Evening star., 1947-06-12
Wool Bill Supporters
Deny Il Injuries Effort
To Cut World Tariffs
By the Associoied Press

Proponents of compromise 1egisla-
ton permitting higher wool tariffs
or import limitations today dis
counted administration contentious
that the bill would undermine ef-
fo1ts to lower world trade barriers.
Chairman Hope OF the House Agri-
culture Committee told a reporter
that in view of changes made on
the measure by House and Senate
conferees he will be very much
surprised If President Truman vetoes
the bill"
Despite a protest by Secretary OF
State Marshall and two OF his pre-
decessors the conferees agreed late
yesterday to retain a House pro-
vision of the wool price support bill
which authorizes the President to
increase the duty on foreign wool
whenever shipments threaten the
domestic market.
Gen. Marshall told a news confer
ence today he is disappointed by
the conference agreement.
President Given Choice.
The modification the conferees
agreed on gives the President
choice of higher tariffs or imposition
OF import quotas. The conferees
also voted to rake the provision ap-
plicable only 70 future trade agree
ments.
This latter change is not likely to
dispell much opposition, since the
burden of the arguments against
the bill is that 1t already is having
disruptive effect on the efforts OF q
United States delegation to negotl-
ate new low-tariff agreements at the
international Trade Conference IN
Geneva, Switzerland.
rTndersecretary of State Clayton
told the conferees this before their
decision. And Gen. Marshall wrote
senator Aiken, Republican, OF Ver-
mont. chairman of the conferees,
that the State Department Is
strongly of the opinion" that the
Senate bill-which contalnued no
provision for either import ices or
nuotas-provided "the only accept
able course of action not wholly IN
consistent with our current efforts
to remove the sources of serious
conflicts in the world economic
field"
Previous Stands Cited.
In seaparte letters to Senator
Aiken two former Secretaries OF
State-Cordell Hull and Henry L.
Stimson-took the same stand.
Senator Ellender. Democrat, OF
Louisiana, one of the conferees, eX-
pressed the opinion that Gen. Mar
shall might withdraw his objections
to the bill in the light of the add1-
ton of a quota restriction choice.
But the State Department Is be-
iieved to be firmly set against any
curb on the importation OF wool
because of the opposition to such a
program by wool-producing United
Kingdom countries, particularly
Australia and South Africa.
Mr.. Hope and Senator Aiken said
they believe the importance OF the
controversial provision has been
over emphasized by the State De-
partment.
THE whole thing is left in the
Presidents hands" Mr.. Hope said.
"If he doesn't want to put the pro-
vision into effect, he doesn't have to-.
Provision May Not Be Used.
my own opinion is the provision
never will be used. But it should
be of help to us in getting the
British Empire people to enter into
an agreement for the orderly dis
position of the wool supply"
Mr.. Hope said he expects to call
the bill up for assured ratifica-
ton by the House tomorrow or
Monday. The next stop will be the
Senate-and Senator Aiken pre-
dicted acceptance there.
Senator Aiken said the Senate
conferees yielded to the House in
order to break the deadlock and
put the issue up to the Senate.
The Vermont Senator said he will
vote for the compromise measure,
but he believes Mr.. Truman might
veto it.
The bills original and primary
purpose was to continue through
l948 the requirement that the Gov
ernment support domestic wool
prices at the current level.
The tariff provision would au-
thorize the President to boost duties
up to so per cent of the value OF
the wool, on top of the regular
duty of "a cents a pound