Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-19
TARIFF IS ISSUE
OF FALL CAMP A|GN
Democratic Leader Launches
Attack in Battle for Con-
troll of Congress.
BY WILLIAM HARD.

Tariff occupied the center of at
tention in Washington today. 1t fur
nished virtually all of the commotion
following the definite opening of the
Fall campaign last night by Jouett
Shouse, chairman of the executive COM
mittee of the National Committee of
the Democratic party, in Nation wide
radio address.
Mr.. Shouse's two constructive points
were noted to be his favorable illusions
to the export debenture plan of agri-
cultural revival, a plan based directly
upon tariff duties, and his criticisms Of
the existing high tarlff structure, which
were thought in Republican quarters
to indicate the intention of the Demo-
Gratis, in case they capture the next
Congress, to repeat their policy of 1910
under President Taft and to strive at
once for downward tariff duty reyisions
G. o. p. Admits Debenture Threat.
1t is admitted by the Republicans that
in order to pass debenture plan law
and in order similarly to pass special
tariff duty revision laws of the type
which President Taft vetoed in 1912, the
Democrats would need only their pres
ent strength in the Senate and gain
of perhaps 80 or IS in the House, since
there are enough pro-debenture and
pro-revision Republicans in both houses
to give them thereupon majority for
these projects.
Such considerations explain the
earnestness with which Republican
leaders, headed by John q. Tilson, hoor
leader of the Republicans in the House
of Representatives, are rushing forward
with public statements to counteract
the speech of Mr.. Shouse. They are
determined not to accept either the
debenture or downward tartn revision
as Republican party policies, ana tney
intend to conduct a fight to the nnish
against the Democratic leadership on
those two issues.
They contend that whatever down.
ward revision is desirable can be Sc
cured through the operation of the
tariff laws flexible provision" by the
Tariff Commission. This contention is
ridiculed by the Democrats, VINO JOIN
Mr.. Shouse in assailing the commission
and in declaring, for instance, as MI
Shouse declared last night, that mot
step has yet been taken to investigate
the rates on various commodities as de-
manded by a resolution OF the Senate
following the passage of the bill"
Shouse Assertion Denied.
This assertion by MI. ollouse "o1
vehemently denied today by Iarln
Commission officials. They stated that
investigations of tariff rates had been
demanded by the Senate, not in one
resolution, but m 10 resolutions. They
stated that these 10 resolutions covered
some so items, including sugar, cement,
pig iron, felt hats, hides, shoes, lumber
and farm tools, ard that in respect OF
every item an investigation had been
formally ordered by the commission
and a preliminary inquiry had been
made by u -hnical experts, with re-
ports in most cases back to the COM
missions advisory board, which con-
sists of The principal chiefs OF divisions
and the experts Immediately concerned
and which develops the ultimate meth
DDS Of bringing each investigation to
its conclusion. They maintained that
they were not only needing all Senate
requests, but needing them with eS-
petition.
1t appeared from the commission's
records that in the meantime the re-
quests for Investigations by private cit
liens we're taking second. place to the
requests for Investigations by Senators.
The requests by private citizens or by
associations or industries or by groups
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