Evening star., 1933-02-26
ROOSEVELT FACES
FIGHT ON TARIFF
Weighs Reciprocal Treaties
despite CIamor for Higher
Duties.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

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reciprocal tarin treaties with foreign
countries at a moment when American
industry and agriculture are clamoring,
as almost never before, for higher. in
stead Of lower, duties on foreign i'm
ports. For months past. and particu-
larly Of late. the White House, Con-
gress and the United States Tariff
appeals from distressed business In
terests for more and more prohibitive
tariffs on competitive products from
abroad. One Of the foremost tarih
authorities In washington, who Is In
peculiarly good position to know
whereof he speaks, declares that II Gov.
Roosevelt's inaugural address should
espouse embargoes against imports, In
stead of a policy permitting them to
invade the American market on q
larger scale, the incoming President
would ring the bell from ocean to
ocean and from border to border" The
United States, in other words, this au-
thority asserts, was probably never
less reciprocity than at this
time. President Hoover's recent un-
successful attempt to induce Congress
to enact tariff boosts against countries
with deprecated currencies, now said
to be dumping" onto the American
market priced goods with which
our producers cannot compete, Is
symptomatic Of the national business
mood.
Other Nations Eager.
To negotiate reciprocal treaties IS re-
garded an achievement which Presl-
dent Roosevelt and Secretary Hull can
accomplish with relative ease. Although
every country in the world Is bending
under the same economic distress that
is affecting the United States, each and
all of them are desperately anxious to
widen the sale of their produce in the
American market. They are undoubt-
edly prepared to exchange generous
tariff concessions with us to that end.
Our best customer, Canada, has just
taken the lead in that direction. But
the Democratic administrations troubles
will set in after reciprocal tariff treaties
are concluded by diplomatic negotiation
and then submitted to the Senate for
ratification. It is not difncult to con-
jure up a picture Of what would hap
pen when, say, it was proposed to re-
wise downward the tariff on Australian
wool. on Canadian wheat, on Italian
and Spanish olive oil, on Norwegian sar-
dimes, on Cuban sugar, on Egyptian
long-staple cotton, or on an endless
number of foreign imports now either
barred from the American market or
able to invade it only under high tariffs
1t takes two-thirds majority in the
Senate to ratify a foreign treaty. Well
Informed persons who are viewing the
Roosevelt reciprocity program
through practical eyes contend there is
plenty of experience and precedent to
foreshadow that Senators with State
and sectional interest to protect will
automatically form ou-scrach-my-
back-and- nd-I'll-scratch-yours" = bloc the
moment their own particular tarif oxen
are gored The history Of American
tariffmaking is strewn with examples Of
of Congress 1t is bound to manifest
ing business and unemployment condi-
tions.
Authority Necessary.
In view of the prospect in the Senate,
Il is already being proposed that among
the extraordinary powers to be vested III
Franklin D. Roosevelt there should be
included authority definitely to COM
plete reciprocal tariff treaties. Clothed
with such authority, the new President
could negotiate with the assurance to
other governments that their conclu-
sions would take effect, without having
to run the gauntlet Of Senate ratifica-
ton and possible disapproval. Gov.
Roosevelt is said to have told Speaker
Garner and other Democratic leaders
during the Winter that he Is anxious
for all the power Congress cares to give
him and will not be afraid to use them.
United States Senate have outdone the
leopard and changed their spots some
of our best fiscal minds are convinced
that reciprocity will remain Roosevelt
Hull dream, provided the President and
his Secretary of State do not receive
"dictatorial" power.
The Buy America" movement is
svmbolical Of the trend Of American
business opinion on the question OF
imports. Although the international
trade balance continues heavily in our
favor. our sales abroad remaining sub
stantially in excess of foreign sales in
this country, the present-hour spirit in
the American business world is to keep
out every possible dollars worth Of for
eign merchandise. The trade balance
against Great Britain and in our favor
is particularly heavy. In the case of
Japan. exports and imports (the latter,
almost exclusively raw silk are about
even.
Norway Protests.
The other day, as sample Of how
the embargo wind is blowing. Norway
made official remonstrance at Wash
inston against proposal on behalf of
the Maine fishery industry to jack up
still higher the tariff on sardines.
Thirty-flve per cent of the Norwegian
trade in the United States Is In sar-
dimes. The Norwegian government can
didly states that if there is any further
interference with exports Of sardines to
this country it will be compelled in self
defense to impose retaliatory tariff
measures against American goods now
reaching Norway Recently American
manufacturers of sand paper asked for
protection" against an absurdly small
competitive import from Germany on
the ground that the American price is
being demoralized. 1t is said on excel
lent authority that instances could be
multiplied at will to indicate how at
the present moment industry after in
dustry in the United States is resentful
OF even l per cent more Of some given
foreign commodity entering into compe-
tltion with the home produced article,
despite the fact that the total Of the
commodity in question now coming In
may be comparatively small.
From an interesting quarter the sug-
gestion reaches this writer that Mr..
Roosevelt. sooner or later in his cam
paign for reciprocal tariffs, may take
the case dramatically to the country, as
Woodrow Wilson took the League of
Nations in his fateful swing around the
circle in 1919. For that purpose the
new President would probably use the
radio. rather than the visible public
platform. His friends know that the
Governor intends to broadcast to the
people from the White House on i'm
portant occasions far oftener than any
of his predecessors have done.
Message Foreseen.
What the chief apostle Of the new
deal will chiefly have to do is to teach
Mr.. Average Man and Woman the true
inwardness of reciprocity. The text Of
his sermon on the subject will need to
be something like this: "Reciprocity Is