Evening star., 1934-04-24
TARIFF PROPOSAL
ASSA|LEDb BY REED
Pennsylvania Describes 1t
as "Menace to Every
American Home"

The administration proposal to dele
gate tariff-fixing powers to the Presi.
dent was assailed last night in ar
address in the National Radio Forum
by Senator Reed. Republican. of Penn
sylvania who described 1t as "a
menace to the security and happiness
OF every American home"
The Democratic side of the ISSUE
previously had been presented in the
forum, which is sponsored by The
Star, and broadcast over a coast-to-
coast network of the National Broad
casting Co., by Francis B. Sayre, AS
sistant Secretary of State.
The legislation proposed would give
the President power to raise or lower
any tariff duty as much as so per cent
when he considers such action to be in
the interest of the foreign trade OF
this country.
Appears to Be Contradiction.
"It seems to be in clear contradic-
ton to the statements made previously
by President Roosevelt and Secretary
of State Hull" Senator Reed said.
This power used unwisely-and II
is certainly unwise to ask for power
to be used without knowing the facts
would make it possible to sink long
established American industries with
out trace" the speaker emphasized.
The Senator declared that the policy
could only add to the uncertainty sur
rounding the business outlook, and
might easily upset the whole recovery
program"
The text of the address follows
should like to talk to you tonight
IN language as simple as can make
it, about the Presidents request oi
Congress for the passage of a Law
giving him the power to raise OF
lower any tariff duty as much as
so per cent, whenever he thinks II
wise to do so in the interest Of our
foreign trade.
This proposal seems to be a clear
contradiction of the statements made
previously by President Roosevelt and
Secretary of State Cordell Hull. The
plan would make the Tariff Commits
sion ineffective, if not wholly i'm
potent. 1t would permit the Presi-
dent to raise or lower tariff duties
not only without regard to the Com
missions recommendations but with
out regard to the effect of this
action on American industry. This
power, used unwisely-and it is GER
tainly mwise to ask for a power to
be used without knowing the facts
would make it possible to sink long
nSfQ h1ichad nd, wi
out trace. 1t could easily wipe out
whole communities, adding them to
the ghost towns" which once knew
life and happiness, but now live only
in memory.
We find President Roosevelt saying
on July 20, 1882, in a radio address
delivered from Albany, N Y, while a
candidate for President: 1T is a
difficult and highly technical matter
to determine standards and costs of
production abroad and at home. A
commission of experts can be trusted
to find such facts, but not to dictate
policies. The facts should be left to
speak for themselves, free from presi-
dental interference"
Yet now the President proposes to
ignore the Tariff Commission, and
asks for power to reduce duties, with
out notice to those affected, without
a hearing, and without any chance
to protest.
Quotes Wheeling Address.
Again we find that he said on
October 10, 1882, at Wheeling, w. Va:
Il have advocated a lowering of
tariffs by negotiation with foreign
countries. But I have not advocated,
and I never will advocate, a tariff
policy that will withdraw protection
from American workers against those
countries which employ cheap labor or
who operate under a standard of living
which is lower than that of our own
great laboring groups"
Where In the world, may I ask, is
there any country which does not
employ cheaper labor than the United
States, and whose standard of living
Is not lower than that of our own
great laboring groups? I have been
in many countries of the world, and
have studied wage comparisons
production costs and price compari-
sons in these countries, and I know
of none whose living standards even
approach those of the United States
And we find Secretary Hull saying
In 1929 while a member of the House
OF Representatives, with reference to
a proposal for greater f1exibiity in
Tariff rates: The proposed enlarge
ment and broad expansion of the
provisions and functions of the flex-
ible tariff is astonishing, is un-
doubtedly unconstitutional, and is
vlolatiye OF the functions of the
American Congress. Not since the
Commons wrenched from an English
king the power and authority to con-
troll taxation has there been a trans
fer OF the taxing power back to the
head OF government on a basis SC
broad and unlimited as is proposed in
the pending bill. AS has been said
on a former occasion. This is toe
much power for a bad man to have
or for a good man to want"
am willing toeagree entirely with
that statement.
In the light of the latest proposal
for dealing with the tariff, can only
conclude that it makes a difference
at which end of Pennsylvania avenue
Secretary Hull does his thinking on
this subject.
Nothing Mysterious.
Let us understand that there Is
nothing mysterious about the tariff
A great deal IS said and thought
about it which Is untrue, and when
there Is tariff revision, we hear
complicated discussions Of wages anc
rates Of duty and imports and ex-
ports and all of the other factors
(which must be taken into considera-
tion-or which should be taken intt
consideration-when any change |.
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