Evening star., 1934-03-06
DEMOCRATS CALL
PAR[EY ON TARIFF
Leaders in Senate to Decide
Policy After Debate on
New Deal.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A conference Ct Senate Democrats
next week to determine policy on
the tariff bill was announced last
night by Senator Robinson of Ar
kansas, majority leader. after a day
of lively Senate debate over the
achievements of the Roosevelt re-
covery program in general, including
some discussion Of the tariff issue.
The Arkansas Senator, whose long
prepared speech reviewing the first
year of the Roosevelt regime pro-
voked stormy controversy between
himself and other Democrats with
Senator Fess of Ohio, Republican
whip, asserted the measure delegat-
ing power to the Executive to nego-
tiate tariff-reduction treaties was an
emergency proposition.
The measure now before the House
Ways and Means Committee places
no limit on the life Of the power
sought by the President, and Rob-
inson said this was one Of the things
to be "threshed out" in the party
conference. Democrats from industrial
States, like Walsh Of Massachusetts,,
have asserted it would be unthinkable
to grant such powers to the Execu-
tive If they were designed to be
permanent.
Challenges Republicans.
Robinson started the recovery de-
bate by claiming many benefits for
the administration program to date
and challenging the Republicans to
bring forth program Of their own
If they didn't like it.
Contending there had been no re-
covery, FeSS said the administration
program represented theories Matched
in the brains of those who couldn't
earn living for themselves"
You don't burn down the house
because you have found one bed
bug in one bed ROOM" he shouted.
Senator Norris, Republican, of Ne
braska challenged Fess to say what
he proposed to do. in place of the
administration program. but as Fess
began to explain the Nebraskan said ::
You'd go to hell in Is minutes"
I'D get there following the Senator
from Nebraska" Fess retorted.
The Ohio Senator predicted the Fed
eral deficit would reach SAC, ,0O0, 900 900
next year.
What will be done?" he said. "The
President will announce We can't
pay it."
Asks for Suggestion.
Robinson got back into the debate
to ask F'ess what he proposed as a
substitute for the present program.
Fess replied if the sound program"
advanced by the Republicans under
President Hoover had been followed
we would be out of the depression
today instead of having worse condi-
tions."
The Ohioan's attack drew the SEN
ate into a debate rarely equaled
with Senators trying to outshout each
other and intermingling wise cracks"
with serious arguments.
AT one time FeSs and McKellar.
Democrat, Of Tennessee, stood yelling
at each other in the middle
aisle until the Tennessee Senator
reached over and put his arms around
the Republican in a semi-embrace, to
the amusement of the galleries.
Mckellar contended there had been
the greatest kind of recovery" and
Senator Byrnes, Democrat, of South
Carolina, read clippings from Ohio
papers telling of business improve
ment.
Byrnes said Fess had spent several
years telling the people recovery was
just around the corner and now he
is telling them disaster Is just around
the corner"
Predicts Reaction.
Fess predicted that even the Demo-
Gratis would turn against the program
within a year.
The Senator from Ohio won't be
here year from today" Senator Har-
rlson. Democrat, of Mississippi. said
Fess is up for reelection this year.
That's possible" Fess replied. but
Ill be somewhere where I can re-
mind the Democrats of their follies."
The Arkansas leader defended the
conStitutionality of the new tariff
measure now befroe the House Ways
and Means Committee and said it
was to be regarded more as an emer-
gency measure than as a change in
the policy Of the Congress regarding
the execution Of its powers over the
subject of tariffs"
While ample opportunity will be
given for debating the tariff and other
measures between now and May IS.
the date tentatively set for adjourn
ment. no flGbusters will be tolerated.
Robinson said.
His speech followed one earlier in
the day by Senator Barbour, Repub-
lican. OF New Jersey, who assailed the
tariff bill as proposal to undermine
the Nations protective tariff policy,
winch. he said, was actually more
necessary today than ever before"
Replying to Robinson, Fess said
the charge against the trend under
N. II. A. toward monopoly is bound
to grow" and the assessing of the
additional cost was bound to create
a protest that will be vocal"
mo amount of ballyhoo to sell such
a program will overcome this protest"
he asserted, adding the press, the
radio and the screen were being used
to extol the Presidents program.
Attacks Recovery Claims.
The Ohioan contended emplovment
in the durable goods industries had
increased only 571, ZOO at the end of
November, 1888, and that in the con-
industries only 499, 500.
Yet we talk about recovery" he
remarked. adding that operation of
the industrial recovery act with the
antitrust laws suspended was get
ting rid Of law by agreement"
Senator Wagner, Democrat, of New
York took issue with Fess on his criti-
cism Of N. r. A., pointing out that
its shorter hours program would re.