Evening star., 1940-01-15

| Va eaAA AAA4AAAA46UA oUAvC U4AOAAAd4s ! AAA5
does not include certain judicial
functions, but not entirely those Of
judge. 1t is my duty to attempt
to get the facts, to see that all per-
tinent evidence is presented and to
conduct the hearings In an orderly
manner and see that all material
witnesses are heard"
Are your duties similar to those
Of referee in bankruptcy"
Perhaps"
However. the committee heard
from A. Manuel Fox, United States
tariff commissioner, that the nego-
tiators are developing "a new tariff
technique, far in advance of pre-
vious methods" Mr.. Fox said each
agreement is planned with extreme
caution" that the commodities for
duty-reduction are selected with
'meticulous care" that the reduce
tions are not arrived at 'indis-
criminately," and that the duty
changes are weighed by experts
and organizations qualified to ex-
anime effectively the economic and
competitive factors affecting the
trade in each commodity"
Treadway Sees "Prejudice."
Mr.. Treadway said there was mo
question" in his mind that politics
are large fector in the agree
ments.
Those experts are prejudiced,"
Mr.. Treadway said.
Mr.. Noble argued that a small
group of experts devoting all their
time to the task can do a vastly
better job of tariff-setting than
great number of persons.
Mr.. Treadway: You think there
are too many congressman?
Mr.. Noble: Too many to do this
sort of job and attend to other
duties, too.
Mr.. Treadway: We've been able
to do it before Those experts are
prejudiced. Do you think Congress
should have q voice in the matter?
+ Mr.. Noble: I certainly believe
they should not be subject to the
approval of Congress.
Tariff Commissioner Fox listed
the groups which have a hand in
negotiating the agreements. He
said they were:
State Department Division of
Trade Agreements.
Interdepartmental Trade Agree
ments Committee Estate, Com
merce, Agriculture and Treasury
A subcommittee for each coun-
try with which an agreement is
contemplated.
A subcommittee for each COM
modify on which concessions are
contemplated.
Committee for reciprocity infor-
nation, composed of the vice chair
man of the Tariff Commission and
representatives of State, Agricul-
ture, Treasury and Commerce.
Covered Is Volumes.
Some idea of the comprehensive
ness of the study made for each
country may be had from a state
ment concerning the volume of ma
terial gathered for the agreement
with Belgium. The summarized an
alytical data on the commodities
for which concessions to Belgium
were to be considered covered is
large volumes and filled one section
of a standard ofice book case" Mr..
Fox said.
Although concessions were ulti-
mately made to Belgium on only ~
items, studies were made for 165
commodities on which concessions
might concevably have been made to
that country.
Many of these items were re-
jected for concessions by the vari-
GUS committees even though no rep
resentations respecting them had
been made by interested parties.
Before any trade agreement is
formulated, all available informa-
ton regarding our trade with the
country concerned is carefully
scrutinized. Technical, economic
and other experts in the several de-
partments are consulted, and all in
formation furnished by interested
parties is carefully reviewed.
1T must be obvious that there are
many and varying points of view
and that there is . great deal OF
study, elaboration and debate be-
fore final decision in any matter is
reached. Some decisions represent
a compromise Of conflicting views,
but no decision is reached without
carefully weighing the economic
consequences of each action or con-
sideration Of the general public's
interest"
/ Not Regarded Conclusive.
| Mr.. Dudley said Mrs. Ann Landy
Wolf. q review attorney, who testi-
fled earlier in the day, asked him in
one case why he held that certain
discharged employees, who had beer
very active In the union, had moi
been Disseminated against within
the meaning of the Wagner Act
Mr.. Dudley said he explained thai
he did not consider the evidence or
this point conclusive.
| Asked If he ever lunched with
union officials while a case was be-
fore him, Mr.. Dudley said he once
had lunch with officers of the St
Louis branch of the Liberty Legion
Of America q labor organization)
at their request. The case was moi
discussed, he added.
| did any unions ever supply you
with transportation to and from
hearings?" Mr.. Toland asked.
mo" said the trial examiner. "lve
ridden with counsel for the respond
ents (the employers) and once with
newspaper reporters"
Were you ever met ut the station
by union ofncials and taken to you
hotel?"
Il I'm quite sure I never wAs.s