Evening star., 1940-03-25
Pittman Opens
Fight for Senate
Trade Control
Harrison Defends
Roosevelt Power to
Sanction Program
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

The opening gun In opposition to
continuing the Presidents power
to make trade agreements without
Senate ratification was fired this
afternoon by Senator Pittman,
Democrat of Nevada, after Chair
man Harrison of the Senate Finance
Committee had launched Senate de-
bate on this controversial issue was
vigorous defense of the adminis-
tration's foreign trade program.
Senator Pittman laid the ground
work for the fight that will oe
waged during the next 10 days by
coalition of Republicans and
Western Democrats to require rati-
flcation of future agreements on the
clai mthat they fall within the
constitutional definition of treaties.
Administration Margin Claimed.
Under that contention, a two
thirds vote of the Senate would be
necessary to make the agreements
effective, but administration leaders
believe they have margin of from
three to seven votes to defeat such q
restriction. Senator Pittman offered
a ratification amendment to the
trade agreements resolution.
Senator Harrison warned that a
trade war that might bring economic
collapse IN this country would follow
peace in Europe if the United States
drops its reciprocal trade program
now.
Presenting one of the main argu-
ments OF the opposition, Senator
Plttman declared:
The President in the pending art
Is authorized to enter into a con.
tract for a period of at least thres
years nxlng the tariff revenues on
any and all articles imported into
tne United States. It is a contract
tnat we are both legally and morally
ooilgated to maintain for a period of
at least three years. The agreement
may be extended indefinitely at the
Will OF the President and the other
contracting party.
Unconstitutional Issue,
Il am interested in the unconsti-
tutlonal delegation of legislative an.
tnorlty to the President as far as
the making of tariffs is concerned
mat Should be of more interest to
the House of Representatives. in
which Is vested the power of initiat-
ing all revenue laws.
! That body may be willing to
abandon to the President its func-
tions of iniating revenue laws. It.
may be willing to surrsnder 10 the
President the authority not only to
initiate revenue laws, but to con-
summAte them.
Congress has not either the legal
or the moral authority, however, in
such delegation to the President to
repeal the constitutional provision
with regard to treaties and deprive
the United States Senate of its con-
stitutional functions with relation to
treaties. The President does not
require any authority from Congress
to make treaties. The Constitution
provides that.
Looks to End of War.
In his plea for extending the presi-
Dental Enlargement power un-
conditionallv. Chairman Harrison of
the Senate Finance Committee said
he was looking forward to the DAY
| when the present war in Europe
/ ends.
! Mr.. Harrison pictured the return
to peaceful pursuits of the 80 900 900
men estimated to be engaged in
making munitions, and the 20 900 900
who are tramping the battlefields
or bivouacking in their camps"
When that days comes, he said,
factories closed by the war will re-
open. and fields now idle will be
titled. Then he added
Policy Declared Sound.
I'VE have given the countries of
the world sound reciprocal trade
policy. We have given them an op-
| portunlty to trade with us and with
each other on just and wisely es-
tablished principles. 1t will be the
greatest influence to preserve and
promote rational international trade
and the maintenance and preserva-
ton of peace.
IF the principle written in this
resolution is destroyed, if we as a
great Government turn our backs
upon lr-a policy which we inaugu-
:ated-if we renounce this program,
we throw to the winds an oppor-
tunity in the future to help the peo-
piles of the world along rational, un-
selfish and just principles of inter-
national trade BY doing so we in
(See CONGRESS, Page A-30