Evening star., 1935-11-14
THE POLITICAL
MILL
By G.. Could Lincoln.

The new reciprocal trade agreement
with Canada is to be signed probably to-
morrow. 1t may be full of political dyna-
mite. Reciprocity with Canada was de-
manded by the late President William
Howard Taft. The row that ensued
was not helpful to Mr.. Taft. No
one yet knows what Is contained
in the new agreement. However,
there are reports gaining ground that
the United States will reduce its duties
on certain agricultural products coming
in from Canada, and in turn Canada
will remove its barriers against certain
American manufactured products and
perhaps on season fruits. If America
gives freer flow to imports of Canadian
lumber, butter, wheat, leather goods, ETC.,
what will be the effect in the United
States? Until the details of the recip-
rocal agreement are made public, how
ever, it is impossible to say definitely that
duties are to be lowered on these prod
uctS.
The theory of lower tariff duties, un-
der reciprocal agreement, as q measure
for increasing international trade seems
sound enough if International trade is to
be encouraged. The trouble arises when
a government-the Unred States Gov
ernment-starts picking -out the various
articles on which the duty Is to be low
cred. The American producers of these
articles-and there seems little produced
in Canada that is not produced In some
measure in the United States-are likely
to have plenty to say about all this They
may not be ma jority, but they are likely
tn ha La
ciprocal agreement is being awaited with
the keeneSt interest, particularly along
the border States. New England, New
York. the great farm States of the Mid
die and Northwest may be vitality af-
fected. What does 1t contain for the
fishing folk of the North Atlantic and
the Pacific?
Administration officials are saying that
the new treaty will be a great step. a
pattern for the agreements on large
scale for the lowering of trade barriers
and the increase of international trade
Perhaps it will. Certainly there are
plenty Of barriers today, especially
against American commerce. The re-
ciprocal tariff act has been the only law
put through by the Roosevelt admin
lSJl dLIOll WlHSll oCCho w lOWCl ldi IA
duties, although the Roosevelt campaign
was denunciation of the last Repub-
lican tariff act, passed in the Hoover ad-
ministration, the Smoot- -Hawley act.
The President has kept away from a
general tariff revision. Such reyiSiOnS
have been followed usually in the past
by much discomfort on the part of one
group of citizens or another. The World
he Ia 20 prac yyi1snv, from
such a reaction after the passage OF the
Simmons Underwood tariff act.
+%
The New Deal administration at last
Is getting around to the so-called gen
eral welfare" clause Of the Constitution.
The only wonder is that it has not done
so before, instead Of relying on the COM
merce clause of that instrument to sup
port the New Deal legislation in the
courts. The general welfare" clause
has never been definitely clarified by the
Supreme Court. But 1t may now. The
Government is contending that the con-
stitutionality of the home owners loan
act should be sustained by the court
under that provision of the Constitution.
Why not other acts of the New Deal?
This general welfare clause Is found
III OcCtlOll o VI al LlIlC Va Vic SoAAotA-
tuition. The language is: The Congress
shall have power to pay and collect
taxes, duties. imposts and excuses to pay
the debts and provide for the common
defense and general welfare OF the United
States; but all duties. imposts and ex-
cises shall be uniform throughout the
United States" The general welfare is
mentioned also in the preamble Of the
Constitution. which reads: I'VE, the peo-
pie of the United States in order to form
a more perfect Union, establish justice,
insure domestic tranquility, provide Tor
the common defense, promote the gen.
eral welfare and secure the blessings OF
liberty to ourselves and our posterity. do
ordain and establish this Constitution
for the United States of America"
How far can the Federal Government
60 how far can Congress 60 under this
welfare" language written into the Con-
stitution? If broadly interpreted it
might 60 very far in the matter OF legis-
lative enactmentS. and further still IN
the matter of administration. But there
is always the chance that the Supreme
Court may shut down on a liberal inter-
probation of this language. 1t is tied in
WIN Lne power gwen SOLSicoo ~ AS'y
taxes and spend money. Whether 1t
could be applied to the regulation OF
commerce intrastate commerce, is an
other matter. There are those who be-
lieve however, that it might have real
bearing on the levying Of processing
taxes under the A. A. A., and the Gov
eminent, it is suggested. may bring this
forward in its argument before the
Supreme Court when that law comes up
for hearing before the court.
Washington gossip ranges around pos
sible cabinet changes. Starting with the
premise that Postmaster General James
A. Farley will go out of his present ONCE
the first part of the year in order to
give his whole time to the conduct OF
the campaign for the reelection OF
President Roosevelt, the ramiflcatlons
are many. For example, 1t is suggested
that Secretary Roper Of the Department
of Commerce may be transferred to Post
master General. There is talk, TOO, OF
Senator Barkley of Kentucky, who re-
Gently aided greatly in rolling up Demo-
cratic victory in the gubernatorial race
in that State, going into the cablnet,
perhaps in the office of Attorney General
if Mr.. Cummings is ready to step out.
Secretary of the Treasury Morgenthau,
it is whispered, may be slated for diplo-
matte post abroad.
Claude Bowers, American Ambassador