Evening star., 1934-03-19

Capitol Hills Oldest friend, the
tariff, Is about to return for pro-
longed visit. Before the week is
over, the House of Representatives Is
scheduled to tackle President RooSe-
velts request for authority to raise
or lower tariff rates and TO bargain
with foreign countries for reciprocal
agreements. An arrangement has
been made to allow % hours for gen.
eral debate, which will keep the
House busy for at least four or five
days to be followed by another siege
of discussion on amendments. Even
though the Republican leaders plan
to oppose Roosevelt tariff dictator
ship tooth and nail, the lower
branch is expected to pass the
Doughton bill in relatively short
order. The real battle will be fought
in the Senate, which has no gag rule,
so that debate is bound to be pro-
tracted and at times bitter. The op-
position fight will be waged not only
by Republicans, but prospectively by
some Democrats, on the ground OF
the peril to certain industries depend
ent upon protection. The fray will
also be joined by strict constitution
alists like Senator Borah, who has
donned war paint against the Presi-
dents desire to exercise prerogatives
vested in Congress Administration
leaders are confident the Senate will
eventually concur in House approval
of the Roosevelt program, nor do they
anticipate that the session Is going
to be unduly protracted by the tariff
fracas.
In a recent radio interview on the
Roosevelt tariff program, which he
supports, Robert Lincoln O'Brien, Re-
publican chairman of the United
States Tariff Commission, said: sc
long as other nations are making
tariff trades we must have some ma
chinery for playing the game with
them. You can't run a horse trade
through the Congress Of the United
States. Our machinery is not well
adapted for tariff bargaining. When
Congress starts at the job you have
435 Representatives watching out fol
the interests of 435 districts, and
Senators of 48 States out to get what
they can for their constituents. This
is natural, perhaps commendable. II
has come to be known as the log
rolling system, but it makes OF the
tariff a combination of favors, otter
without much regard for the genera
welfare. The President, representing
everybody, is better able, through
agencies which he can set up, to SPEAK
for all classes, sections and interests
than can individual members OF the
Senate and House. We cannot sell
things abroad unless we are willing tc
buy something The rest of the world
is not rich enough to tolerate a one
way traffic with U.s."
X Il II X
Entirely apart from his airman feuc
with the White House, Col. Lindbergh
undoubtedly remains an enormously
popular flgure-probably, except foi
the President, the most popular in the
country. There was graphic evidence
of this when the Lone Eagle" was in
Washington last week. Everywhere
he was the object of eager interest
and unmistakable affection. He drew
the biggest crowds attracted to any
hearings at the Capitol since the Pier.
pont- Morgan show last Summer
''Lindy' retains his invincible boyish-
ness, though he has conquered his
earlier shyness in public. Few wit.
nesses at congressional hearings have
ever exhibited more complete poise
under fire of cross-examination thar
he did. The ancestral streak of Stub
bornness In the colonel was manifest.
ed by the way he stuck to his gums
when Secretary Dern tried to beguile
him into serving on the War Depart.
ment's Aviation Board of Inquiry.