Evening star., 1932-11-06

employment at the rate Of 500 900 Q
month as the result Of unprecedented
programs and policies inaugurated by
my administration. What Is disturbing
the American people is the failure Of
the Democratic candidate to show any
satisfaction in this and his entire lack
OF assurance that these measures will
be carried forward. Furthermore, they
find total absence OF constructive pro-
posals for the Democratic side for deal
ing with this emergency. They are con-
fused by indefinite promises as to the
future. They are dtsmayed by the
measures proposed by the last Demo-
cratic House OF Representatives. which
at no time have been disavowed by the
candidate, and would destroy the very
foundations Of the republic. They re-
sent appeals to protest, on the basis OF
personal misfortune, the causes OF
which have been so brazenly misstated
to them. They are asking what the
support Of extreme radicals mean to
our national institutions. They wonder
if the divergent parts in the Demo-
cratic party, the sectional elements, and
political elements of which it consists,
do not spell repetition of the Quarrels
and expressions OF lack of confidence In
their candidate so evident before the
convention and thus an earnest OF their
own capacity for united national action.
Tariff Maintenance.
One issue OF this campaign has be-
come Of more than normal Importance
that is the maintenance Of our pro-
tective tariff. These StAes are posi-
lively dependent upon the maintenance
OF protective tariffs as measure OF re-
covery from this depression. And the
protective tariff is more in danger at
this moment than at any time In re-
cent history; first, because our oppo-
nents propose to reduce this tariff to
the basis OF competitive tariff for reve-
nue." which means competition in the
American market by the lower paid Ia
Dor, lowered standards Of living and the
cheapest lands in any part OF the world.
But beyond this, the collapse OF 50
nations unable to stand the accumu-
lated strains growing out OF the Worio
War, have brought about depreciation
Of their currencies sll the way from 10
to so per cent. The result has been a
further decrease in their wages, their
prices and standards of living as com
pared to ours. Breaches are being mace
daily in your farm tariff walls.
And In the face OF this, our Demo-
cratic opponents propose TO reduce our
tariffs. Their candidate has called
them exorbitant and ghastly Jest.
We must bear in mind that excepting
wheat, 90 per cent OF our agricultural
products in this group OF States are con-
sumed in the United States. and the
fate Of American agriculture lies in hold
ing the market within the boundaries
of the United States.
/ could give you few indications IN
actual effect of the present situation
other than those stated at Des MoineS,
indianapolis, Springfield. would point
out that butter, the indicator in dairy
products. sells in New York at 81 cents
and vet, except for the tariff wall. 1t
would be sold from New Zealand and
Europe for l6 cents And I would point
out another exhibit. Flax is 72 cents
north OF the Canadian border and 81 .08
south of that boundary due TO the pro-
tective tariff. This margin in your favor
is even greater In the great competitive
markets on the Atlantic Coast. If this
tariff were taken down some 4,000,0 600
acres, built up under the protective
tariff, must go into other products, the
competition Of which will lower prices
in every other commodity. Another in
dustry to which Gov Roosevelt has
given especial attention is sugar, in
which his promises would put another
100000 acres into competition with
other products.
One Of the reasons why agriculture
has not made progress as rapidly in in
creased prices in the last four months
comparable with the increased employ
ment Of men is this increasing competi-
ton from deprecated currency coun-
tries
This, indeed, gives me the greatest
o1y ha lice
administration has been able TO prevent
the destruction of the flexible authori-
ties Of the Tariff Commission through
which alone these breaches in the tariff
wall may be repaired.
Commission Threatened.
The Democratic candidate. the Demo
cratic House Of Representatives and the
Democratic party in its platform prom
ise consistently TO destroy this authority
OF the Tariff Commission. and ask:
Can YOU look to these men TO repair
these breaches in the tariff wall when
they propose TO tear down the wall,
themselves?"
In speech last night the Democratic
candidate stated that the Tariff Com
mission, during two long years, has
investigated duties on cnly 70 commodi-
ties out Of manv thousands"
Again he has been misinformed and
Is broadcasting nisinformation to the
American people. The Tariff Commits
sion has considered over $50 items in
stead OF the 73 he mentions. A great
number of these items. when they ap-
peared for consideration, were found
to have no basis for action. Many OF
them were withdrawn by the applicants
upon showing Of the facts But a
greater Misrepresentation lies in the
fact that, except for the very large
task that I have recently given the
commission-that is to reconsider the
tariffs as affected by deprecated cur
rencles due to the collapse of foreign
nations-lts docket is practically clear
That means that this tribunal, which
Gov. Roosevelt says he will destroy
has attended to practically every appli-
cation presented by American citizens
II there were greater number OF
items which neeoed change. is it not
obvious that the need for this change
would have been manifest, bcause the
enterprising American citizen would
long since have brought it to this tri-
bunal for immediate adjustment? We
will even widen the protective tariff
by legislation If necessary to protect
agriculture. The American market