
bill separate from the tariff measure |
NAV mean that the House might dis
cuss the question in advance of the re-
ceipt Of the Senate tariff bill. 1t might |
smooth the way for compromise in
conference.
1t begins to look as if the flexible