Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-05
SUGAR DUTY FATE
HANGS IN BALANCE
WITH VOTE TODAY
Supporters of TWo-Cent Levy
on Cuban Product See VIC
tory by Three Votes.
COALITION FIGHTS PLAN
FOR INCREASED RATES
Ballot on Long Debated Provision
Is Set for 8 PM, With Out
come Doubtful.

a vote of the Senate today. The
Senate coalition, which has been in
control of the tariff bill, received It's
first real setback when the rate on
sugar was raised,
The Smoot amendment increasing
the rate on Cuban sugar from 176
to cents pound and to ESQ on
other imported sugar was adopted
by q vote of Al to So.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
The sugar duty hung in the balance
today, with the Senate to register q
vote on 1t not later than pm.
Supporters of the Smoot amendment
to increase the duty from 1.76 to 2
cents pound on Cuban sugar and TO
$50 op all other imported sugar insisted
that the amendment would carry by q
narrow margin, perhaps three votes.
Coalition leaders opposed to the in
creased duty were working hard to pre-
vent the adoption of the Smoot amend
ment. Some of them, however, admitted
that the situation looked black for them
and that the amendment probably
Senator Norris of Nebraska.
Reports were to the effect that eight
Seantors, Ave Republicans and three
Democrats, who voted against an in
crease in the sugar duty when the mat
ter was up in the Senate several weeks
ago, were ready to vote for the Smoot
amendment, which Is q compromise
between the duty originally proposed
by the finance committee and the ex-
isting law.
Wage Intensive Drive.
The coalitionists won by 10 votes
when they adopted an amendment
offered by Senator Harris of Mississippi,
to retain the existing sugar duty. That,
however, was when the matter first
came to q vote in the Senate. Last
night when the coalitioniSts threatened
q filibuSter In order to prevent q vote
being taken on the Smoot amendment
at that time, the victory seemed to be
In the hands of the supporters of the
Smoot amendment The coalitionists
have used the overnight interval for an
intensive drive to bring back Senators
who were reported to have deserted
them on the sugar duty.
The House bill carries an increase in
the sugar duty even higher than was
proposed by the Senate finance commit
tee. II the Smoot amendment is
adopted by the Senate there will neces-
Sarily be some increase In the sugar
tarin Of the existing law, for both
houses of Congress will have agreed to
an increase. The most that the con-
ference could do would be TO keep the
duty down to the Smoot amendment
under those conditions.
Opponents of the Smoot amendment
a.
increase of $50, 000, 900 in the bill. which
the American public will pay for sugar
annually. Supporters of the amend
ment on the other hand deny that such
Will be the case and contend that II
the American sugar growing industry is
TO be Kept solvent, an increase in the
present duty must be made.
Fear Further Increases.
Coalition leaders have been worried
lest the adoption of the Smoot amend
ment may be q forerunner of increased
duties on other articles. Attempts are
10 be made to take lumber from the
free list and boots and shoes and hides.
IL Is believed, however, that supporters
OF the lumber duty will have a hard
task getting their amendment adopted,
Some Senators are hopeful that 1t
will be possible to reach a vote on the
IdrlH Dill Detore the END OF the week
Others, however, do not believe it will
be possible tc get to a final vote In the
Senate for another 10 days or more.
They point to the large number of items
In the bill upon which votes have been
reserved, now that the measure has been
reported from the committee as a
whole into the Senate. Not little may
depend on the outcome OF the sugar
vote today. If the coalition should be
successful and defeat the Smoot amend
ment, proponents of other amendments
opposed by the coalition may reach the
conclusion that 1t Is hopeless to press
them.
Divide Time for Debate.
Under the agreement entered into by
the Senate last night, the time of the
Senate, until o'clock this afternoon,
was to be evenly divided between sup
porters of the Smoot amendment and
its opponents. Senator Vandenberg of
Michigan, the first speaker today,
strongly advocated adoption of the
Srnoot amendment. He was followed by
Senator Broussard Of Louisiana, who
also spoke In favor Of the amendment.