Evening star., 1932-01-03
EARLY ACTION SEEN
ON TAX AND TARIFF
Legislation Will Be Rushed
Through House-Garner
Calls Policy Group.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Definite plans to expedite House action
on troublesome tariff and taX-raisinl
legislation were made yesterday by
Democratic congressional leaders.
The program calls for such speed that
the party's tariff bill is expected tc
flash through the House and to the
door of the Senate by the end Of this
week Revenue increasing legislation
will be rushed with view to passage
by February /.
With the return yesterday of Senator
Robinson of Arkansas, the Senate Dem
ocratic leader, Speaker Garner sum-
moned the Joint Policy Committee tc
meet with him tomorrow morning tC
give its approval to the tariff bill draft
ed during the Christmas holidays.
Hearings on Tuesday.
Chairman Collier announced yester-
day hearings on the tariff measure
would begin before the House Ways and
Means Committee Tuesday afternoon,
He expects it to be reported favorably
Wednesday, so that it may be submitted
to the House for consideration Thurs
day.
Secretary Mellon and Undersecretary
Mills of the Treasury are to open hear
ings before the Ways and Means Com
mittee on the tax bill Thursday, Collier
said. After the Treasury officials have
submitted the administrations tax pro-
gram, Collier plans to make public a
calendar for witnesses opposing and ad-
vocating certain taxes. The MtsSisSip-
plan made public a list of witnesses
representing various industries, includ-
ing Chester Gray of the American Farm
Bureau Federation.
Speaker Garner said the tariff bill
would be introduced by Collier imme-
diately after its approval by the Policy
Committee. He expressed the opinion
that extensive hearigns were unneces-
sary, since the rates would not be re-
ViSed
Bill Closely Guarded.
Although the bill is being guarded
closely, it is designed to bring about a
means by which reciprocal tariff ar
rangementS may be negotiated. 1t would
permit international conferences on
tariffs and would authorize the Tariff
Commission to report needed changes
in duties to "~~gress instead Of to the
Chief Executive, as at present.
Returning yesterday after a visit in
New York, Representative Smell, the
Republican leader, urged the Demo-
Gratis to bring up tax legislation before
tariff. The New Yorker said the
country and the business people want
to know the tax policy so they can
n
and the revenue is needed by the
Federal Government"
Smell said the Democrats had attack
ed the Republican tariff on every plat
form from coast to coast" and that
since they are in control Of the House
they should fulfill their promise to
revise the tariff"
Would Hurt Foreign Trade.
"I would like to know what rates, If
any, they are going to lower" Smell
demanded He added that if the
reciprocal tariff proposals of Repre-
sentative Rainey of Illinois, the Demo-
cratic leader, were adopted, they un-
doubtedly would disrupt our foreign
trade and void large number of COM
mercial treaties"
Meanwhile, a group Of West Coast
members, led by Representative Hawley
of oregon, ranking Republican on the
Ways and Means Committee, will meet
with Commissioner Eble of the Customs
Bureau Tuesday morning to discuss the
new import conditions arising out Of
the depreciation of foreign Currencies
since several countries went off the gold
standard.
ut is not Russia that is involved
particularly" said the co-author of the
Smoot- -Hawley act, nor any single i'm
ported commodity. We are considering
new problems that foreign currency
depreciation has brought"