Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-10
The Tariff Drive.

Inc Rntl-LaIlu guns are pOOtIllIlS'
The protective Smoot-Hawley act is
under shell fire from the merchants
and bankers of Europe. 1t is raked
fore and aft by the Democrats in this
country, and more recently 1t has had
to stand the attack of several eminent
Republicans of the usual standpat
variety. 1t has been under attack for
months by the anti-Hoover Republic
ans of the West. The upShot of the
matter may be that the tariff will be-
come a real major issue In the national
campaign next year. If this should
happen it will demonstrate again the
virility of this grizzled veteran Of many
political campaigns. In 1928 the Demo-
Gratis approached to closely to the
Republican conception OF q tariff that
the charge was made by a wing OF the
Democratic party that its leaders were
abandoning the traditional policy OF
the Democrats toward the tariff.
Just what the traditional policy Of
the Democrats toward the tariff real
ly Is, when viewed in the light Of the
party's changes of position on the sub
ject, may be difficult to state specifically.
Generally speaking, however. the
Democratic party stands for lower
tariff duties than the Republicans.
The Democratic party at one time was
for free trade. Later it went to a
tariff for revenue only, and then added
to 1t the taking phrase, with Incl
dental protection" In 1928 the Demo-
Gratis declared themselves for tariff
that would permit effective compet-
ton" And more recently, Chairman
John J. Raskob of the Democratic
party, who has no constituency, but
who holds on to the reinS OF party
government, declared himself for a
flair tariff" No one has been able
yet to determine exactly what Mr..
Raskebs proposal means, although it
has been denounced by some Of the
Democratic tariff authorities.
There is a great deal of loose talk
about the tariff in general, and about
the Smoot-Hawley tariff act in particu-
lar. The effort is made in many quar-
tiers in this country to blame conditions
on the tariff law. Yet the crash came
long before the Smoot- Hawley tariff
act became law. Agriculture was clamor-
ing for increased protection for its
products. 1t was obvious that a revision
of the tariff would be necessary. And
in the Smoot-Hawley tariff act, agri-
culture received greatly added protec-
ton. The antagonists of the Republican
tariff act in the Middle West and the
West who declaim against the present
law might stop to consider with value
to themselves that it Is to the increases
in the duties on agricultural products
that many Of the foreign nations are
directing their opposition.
The @. o. P. in the end probably will
welcome the tariff issue, even as a
major issue In the coming campaign.
The opponents of the protective tariff
will have their troubles when it comes
TO showing American workmen how
they can be benefited by taking the
tariffs OF the goods which they produce
so that more such goods, made by Eu-
ropean workers, can be imported and
sold in this country. The Europeans
are opposed to the American tariff not
because the American tariff is a bene-
mt to the Europeans but because 1t Is
benefit to Americans. Even Ameri-
cans who are sore because of the de-
preston and who know little or nothing
of the details Of the tariff law and its
effect may come to realize that fact in
the end.