Evening star., 1932-03-01
GALE AIDS BRITAIN
BY DELAYING SHIPS
Attempts to Escape Tariff
FaiI-Snowden Fears
Protection.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated freSS.
LONDON, March IA raging gale
in the North Sea and the English Chan
mel yesterday saved the British ex-
chequer thousands Of pounds by de-
laying ships trying to get in under
the tariff barrier.
The gale and high sea apparently had
beat most of the vessels of the dump
ing armada to the deadline at pm.
TO-DAY, that is, the last big feet OF them.
When customs houses open tomor-
row morning, Great Britain will no
longer be a free trade country. 10
per cent general tariff, with few no
table exceptions, will go into effect. ANY
vessel that had not cleared its papers
at pm. was automatically blocked
of by the wall.
Meanwhile Viscount Philip Snowden
was celebrating the funeral rites Tor
free trade in q speech in the House
of Lords.
The peers listened respectfully, but
concurrence of the Lords in the Com
mons tariff measure and royal assent
before tomorrow was a foregone con-
cluSion.
Cites Failure Elsewhere.
viii protection 90 fer Britain what
it hcs failed to do for every protection
ist country in the world?" The viscount
demanded, and declared: 1T is crim-
inal to gamble with the vital interests
of the country when staring us in the
face are the facts of the disastrous fall
ure of that policy elsewhere
Meanwhile the Southern ports OF
England were jammed with vessels
which had been fortunate enough to
clear their papers and unload their
cargoes without paying duty on them.
They represent most of the nations
of the world, and flooded the ports with
every imaginable kind of import.
Although there was great activity at
the port of London, business began to
slow down before the zero hour. Many
small ships at that time were still well
out to sea. Their engines were turn
ing over at half speed and their decks
were awash, while British treasury OFF,
cials commented that the old proverb
about an Ill wind had never been more
strikingly illustrated.
The probability that Viscount Snow
den and other free trade members OF the
cabinet would leave the government II
it used the revenue derived from the
new import duties for a reduction in
the income tax caused considerable dis
cussion in political circles. The belief
was confidently expressed that the rev.
enue would be used in that fashion.
Far Reaching Results Seen.
Political commentators emphasized
that the designations of the free trade
section of the national government
might have far-reaching consequences.
Speculation regarding these resigna-
tions was based chiefly on the Snowden
speech before the House Of Lords.
In this speech the viscount bitterly
attacked a recent hint by Walter Runci-
man, president Of the Board of Trade,
that the new duties might be used to
relieve the direct taxpayer Of some OF
his burden.
Such a move, the former chancellor
Of the exchequer said, would be def
mite breach of the economy act which
made wage cuts last Fall and of the
principle of equality Of sacrifice.
His hearers took this and other ref
erences in the address which were
known to be in accord with the views
of Sir Herbert Samuel and other cabi-
net free traders, as a direct threat of
resignation unless all thought of re-
lieving the income taxpayeE from the
proceeds Of the new duties were aban-
doned.
In order to get the legislation through
before midnight, the House of Lords
passed the tariff bill on second and
third readings last night. The vote on
second reading was 129 to IL.
!. The final ceremony was brief and
businesslike. The throne was uncovered
as a symbol of the Kings presence.
Three royal commissioners-Lord Chan
cellor Sankey, Lord Stanhope and Lord
Daryngton-sat on a bench in front Of
it. The lord chancellor announced the
Kings approval of the bill and Britain
officially became protectionist country.