Evening star., 1934-04-01

a handful of opposing Democratic
votes, passed the reciprocity tariff
bill. At the same time the Senate
put through the Bankhead compul.
sorry cotton restriction bill, a measure
| OF the most revolutionary character
ever passed by the two houses ol
Congress.
The Democrats say these two &C.
tons are q complete answer to sug-
gestions that Congress has revolteo
against the Roosevelt leadership
However, there are some Republicans
who say the seeds Of independence
have been sown in the legislative
branch and that the President will
have to watch his step; that some OF
the brain trust" legislative proposals
are In for hard shedding.
Course Unknown.
What the President himself is going
to say and do, If he says and does
anything, about the Democrats who
revolted against his leadership and
overrode his veto of the bill for the
veterans and the Government workers
may make a difference. II he under
takes to chastise the Democrats who
deserted him, he will only make their
support of his program less sure in
the future.
Chairman Harrison of the Finance
Committee will bring up the revenue
bill as soon as the Senate meets to-
morrow. The measure may occupy
the Senate for the balance of the
week, for there are many amend
ments 10 be offered and several
severe contests in sight.
For example, Senator La Toilette
Of Wisconsin has amendments de-
signed to increase greatly the sur
taxes on big incomes and on es-
tates and gifts. Another point of
controversy will be the tax on COCO
| nut oil, which the Senate committee
has reduced from 5 to cents in an
effort to compromise. In the of1ng
too, is the possibility of a sales tax
fight, with the manufacturers sales
tax offered as substitute for much
existing revenue taxes.
The Finance Committee will take
up as soon as possible the reciprocity
tariff bill which it will receive from
the House tomorrow. There will be
hearings on the measure, Senator
Harrison says. but not extended hear
ings. He wants to get the bill into
the Senate for consideration as soon
as possible.
Resistance Severe.
The resistance to this bill as 1t
now stands will be much more severe,
it is predicted, than it was in the
House. There are some Democrats
who are as violently opposed to giving
these unusual powers to the President
as are the Republicans.
On this measure, the big fight will
come on a proposed amendment to
have the tariff readjustments ordered
by the President submitted to the
Congress for approval before they
become effective. If such an amend
ment be carried, the bill will be but
an empty husk. AS it now stands.
the President is empowered to enter
into reciprocal trade agreements and
" ACdu(C Vi Ad4oC JliC tetl la odNlCc
by so per cent in greasing the way
for the agreements to be made. The
Republican opponents Of the bill say
this is a terrible political weapon
to put in the hands of any man, a
weapon which could be used to force
industries in Pennsylvania, for ex-
ample. into line for Democratic can
didates for office. Democrats scout
the very suggestion that the admins
tration would undertake to lower
tariff duties on any industry for po-
litical purposes.
The House made two amendments
to the tariff bill which are regarded
as important. The first put limit Of
three years to the powers granted the
President to make these reciprocal
trade agreements, using the tariff du-
ties in his bargaining. The other de-
clares that in reaching agreements
there shall be no reduction of the for
eign debts owed the United States
Republican Senators are not partic-
ularly impressed by the three-year
limitation, saying that undoubtedly
that would be acceptable to the ad-
ministration, since it would not want
such powers to be left for a Repub-
lican President to exercise. But they
are very strong for the amendment,
which makes it impossible to use the
war debts owed this country to dicker
for trade agreements. They insist
there must be no trading away of the
debts due the American people for any
fapcied ADVANTAGE
Rivers and Harbors Bill.
The House is about ready TO take up
a new rivers and harbors bill. which
contemplates the expenditure of $l54,-
100000. These rivers and harbors
bills in the past were dubbed pork
barrel bills. In the light of what has
been expended or authorized to be
expended for public works by the pres
ent Congress, the modest $154, ,000, 900
may escape this pork barrel designa-
tion.
The sugar allotment bill Is bitterly
resented by many of the members Of
Congress from the Western sugar-beet
States and by some of those from the
Southern cane sugar producing States.
It has been argued in some quarters
that if the President gets his reci-
procity tariff bill through in the shape
he desires, he will not particularly
need the sugar allotment bill. How
ever, undoubtedly the Chief Executive
would like to have the approval of the
Congress in his proposed allotment Of
sugar production to this country and
Of sugar importation from Cuba and
the Philippines.