Evening star., 1940-01-10
Trade Pact Approval
By Close Vote Seen
In House Committee
Poll Shows Lineup Is
10 for and 10 Against,
With 5 Undecided
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
A survey of the House Ways and
Means Committee indicated today
close vote On the bill extending the
reciprocal trade program, with the
odds favoring q recommendation Of
approval.
The committee, headed by Chair
man Doughton Of North Carolina,
will open hearings on the Trade
Agreements Act tomorrow. Secre-
tary Hull will be the frst witness
in support Of the extension.
An informal poll Of the IS Demo-
cratic and 10 Republican members
showed that the sure" vote is now
10 Democrats for the bill and the 10
Republicans against it. The other
five Democrats are still undecided.
Representative Disney of Okla
homa, one OF the Ave, said that he
generally favored the trade agree
ments program under the State De-
partment,, but was opposed to any
program in which excise taxes are
treated as tariffs"
Democrats on Fence.
Mr.. Disney said he referred spe-
cifically to the fact that under the
Venezuelan agreement, which went
into effect December is, the excise
tax on Venezuelan crude oil was
reduced from one-half cent to one
fourth cent a gallon.
Representative Boland Of Penn
sylvania is understood to be con-
sidering his position in the light Of
how the reduced excise tax may af-
feet the Pennsylvania oil and coal
industries.
Proponents hope to win the sup
port Of Representatives West Of
Texas and Robertson Of Virginia
because Of the collapse Of negotia-
tions for pacts with Argentina and
Uruguay. Mr.. Robertson had op-
posed reducing the tariff on turkeys
imported from Argentina, while Mr..
West had objected to proposed duty
reductions on Argentine livestock,
turkeys and flaxseed.
Representative Maloney of Louisi-
ana is reported to be reviewing the
effect of the 70 present agreements
on the Louisiana sugar industry be-
fore determining his position, but Is
generally considered favorable to
the pacts.
The Lineup.
The Democrats counted as sure"
for the bill are Representatives
Doughton, Cullen of New York, Sui
Ivan of New York, Mccormack of
Massachusetts,, Cooper of Tennessee,
Boehne Of Indiana, Buck Of Cali
fornia. Duncan OF Missouri, Dingell
of Michigan and McKeough Of H.
linois.
The Republicans against it are
Representatives Treadway Of Massa-
chusetts, Crowther of New York,
Knutson Of Minnesota, Reed Of New
York, Woodruff Of Michigan, Jen-
kins of Ohio. Mclean of New Jersey,
Gearhart Of California, Carlson Of
Kansas and Jarrett Of Pennsylvania.
II the committee approves the
bill it will go to the House floor
for early debate. The administra-
ton hopes the extension will be
authorized before the present. law
expires June II. -.
Under the Venezuelan pact, the
United States reduced the excise
tax on crude petroleum and fuel
oils on imports up to S per cent
Of the crude petroleum processed
in American refineries. The State
Department called the cut "a step
toward conservation Of American
petroleum resources"
Bofah Criticixss.
In return, Venezuela granted re-
duced tariffs on American wheat,
-four. oatmeal, lard, prepared milks,
lumber, iron and steel, radios, auto
mobiles, refrigerators, engines.
paints and pharmaceutical prod.
ucts. which in 1898 amounted to
$l9, ,000, 900, or SO per cent of Ameri-
can exports to Venezuela.
Yesterday Senator Borah, Repub-
ncan. Of Idaho, charged that the
State Department was governed
largely by political considerations
In breaking Of negotiations for
trade agreements with Argentina
and Uruguay.