Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-20
Member of the Associated Pres,
The Senate Capitulates.

- ~-~~~~~~S ~~-k~~S~~eNe~N@ S@~
the debent,ire clause In the tariff bill
Every one knew, including those Sena-
tors who have given the debenture
clause active support for months. that
this would be the final outcome Of the
struggle over this unsound and uneco-
nomic proposal. Every one knew, too,
that the debenture clause was written
into the bill originally with votes of
Senators who wished to embarrass the
President and his administration. Had
a Democratic President been in the
White House, and had he opposed the
debenture clause-as undoubtedly a
Democratic President would have done
how many Of the champions of the
debenture on the Democratic side of
the chamber under such circumstances
would have voted to place debenture in
the bin? While 1t is true that some Of
the champions Of debenture are hon
estly Of the opinion that it is q wise
plan for the aid Of the farmers of the
country, it is also true that these gen.
uemen are In the minority, and that
others have "held the nose and voted
for debentrre for political reasons alone.
The jockeying over the tariff bill and
Do many provisions seems to be nearly
at an end. Having turned its back on
the debenture clause, the Senate by a
sae vote, which was broken when Vice
President Curtis cast his vote In the
Affirmative, released the Senate con-
3erees from their pledge not to yield in
any shape or manner In regard to the
Senate amendment which would remove
from the President the power to adjust
tariff rates by so per cent in accord
snee with recommendations of the
Tariff Commission. This Is another
proposal Of the Senate, coalition, IS
adopted months ago when the tariff
BIN FIRST was under consideration, which
has been strongly opposed by President
Hoover. It was aimed particularly at
M. Hoover by his Democratic and in
surgent Republican critics.
Unfortunately for the politically in
cafned coalition Of the Senate it has
had to reckon with the House of Rep
ss.an1atives. The House does not as q
xule lay claim to being the greatest
deaiberattve body in the world" The
House Il more practical. more eficient
and. ct the present. appears to have a
better conception Of party solidarity
and 10 be guided less by the personal
feeitngs Of its members. Not long ago
the House by decisive votes turned
down both the debenture and flexible
amendments Of the Senate. More re-
Gently the House conferees issued an
uitamatum. They would hold no fur
thar meetings with the conferees Of the
Senate until the Senate had released
To conferees from the promise not to
yield IN any particular on the debenture
and flexible amendments. In other
words. unless the Senate took q differ
ent attitude there would be no tariff
bfil. It was up to the Senate to fish
or cut bait. The votes In the Senate
yesterday indicate that o majority of
the eenate Il not ready to abandon the
earm blu. Indeed. the outcome has
led 10 the belief that now tariff bill
II TO be finally passed, minus the Sem
ate debenture and flexible features, and
sent to tho President for his approval.
= the bill Is brougha back from con-
ference without either of these features,
an effort win be made to kill 1t In the
Senate. But the breach has been made
an the wall and the opposition Is likely
% yield In the end.