Evening star., 1934-04-27
TARIFF CHAIRMAN
ASSA|LS SYSTEM
0'Brien Says Commission
Is Lacking in Courage
Because of Politics.
BY the Associated Press.

by tIle hSSOCldltu fItSS.
Robert L. OBrien. Republican
chairman of the Tariff Commission,
today assailed the present system Of
tariff making as inflexible and claimed
the commission in both Democratic
and Republican administrations had
not made courageous reports" to the
White House
Appearing before the Senate Fl
nance Committee to urge enactment
of the reciprocal tariff bill. O'Brien
asserted the present law permitted
presidential tariff making and that
the President had power to change
commission recommendations without
regard to scientific yardsticks.
He emphasized he did not mean to
say that the power had been abused.
but that the power was there to dis
regard differences in cost-of- -produc-
ton findings.
Il don't think the Tariff Commits
sion recommendations are courageous
reports" he said. adding the President
had the power to appoint the COM
missionerS' and there was a fear OF
losing their jobs behind their actions.
Removal of the three-year limit on
trade agreements entered into under
the proposed reciprocal tariff bill was
advocated by the State Department
The Department proposed eight
amendments to the bill, among them
the one to extend the possible dura-
ton of the agreements.
This and the other proposed
changes were described. however. as
only clarifcations
Francis B. Sayre. Assistant Secre-
tary of State, presented the amend
ments to the Senate committee.
Extends to Agreements.
He said the House language limit
ing the Presidents power to make the
agreements to three years extended
also to the agreements entered into
during the three-year period and he
did not believe that was the bills
intent.
Under the change it would be made
clear that agreements would be sub
Ject to termination at the end of
three years from the date they were
entered into, but could be extended
beyond or suspended before the three
years after due notice were given.
Another amendment would make
more certain the power to enter into
an exclusive agreement with Cuba
modifying the existing preferential
tariffs given the islands so long as
the reduction does not exceed so per
cent of present rates.
Other Countries Lead.
"Other countries are winning away
world trade from the United States, Z"
Sayre said. adding:
The United States is suffering a
declining proportion of a declining
world trade. Other countries are
meeting the situation by negotiating
rapidly executed trade agreements. BY
doing so they can rapidly accom-
modate themselves to changing con-
ditions.
machinery"
Secretary Roper. the third cabinet
member to ask quick approval of the
measure. told the committee that $50
reciprocal agreements had been nego-
tiated by foreign competitors of the
United States.
1T is the new technique for winning
and preserving foreign markets." he
said.
Pointing out the foreign trade of
the United States for 1888 was only
80 per cent of the 1929 level, Roper
said never before in the field of inter-
national trade have we been confront
ed with conditions such as the world
presents today"
Roper said Great Britain once more
led the world in foreign trade and
the failure of America to keep pace
with other countries was attributable
largely to the rising tide of trade
barriers throughout the world"
He mentioned specifically high in
crease in foreign tariffs against Amer
ican wheat, wheat flour and boxed
apples.