Evening star., 1932-01-20
SENATORS TACKLE
TARIFF BILL FRIDAY
Finance Committee Reaches
IT.
Agreement to Take Up
Democratic Measure.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

DA os OoGLD LINSOLNs
The Senate Finance Committee Is to
tackle the tariff bill, passed by the
House recently, at meeting Friday
morning.
Agreement was reached at a meeting
Of the committee today to give con-
sideration to the Democratic tariff bill,
although there was no agreement that
the measure should be reported to the
Senate. Senator Pat Harrison of
Mississippi, ranking Democratic men,
Der OF the Senate Finance Committee.
strongly urged that the bill be taken
up at the earliest possible date.
1he Dill provides for no strategic
changes In rates of tariff duty. 1t Is re-
garded as ton, however.
since 1t proposes to take away from the
President authority to modify tariff
duties after an investigation by the
Tariff Commission.
Follows Simmons Plan.
The bill provides, instead, for report
by the Tariff Commission of the results
OF investigations to Congress, with the
proVlso that Congress shall act on in
diVidual schedules and rates when so
reported by the commission.
This, in effect, is the old Simmons
amendment to the Smoot- -Hawlev tariff
law when that measure was before the
Senate
1t had the. support Of the coalition OF
Democratic Senators and Republican
Progressives in the last Congress. with
the number Of Democrats in the Senate
increased In the present session, 1t Is
OBVIOUS that such a coalition can easily
rllf fnrnlluh This
Senate.
Nor is 1t likely that the bill will be
held In committee and allowed TO sleeu
there for the rest Of the session, It was
said. despite the fact that the Republic
cans nave IL members and the Demo-
Gratis only 8. Senators Couzens of Mich
igan and La Toilette Of Wisconsin, both,
1t is believed, would be willing to sub
NIT the tariff bill to the Senate for
action. All the Democratic members of
the committee will, of course, vote to
report the bill out.
Amendments Unlikely.
The Senate committee may, If it
wishes, amend the House bill and pro-
vide for reduction of rates of tariff
duties. The Senate Democrats, how
ever. have agreed with the Democrats
In the House on the character of tariff
legislation to be undertaken at this
session Of Congress. 1t seems doubtful.
therefore, that any effort will be made
ny the Senate Democrats to amend the
tariff schedules at this time.
II the bill passes the Senate in prac-
tically the same form as It passed the
House, President Hoover is expected to
veto 1t. and there does not appear to
be any real chance Of passing the
measure over his veto.
The tariff question came up In debate
IN the Senate today, Senator Reed Of
Pennsylvania, a member Of the Senate
Finance Committee, yesterday succeeded
In having adopted a resolution calling
on the Tariff Commission ito inquire
into and report on what effect the
depreciation Of currency in foreign
countries was having ON the cost Of
production OF foreign goods and the
competition OF those foreign goods with I,
American made goods In the United
States and how this deprecated cur
rency affected the tariff.
Reed Urges Speed.
Senator Reed contended that If the
foreign lender was pai4 in deprecated
currency the cost Of production abroad
would be materially less and that such
more easily compete with American
products in spite Of the protective
tariff.
Senator Harrison of Mississippi asked
that the vote by which the resolution
was adopted in the Senate yesterday
be reconsidered so that he could Of
fer amendments If he desired. Senator
Reed strongly urged that there be no
delay in connection with his resolu-
tion. He said that IL the Senate Finance
Committee Is to consider the tariff the
information which his resolution re-
quests would be OF greatest value.
Reconsideration Voted.
BY a vote Of 43 to 80, the Senate re-
considered the vote by which the Reed
resolution was adopted yesterday, and
on further motion of Senator Harrison
Of Mississippi the resolution was re-
ferred to the Finance Committee.
On the vote several Republican Pro-
gressives voted with the Democrats for
reconsideration, including Senators La
Toilette, Borah, Blaine, Frazier and
Couzens. Not all of the, Progressiyes,
however, supported reconsideration.
Among those who opposed 1t we're Nor
ris of Nebraska and Nye of North Da-
kota. Shipstead, Farmer-Labor Sen
ator, voted for reconsideration.
Before the vote was taken, Senator
Harrison agreed with Senator Reed not
to obstruct action on the resolution in
the Finance Committee Reed urged
that the resolution be adopted, and a
report made by the Tariff Commission
before action was taken on the Demo-
cratic tariff bill now before the Finance
Committee. To this, however, Senator
Harrison demurred The Mississippi
Senator expressed the hope the tariff
bill would be acted on promptly when
1t Is taken up in the committee Friday.