Evening star., 1934-03-29
TARIFF MEASURE
TIME LIMIT SET
Committee Writes 3-Year
Restriction Into Bill Asked
by President.
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
Democratic members OF the House
Ways and Means Committee decided
today to insert a threeyear limitation
into the administration reciprocal
tariff trade agreement bill.
This limitation would apply to all
treaties accepted under the terms of
the measure as we'll as to the author
ity granted the President to raise or
lower tariffs for purposes of reciprocal
agreements.
The Democrats agreed to offer the
amendments when the bill was
brought up later in the day for
amendment. Passage was expected
before adjournment
Limitation Approved.
The limitation amendment was
offered by Representative Mccormick,
Democrat, of Massachusetts,, and
adopted without record vote.
Committee members said the limi-
tation would not be "antagonistic to
the wishes of the administration"
The committee also approved an
amendment by Representative Vim
son. Democrat. of Kentucky, which
said:
Nothing in this act shall be con-
strued to give any authority to cancel.
or reduce, in any manner. any of the
Indebtedness Of any foreign country
to the United States"
Vinson explained to newspaper men
that the bargaining powers in the
bill would not have been used to re-
duce debts. but the committee decided
to make the measure show that spe-
cifcally.
Democratic House chieftains, after
counting their followers, predicted the
measure would be approved, probably
this afternoon.
Bitter Debate Concluded.
Five days of bitter debate came to
an end yesterday in much the same
fashion as it started-with the Re-
publicans attacking the proposal and
the Democrats contending it neces-
sary part Of the recovery program.
President Roosevelt's request for
the tariff legislation was branded by
Representative Fish. Republican. of
New York, yesterday as unworthy
of the Executive and as another
brain trust" proposal. while Repre-
sentative West, Democrat, of Ohio
warned that the Republican policy of
isolation" would result in cancellation
of the war debts.
Representative Merritt. Republican.
of Connecticut, charged the combined
effect of N, R. A. and the revalua-
ton of the dollar reduced the effec-
tiveness" of existing tariffs by so per
cent.
Power would be given to ''irrespon-
sible" members of the administration,
he said, to determine the fate of in
dustries supporting New England
towns
Replying to Fish. Representative
Lewis. Democrat, of Maryland, a men,
ber of the Ways and Means Committee
and former tariff commissioner said
it was impossible for Congress to pass
intelligently on the justice of tariff
rates on the thousands of articles
involved in commerce.
Hopes for Just Action.
For the first time in our history
we will place this task in hands where
We have right to hope justice will
be done" Lewis said in condemning
the existing elaborate tariff rates set
up by Congress as blind tariff max
ing"
Francis B. Sayre, Assistant Secre-
tary of State, said last night the only
negotiations now in progress which
involved tariff reductions were those
under way with Cuba. He said:
References have been made in the
course of the debate on the tariff bill
and in the press regarding tariff ne
gotiationS with number OF countries
In connection with these negotia-
tions it was stated the United States
is offering reduction in duties on ce-
ment, lumber and agricultural prod
ucts. There IS no truth whatsoever
in these statements. There are now
no negotiations involving tariff reduc-
tions in progress with any foreign
country except Cuba.
I'm the negotiations with Cuba no
offer or commitment of any kind has
been made by the United States re-
garding concessions or products i'm
ported from that country"