Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-17
WEATHERS ) YEARS
OF TARIFF STRIFE
Or. Dennis, Non-PoIitician,
Democrat, Reappointed to
Commission.

A Democrat, but not a politician, DR..
Alfred Pearce Dennis, reappointed yes
terday to the Tariff Commission. has
weathered five and half years OF
tariff strife in manner as picturesque
as his role of flune tender in logging
camp some years ago
DR.. Dennis is said to be the only doc
tor Of philosophy who ever held down
. regular job as professional logger.
Logging Stamina Valuable.
The stamina which he manifested in
those stirring days among the rough
and-ready woodsmen of British Column
bia has stood him in good stead during
his colorful career in public Office.
Although he has been the stormy
petrol of the Tariff Commission almost
from the outset Of his appointment by
President Coolidge in 1925, Or. Dennis
has emerged unseathed and his reap
pointment by President Hoover occa-
kions no great surprise
Dennis. one-time college professor,
knew woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge
and Herbert Hoover before they became
President. As a senior at Princeton he
studied under prof" Wilson and
was so attracted to the latter's per-
sonality and scholarly attachments that
he spent three years additional under
him in postgraduate study. DR.. Dennis
knew Coolidge when he was lawyer
IN Northampton. His long friendship
for Hoover dates from postwar DAYS,
when the then Secretary Of Commerce
detailed him as a special representa-
tive in commerce matters in Europe.
Man Who Came Back"
DR.. Dennis often is referred to by his
friends as 1.-THE man who came back"
Fs-f- - .fa1. s41fa 3e
had. was a real one. After taking three
regular and one honorary degrees at
Princeton and embarking on l0-year
career as professor of economics and
history at three universities, DR. Dem
mis- suffered q complete physical col
lapse.
His nerves were wrecked, his diges-
tive system shattered and physicians
ordered him to give up his professor
ships and seek rest and seclusion.
He sought seclusion, but not rest, in
the rugged forests OF the Northwest
Obtaining a Job as a flume tender in
Canadian logging camp. he applied what
energy he had left to the plain task OF
watching logs slide down the ways to
the mill He was promoted to assistant
cook of the camp.
Two years Of this healthful life in the
open had their effect. His color and
ADDEblhG anu ShCllEb1 ACbAA AAC
came back East, but still SHE'D clear of
economics and history. He entered bust
ness as q logger in the swamps OF
Southern Maryland and Virginia,
Promotion Is Rapid.
The knowledge Of the lumber business
thus acquired led him to take the Civil
Service Commission examination for
lumber trade commissioner. He passed
with exceptional marks, and instead of
being appointed a commissioner was
jumped to the post of commercial at
tache at Rome. This was in 1919. Two
years later he was transferred to a
similar post at London.
He had not been in London long be-
fore he came to the attention Of Secre-
tary Hoover, who designated him as
special representative of the Depart
ment of Commerce in Europe. In that
capacity he surveyed trade conditions
In all Of the countries except Albania,
which had virtually no trade, and old
Russia.
In 1922 he came back to the United
States and was installed as personal
economic assistant to Secretary Hoover.
Six months later President Coolidge
named him to the Tariff Commission.
The following Summer he was made
vice chairman of the commission,
rank he has retained to this day
Only Five Reductions.
Rejecting this afternoon on his years
with the commission, DR.. Dennis re-
marked It had been "a long, hard strug-
gle against politicians and lobbyists"
Since I have seen the commission
at work." he declared, "the body has
effected Just As tariff changes, only
i've of which were reductions. One
of the five afforded lower rate on
paint brush handles, another reduced
the rate on live bob-white quail, two
affected minor chemicals and the fifth
reduction was on wheat husks.
But I look forward TO a new era Of
progressive tariff administration under
the revised personnel of the commits
sion. / have not given up my fight
for the principle of a moderate tariff"