Evening star., 1940-04-05
President Opposes
One-Yeur Restriction
To Agreements Law
Continued From Page A-1.)

the present administration. It may
be that the next President may be a
Republican, whose views with re-
spect to tariffs may be at wide va
rance with the doctrines of Secre-
tary Hull. We do not know; we can
not foresee."
Later, Secretary of State Hull said
at his press conference that he con-
sidered one-year limitation on ex-
tension Of the act would be utterly
unfeasible from the standpoint Of
the objectives of the program.
He added he had confidence in the
judgment Of the Senators on the
question and in their wide knowl-
edge of the many reasons why the
life Of the act should not be limited
to IL months at this time.
Garner Talks Reported.
Mr.. Garner, 1t was said, held a
series Of conversations with SEN
ators to urge support Of the one
year amendment offered by op-
ponents of the trade legislation in a
last-ditch effort to impose at least
one restriction on administration
trade powers.
Mr.. Garner's stand in favor Of the
amendment was In opposition to the
position taken by several of his close
friends in the Senate, including Sen
ator Harrison, Democrat, of Mis-
sissippi, floor manager for the trade
legislation, and Senator Byrnes,
Democrat, Of South Carolina, aiding
Senator Harrison in the trade fight.
Senate leaders declined to COM
ment on Mr.. Garner's stand, and Mr..
Garner refused to affirm or deny the
reports.
Two Senators in close touch with
the Vice President said, however,
they were positive Mr.. Garner was
supporting the one-year proposal
energetically and that he had prom
ised to vote for it in the event of q
Senate tie.
Democratic Leader Barkley pre-
dicted the amendment would be de-
feated, however. He also said the
proposal, if enacted, would cripple
the trade agreements program.
with the uncertain conditions In
the world at present" Senator
Barkley said, sit might be that no
single agreement could be reached
in the period of one year.
1T the war should end after a
year then we would have no power
! 10 head off the cut-throat trade
practices which might ensue"
As an indication that opponents
OF the act in its present form are
not optimistic over their chances
OF changing the resolution now,
Senator McCarran, Democrat, Of
Neveda said today:
II believe it would be difficult to
attach even the Lords Prayer to this
measure now"
Close Vote Expected.
The Nevadan, one of the Western
Democrats seeking to modify the
program, had reference to the fact
that the administration has held
a majority against all proposed
amendments since the battle started
two weeks ago.
BackerS of the program admitted
the one-year amendment would
bring close vote. but they were
banking on holding the margin by
which they have defeated efforts
to require congressional or Senate
approval of future trade pacts.
Mr.. Gamers candidacy for the
Democratic presidential nomina-
ton, and the fact that Secretary
Hull, the leading advocate of the
trade agreements, also has been
mentioned as possible nominee,
gave added interest to the situation.
Members of the coalition of Re-
publicans and Western Democrats,
fighting to curb the State Depart
ment'S power to negotiate further
trade agreements, continued yester-
day their attack on efforts to require
some form of congressional approval.
The nearest they came to success
was on the Pittman amendment last
week to classify the agreements as
treaties, requiring Senate ratifica-
ton by two-thirds vote, which
failed, a. to Al.
A Against O'Mahoney Plan.
Driving at the same general objec-
tive, the opposition was repulsed
again yesterday on the following
alternative proposals:
The O'Mahoney amendment, to
require approval of the agreements
by majority vote of the House and
Senate, defeated A to SO.
]
for approval by majority vote Of the
Senate alone, rejected 46 to "a.
In quick succession, the supporters
OF the trade program then prevented
adoption of two amendments de-
signed to prohibit the fixing of i'm
port duties that would bring in for
eign products at less than the cost
Of production in this country. One
was offered by Senator McCarran,
the other by Senator Taft, Repub-
lican, of Ohio.
The Republicans, who voted solidly
for nearly all efforts to limit the
scope of the administrations nego-
tiating power, are expected to make
the program an issue in the ap-
preaching presidential campaign.
Hlgh-ranking Democrats are ready
to meet the issue, however, confident
they will be able to sustain their
claim that the agreements have been
beneficial to the country generally,
by opening up foreign markets for
American goods in exchange for
concessions on certain imports.
Passed originally in 1894, and con-
tinued once in 1887. the act has re-
suited in 20 agreements with nations
in all parts of the world.
McNary Forecasts Approach.
The line Of attack the Republicans
| probably will make on the. nrnpran1