Evening star., 1933-02-04
AMERICAN BUYING
Wins SENATE VOTE
Johnson Amendment, Like
Bill Passed by House, Re-
stricts U. S. Supplies.

Bills designed to boost tariffs
against deprecated currency coun-
tries were rejected today by the
House Ways and Means Subcommit-
tee, which has been considering the
Republican plan. A motion to make
q favorable report to the full COM
mittee on the Hill bill for automatic
increases in duties received a tie
vote, to 4. which was tantamount
to rejection.
The United States Government must
purchase American-made goods for all
its activities, under the Johnson amend
ment to the Treasury and Post Office
appropriation bill, adopted by the Sen
ate last night by vote of Al to II.
The johnson amendment is almost
identical with the Wilson bill, passed
recently by the House by an over
whelming vote, providing for the use
OF American-made goods by the Gov
ernment.
AS finally adopted, the johnson
amendment provides that foreign-made
goods may be purchased by the Govern
ment if similar products are not pro-
duced in the United States in
sufficiently and reasonably available
commercial quantities and satisfactory
quality. 1t was contended during the
Senate debate, however, by opponents
OF tho johnson amendment, that in
practice. the johnson amendment would
result In the purchase of American
goods. And SO 1t was designed to work.
The Democrats in the Senate were
widely split over the amendment, with
the Democratic leader, Senator Robin
son OF Arkansas, opposing the amend
ment, and Senator Walsh of Montana,
assistant leader, supporting it.
House Acceptance Necessary.
The johnson amendment still has to
be accepted by the House when the
appropriation bill is returned to that
Senator Blaine of Wisconsin. the only
Republican voting against it, proposed
an amendment to exempt Canadian
wood pulp and other foreign raw ma
terialS. but this was rejected, 81 to l6.
Thirteen Democrats and % Republi-
cans supported the johnson proposal.
Eleven Democrats voted against it. with
Blaine. as follows: Black, Bulow, Clark,
Connally, Costigan, George, King, Nc
Gill, Robinson of Arkansas, Smith, and
Thomas Of Oklahoma.
Senator Walsh of Montana argued
free trade, like disarmament, was de-
sirable, but this could not be achieved
until all countries brought down their
tariff walls and America increased her
Navy.
Senators Tydings Of Maryland and
Smith of South Carolina. both Demo-
Gratis, opposed the amendment. the lat
ter declaring tariff walls already were
too high and the amendment would
supplement the tariff with an EN-
bargo"
Tydings said if the United States was
going to pursue an isolation policy
1t should stop producing more than
the people consume"
Return Of Money Proposed.
The Marylander offered an amend
ment to provide for return of any
money to the Treasury that was lent to
farmers to produce crops of which
there IS a surplus This was ruled out
by order. Senator Copeland, Demo-
crat, Of New York, also lost an amend
ment which would have exempted for
eign goods already contracted for.
In a letter to the House Ways and
Means Committee yesterday. Henry J.
Hartman, president of the United
States Chamber of Commerce, con-
tended emergency legislation is needed
to stop the influx into the United States
OF products from countries with depre-
ciated currencies.
Foreign products whose price in the
United States IS based upon deprecated
foreign levels have brought our own
prices down and have prevented normal
restorative processes and will continue
to do SO unless Congress takes some
emergency action" Mr.. Hartman said.