Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-03
PROGRESS|VES HIT
: BARNES ADDRESS
La Toilette Says Effort to
Blame Politics for Depres-
sion "Won't Go Down."
Continued From First Pagel


tration would have to give the matter
serious consideration.
Senator Jim" watson, Republican
leader of the Senate, and a member
of the Finance Committee, Is one OF
those who look with disfavor on the
recommendations of Barnes, Atterbury
and Smell Indeed, the Republicans, who
have for years defended the protective
tariff system look upon those men,
hars of the G. o. P. who are now back
tracking in this matter as "deserters."
REPRESENTATIVE Smell, who has been cam
naicninp for the Republican nomina-
ton for Speaker of the next Rouse,
has lost himself some friends among tne
regular Republicans by his crltlclsm OF
the tariff, 1t is asserted, even II ne mas
GAINED favor with some OF the FAo-
Eressives from the West
Would Create Uncertainty.
Senator Bingham has this to say
about the Barnes tariff recommends
ton last night: 49,, .,
would do more harm than good. because
of the uncertainty it would creaIe. AS
far as I am able to judge Mr.: Barnes
etatenent il Is not representative OF
mora than a very small group OF inter-
rational bankers. importers and retail
ers world conditions, more than any
thing else. are responsible for the pres
Snt denression in the United states.
The low price Of silver ana tne low
ur1ce of raw materials which we puS
are also factors working aganhsI eh
change Of trade between the united
= countries il am OD-
,oossd 10 any change in the present
tariff law"
..s Harrison Gratified.
ant Senator Harrison Of Mississippi
took i very different view OF the Barnes
recommendation. He said; 49,.
"It is very gratifying TO know Una
Mr. Barnes, a long personal and poiltl-
ca1 friend and partner of President
Hoover has spoken so frankly to Amer
Doe In his formula, Mr.. Barnes IN
Sorsas at least two of the main Demo-
cratic contentious fought for during the
last three years. These are ialr ano
equitable tariff that would protecC tIls
American standard OF wages, put Wouio
at the same time promote a DeIsei uni
derstanding with other peoples ailo
onen markets for sale OF our surplus
,,roducts. Mr.. Barnes expressed the
6ninion of the average business man.
such statements are now coming oany
from such Republicans as Representa-
tive Smell and Gen. Atterbury: the
attitude Of such men Is making II olIn-
cIIlt for such clinging-vine polltlcianS
"a Senator Dickinson OF Iowa 10 deteno
the adrnisaistration's tariff policy"
Hull Indprses Plan.
Senator Hull Of Tennessee declared
that: :. 49,. l.,
principle, of the Democratic contention
since 1921 that q typical Repuphcan
high tariff would inevitably strange anu
retsIiatiou by other countries, Is seen
IN the proposal yesterday Of Mr.. Barnes
for redIction of the Smoot- HaWley
tariff Law as q means OF placatlng
foreign nations retaliating against
IF the Democratie policies had been
followed since 1921, the chief causes az
least of panic conditions wouia nave
been avoided. This statement is eyi-
denced by the fact that Mr.. Barnes
chairman Of the board OF the Chamber
of Conn1erce Of the United States ana
ON intimate relations with the Hoover
administration, suggests tariff reouc-
ton and liberalization OF trade poncles
as an outstanding remedy for the
panic"
La Toilette Is OutspOken.
Senator La Toilette did not mince
words when he discussed the Chamber
Of Commerce meeting at Atlantic Guy
He said in part:
"Beeinntne with the inaugural adj
dress of President Harding in 1921 IN
which he declared for more business
in Government and less Government IN
business those possessing economic
power in the United States have mao
free rein. Under Harding, Coolidge and
Hoover the entire policy Of the Federal
Government has been predicated upon
the false premise that what was good
for business was good for the country
as a whole. The one definite and UNI
euuivocal commitment which the
Chamber of Commerce seems willing TO
make is that they are opposed to any
increase in income and inheritance
taxes.
I'm other words. having led the
country into the deepest depression In
our existence these gentlemen now
refuse to carry their fair share Of the
added burdens and responsibility OF
Government.
Indications Of Awakening.
Fortunately. however there are in
Ciications Of an awakening Of RESPONSE
bility on the part of industrial and
financial leaders in this country not re-
fected in the Chamber of Commerce
attitude II Is significant for instance
that q committee of prominent indus
trialists of the American section Of the
International Chamber of Commerce
had this to say: Among substantial
group of employers the doctrine OF
1aisSez faire has been superseded by
realization that unemployment is at
least partially preventable. This en-
ployer Is no longer content pas5ively to
accept the social and economic waste
accompanying recurrent unemployment
crises. No longer is it believed that the
vast atority of jobless workers reached
that unfortunate state through personal
incapacity or sheer Incidence. A new
generation Of business men frankly ac-
Cepts a larger share Of responsibility
for the instability of industrial opera
lions which account for large proper
ton of intermittent unemployment
The hope Of the country lies not In
the defeatist attitude reflected in the
Chamber Of Commerce or as eXemph-
fed In the bankruptcy Of leadership Of
the Hoover administration, but Is 70 be
found in these financial and business
leaders who have a consciousness of
social responsibility and are struggling
however feebly 10 find an answer 70
those complex questions rather than
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