Evening star., 1932-05-20
Hoover Veto of Tariff Bill
Seen as Factor i'm Stability

Importance of stability in the busi-
| ments on President Hoover's veto of the
tariff bill which was sent to the White
House by Congress. Opinions differ
somewhat along party lines, though
there is recognition of widespread oppo-
sition to the existing tariff law. Ad
visibility of meeting business condi-
tions, especially in campaign year, Is
considered in some comments. The
measure would have provided for inter-
national negotiations and would abolish
the flexible provision of the tariff.
Hesitancy in industry and trade Is
emphasized by the Philadelphia Evening
Bulletin independent Republican,, and
/ that paper offers the opinion: THE
precipitation of new uncertainty as to
the protective tariff, covering the wide
field of producing enterprise, would be
an inexcuSable blunder. To abandon
the present f1exibility of the tariff act,
which is adequate to meet all insistent
need for modification, is bad enough; to
go backward to the log-rolling process
of general tariff revision, which would
have been invited by the Democratic
bill, would be worse"
On the other hand, the Atlanta jour
nal CDemocratic) holds that the lib
eral tariff bill pointed way to the re-
viyal of international trade" and pro
vided, among several things, for the
calling of an international conference
to consider the removal OF barriers TO
the worlds commerce which are largely
responsible for the existing depression.
The Journal offers the estimate OF the
proposed conference that 1t favored the
working out "of system OF reciprocities
,.,y,a anI, without S1lrren-
dering a right Of its own, could help TO
facilitate the general exchange OF goods.
The contrary course, with its exoroitant
import duties, its retaliations and It's
economic wars" continues the Atlanta
paper, has brought us to the brink OF
international bankruptcy. surely, the
time has come for a liberal ana con-
structive policy But President Hoover
yetoes 1t. The bill also altered the mex
ible' provision of the existing tarln law
by transferring from the Chle1 Execu-
tive to Congress the power to cnange
import duty rates upon the Tar1n COM
missions recommendation. Mr.. HooVers 5
jealousy of his prerogative IN TINS re-
spect may be natural, but certainly Ine
power to fix tariffs, which is power 10
tax. belongs. under our Constitution, TO
the legislative and not the executive
function of government. The veto was
not unexpected. 1t simply confirms the
hopelessness of relief, from the preSenI
administration, for intolerable LIS.
protection, like armies and arma-
ments is a worldwide fact" declares
the Spokane SpokeSman-Review (Ee-
publican). "It would be folly 1or tne
United States to surrender its markets
10 the greed of foreign industry and
labor. or to demolish It's Navy ana
muster out its little Army, on the altru-
istic and childlike theory that Europe
and Japan would reciprocate. Inc
Salt Lake Deseret News (neutraD con-
cludes as to present necessities: Gen
erally speaking. the tariff exists TO
create within the United States the
prosperity of industries We have built
I'D here in competition with cheaper
labor abroad. Perhaps the time Will
come when the world viii pull down all
the tariff walls, but that certainly does
not appear to be the epoch OF today.
THE country will applaud the sound
reasoning in the Presidents vibrant
Transcript independent Republican,,
which however. points to an interest
ing feature in the Presidents message
In the suggestion, which the bill aimed
to destroy, such action would automati-
cally remove excessive duties and un-
equal treatment throughout the world
Here Is . President" says the Mil
waukee Journal independently, who In
q situation like that Taft was IN meets
1t as Taft met it-except that he has
never even heard that Taft. as good and
dependable jaa conservative Republican
as Mr.. HOOVER declared for reciprocity.