The Wilmington morning star., 1947-08-04
Sweet Whodunit
BY ARTHUR o

BY ARTHUR KROCK
WASHINGTON-No legislation for years has
given to some critics a falser impression Of
its origins than the sugar imports quota bill,
passed by the Senate in the last hours of the
recent session Of Congress after having been
previously approved by the House. Some
misconceptions of this measure, together with
the contradictory facts are:
l. 1t was initiaed by domestic producing
and refining interests. Much Of the initiative
came, however. from the Department Of Agri-
culture.
2. s Section 202-E, which permits the with
drawal Of supplemental import quotas from
nations which the Secretary of State finds
have denied fair and equitable treatment
to the nationals Of the United States, or to its
commerce, navigation or industry" was in
serted by wall Street lobbyists who want
to make this government a private debt-col-
lecting agency. On the contrary, this section
was prepared by the State Department itself
and inserted at its insistence.
3. Section 202-E affects the basic import
quota assigned to Cuba in the Act of 1887 and
repeated in the current bill. It affects only
the supplemental which was granted to make
up the expected deficit of 750, 900 tons in the
quota from the Philippine Republic.
4. Section 202-E can be applied if any pri-
~tS NAN AUN ~ $50
on any nation has not been paid. The fact is
that only such claims as have been validated
in the courts of those nations, and have not
been paid, are eligible under the sectional
condition that has existed for some time in
Cuba.
5. The assignment of IS per cent Of the sup
elemental quota to Cuba, with only the re-
naming 5 per cent assigned to the ''full-duy'
n~ations-Santo Domingo and Peru-Was IN
-aroo Ly ,.INo1J C4roo+ orl-or With avn
investments in Cuba. Ac ,ually this was work
ed out in the government itself.
The legislation came into beng rather sud
denly when the government decided that con-
ditions in the domestic sugar industry and the
large Philippine deficit (Which is normally
about %, 900 tons) required revision OF the Act
OF 1887. The domestic sugar industries, differ
ing as usual over the benefits in a market they
cannot supply, despite subsidies, and expect
ing the act, which expires at the end Of l947,
to be continued, were summoned to offer
suggestions for a new law, and this was pre-
pared in association with the Department Of
Agriculture. Then it was taken for inspection
10 the State Department, which has the final
word on matters of foreign economic policy
Of which this bill is a unit.
Like the sugar industries, the State Depart
ment had a very brief period In which TO re-
view the legislation, and some differences OF
opinion arose among the political and eco
nomic advisers OF Secretary Marshall. The
political advisers were concerned over the
failure of the Cuban government to pay Amer
lean claims that its courts have validated long
since; and they resented intimatlons of a
threatening character from Cuban sources
that, unless the basic import quota OF Cuba
was increased in the bill, various named
reprisals were to be anticipated from that
country. They urged the inclusion Of language
which became Section 202-E.
The economic advisers did not like the
proposal for the same reasons advanced by
other critics-that it is dollar diplomacy"
and makes the government a private debt
collecting agency. Also possible effects on the
forthcoming erican Conference at Rio
de Jaheiro were in their minds. The domestic
sugar industry, not having originated Section
2O2-E or taking any direct interest in it, was
neutral.
Under-Secretary of State William l.. Clay
ton, in charge Of economic affairs, refereed
the rgunen and decided in favor OF insert
ing the section. He so informed the Depart
ment of Agriculture in writing, and it became
a part of the bill that was submitted to Con-
gress and passed. But, like the departmental
advisers, Mr.. Clayton had only a brief time
to consider the Question-durlng the interval
between his flights to Geneva. Nevertheless
this became the official position and made no
great difficulties to the passage OF the Dill IN
the House.
But in the Senate Section 2O2-E had . very
narrow squeak, surprisingly narrow in view
Of the background given here and that part of
if which was explained to the Senate. Chavez
of New Mexico offered a motion to strike this
section from the bill, and he got forty votes
for his motion as against a majority OF forty
two who stood by the paragraph. Moreover,
among the forty were administration stall
warts-among them, Connally, Green, Hatch,
Hill. Kilgore, Lucas, McGratn, Mcmahon,
Magnuson, Murray, Myers and Pepper; such
independent Democrats as Byrd, Eastland,
Mcclellan, Mcclellan, Robertson of Virginia
and Tydinas: and Aiken, Ives, knoWland.
Morse and Vandenberg from the Republican
side.
Now the bill, very definitely an administra-
ton measure, with particular emphasis on
Section 202-E, is before the President for &C.
ton. If he vetoes it he will repudiate the
work and conclusions of three Departments
State, Agriculture and Interior-and throw
the sugar import situation into wild confusion
unless Congress returns before the end of the
year and does something about it. If ne signs
it he will draw upon himself the fire of the
critics of Section 202-E and the treatment of
the full-duty nations.-New York Times.
As 4 whole, women are 2 pernicious influ-
ence ia politics. They are always house
cleaning the same way as they do at home.
-Pose Wilder Lane, novelist.