Evening star., 1943-05-13
Trade Pacts Measure
Expected 10 Receive
House 0. K. Today
COP Moves to Amend
Bill Defeated in Bitter
Partisan Floor Fight
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Continuance of the admins
trations reciprocal trade powers
for at least two more years ap-
peared certain of House approval
today, after a barrage of Repub-
lican-backed structures was beat
en- down during a bitter, partisan
floor fight.
The nearly solid Democratic ma
jority was joined by more than a
score of Republicans. who split from
their colleagues with cry against
restrictive" amendments which they
said might damage Allied relations.
Theirs were the sentiments on
which Speaker Rayburn pitched the
tone of his climactic address after
watching the minority group push
across its first victory, cutting ex-
tension of the group from three
years to two.
May Demand Roll Call.
1t was the Republicans only vic
tory of the day, coming on a tenta-
tive tellers' tally of 1856 to l53. and
advocates of the trade pacts between
nations served notice they would
seek a roll-call vote on that issue
today before going any further.
In swift succession the House re-
tected three amendments after Mr..
Rayburn denounced them as Grip
pling."
Il want to see the United States
today, tomorrow. next month and
next year. he cried, be a partner
with and of the family of nations.
l do not want us to do anything in
the House today to make the peo-
pies of the world feel that we are
coming back to America after the
war, stick our heads in the sand, and
not take mans part in the worlds
great affairs"
If the House approved these
"crlppllng" amendments, Mr.. Ray
burn said, Our Allies and our enc
mics are going to think that
America is ready to withdraw from
the councils of the world" He
added that if such a policy con-
tlnued, in quarter of a century
the prejudices and hates" would
send our Young men back to an
other war
COuntercharges Fly.
The voting came after three days
of debate in which Democrats
sought to pin the label of "isola-
tloniSm" on Republicans, who re-
torted that the Democrats we're
trying to remake the world by a
New Deal" pattern.
One by one, after the Republic
cans were victorious on the two
year limitation, the House rejected
these amendments:
|. That no reductions shall be
made in the duties on any COM
petltlve foreign products which will
result in the entry of such COM
petitive foreign products into the
domestic market at prices which
are less than the cost of production
of like or similar domestic prod
ucts. Vote 125 to 1T.
?. No such foreign-trade agree
ment shall include provision for the
reduction in the existing United
States tariff duty or import tax on
any competitive foreign agricultural
product when the farm price of the
comparable domestic product is less
than the parity price therefor as
determined by the Secretary of Agrl-
culture. Vote Ill to $50.
3. No such pact shall become eff
fective before the expiration of 90
legislative DAYS after the date of its
submission to the Congress, and
shall not thereafter become effec-
tive if during such 90-day period
either branch of the Congress shall
have adopted a resolution stating
its dlsapproval Of such agreement.
Vote 11O to 1863
Offered by Democrat.
The amendments, while gaining
the main support from the Repub-
llcan side, we're offered by Repre-
sentative West of Texas, the only
Democrat on the Ways on Means
COMMITTEE to oppose extension OF
the act in its present form.
Republicans contended the act.
which has been in force since 1884
and expires June II, was unconsti-
tutlonal because it delegated to the
Preslden. the treaty and tariff
powers of Congress. Reciprocal
trade pacts have been negotiated
with 27 nations in the last nine
years.
Before the House reaches a final
vote today. it probably will be called
on TO act upon at least one more
amendment. Offered by Repre-
sentative Summers. Democrat, of
Texas. it would allow Congress to
end the reciprocal trade authority
at any time through a concurrent
resolution OF House and Senate.