Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1935-12-19
OPINIONS in JANUARY
COLLISION ON STEEL?
PERKS
A TO INDUSTRY
KNOX FOR THE BONUS
ADVICE Q933)
X CONSIDERED
DEBT REACHES NEW HIGH
DEBT REACHES NEW HIGH

The supreme court, under Chief
Justice Hughes, has been rendering
its opinions in comparatively short
time, which leads some observers to
think that the court may render its
opinion on the suits of the Hoosac
Mills and the Louisiana Rice millers
IN January Is when it after
a recess which will begin on the 23rd
of this month.
The Hoosac case was argued this
week and the millers' action will be
argued next week. Some idea of the
speed with which the court acts may be
gathered when one recollects that the
gold clause case was decided within
Al days, the Schechter case in Is days
and the Frazier-Lemke farm morato-
rum case in q days. By January Is,
% days will have elapsed between
the argument in the rice millers suit
and IS days in the Hoosac suit.
1t may be possible for the court by
delivering both opinions in the same
day to deal with the original AAA,
attacked in the Hoosac case, and the
amended law being fought by the
millers. This would give congress,
which will be in session, an opportu-
nifty for corrective legislation if that
is necessary.
Secretary Ickes holds that when A
steel companies make identical bids
on $500 tons of steel it is "prima fa-
Gle evidence of COLLISION" The same
companies also submitted Identical
bids on two other projects. The indus
try protested vigorously because in
two earlier instances German o.
Germs got the contracts by underbid-
ding the Americans although there
was Is percent differential in favor of
domestice materials. 1t seems that
American steel makers, protected by
the tariff and the differential, which
has been increased to Is percent, are
acting together to make the govern
ment pay a price for steel and if they
can arouse public antagonism to the
use of any foreign steel will be in
position to 'h'old-up" the government
whenever they see fit.
Mr. .Ickes, however, with a sense Of
| IlllIlDI, ID dWdlQHlS GULL dltS W lit
company 'furthest away which has
to pay the highest freight bill, ex-
planning that the object is to spread
prosperity around" He also points out
that the high cost of steel caused a
request for an additional SIPS 900 from
PWA for one project which had al
ready been allotted $4,000.
Giving an idea of the importance of
PWA to the steel industry, the secre-
tary pointed out that enc corporation
derived "a percent of its business in
the last two years from federal con-
struction. Out of 687 contracts, 325
were federal and 275 of these were
from PWA. Facts supporting the Sec
retary's charge of 'collusive" bidding
were submitted to President Roose-
welt, who has asked the federal trade
commission to investigate and it will
be up to the department of justice 20
decide whether any charges will be
prosecuted.
George N. Peek, special adviser to
the president on foreign trade, has re-
signed as president of the Export
Import banks, marking the mai break
between two factions in the govern
ment which have been in conflict over
foreign trade policies. His going re-
moves the last outstanding opponent
to the reciprocal trade policies on an
unconditional most = favored = nation
basis advocated and put into practice
by Secretary of State Hull.
Peek wanted to resign some months
ago but held on at the request OF the
president. He has not been satisfied
with the trade policies of the admin
istration, being an advocate OF COM
mercial agreements negotiated with
individual nations and involving mu-
tual concessions that would be exclu-
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